1

Being a doctor is something I enjoy, yet it has consumed an enormous amount of my time. Time that other women could have spent going on dates, getting married, and having children. Every so often I wonder whether I should have spent my time that way as well. Rather than long nights spent studying, there could have been long nights filled with far better memories. I wish I could have thrown away even a single night on studying and come away with just one wild memory. I held out, and now at 28 it feels as though every relationship comes down to whether you're the marrying kind.

Not that I had many relationships to speak of in the first place. My family was small and not particularly close. All the effort I poured into becoming a physician had left little room for anything else. I had relocated many times for school and residency, and now I'd moved to a new town for this job. I had a handful of friends, though I would scarcely describe them as close. Desperate was the only word that captured how I felt about finding someone.

So when the bubbly drug rep, Katie, went on about how cute and clever her friend was, I paid attention. Blonde, tall, self-employed — the picture practically shouted dateable, and it had been so very long. I could hardly believe I was actually going on a blind date. When I steered my pickup into the upscale steakhouse, Luna Ferus, I felt relieved that at least I was making an attempt.

Since it was Sunday, I'd had the time to get ready for this date. I let my long blonde hair down from its typically dull ponytail and gave it a pretty curl. I did my best to bring out my green eyes and even put on something that could pass for lipstick.

I'm not hard on the eyes — 5'8 with a C cup and a generous backside. I'd logged plenty of hours climbing those hospital stairs back where I did my training, and my legs had grown into something I was genuinely proud of. So, honestly, I was flaunting them a bit as well. I had on the only skirt I possessed, a black hip-hugging piece with a slit running up the side of my thigh. I made an effort not to overdo the trampy look and instead picked out a classy red sleeveless dress. Out of respect for the chill, I tossed on a light black sweater as well.

I'd spun around a few times in front of the mirror just to confirm the colors weren't making me look too washed out. I'm naturally pale, and once winter is halfway through, I begin to appear a touch too fragile. Still, I was happy with how I looked. Not overly porcelain, not overly come-hither; exactly the right balance to catch a man's eye.

My date had gotten there ahead of me and was already sitting at the table. This restaurant was renowned for both its service and its atmosphere. It was laid out as a warren of several smaller dining areas, designed to create the feeling of a cozy little bistro. While I trailed the hostess toward one of the rear dining rooms, I saw that most of them sat empty, probably because it was off season. I was taken aback by the big group of men seated at the table next to ours. Just one other couple was scattered along the wall of that small dining room.

"Elizabeth," my date greeted me as I walked up, "so nice to meet you!" He had gotten to his feet and was bending forward to take my hand.

His palm felt cool against my own, and slightly moist. Katie's assessment of him had been accurate. Blond and tall, yet I couldn't shake the feeling that he devoted more effort to his hair than I did to mine. He also possessed the oddest yet most flawless tan. I figured that must have come from being inside a tanning bed.

"Jeff, I truly appreciate the invitation so much. This place has always intrigued me. People talk about it with such praise." I waved my hands toward the walls around us. Once we were seated facing each other, I genuinely did not want to keep holding onto that hand.

Sitting opposite Jeff gave me even more opportunity to study him, largely because he talked nonstop. Judging by how his charcoal grey suit was fitted, I figured he was earning money in—what was it he kept going on about? Real estate, of course, how could that slip my mind.

When the first course was done, I let my napkin fall and leaned down to retrieve it. While my gaze drifted around the restaurant, I locked eyes with a man from the big group who was staring at me. Not merely looking, not a quick glance, but staring so intensely that my clothes felt transparent.

I tugged at the slit in my skirt to hide a bit more of my leg and stole another look. The man had no manners whatsoever. His gaze wandered over my body without restraint as he smirked at me and then gave a wink. I turned to Jeff, who was still rambling about some beachfront-view condo. He had no idea.

'Well, it wasn't as if I wasn't seeking male attention when I chose this outfit,' I said to myself, 'I just figured my aim would be better.'

From then on it turned into a game, at least on my end. Every couple of minutes, or any time Jeffery became too absorbed in the architecture of the roofline, I stole a glance past Jeff's shoulder at the man.

The man was tall; I could tell that much even though he was seated. His hair, black and glossy, cascaded in waves that reached just to his ears. His complexion was simply gorgeous, a golden olive tone that practically shouted health and a life spent outdoors. 'To build a body like that, he'd have to stay active,' I mused, studying his almost flawless physique. Even his hands, resting on the table, looked big and powerfully built.

Though he wore nothing more than a plain polo shirt and casual slacks, he carried an unmistakable aura of authority. Clearly he was a familiar figure at the restaurant, since the staff appeared to dote on him. Whether he was the owner or merely a wealthy patron, I couldn't say.

I became fixated on watching the man I had privately nicknamed Mr. Tall and Dark. For the most part he wore a smile, but the moment Jeff reached over and took my hand, I noticed his jaw tighten. I faked a cough, drew my hand back, and received a faint nod in return. What an odd little dance the two of us were engaged in.