I can�t believe I agreed to stay here and talk to him. What was I thinking? I only came here to apologize to him, and now here I am, sitting in front of him, with a direct view of his lap. Even as I question myself, I know the answer. I didn�t come here just to apologize. That was part of it, yes, but it was also an excuse to see him again. For reasons I cannot explain, something propelled me here this evening, and I�m beginning to hate myself for it.

�So Michelle,� he begins, obviously enjoying looking down at me, �you said you were finished with classes for the day. Does that mean you�re still in college?�

I keep my eyes glued to his, never allowing my gaze to wander below his chin. I�m not going to give him the satisfaction of looking at the part of his body he�s so blatantly displayed for me. �Medical school,� I reply in a sharp tone.

�Oh, medical school,� he says, sarcasm brimming in his voice. �I�m sorry. I must�ve offended you.�

�I�m not offended,� I answer. �At least you didn�t ask me if I was still in high school.�

�You get that a lot, do you?� he asks, still staring down at me from his �power position�.

�Evidently, I look younger than I am,� I say. �If I go out and order a drink with my dinner, I always have to show my I.D. I�ve just kind of gotten used to it.�

He nods, and finally moves his body from in front of me, and sits down behind his desk. I don�t know if he�s satisfied that he displayed himself for me, or insulted because I didn�t look. Either way, I�m relieved to not be face to face with his crotch anymore.

�I guess that�s a problem that you don�t have,� I say. �I�m sure no one ever asks to see your I.D.�

�True,� he says, almost reflectively. �People in my life have been looking at me as a grown up for a very long time. I can�t even remember what it�s like to feel like a kid.�

Suddenly struck with sadness for a childhood that never was, I reply, �Your family?�

His defenses go up again, and he starts demonstrating that enormous chip on his shoulder that Phillip told me about. �Yeah Michelle, my family. I know you�ve heard all the stories, but let me assure you, I don�t need you to feel sorry for me.�

�I wasn�t trying to upset you, Danny,� I say in a sharp tone. �I�m just trying to understand you a little better. Phillip told me what you did.�

�You asked Phillip about me?� he asks incredulously. �You were nosing around in my business?�

�Well, yes I asked Phillip about you,� I answer tentatively. �But I wasn�t trying to dig around in your life. I was just a little curious about why you would want to work at Spaulding.�

�Great,� he said with a hint of disgust. �So what did my boss have to say about me?�

I feel the sparks of anger begin to arise, and I cannot hold back. �Phillip said a lot of things, Danny,� I say in a heated whisper, giving the comment time to sink in, and giving Danny plenty of time to wonder just what Phillip said about him.

Danny doesn�t say a word. He just stares across his desk at me, holding my eyes with his powerful gaze the way he did the other day. He�s fidgeting nervously, and I decide I should let him of the hook.

�But what it all boils down to is this - Phillip respects you very much. He told me that you are a good man, and he spoke very highly of you.�

Somewhat relieved, he visibly relaxes a bit. �So, that�s why you came here, isn�t it Michelle? To see if Phillip was right.�

�I came here to apologize to you, nothing more,� I shoot back at him. �After what Phillip told me, I realized that I misjudged you.�

�I don�t know whether to be flattered or angry that you went to my boss to ask about me,� he says with a smirk.

�Dammit Danny,� I almost shout. �I�m trying to pay you a compliment, so why the hell don�t you just take it?�

He leans over the desk, propping his upper body with his elbows. �Well, I appreciate that, Michelle. And I appreciate the confidence that Phillip has in me. And,� he pauses, �I�m sorry.�

I give him a slight smile, indicating that I�m not angry. He leans further across the desk, and I somehow get the feeling that he�s trying to be close to me, but can�t let himself. The desk between us becomes a mere symbol of whatever it is inside him that won�t allow him to open up.

�So, to answer your question� No, I�m almost never mistaken for being younger than I am. Although, I�m sure one of these days I won�t think that�s such a good thing.�

He smiles at me, and for the first time, it feels genuine. I don�t understand what it is about Danny Santos that affects me so much, but I�m enjoying the feeling of his warmth, so for this moment, I�m silent as I smile back at him.

And, just like that, the moment is gone.

�So Michelle, is that why you drive such a big car?�

I have no idea what he�s talking about, and the look on my face tells him so. He quickly explains himself.

�When you climb into that big Mitsubishi, your little body looks about the size of an ant in comparison.�

�How do you know what I drive?� I ask. My voice is breathy, as I search my mind for answers.

�Well, when you left the other day, you told me to enjoy the view on your way out. So I did exactly what you told me. I enjoyed the view,� he pauses and points to the window. �All the way out.�

It suddenly dawns on me that he has a view of the parking lot from his office window. I can almost feel the blood begin to course faster in my veins as I realize that he watched me all the way to my car. For some reason, the idea of Danny watching me doesn�t frighten me at all, and the fact that it doesn�t shakes me to my core.

