Tempting Nashville's Celebrity Doc. Amy Ruttan
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arrogance.
Her unruly red hair was swept back and tamed in a bun. She was polished, wearing designer clothes, but, as he stared into her green eyes, the costume couldn’t hide from him that girl who’d grown up on the wrong side of the tracks was there still.
The woman who preferred blue jeans and running barefoot through the grass.
The woman he’d fallen in love with. This facade just reminded him that version of Vivian he loved was gone and this Vivian was a stranger. It pained him to be around her.
When they’d been residents together, she’d constantly talked about working with Dr. Mannheim. It had been her dream, not his, but he’d foolishly thought that love would keep her here, that she wouldn’t go. She’d planned to leave Nashville far behind her. Still, Reece wasn’t the only one who built up walls. He was closed off, but Vivian ran from her problems.
The morning he’d rolled over and found her note had crushed him. Vivian had left, and hadn’t asked him to go with her. What made it worse was the engagement ring he’d bought for her—the one he had to return the next day—because the morning she’d left was when he was going to open up to her. Tell her everything. Things he didn’t tell anyone.
If she had asked him to go, he would’ve gone with her.
Only you wouldn’t have.
Germany was not what he wanted.
At least that was what he’d told himself to justify her leaving. To make himself believe that was the only reason why she hadn’t asked him and why he wouldn’t have gone.
Only he’d been lying to himself. He might’ve gone, but he was never given the choice. The fact was that she hadn’t wanted him to go with her. Plain and simple.
It still stung, even after all this time.
She’d been his best friend. The one person he’d opened up to. The only person who’d been able to get through his walls—and look what happened. She’d left.
He’d learned his lesson well.
He wasn’t going to make that same mistake twice. People didn’t get second chances, if what happened between him and his father was anything to go by.
“Well, shoot, you’re just a sight for sore eyes,” Gary said, smiling again. “No offense, Dr. Castle, but I do get tired of looking at your ugly mug every day.”
Reece chuckled, his residents snickering behind him. When he glanced up at Vivian there was a pink tinge to her cheeks. Vivian was never the one for compliments. She used to think compliments could be confused as a form of weakness or she still didn’t think she deserved them. Only the compliments were valid. She was beautiful. He’d forgotten how much so. His memories didn’t do justice to her.
He’d forgotten about how coppery her hair was in certain lights, how green her eyes were. Like emeralds. The subtle smattering of freckles across her nose against her creamy white skin.
She was tall. Elegant.
Sexy as hell still.
She broke your heart.
He had to keep reminding himself of that. Under all that soft beauty she was just as hardened as he was.
When he’d met her she was shy and timid, but always closed off, but then he’d fallen in love with her. Completely—to the point he didn’t have to hide who he was. He’d adored her and he’d foolishly thought she felt the same. Good thing he didn’t tell her who he really was... Love wasn’t strong enough to keep her. He should’ve known better, given who his mother was. Women couldn’t be trusted.
He knew Vivian came from a very different world to the one which he had grown up in. She was just as secretive about her past as he was and they hadn’t talked much about their childhood, other than he knew they’d both raised themselves and didn’t have much of one. Then again, who needed talk when they had sex?
Now, seven years later, he couldn’t remember why they’d been friends or what they had in common, but they’d been drawn to each other. They’d clung to each other, both starved of love perhaps? He’d let his guard down around her.
“I appreciate the sentiment, Gary.” Then he briefly shared a quick glance with Vivian. “You’re right about Dr. Maguire being easier on the eyes.”
Vivian’s blush deepened and the smile disappeared. She was clearly uncomfortable and he was treading on dangerous ground. That was the last thing he needed, to bandy words with Vivian here in front of his patient and residents. He had to work with her and he was professional. Besides, there was nothing left to say. It was all in the past.
Is it?
“Well, I better make myself better acquainted with the neurosurgical staff and find my office. It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Trainer.”
“Gary please, Dr. Maguire.”
“Gary, then.” She shook his hand and glanced up at Reece. “Dr. Castle, I’ll speak with you later, I’m sure.”
Reece didn’t answer; he just nodded quickly. He watched her walk out the door, feeling slightly guilty about how cold he’d been to her.
She’s the competition.
He had to remind himself that, even if he wasn’t particularly interested in going after Dr. Brigham’s job, he hadn’t worked all these years pouring his blood, sweat, soul and tears into the neuro program at Cumberland Mills to have someone like Vivian waltz in and take it over. She had to prove herself to him. He had Dr. Brigham’s ear. And if she wanted to run the surgical program she had to prove to him and everyone else she was here for the long haul.
Vivian had left for greener pastures years ago. Back then she didn’t see Cumberland Mills as much. Just a stepping stone. Reece really knew what this hospital was about. He didn’t know why she was back other than to take Dr. Brigham’s job.
Your job.
He shook that thought away. He’d been offered the job but he didn’t want it. He didn’t need it and didn’t want to live up to Dr. Brigham’s reputation. Some shadows were too big to step out of and Reece’s dad had made it clear time and time again he didn’t have what it took. It wasn’t his job, nor was it hers.
Vivian’s return to Nashville was just a blip. An annoyance. She was not a threat, she was not competition and definitely she was no longer a temptation.
Keep telling yourself that.
“WELL, I NEVER thought I’d see your face here again.”
Startled, Vivian glanced up to see Reece standing in the door of her office, his arms crossed and leaning casually against the doorjamb. Those dark eyes were trained on her, but the sparkle he once shared with her was gone. Still, he was just as handsome as ever. Something about him made her heart beat just a bit faster. She’d thought that being apart from him would dissipate the attraction she’d always had for him. She was wrong.
So wrong.
Which was probably why any relationship she’d had since had been fleeting and not worth a second glance because now, staring at Reece, she knew no man could ever affect her the way Reece had.
She hadn’t heard him come into her office but, then again, he always had a way of sneaking up on her, or nurses, or doctors. As if he moved at the edge of the shadows, unnoticed until he wanted to be seen.
When she’d asked him about it once he’d said offhandedly he’d learned to do that as a child, but never really elaborated further on that. Of course, Reece never did elaborate much on his past. She only knew he was from Nashville. That was it. And she never went on about her past. All he knew was she grew up on the wrong side of the tracks and he didn’t. Though