Page 36 of The Potter

“And in case you forgot, Astor told you to leave.”

I see his mood didn’t soften with his tone, which should have been warning enough, but I’m tired and so over his tantrum.

“And in case you don’t look at your employees’ timecards, I clocked out two hours ago.”

Yeah, I’m doing this for free.

I brave a look at Vance and immediately regret the impulsive decision when I find his jaw clenched, eyes furious, and fists balled at his waist. Yeah, popping off when he’s had a crappy day wasn’t the best decision. It’s too late to take it back now, though.

“Ms. Belle,” he finally grits out, straightening to his impressive height, “if you don’t get yourself out of my exam room in the next sixty seconds, you’re fired.”

His words are so simple—so concrete. Yet, I still don’t heed their warning.

“You’d fire an employee for going above and beyond her duty to ensure her employer’s schedule ran smoothly tomorrow? Call me crazy, but I expected the opposite reaction.”

Did I think he would give me a sucker and a hug? No, not really. But athank you? Yeah, I don’t think those two words would have killed him to mutter.

A scoffing sound breaks his frozen stare. “I expect my employees to follow orders. Anything less than full compliance is grounds for termination.”

“Is that why you have several vacancies?” I prompt. “Because no one offers you their full compliance?” Except for Serena. She’s made it clear whatever Dr. Potter wants, she delivers. Such a butt kisser…probably literally.

A hint of a volatile smile briefly crosses his face. “Exactly. Twenty seconds.” He glances at his watch as if he’s actually timing me.

Whatever. He already agreed to the surgery, whether either of us are happy about it or not. “I’m not leaving until this room is cleaned,” I promise, dropping his stormy gaze and getting back to the mess.

His voice is clipped when he grinds out, “Time’s up.”

I shrug, not bothering to look at him. His frustrated face is likely still the same. “I’ll pack my things when I finish.”

“You’ll leave now,” he demands, the words strained as he pushes them past his annoyance. “I’m ready to leave.”

I sigh. This man and his moods. “Dr. Potter,” I say with fake bravery, “I’ll leave this room when you drag me out of it.”

The exam room is so quiet that I think he walked out, but when I look up, I see him standing in the doorway, his eyes focused on me like if he could set me on fire, he would.

“Either drag me or help me, Dr. Potter. Those are your only two options.”

Where I got the nerve, I have no idea, but something about this man sparks a defiance deep inside me that I thought I’d long since put behind me.

A long silence passes between us before I hear Vance’s sigh as he lowers to his knees.

I turn back to the mess in front of me and fail at hiding my grin.

He caved.

Big, bad, and severely broody Dr. Potter actually did something he didn’t want to.

“Ms. Belle,” he rasps out quietly.

Raising my head, I answer, “Yes, Dr. Potter?”

His eyes are like burning embers, alight with hot rage. “Next time you disobey me, I’ll take you up on your offer and drag you out of here.”

I swallow, my grin falling flat when he warns, “I’m not the man to test.”

Perhaps. But then again, maybe his attitude could use a little challenge. “So, you’re saying there will be a next time?”

His lip twitches. “I’m saying next time I won’t be so amenable to following policy.”

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