Pulling together all my fortitude, I say, �I drive that big Mitsubishi because I like it.�

�Yeah, I kind of figured that,� he says sarcastically. �And, I�ve got to tell you, that those jeans you�re wearing tonight are working just as well for you as that little mini skirt did the other day.�

�I don�t mind you �admiring� me, Danny,� I say as calmly as possible. �But is there a reason why you have to be so crude?�

�I�m sorry,� he says, as if something finally brought him down from his high horse. �You�re a beautiful girl, Michelle, a beautiful woman. And I guess that was just my smart ass way of letting you know that I noticed.�

My heart is beating so hard, and I think that he must surely be able to hear it. �Well, I don�t know if I should be flattered or angry,� I say, using his own words against him.

He chuckles at the realization and says, �I�m just trying to pay you a compliment.�

�Well then, I appreciate it,� I answer.

He�s smiling at me again, and I feel the same warm rush as before. Wanting to hold it as long as I can, I don�t even blink, for fear that I�ll lose the realness of him. To my surprise, he doesn�t blink either, and the two of us seem suspended in time as we silently bare our souls to one another across a Spaulding desk. It�s now that I forgive him for his rudeness, and for seating me in front of him in such an intimidating way. It�s now that I decide that there is definitely more to Danny Santos than the hard exterior he presents to the world. It�s now that I decide that I really would like to get to know him better.

I want this conversation to end on a positive note, so I decide that now would be the perfect time for me to leave. �Well Danny, it�s been nice chatting with you, but I�m sure you�ve got work to do, and I�ve got studying to do, so I�m going to get out of your way.�

�You�re never in my way, Michelle. Never.� The intensity of his voice warms me again.

�Goodbye Danny,� I say as I stand up and begin walking to the door.

Once again, he stops me. �Michelle,� he says.

I turn to face him, and he�s standing up, the desk no longer between us.

�What?� I ask.

�When was the last time you came here twice in one week?�

I think for a moment, and answer him honestly. �Never.�

�Well, I�ll take that as a compliment then,� he says, still smiling.

�Hey Danny,� I say jokingly. �I�m parked in the same place that I was the other day.�

With that I walk out of his office, down the hallway, and take the elevator to the ground floor. As I prance my way across the parking lot to my �big Mitsubishi�, I don�t turn around to see if he�s watching. I don�t have to, because just like the last time, I can feel his eyes on me.

When I get in my car, I glance in the rearview mirror and I can see him standing there, in the window. His arms are crossed and his left shoulder is leaned against the glass. He watches until I drive away, out of sight.

+++

It�s almost 5:00 p.m., Friday afternoon, when my classes finish and I start down the two flights of stairs to the lobby of the building. The normal Friday rush is on, and hundreds of medical students are rushing to get of here and begin enjoying their weekend. My thoughts return to where I was this time yesterday. I was in Danny�s office, waffling back and forth between hating him and liking him. A smile tugs at the corners of my mouth as I remember how he went from being boyish one minute to razor sharp the next. As I reach the lobby, I immediately notice a slight commotion in a small group of female students standing at the bottom of the steps. Recognizing one of them from the class I just left, I decide to find out what all the fuss is about.

�Marti,� I say, as I walk toward them, �What�s going on?�

�Michelle, Hi!� she says. �We were just wondering who that guy at the front door is. Whoever he is, I�d sure like to get to know him.�

I turn my head toward the front of the lobby, and there, standing next to the front door, is Danny. He�s wearing black slacks, a gray button-up shirt. No jacket, and no tie, and yet he still looks incredible, and he�s looking straight at me, with those eyes and that stare that make the rest of the world go away.

�Danny,� I say to myself, completely astounded that he�s here.

�You know him?� Marti asks.

Startled back to my present circumstances, I turn to her and say, �Well, um� yeah, sort of.�

�Well then for crying out loud, Michelle, go over there and talk to him. He�s obviously here to see you. Just look at the look on his face.�

I don�t tell her that I�ve already seen that look, several times before, and it makes me weak every time. Without even saying goodbye, I start walking toward him. What is actually only stroll across the lobby seems like a mile, as I make my way to where he is. He watches me, never taking his eyes off me, and I�m certain that my knees will give out before I get there. His mouth isn�t smiling, but his eyes are, and his expression is one of anticipation, and - dare I even think it? - desire.

�Danny,� I say as I finally reach the front door. �What are you doing here?�

�You�re not upset, are you?� he quickly asks.

�No, just surprised,� I answer.

�Well, I was trying to surprise you,� he says. �You�ve been to my office twice, so I thought I should come down here and see you in your element.�

�I�ll take that as a compliment,� I say slyly.

�I meant it as one,� he replies.

As we walk out of the building and start down the sidewalk toward where my car is parked, I ask, �Where are you parked?�

�My car�s still at Spaulding,� he replies. �I took a cab.�

�Why�d you do that?� I inquire.

�Because I thought if my car wasn�t here, that maybe you�d offer me a ride.�

I attempt to ignore the double meaning of that statement, but it�s no use. I crack up laughing, and I have to stop walking to catch my breath.

