a live-in nanny for the precious four-year-old who was now his sole responsibility. Some older woman who’d successfully raised multiple children and could get a child out of bed, have her dressed, fed, looking presentable, and to preschool on time. Something he continued to struggle with on a daily basis. None of the nannies he’d met so far had clicked, but surely there was someone out there he’d trust with Carrie?
His gaze connected with Natalie’s golden one and he let out a long breath. Prior to Carrie’s new role in his life, he’d have gotten her number at the airport and made plans to meet.
Instead, for the first time ever, despite his many previous flights, he’d been sweating getting onto an airplane, his mind filled with all the things that could go wrong—and recently had.
Plus, he had a four-year-old girl to think about.
Pursuing relationships with pretty brunettes wasn’t on the cards. He could barely juggle his current schedule, much less adding someone else to the bedlam. He’d always excelled at everything he’d done. Who’d have thought it would be an adorable little kid who’d have him ready to pull his hair out?
He turned back to the portly gentleman from Shriner’s Hospital, smiled as they exchanged business cards, then heard a voice behind him.
“Why didn’t you tell me who you were?”
Knowing who it was even before their eyes made contact, Matthew turned, his gaze connecting to the brunette’s. He could feel her presence as succinctly as if he had sonar outlining her shapely curves. “Excuse me?”
Her face took on a sheepish expression. “Sorry, I guess there was no reason for you to tell me, but I can’t believe the coincidence that you’d be on my plane.”
Not a coincidence, but there wasn’t a reason to tell her about his meeting with Memphis Children’s Hospital and that the job she was vying for had been offered to him. He’d turned it down when his terms couldn’t be met. Natalie need never know she wasn’t always the top contender.
He smiled, thinking she was even more attractive up close. Her eyes sparkled like sunshine hitting honey. Her skin was smooth and naturally tan with a few light freckles scattered across her nose. Her hair flowed silky and dark to just beneath her shoulders.
She wore a red skirt suit with a crisp white shirt that loosely hugged her curves.
“I see the airline was able to book you another flight.” Perhaps it was wrong to tease, but he couldn’t resist. Something about her made him want to tease, to watch her facial expressions and burn every detail into his memory.
“Too late to make it on time, though,” she mused, her painted red lips curving into a smile. “Thank you for filling in.”
Matthew resisted the urge to loosen his collar. “No problem. I was with the conference coordinator when he was discussing what to do with your time slot. Pediatric heart surgery of any kind is a subject I’m passionate about, so I offered to step in.” He grinned. “He jumped at my offer.”
“I’m sure.” Another flash of those sparkly eyes and dynamic curving of her full lips. “Are you staying for the next presentation?”
At her smile, all his blood traveled south and brain operations came to a halt, making logical thought impossible. Did she have any idea of the power her eyes held to bewitch a man? Absolutely stunning.
“If so, there’s an open seat next to mine,” she continued. “Maybe you’d like to join me?”
Matthew stared at the biggest temptation he’d ever faced, wished the timing of meeting her had been prior to three months ago, when his life hadn’t been in such upheaval. “If not?”
Uncertainty flashed across her face, but then with a determined look, she lifted her chin, stared straight in his eyes, and said, “If not, then maybe we could meet later for the conference opening dinner reception and you could tell me all about your work, because you fascinate me. Your work does, that is.”
NATALIE WAS WAY outside her comfort zone. But her BFFs would be proud, right? She had walked up to a man she found enthralling on paper, sexy in real life, and she’d expressed her interest in him.
And in his work.
He might think her a fool. For all she knew, he had a girlfriend.
Duh. Of course a man as gorgeous as Matthew had a girlfriend. What had she been thinking? She’d practically been drooling prior to finding out who he was, and after? Well, the man mesmerized.
Not that she’d dreamed in a million years that she might act on their suggestions, but when Suzie and Monica told her to have a fling to put Jonathan out of her mind once and for all, they should have been more specific. As in, making sure who she wanted wasn’t already taken. Yes, she had noted at the airport that he didn’t have a wedding band, but even that didn’t mean anything beyond that he wasn’t wearing a ring. The star-struck look in her eyes had probably terrified the poor man.
Still, he didn’t look the type to easily scare.
“I have a seat.” He turned, gesturing to a spot on the front row.
Ouch. Married, dating, or whatever, she’d been shot down.
Trying not to let her disappointment and embarrassment show, she glanced around and was grateful to see the next speaker at the podium. “Okay, well, it’s time to restart, so...”
Awkward.
Not waiting for a response, she high-tailed it to her back row seat to shrivel up and die of humiliation. So much for going after what she wanted.
Ugh. Could this day possibly get worse?
Later that evening, Natalie stared at her reflection in the hotel room mirror.
For a few insane moments, she had let herself be guided by pure feminine interest and she’d made a fool of herself with Matthew Coleman.
Because he was a sexy beast or because of his surgical skills?
Or both?
He was brilliant. She’d read enough of his articles and research to know the man was a genius. That alone would have had her introducing herself, wanting to discuss his work, pick his brain and soak up everything he said.
That he was utterly gorgeous, well, that was a bonus.
Or could have been, had he been interested. She’d thought she’d seen interest, but she must have been wrong.
He wasn’t. Had shot down her offer. End of story. Major embarrassment and utter failure at her first show of interest in the opposite sex since her and Jonathan’s split, but not the end of the world. The opposite sex wasn’t a priority. Her career was and she had that—so no big deal, right?
Still, the conference wasn’t so big that she wouldn’t bump into Matthew. She’d act as if her invitation had been casual, that she’d only been interested professionally. She was Dr. Natalie Sterling, a pediatric heart surgeon
