Page 65 of No Way Home
“Ace?” One brow arched. “Not according to my dad.”
My fists clenched and my heart pounded.
His hooded gaze raked over my chest, making me wish I could knee him in the groin. But that would require me getting close enough to touch him, and I was never doing that.
“Eyes up top.” I snapped my fingers in his face. “Or you and I are going to have a problem.”
“Oh, we already have a problem. I’m tired of playing this game of cat and mouse,” he purred hungrily. “Now stop playing hard to get and tell me the password.”
“Move out of my way.Now.”
His lips quirked at the corners, fighting back a laugh. “The password.”
I glared at him. “Here’s the password: Over my dead body.”
“Wrong. Try again.” His eyebrows bobbed. “I can do this all day.”
My gaze flashed to the front of the building. We were strictly forbidden to come through the patient’s entrance. Billy made that clear the first day I started. He said it looked unprofessional. But I couldn’t do this anymore.
Topher caught me glancing in that direction. “Don’t want to give Dr. Adams another reason todock your grade.” The way he said it…
Every muscle in my body locked up. “It’syou.”
“It’s me, what?” He smirked.
“You’re the one who keeps taking the ‘no student’ sign off the doors.” It all made sense now. My teeth clamped together and I’d never wanted to do someone physical harm in my life before but I did right then.
“No idea what you’re talking about.” He leaned in, eyes greedy. “I think your head is in the clouds because you’re constantly thinking about being with me. The only way toclear your mind is to give in to this.” He gestured at himself like he was some kind of prize.
“I’m going to tell your dad,” I threatened. “And report this to my clerkship director.”
He snorted. “IfI were trying to sabotage your rotation and you reported it to my dad, he wouldn’t believe you. And you’d end up having to repeat family medicine.” He chuckled like he thought I secretly liked this. “But if you give me the password, I’ll make sure whoever is doing it stops.”
I stared at him, hands shaking…because he was right—though I’d never tell him so. I didn’t have time for this ridiculousness. Definitely didn’t have the emotional bandwidth. I needed to put everything into undoing the damage he’d already done and into the SHELF exam I had to take at the end of this rotation.
His head tilted, studying me. “Is there something wrong with you? Do you not like guys?” he asked, like that was the only possible explanation. “You know I was Prom King, right?” I did, because he still bragged about it to anyone who would listen. “Star QB.” Of a losing team. “Salutatorian of my class.” Cheated his way through high school. At least those were the rumors.
“This isn’t high school anymore,” I said. “You’re an adult now, and it’s time for you to grow up and learn that you can’t manipulate people into getting your way.”
But he still didn’t move.
So I marched back down the ramp, around the building, and through the front door.
Marissa glanced up from the registration desk, brow furrowed. But the look in her eyes told me she understood and she wouldn’t say anything.
Unfortunately, just then Dr. Adams walked into the reception area and saw me through the glass.
He glowered and huffed, “Magnolia!”
Chapter Twenty-Five
MAGNOLIA
That night,I sat on my bed, phone pressed to my ear, as I broke the news to my clerkship director. Man, I wished Dad wasn’t currently stationed in Italy. He would’ve ripped Topher to pieces.
“Maggie,” Dr. Pennington said with a frustrated sigh. “We’ve never had a problem with Seddledowne Family Practice before. They’re one of our oldest—and best—partners. If we go in there guns blazing, accusing Dr. Adams’s son of sexual harassment…” She didn’t need to finish. I got it. “Look,” she said, calmer. “I’m not saying we shouldn’t make a formal complaint. I’m just saying it’s going to be a real headache if we do. Are you positive he’s been sabotaging you? Did he openly confess that?”
“No, ma’am.” I swallowed. “But I can’t even walk in through the staff entrance like everyone else without him hounding me,” I reminded her. I’d already told her about the password nonsense.
