Page 195 of The Doctors Will See You Now

I gripped Scott’s bicep tighter and turned our bodies toward an exit route. He glanced down at me in confusion, but I ignored it and said, “Bye Brent,” over my shoulder with a half-assed wave.

A few minutes later, both of my hands were shoved into my pockets, and Scott and I were walking side by side in total silence, only the busy sounds of New York City foot traffic filling the otherwise dead air between us.

I glanced at him out of my periphery, and I noted the firm, hard line of his jaw and the rigid way he held his shoulders. Something was up with him, that was for fucking sure.

By the time Jane was no longer in sight, I couldn’t take it anymore and stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. “What’s going on?” I questioned, realizing he was probably wondering the same thing about me.

The instant Scott realized I was no longer walking beside him, he stopped and turned toward me, and his brown eyes were still creased with the same stress and irritation they’d held inside the restaurant.

“Seriously, Scott,” I shouted. “What in the fuck is going on?”

His long strides ate up the pavement as he closed the distance between us. “Why don’t you tell me? You’re the one who appeared very friendly with the fucking mayor back there.”

“What?” My jaw dropped in surprise. “Are you kidding me right now?”

“No,” he spat through gritted teeth. “How do you know the mayor? I mean, he appeared quite fucking friendly with you.”

“Before I give you an explanation, I want to make damn sure you realize how you’re coming across right now,” I challenged. “You’re acting like a jealous boyfriend, and it’s way out of line.”

He scoffed. “No, I’m not.”

“Oh yes, you fucking are.” I stared at him, my gaze unrelenting. “And seeing as we are not in a relationship, I definitely don’t owe you an explanation about my past relationships.”

“You dated that guy?” His brown eyes went wide with surprise. “You used to date the fucking mayor?”

A long, heavy sigh left my lungs, but before I could respond to his question, a lady with both arms full of shopping bags bumped into my hip as she passed me. I glanced around the crowded sidewalk and realized this was definitely not the time or place to have an all-out discussion about my past relationship with the goddamn mayor of the city.

Brent had friends in all kinds of places—high, low, even dirty—and the last thing I needed was for a scumbag like him to get the idea that I made a point of telling other people what happened during our relationship.

I stepped toward Scott and gripped his elbow with my hand and led him toward a small alleyway void of any possible eavesdroppers.

“Yes,” I said in a low, defeated voice. “At one point in my life, I did date him,” I explained. “But that was a long time ago. Like, before his political career had really started.”

Scott nodded in understanding, and even though I’d just told him he had absolutely no right to be in the know about my past relationships, I found myself telling him anyway.

“He’s not someone I like to have contact with,” I added. “Our relationship was a really low point in my life.”

“Is he the ex?” he questioned and I nodded.

“Yes. I don’t like to think about it. I don’t like to talk about it. Most days, I pretend it never even happened. I’ve told you more about it than most people, to be honest.”

“Leave the past in the past kind of thing?” His gaze met mine, and he flashed a soft smile.

“Exactly like that.”

Without hesitation, he wrapped his big arms around my shoulders and pulled me in for a tight hug. “I’m sorry I acted like a jealous boyfriend,” he whispered into my ear. “It just took me by surprise is all. And I met the mayor today because I’m trying to get him onboard with making much needed changes to the city’s current public health policy.”

Well, I couldn’t deny it sounded like a good reason to have lunch with the devil. Even quite noble when I really thought about it.

“That’s okay,” I whispered back. “But next time you try to get all territorial and piss circles around me, I’m kicking you right in the dick.”

He barked out a laugh. “I’ll remember that next time,” he said and then added, “Although, I think you enjoy the sex too much to kick me in the dick.”

I fought the urge to giggle. “Shut up.”

He was totally right, though.

I liked his dick too much to actually go through with a threat like that.