Page 15 of Must Be Love - Irresistible Bachelors

“But Dr. Blake…”

“Enough, Briana. I’ve heard your stance, but I disagree. It’s all perfectly legal. There’s no need to worry.”

Briana bites her lip. She obviously doesn’t agree with me, but we’ve hit a wall. She can keep repeating herself, and I can keep doing the same, but we’re not going to find common ground on this issue.

“Fine,” she snaps. “I’ll defer to you on this. But I want it on the record that I see this blowing up in your face.”

“Your dissent is noted.”

“Can mine be noted too?” Carter asks. “I realize I wasn’t here for most of what happened, but it doesn’t sound like a good idea to me, either.”

“Yes, Carter. Your dissent is noted as well.”

“Good. Now can we put this stuff away? I want to go home eventually.”

I laugh and help box up the different bottles. Everything is going to stay under the tables, but it has to be put away properly. As we pack up, I think about my spur-of-the-moment decision to give Amber AJB-9. Briana is right about one thing – it was reckless of me to set up a testing session without going through the proper background checks. What if Amber has an allergic reaction to one of the ingredients?

I included a basic list of contents with the usage instructions, all tucked inside the cooler. I couldn’t share everything because although I want to trust Amber, I don’t really know her. She could turn around and give the ingredients list to another company. After all, she works for a company that would steal my formula without a second thought. I have to protect my property, so I left out a few key ingredients.

One is particularly important to the formula. And it’s particularly important that this ingredient stay a secret for as long as possible.

Once everything is put away, Carter, Briana, and I follow the other exhibiters out the main entrance. It’s crazy how different the convention center is when it’s empty. I can actually walk around without worrying about running into someone else.

There’s one person I wouldn’t mind running into, though. Amber is exactly my type, and seeing her today has completely changed my opinion of conventions. I might attend more if it means I get to see people like Amber.

No, not just people like Amber. Amber herself, in particular.

I shouldn’t be thinking like this, though. As of a couple hours ago, Amber is my patient. I can’t have feelings for her beyond those of a doctor for his patient.

I wish she wasn’t so damn hot.

Then again, I wouldn’t be in this situation if she wasn’t. I can’t deny what Briana said earlier. I was thinking with my dick. No other attendee caught my eye the way Amber did. It was my immediate attraction to her that caused me to change my usual policy and give out AJB-9 before it has been properly tested.

“So…Dr. Blake, Carter, I’m starving. Do you guys want to grab some food?”

“Sure, I’m in,” Carter responds. “Where do you want to go?”

Briana fixes me with a strange look. I know she and Carter have been circling each other for months. This could be a good opportunity for something to happen.

There’s no policy against dating coworkers at Blake Cosmeceuticals, or in my dermatology practice. The only stipulation is that you can’t date anyone who directly reports to you. That situation happened once, and we just moved one of them to a different team. No harm, no foul.

“Uh, you know what? Why don’t you guys go ahead? I have some work to do, so I’ll just grab something on my way home. Charge the meal to the company card. You’ve earned it.”

Briana nods, grateful. Carter throws his fist in the air.

“Hell, yeah! Thanks, Dr. Blake.”

“Have fun. I’ll see you both bright and early tomorrow.”

The two of them chat excitedly as they head for whatever expensive restaurant they’re going to choose for dinner. I hail a cab to take me home.

I hope Briana and Carter find happiness with each other. I’m somewhat of a hopeless romantic. Plus, it’s exhausting watching the two of them flirt with each other but never do anything about it. This better be the kick in the right direction they both need.

Despite it being almost eight, the traffic getting back to my house is still terrible. This is why I rarely drive myself anywhere in New York. Most of the time, I take the subway. I’m too exhausted from running around the convention all day to walk the three blocks from the nearest subway stop to my house, though. I’ve already put in my steps today, anyway.

“Beautiful night, isn’t it?” the cabbie says.

“Yeah. Not too cold. I think that’s going to change soon, though.”

“I think you’re right. I don’t mind the cold so much; it’s the snow that bothers me. Hard to drive a cab in the snow.”

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