"Oh, Dr. Reeves." Taylor's voice sing-songed out at Alexa as she rushed past the nurse's desk on almost a week later.

"Yes, Taylor?" She turned to face the nurse, not liking the look on Taylor's face. Taylor grinned silently for a minute, as Alexa grew impatient. She was about to walk away when Taylor finally spoke.

"Patient in room two asked specifically for you." Taylor's eyes twinkled, and Alexa narrowed hers to glare at her. "You'll want to go there next. Trust me.

"Why? What is that look?" Alexa looked at Taylor suspiciously. What was she up to?

Taylor shrugged innocently, and turned back to the chart she'd been reading. "You'll see." Alexa advanced toward exam room two hesitantly, feeling completely unprepared, because Taylor hadn't given her a chart or any information.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped inside the door, "Good afternoon ..." She lost her voice, realizing who was waiting inside. "Mr.McLean, is there a problem? Are you alright?" Her doctorly concern overrode her surprise at seeing him again.

"Oh, no, everything's fine. I wanted to thank you, personally, for the other day. It's healing now." He lifted his shirt up, showing her how the tattoo had healed, and waited until she stepped back before speaking again. "You were, " Alexa felt color creep into her cheeks as his eyes scanned her, "great."

Alexa hated herself for letting his words, and actions affect her. She prided herself on professionalism in strange situations, and it bothered her that this guy was breaking through that. The worst part was that she didn't know what it was about him that made her react; she'd had other patients make comments before, but she'd always managed to stay professional. This was a totally different situation. In more ways than one, this guy was unique.

"Hey, I, uh, didn't want to make you uncomfortable. I really just wanted to thank you." He stuck out his hand, and Alexa couldn't help but smile at the formality.

"No problem. I was just doing my job."

Alexa saw his expression change and his eyes shift away from hers when she spoke. He didn't say anything else for a moment, but something kept Alexa from excusing herself from the room. "Actually, I was hoping to thank you better, if you'd go to dinner with me..." His eyes met hers briefly and Alexa was shocked at the intensity she saw in them.

Alexa didn't quite know how to respond. She took a moment, gathering her thoughts, and then spoke calmly, although in her head she was anything but calm. "There's no need for that. Like I said I was doing my job. You don't need to thank me."

"What if I want to?" Alexa was surprised by the quickness of his response.

"I ... I guess I'd have to say thank you. But, I can't let you." Alexa watched him stand up, seeing the slightly dejected slump in his shoulders until he stood straight. The determination was clear in his eyes when he looked over his sunglasses at her.

"Well, I guess that's it, then." He brushed past her into the hallway, close enough that she could smell his cologne.

Alexa smiled absently, breathing deeply, her mind running laps. Her eyes followed him from the exam room doorway as he made his way out of the clinic. Her first thought was that she'd never see him again. The she laughed softly at herself. Before a week ago, she hadn't known who he was anyway.

"So, what did he want?"

Alexa shook her head gently, bringing herself out of her thoughts, and turned to face Taylor. "What?" Taylor glared at her, and realization dawned on Alexa. She sighed, wondering why she couldn't at least have a minute to catch her breath before the interrogation. Unfortunately Taylor wasn't a patient person.

"Well, what did he want?"

"Are you always this nosey?" Alexa held one hand over her eyes as she asked the question.

"Yes," there was no hesitation in the reply. "Now, spill it."

Alexa sighed again. She knew Taylor was going to freak out, and she wasn't looking forward to telling her. She took a deep breath, "He came to thank me." She stopped, still not looking at Taylor.

"And? There has to be more. There's always more. Besides, you're all flakey, and you're never flakey."

Taylor was right, she was being flakey. It was so unlike her. She looked at Taylor suddenly, "He asked me to dinner." Alexa cringed at the high-pitched squeal that Taylor let out. Alexa pulled Taylor into her office before she called more attention to them.

"So when are you going? Where's he taking you? Gimme details." Taylor waited impatiently for the details that she was sure would follow.

Alexa bit her lip, knowing this was the part that Taylor was not going to like. "Never, nowhere. I said No."

"You what?" Taylor glared as Alexa shushed her, "Stop that, who cares who heard me. Now how? Why?" She took a breath. "I don't understand you, Alexa. Do you know how many women all over the world would give their first born child to be in your position, and you turned him down? Are you insane?"

"No," she paused, trying to figure out exactly why she'd turned him down. She was immediately defensive because she knew Taylor was going to say just what she was thinking. "I just happen to have some ethics, that's all."

"Ethics? About what? And don't give me that dating a patient crap. How many doctors treat their family members? It's not like you were using the clinic like a singles bar."

Alexa sighed and spent a minute intensely studying her fingernails, not willing to look Taylor in the eye, because she'd have to admit that she knew Taylor was right.

Taylor grew tired of Alexa's silence. "Have I told you that it was stupid to turn him down? Because I just want to make that point." She tapped her foot, regaining Alexa's attention.

"Okay, okay. I get the point. However," Alexa made sure that Taylor was paying attention to her, " it's done. There's no going back now."

This time Taylor sighed. "True. I still can't believe you turned him down. We both know you thought he was good-looking. Don't deny it."

"Oh give it up, Taylor." Alexa finally allowed herself to laugh at the situation, as Taylor continued ranting.

"Oh no. I'm not letting you forget this one. I'm going to make sure you remember this forever. I'll write a book, �My friend, Alexa, the only girl on the face of the earth who would turn down a date with a Backstreet Boy' What do you think?" Alexa rolled her eyes, and headed toward the exam rooms and her next patient.

"Title's a little long, don'tcha think?"

"What are those?" About an hour later, Alexa stopped to stare at the dozen yellow roses that had appeared at the nurse's desk.

"Oh, Lex. Here, they're yours." Taylor handed Alexa the card and smirked, waiting for her to open it.

Alexa looked quizzically at the envelope and then carefully pulled out the tiny card. She read it silently, and the flipped it quickly to Taylor. "This ought to make your day." She heard a stifled scream and was thankful for the empty waiting room, as she ducked into her office.

Before she could shut the door, Taylor had joined her. "What are you going to do now?"

Alexa shuffled some papers around on her desk, hoping she looked more calm than she felt. "What?"

"About the card, flowers. You've been given a second chance, girl. You better take advantage of it. AJ won't try again. Hell, I'm surprised he still knows you exist. 365 days a year he's got women throwing themselves at him, and he's stuck on you." Taylor shook her head, amazed.

"Thanks for the compliment, Tay." Alexa grabbed the card out of Taylor's hand and re-read it. "Persistent little bugger, ain't he?"

"Be happy he's persistent. What are you going to do."

Alexa shrugged, much to Taylor's exasperation. "I'm not doing anything. He sent flowers, they're nice, but it doesn't require a reply."

"You should thank him."

Alexa shook her head at Taylor. "Thank him for a thank you gift. Then he can thank me for thanking him for a thank you gift. That could go on forever."

"And that's a bad thing how?" Taylor blinked, and looked at Alexa. "Okay, I get your point." It was clear she was still thinking as she walked to the door. She stopped, with her hand on the doorknob. "You should do something."

"I should keep you out of my business."

"Without me you wouldn't have even known who he was. You owe me the ability to live vicariously through you."

Alexa rolled her eyes at Taylor, who stuck out her tongue before she left the room.

�1997 - 2002 [email protected], Intelexual productions