Forever Almost

Chapter 4

Taylor's heart was still racing from her brief but intense encounter with the mystery man . As she made her way to her new office in Crestview Hospital, she couldn't shake the feeling of his strong hands around her waist or the way his eyes had lingered on her.

As Taylor settled into her small, cozy office, she was greeted by her first patient—a little boy named Ethan. His mother explained that Ethan had been struggling with severe anxiety and had barely spoken a word in weeks.

"Hi, Ethan," Taylor said softly, kneeling down to his level. "I'm Taylor, and I'm here to help you feel better. Do you like music?"

Ethan hesitated but nodded slowly.

"Good," Taylor smiled warmly. "What's your favorite song?"

Ethan whispered the name of a popular children's tune, his voice barely audible. Taylor nodded, recognizing the song immediately. She began to sing softly, her voice filling the room with a gentle, soothing melody.

As the song progressed, Taylor noticed Ethan's posture relax. His eyes brightened, and by the time she finished, he was even humming along with her. His mother watched in amazement as her son showed more emotion and engagement in that short session than he had in weeks.

"You did great, Ethan," Taylor praised, giving him a high five. "We'll keep singing together, and I promise, things will get better."

Ethan smiled—a small but significant victory. As they left, his mother thanked Taylor profusely, tears in her eyes. It was moments like these that reminded Taylor why she had chosen this path.

Meanwhile, in another part of the hospital, Travis was far from the tranquility Taylor had found with her patient. He was scrubbing in for his first surgery of the day, but his mind kept drifting back to the woman he had encountered earlier. Her wide, innocent eyes, the softness of her body pressed against his—he couldn't get her out of his head. He was drawn to her in a way that felt both familiar and entirely new.

Just as he was finishing the surgery, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Glancing at the screen, he saw Kayla's name flashing. He ignored it, too caught up in thoughts of the woman from that morning to deal with Kayla's incessant need for attention. The surgery concluded successfully, and Travis moved on with his day, though his mind remained fixated on the mystery woman.

When he finally made it back to his office, Travis pushed the door open and froze. Kayla was sitting in his chair, her legs propped up on his desk, a sly smile on her face.

"Why didn't you pick up my call, Travis?" Kayla asked, her voice a mix of feigned anger and seductive intent. She leaned back in the chair, giving him a clear view of her legs, expecting to draw him in as she had before.

Travis's expression hardened. "Get your feet off my desk, Kayla," he said coldly, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Kayla blinked in surprise, lowering her legs but keeping her smile. "Come on, Travis. I was just playing around. You know you want me."

"Don't flatter yourself," Travis shot back, his voice sharp. "What happened between us was a one-time thing. Nothing more. I don't mix personal and professional, and I don't appreciate you barging into my office uninvited."

Kayla's confidence faltered, but she quickly recovered, leaning forward with a pout. "You didn't seem to mind last night."

Travis's eyes narrowed. "That was last night. This is work, and you're a distraction I don't need. You were nothing more than a one-night stand, Kayla. Don't read more into it than that."

The sting of his words hit Kayla harder than she let on. Her smile faded as she realized Travis wasn't playing along. "You don't mean that," she insisted, trying to regain control of the situation.

"I do," Travis replied, his voice firm. "And if you can't keep things professional, maybe you should consider finding somewhere else to work."

Kayla bit back the tears threatening to surface and forced herself to nod. "Fine," she said, standing up. "I'll be professional. But don't think for a second that this is over."She stormed out of the office, her determination to make Travis hers only growing stronger.

As the day drew to a close, Taylor felt a sense of accomplishment. Her first day had gone well, and she had already made a connection with a patient. She was gathering her things, ready to head home, when her stomach reminded her she hadn't eaten since breakfast.

Deciding to grab a quick snack before leaving, Taylor made her way to the hospital canteen. It was mostly empty, save for a few staff members winding down after a long day. As she reached for a sandwich, someone bumped into her, sending her stumbling backward.

Strong arms caught her before she could fall, and Taylor looked up to find herself staring into the same piercing blue eyes from that morning. Travis smirked down at her, his hands once again on her waist, holding her close.

"Well, we've got to stop meeting like this," Travis said, his voice low and teasing. He held her a moment longer than necessary, his eyes tracing the lines of her body, lingering on the curve of her hips and the softness of her lips.

Taylor's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she quickly stepped back, trying to regain her composure. "I'm so sorry... again," she stammered, unable to meet his gaze.

"Don't apologize," Travis replied smoothly, his smirk widening. "I don't mind catching you."

Taylor's face grew hotter at the double entendre, and she quickly turned away, grabbing the first snack she could reach. "I-I should go," she muttered, clutching the sandwich to her chest as if it were a lifeline.

Travis chuckled, enjoying the way she flustered under his gaze. "You in a rush?" he asked, his tone playful as he stepped closer, closing the distance between them once more.

Taylor looked up at him, her heart pounding in her chest. "I... I have to get home," she managed to say, though her feet seemed rooted to the spot.

Travis nodded slowly, still not moving away. "I guess I'll see you around," he said, his voice soft but filled with promise.

Taylor finally found the strength to step back, her pulse racing as she gave him a quick nod and hurried out of the canteen. As she left, Travis watched her go, a thoughtful look replacing the smirk on his face. He didn't know her name, but he knew one thing for sure—this woman was different, and he wasn't going to let her slip away so easily.