Page 38 of Dr. Bad Boy

“I can be patient.” My voice cracks because I don’t want to wait. His eyes glint at that, like he knows my resolve is well and truly broken. It’s a good thing he's in charge.

“I’m going to take you for a drive. We can grab some dinner, and then I want you to meet my friends.” He pauses for a minute, a smile curling up his lips as he releases my wrists. “It’ll be fun.”

Since he’s let me go, I let myself respond freely. “You say that so confidently.”

He lifts one brow.

I roll my eyes. “When was the last time you had dinner and drinks with friends with a woman?”

He shrugs. “Should I have put a question mark on the end of that? It’ll be fun?” He exaggerates the lift on the last word. “It’ll be with you, Violet. I have no doubt I’m going to enjoy myself.”

Max drives a BMW SUV. It looks brand-new. But considering where we’re going tonight, considering what I know about his business holdings and his personal wealth, not to mention his income as a doctor…it’s hardly surprising. He could afford an entire fleet of these, one of every day of the week and two for Sunday.

He drives it like it’s a Ford pick-up truck, his arm slung loose along the side of the wheel, his other hand on my knee. That’s hot, and the rest doesn’t matter.

I almost slide into thinking this is just a regular kind of date, but that’s crazy because it’s so not.

We’re expected at 24 Sussex, the prime minister’s official residence. We provide photo identification and I’m asked a few extra security questions, then we’re waved up to the front door.

Max parks, then hops out. I take a deep breath before opening my own door—I’m not eager. I convinced myself earlier that this would be fine, but now that we’re here, I’m a mess of nerves. I glance towards the house as I climb out of the SUV to see the front door already opening. And now I don’t even get the luxury of the few seconds walk to the house to finish gathering my wits.

I keep telling myself it’s no big deal. Drinks with Max’s friends. Laid back. Casual. No different than me taking Max to socialize with Matthew.

Except it totally is different. Because I had to make it past a cop to get into Gavin Strong’s home, and… Okay, maybethat’snot so different. I’ve got a cop watching out for me, too. But everything else is.

Max takes my hand. “It’ll be fine.”

The prime minister—Gavin, I remind myself—and his fiancée—Ellie—are standing in the doorway wearing t-shirts and faded jeans, and I’m suddenly glad I listened to Max. I’m off-balance enough as it is.

“Welcome,” Ellie says, stepping back inside.

Gavin just gives me a smile that’s familiar, but not. It’s one I’ve seen on television many times, but in person it’s more dynamic. Reaches all the way to his eyes, where amusement clearly dances.

Max sets his right hand in the small of my back and extends his left out toward the couple as we move into the foyer.

The house is smaller than I thought.

That’s something. It’s not a palatial mansion.

“Gavin and Ellie, this is Violet. Violet, this is my college roommate, Gavin, and his better half.”

I laugh a little nervously, and Ellie blushes. Good. It’s not just me, then. She wrinkles her nose and leans in. “Is it time for wine yet?”

Warm relief floods through me. “Is it rude if I say oh, goodness, yes, please?” I whisper back.

She shakes her head quickly. “Not at all. Come on, let’s go into the living room.”

Gavin disappears for a moment, returning with beer, and Ellie pours me a glass of wine. Local Ontario wine, from Prince Edward County, but something I’d see on the shelf. Something I could afford to buy myself.

My nerves ease a little more.

They’re just normal people in an extraordinary situation.

“So, where did you two meet?” Gavin asks as he sits on the sofa next to Ellie. The question shouldn’t come as a surprise—it’s par for the course when you’re being introduced to the friends—but given these friends have a full-time security detail, I assumed they already knew everything.

I glance at Max and he gives me a small nod. He’s leaving the answer entirely up to me. “At the Chateau Laurier.” I go with the simple truth, but my face heats with the memory.

Ellie saves me with a happy little sigh. “I love that hotel. Actually, I love all of the older architecture downtown. It reminds me of Montreal.”

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