�Sorry,� he says through his own laughter. �I didn�t mean that the way it sounded.�

�I know, Danny,� I say, finally regaining my composure. �So, where do you want to go?�

�Well, there�s this nice, quaint little restaurant, about ten miles out of town. It�s never very crowded, but the food is great.� he says.

�What?� I question, not sure of his intention.

�Go to dinner with me, Michelle,� he says with a pleading tone.

�And we�re taking my car?� I ask with a smirk.

�Yeah,� he answers, as he puts his hand gently on my neck, sending waves of electricity throughout my body. �Take me for a spin in that �big Mitsubishi� of yours,� he says. �And there was no pun intended in that statement either.�

I can�t help but smile at him, and how playful he�s being. Seeing him in his office, I would�ve never imagined this side of him. �I�ll do you one better,� I answer.

�Really?� he questions, with a raised eyebrow.

Laughing at his boyishness, I say, �I�ll let you drive. No pun intended.�

As I dig my keys out of my book bag and toss them to him, it occurs to me that I�m grossly underdressed for a dinner date. �Do we have time for me to go home and change my clothes?� I ask.

He stops walking and turns to look at me. He starts at my feet, noticing the Adidas tennis shoes I�m wearing. His eyes move up my legs, and I wonder if he likes these jeans as well as he did the ones I had on yesterday. When he reaches my waist, he stops for a moment and takes a deep breath. His eyes move up my torso, not necessarily lingering, but not in a hurry either. My chest is on fire underneath my blue scoop-neck tee shirt, and I feel the red heat creeping up my neck as he lifts his face to mine.

�You look great, Michelle,� he says, in a voice that breathes sex to me.

Struggling to find my voice after his visual assault of my body, I manage to say, �I�ve been here all day, Danny. I feel kind of yucky.� What a stupid think to say. Yucky. What a juvenile word to use with someone who is quite obviously a man.

He simply smiles and says, �O.K.� as he opens the passenger side door of my car, and watches me climb in.

�So, where is home?� he asks as he starts the car.

�Well, you may not believe this, but I still live at home,� I answer.

�In the house where you grew up?� he asks.

�Yeah. I actually had my own apartment, but I moved back home several months ago,� I say, as I give him directions to my house.

�You live with your parents?� he asks, somewhat sheepishly.

�No,� I say, knowing he�s relieved that he won�t be meeting my parents tonight. �My Mom�s dead, and my dad - he�s a doctor - is in Africa working with the group �Doctors Without Borders�. I live at home with my brother, Rick. He just got divorced and I know he�s pretty lonely. I hated to think of him living in the house all by himself, so I moved back home.�

�That was really sweet of you,� he says, has he pats my knee. I�ll die if he touches me one more time. I know I will.

�Rick�s a doctor, too, so with his schedule at the hospital, and my class schedule, we don�t see each other that often. We really just run into one another as we�re coming and going, but I think even that is a comfort to him.�

�How long has your mom been gone?� he questions with genuine concern.

As I�m preparing to answer, I realize that this is probably the longest conversation that I�ve had with Danny that didn�t involve crass remarks and apologies.

�Since I was a little girl,� I answer.

�I lost my dad when I was very young,� he says, staring out the windshield.

I can think of no response, as it dawns on me that we have this horrible tragedy in common. As odd as it may sound, I�m glad in a way, because Danny shared something personal with me, and that�s the first time he�s done that.

We pull into my driveway, and Danny puts the car in park. �Is your brother here?�

�No, he�s working,� I answer. �He works himself too hard these days. He�s covering for another doctor, and then he has his own shift. He won�t be home until morning. So, don�t worry. You can come in.�

Danny is standing beside the kitchen counter as I leap up the stairs to my bedroom. I�m glad to be away from him for a moment, to regroup after feeling his hand touch my neck, his eyes scanning my body, and his hand on my knee. But, at the same time, I cannot wait to get my clothes changed and get back downstairs.

I quickly rummage through my closet, and find a yellow tank dress with a matching short-sleeve cardigan. I quickly remove my jeans and tee shirt and slip the dress on my body, immediately glad that I took the time to shave my legs this morning. I pull out my make up drawer, and quickly touch up my blush and dust my face with shimmery powder. I grab a pair of white sandals from the closet floor and swiftly strap them on my feet. I pick up the cardigan from my bed and put it on. I twist my pony tail into a bun and pull out a few whispy strands of hair so that they fall around my face. A touch of light peach lipstick and I�m ready to go. All that in less than ten minutes.

Danny is waiting for me when I reach the bottom of the steps. It�s been only moments since I last saw him, but my heart flutters anyway when I see his face.

�Damn, Michelle, you are a vision,� he says, and I almost faint.

I consider throwing a funny remark back at him, such as �a vision of what?�, but decide against it. He�s more real to me right now than he�s ever been, and I don�t want to blow it. I just smile and say �thank you�, as I grab my purse from the kitchen table. His hand is on the small of my back as we lock the door behind us and walk to my car.





Parts 6-7

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