Treating Mr. Billionaire

~ 54 ~

Maria maintained her stance by the entrance, hoping she could figure him out, but it turned out that no matter how she tried, she just couldn't be a mind reader.

Nonetheless, she really wished to know what exactly he wanted from her when he asked her out.

Did it have something to do with acting as his girlfriend just to keep Ashely out like the other time? If that was it, she wasn't sure she was ready to take on that role.

The silence between them continued to stretch until she decided it was high time she broke the peace, and her blue eyes ran over his formal attire in a quick sweep before returning to the familiar pair of chocolate brown eyes staring intently at her as if trying to analyze her.

"I assume you have somewhere to be. Why don't we postpone the appointment?" She started off calmly, keeping her tone in her most professional mode despite the sudden rush of blood through her veins as he stood there unmoving.

His gaze never wavered away from her, and there was a particular expression etched on his features that she couldn't decipher, as though he wanted her to ask him about something else. "Since when have you been around?" he replied with another question, his tone sounding a little breathy, like someone who feared the possible answers that might come back and bite him.

He knew she had heard his conversation with his mother. His gaze had told her as much. "Enough to know you have somewhere to be right now," Maria responded plainly, trying not to let any emotion show, and she watched the small frown that crossed his light brows as he stared at her.

There was a few seconds of silence where neither one seemed sure how to proceed, but eventually, the sounds of his leather boot against the polished marble floors announced his movement, and she watched him walk across the room toward her.

When he finally stopped in front of her, Maria found herself taking a step back to create more space between them since she knew better than to fall prey to the warmth that was radiating off his body, or the burning desire she felt in those brown orbs.

His eyes lowered to take more notice of her action but quickly snapped back up to look into hers, and she didn't miss the slight tremble in his jaw. There was an obvious tension between them, as his eyes searched hers for possible signs of hatred.

However, the moment his lips parted to say anything, be it excuses or explanations, she didn't hesitate to prove she was not interested in having any of it.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but just a quick reminder that as your doctor, I only wish to discuss health-related subjects with you." Her words cut clean, her face set hard as stone as her eyes held the intense stare she wished she had given him the other morning instead of allowing him to take total control of her sanities.

She watched his reaction to her words closely, knowing there was a deeper meaning beneath them she wanted him to understand. She saw his face turn pale but his mouth remained sealed as his brows continued to furrow, looking like he completely grasped the interpretation her speech carried.

"What do you mean by that?" Yet, he proceeded to ask, his voice slightly shaky, betraying his emotions.

Her heart clenched before responding, but she couldn't afford to show him any sign of her own feelings. "That there shouldn't be anything more than medical matters between us." she told him and paused for a beat before adding, "And nothing more."

For the first time since she ever met him, she caught a wash of genuine hurt passed over his face, one that showed all too clearly that her words stung.

"Is that a rejection?" he inquired, his voice barely above a whisper, causing her heart to clench even tighter at how hurt he looked at her response.

"To whatever you are thinking, yes."  She spoke in the same low tone, trying her best not to reveal her own emotions in her response to him.