A blast from the past (2)

"Is your little welcome party done?" Kara knew who had just opened the door to her office without looking up. That woodsy scent was still the same after two years. She could recognize it anywhere. He was finally here, after making her wait for an eternity.

"You didn't come to say hi to me." He complained. "Don't you miss me?"

She came up with a retort but it stuck at the tip of her tongue when she looked up. The man was leaning with one foot against the closed door and his hands in his pockets. Not a single thing had changed about him. He was still that sexy bastard with a tongue that could drive her crazy—literally and figuratively—and eyes that made her feel uneasy. His hair must have seen a lot of ruffling, it was messier than a bird's nest. However, he still managed to look charming with it.

She swallowed hard and averted her eyes from his face to look past him. "Don't be too full of yourself."

He sighed. "I'm disappointed, Kara."

"Disappointed that we didn't roll out a red carpet for you? Or that we didn't welcome you with a bevy of voluptuous beauties in bunny negligee and twelve centimeter heels?" She rolled her eyes.

A slight laugh left his lips as he pushed himself off the wall to approach her. "Do you think that's what I like? Voluptuous beauties in bunny negligee and twelve centimeter heels?"

She felt his gaze tracing her body and it made her shiver. He was insane! It didn't take a genius to figure out what was running through his dirty mind. Bastard.

She grabbed the file that Cleo had brought.

"If you are here to discuss the handover, you may take a seat." She motioned at the leather chair on the other side of her desk. "But if what you want is to discuss the type of women you want, there's a club two miles ahead, on your right."

He sat down obediently while retaining the grin on his face which seemed to throw her off. What the heck?

"Let's get this done, shall we? Here's what you need." She slid the file over to him. "If you need an explanation on anything, you can contact Cleo and she will let you know who to consult."

"Oh? But I want to consult you." His tongue peeked in between his lips to lick them slightly.

The things that tongue could do…

"I'm not available." She dismissed him.

"You may want to make some time for me." He stood up, file in hand, leaning slightly over the desk to meet her gaze. "Seeing as you are my superior and all. We have way more paths to cross than you can avoid. See you around, Dr. Williams." With a wink, he left her office as if he owned it.

He poked his head through almost immediately, lamenting. "I'm hungry."

Kara rolled her eyes. "Give your mommy a call. Ask her if she has some food to spare." She kicked him out.

She took deep breaths to calm herself.

Just great.

_____

"Delores Shera Qin! Come out. I promise I won't slice you into pieces with my surgical blade!" With her hands cupped around her mouth, Kara called out when she arrived at Declan Villa where Shera and her family lived.

Her daughter, Laia, was the first to hear her voice and she rushed over excitedly.

"It's Kara!"

Kara picked her up. "Where is your mommy? Is she hiding behind your daddy for protection?"

"Looking for me?" Shera finally showed up at the top of the staircase, a deceptive smile on her lips.

Kara let Laia go to play and confronted her friend. "You hired Carlos as the Vice Chairman of the hospital."

"Yes." She walked past her to the couch and patted the space beside her for Kara to sit. "Because, why the hell not? He has everything I'm looking for. The skill, the experience and loyalty."

Kara was not buying it. "If an announcement was made, there would be at least twenty doctors applying for the position and at least ten would qualify."

"Did we have enough time, though?"

Kara gave up. Shera was a trickster and there was no winning against her when she decided to scheme.

"Does it have to be this way?" She looked at her friend pleadingly. "I can't work with Carlos in the same building. It has happened before and you know how it ended."

"Are you scared you won't be able to keep your hands to yourself? Don't worry. We can work around the rule against workplace relationships." Shera teased.

"Are you really my friend? I'm starting to think we are still enemies." She laughed dryly.

"I'm your friend, alright, which is why I'm so caring. When did you last get laid? You must have cobwebs down there." She countered.

"Shera!" her face was flushed in embarrassment.

Her retort hung at the back of her throat when she heard that familiar voice again. It was coming from upstairs.

No fucking way.

She didn't have the chance to voice this thought before Shera's husband, Leo, made his way down the stairs with Carlos following closely behind like a shadow, both laughing at something.

He stopped dead in his tracks when their eyes met.