THE LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS - BWS

three

My encounter with the insanely attractive stranger left me flushed, and I waited a couple of minutes before entering Dr. Stoker's office. My heart needed to steady itself, and my cheeks to come back to their natural colour. When I entered the reception area, I was met by his assistant who offered me a seat while I waited for Dr. Stoker to come and greet me. After a few minutes, the door to his office opened and I instinctively got to my feet.

My heart skipped a beat at the sight of the man in front of me. It wasn't Dr. Stoker. It was the stranger from earlier.

"Agent Parker, please come in," he said with a polite smile.

My eyebrows furrowed, confused as to why he was there. Did Dr. Stoker have multiple assistants? Was he too busy elsewhere to meet me and had sent his assistant instead? But that meant that the stranger knew I was the agent meeting his boss. Which also meant that when he said we'd see each other very soon, he hadn't been flirting with me, he'd meant it literally. Why did I suddenly feel both stupid and disappointed?

I shushed my hurt ego and entered the office quietly before he closed the door behind me. The room was big, walls covered in books and other medical artefacts. Everything looked fancy, and almost from a different century. I couldn't help but notice how the room smelled like dry cedar and pepper, exactly the same as the stranger.

"How—", I started to say, suddenly realizing something. "How are you here? I was waiting in the other room and didn't see you come in."

He smiled. God, that smile.

"There's a direct entrance to my office," he casually answered as he offered me a seat on one of the chairs facing a massive mahogany desk.

My eyebrows furrowed.

"Your office?"

It couldn't be his office. That would mean—

"You're Dr. Stoker?" I asked in total and utter shock. First, because the man couldn't possibly be older than thirty. From what I had heard about the surgeon, he was one of the best and most respected in his field. Someone his age couldn't have earned such distinction at such a young age. But also, and most importantly, because considering the conditions in which we had met and how disrespectful I was being now, barely believing him to be who he said he was, I started to doubt he would be very cooperative.

He sat behind his desk and looked at me, amused.

"Did you expect someone—" he started, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "Taller maybe?"

My eyes went wide at his words. I could feel my cheeks burn and couldn't wish for anything other than to hide in a hole.

"What? God, no—" I stammered, not able to align two straight, coherent words. "I mean I— I just thought you'd be—" I continued, my heart beating so fast and loud I was sure he could hear it. "Older."

He smiled again. Surprisingly he didn't seem upset at all.

"Not the first one, and won't be the last either I'm afraid," he replied patiently. "Prejudices are at the roots of our society. One cannot be a good doctor, or surgeon for that matter if younger than fifty. Truly disheartening."

I swallowed hard. We were off to a great start.

"I'm really sorry, Doctor— I shouldn't have assu—" I started to apologize as I sat down on one of the chairs facing his desk but he cut me off.

"Please, call me William."

He was back to staring at me with intrigued and amused eyes, while I tried to ignore the feeling of heat that was taking over my entire body.