LITMIR.BIZ

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that shallow, Sarah.”

      When she didn’t relent, he sighed. “You want me to sign my name in blood that I won’t see other women?”

      “You can do whatever you want. Whoever you want,” she clarified. “Just not on my time. If I agree to this, then I don’t want other women in your apartment.”

      Surprisingly, he didn’t tell her she was crazy, that she had no right to make demands. Instead, he regarded her a moment, then asked, “You’ll do the same?”

      His question was laughable.

      “I don’t have men come and go out of my apartment.”

      “You go to their apartments?” he pushed.

      “No.”

      His brow arched. “You do date?”

      Not often. Dating wasn’t high on her list of things to do. Never had been. She’d watched too many women squander their lives away chasing after that elusive “the one”. Most of the time, she was smarter than that.

      At the moment she didn’t feel smart. She’d thought Jude wanted to take her to bed and instead he was trying to talk her into agreeing to spend the next several weeks dating him.

      A smart woman would have already agreed.

      Or was it that a smart woman would have already left his apartment? Or never been there to begin with?

      “That guy, the one who stood you up, you have been on a date since that night?”

      She winced at the reminder of just how miserable dating gone wrong could make her feel. Instead, she’d cling to how good his kiss had made her feel, to the knowledge that he wanted to kiss her again.

      “Occasionally,” she answered, trying to stay focused on their conversation rather than all the things running through her mind. “My priorities haven’t been on how many notches I could put on my bedpost.”

      Although she’d been striking out, he didn’t seem offended by her comment.

      “What have your priorities been?”

      “Not on getting laid.”

      “I think it’s safe to say you’ve established that.” His gaze narrowed. “You do think notches are my priority?”

      They were talking in circles. She took another step back, determined she was going to make her way to her apartment.

      “I don’t know you well enough to know your priorities.”

      “Which I plan to remedy,” he countered.

      Flustered, she put her hands on her hips and glared. “You seriously want to take me to a Broadway show? To date me, just me, through Christmas?”

      Eyes glimmering, he grinned. “Absolutely.”

      She had to say yes, didn’t she? Only a fool would say no to what he was offering. As long as she stayed focused on the facts, that they weren’t in a real relationship but a temporary one, that she didn’t want a real relationship any more than he did, everything would be fine.

      She met his gaze and even before she said a single word, victory shone in his eyes.

      “You know if you stand me up I’ll put cockroaches under your apartment door,” she warned.

      Not looking worried, he grinned. “Cockroaches?”

      “Or worse.”

      Rather than say something teasing back, he cupped her cheek. “I won’t stand you up, Sarah. But I’m glad to hear that you refuse to let any man, myself included, treat you shabbily.” His hold tightened ever so slightly. “Make sure you don’t stand me up.”

      As if.

      * * *

      The emergency room had been busy. Busy enough that Sarah hadn’t been able to dwell on her date with Jude the following night.

      Not so busy that she hadn’t paused outside her apartment to stare at his closed door that morning.

      Not so busy that she hadn’t answered his text messages saying good morning, then telling her to have a good afternoon, then messaging her that he’d been called in to the station that night but looked forward to seeing her the following evening.

      He really planned to take her out.

      If he stood her up, she’d be devastated. As much as she hated to admit that truth, she acknowledged it. Wasn’t that why she’d never let a man pick her up at her new apartment? Because she didn’t want her beloved home tainted by painful memories of being stood up?

      Yet she’d agreed to go out with Jude.

      Which meant she needed to figure out what she was going to wear.

      Typically she dressed to avoid attracting any type of attention from the opposite sex. Doing so had just made life easier through med school and as an emergency room physician. Trying to appear attractive garnered attention she didn’t want, hence the thick glasses sitting on her face that weren’t prescription but that she wore any time she left her house.

      Camouflage? Or self-defense?

      While typing up the report on the last patient she’d seen, for a kidney stone, she mentally ran through the items in her closet.

      Nothing there suitable for a dinner and show with Jude Davenport.

      Unless she wanted to put on the dress she’d worn the night Kenny had been a no-show. Not going to happen.

      She wasn’t much of a shopper, but she supposed she could search tomorrow to find something. Not on Fifth Avenue, where most of Jude’s dates probably shopped, but surely she could find something decent at an upscale department store or second-hand shop?

      Maybe she’d even stop by the make-up counter and have her face done while there.

      Or maybe she was being ridiculous in considering trying to spiff herself up to impress Jude. If she spiffed non-stop between now and tomorrow evening, she’d never rival the beauties she’d seen leaving his apartment.

      Plus, the last time she’d spiffed up had gone horribly wrong and had ended with her looking like a raccoon from the tears she’d cried when she’d called Kenny and realized he’d forgotten he’d asked her out...and was out on a date with someone else. She’d not bothered to tell Jude that part. Why humiliate herself even further than she already had?

      She finished up her notes on the patients she’d cared for during her shift, then logged off the computer system.

      “You heading out?” her friend Shelley asked.

      Sarah stood, stretching her spine. “Yes. Today wasn’t as bad as yesterday, thank goodness, but it’s definitely been another long one.”

      “Speaking of yesterday, how’s the little girl? The one rescued by that hunky firefighter who saved her life and made me want to take him home to give him some tender loving care and a good scrub down.”

      Sarah’s cheeks flamed at Shelley’s mention of Jude. He’d been the one to give her the tender loving care, along with a delicious meal. No scrub down. They’d both already showered by the time she’d set off her alarm.

      “Keeley’s good,” she said, thinking of the little girl she’d checked on several times throughout her shift. She’d even gotten permission from Keeley’s mother to text Jude to let him know about the child. “She recovered consciousness this evening. Hopefully, she’ll be weaned off the vent before the night is through.”

      Sarah spoke with her friend a few more minutes, considered mentioning that she had a date with the hunky firefighter, but decided not to. They hadn’t actually gone on a date so she shouldn’t jump the gun, just in case.

      Not that she thought Jude would stand her up. With her history, she should be terrified he would change his

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