15. Its not everyday you get to grab coffee with a gorgeous doctor.
I finally stepped out of the OT, breathing a sigh of relief. The case was quite complicated, but ultimately we were able to ensure the well-being of both the mother and the baby.
I peeled off my gloves, my shoulders sagging as the tension slowly drained from my body. My scrubs were faintly speckled, my hairline damp with sweat. Exhaustion crept in now that the danger had passed, settling deep into my bones.
"Good work, Ayra," the senior consultant said, clapping my shoulder. "You handled that beautifully."
"Thank you," I replied softly, already halfway elsewhere in my thoughts.
I finished my notes, double-checked post-op orders—IV fluids, oxytocin infusion, monitoring for postpartum hemorrhage, NICU standby—and finally signed off.
And then I could finally leave.
The cold evening air was refreshing.
I closed my eyes for a moment, then opened them, stilling as I did.
Daxton stood near the entrance, just off to the side, his phone clasped loosely in one hand. His jacket was off, slung over his arm, white shirt sleeves rolled up. He looked... still. Like he'd been standing there for a while. Waiting. For me.
My steps faltered.
He looked up the moment I moved, his gaze locking onto mine with immediate focus. Relief crossed his face so quickly it made my heart skip a beat.
"Hey."
"Hi..." I breathed out, walking up to him. "You waited for me..."
"Yes." He confirmed, holding my gaze in that way that seemed to have a strong hold on my heart.
"You didn't have to." I said softly, my heart squeezing in my chest as I realised he had been out there for two whole hours.
"I wanted to," he affirmed. "Is the patient okay?"
I nodded, taking a deep breath. "It was complicated, but she and her baby are fine."
His lips curled up, relief washing over his face. "She was in good hands."
My cheeks warmed. "That's kind of you."
"I was in awe," he admitted, catching me by surprise. "Of how in control you were. How promptly you acted. How you knew exactly what to do."
My heart warmed up as I smiled. "It comes with practice.... So you got to see how chaotic OBGYN is, huh?"
He exhaled heavily. "That was... intense."
I smiled. "It is."
"Are you done? Can I take you home?" He asked.
"My feet are so tired, I'm not going to argue on it today." I confessed with an airy laugh.
He smiled. "Good."
I followed him to his car, where he opened the back door for me like the gentleman he was. Moments later, he slid in beside me, careful to leave just enough space between us.
He was a gentleman, but if only he knew that I wouldn't mind if he closed the distance between us.
The car pulled away smoothly.
"I hope you're doing okay," I said carefully, fiddling with my fingers. "I noticed you stiffen in there earlier."
He exhaled through his nose. "Yeah, I'm not very fond of the sight of blood."
I breathed in, mind wandering off to that particular dark night, but I stopped myself immediately.
I cleared my throat. "Really? I heard the cold CEO Daxton Anderson doesn't hesitate killing people in cold blood if they upset him." I teased.
He arched a brow, a soft chuckle leaving him. "Is that so? I wonder how I missed that detail about myself."
I couldn't help but laugh.
"You have a beautiful laugh. You should do that more often." He spoke fondly.
My heart did somersaults in my chest. "So should you."
Silence fell between us for a couple of minutes.
"You know, I used to be afraid of blood too." I confessed softly.
His head turned towards me, visibly surprised. "Really?"
"My career choice seems questionable after that confession, doesn't it?" I grinned.
His lips curved up. "Just a little."
"I learned to get over it. My passion ultimately conquered my fear." I told him.
His smile stayed. "I'm proud of you for that."
The car came to a stop in front of my apartment.
"Would you like to come in?" I asked him politely.
"Maybe some other time," he replied. "You should get some rest."
I really wanted him to stay, but decided to not push it. "Okay... thank you for the ride."
"Would you have time to grab coffee with me tomorrow?" He asked, just as I was about to step out.
I blinked, surprised by his offer. My nerves instantly buzzed to life. "S-sure."
Why did you give in so fast? Now he's going to think you're desperate.
His eyes lit up. "What time can I pick you from the hospital?"
"I have tomorrow off. You can pick me up from here whenever you're free." I answered, heartbeat loud in my ears.
His eyes sparkled with mischief. "Residents have days off?" He asked playfully.
"Occasionally." I grinned.
"Thank God," He grinned back. "Does 5 pm work for you?"
"Sounds perfect... Good night, Daxton."
"Good night, Ayra. I'll see you tomorrow."
———
I spent an unreasonable amount of time deciding what to wear for coffee.
It was ridiculous. Spiralling over a normal activity like getting coffee.
Except, I was getting coffee with Daxton Anderson. The country's hottest, richest, most successful businessman. That wasn't very normal.
I finally settled on a lilac dress, deciding to leave my hair down. Then I sprayed on some of my favourite perfume, painted my lips with a pink lipgloss and stepped into a pair of nude heels.
When the doorbell rang, my heart leapt straight into my throat. I took one last breath before opening the door.
Daxton stood there, looking handsome as ever. Dressed in a white shirt and black pants, his blazer and tie missing.
My breath caught in my lungs.
"Hi." He smiled, his eyes lighting up.
"Hey." I replied breathily, stepping out.
His eyes scanned me, alight with admiration. "You look beautiful."
My heart flipped. "I— thank you. You—you look great too."
Excellent start. Why are you stuttering?
Hot. You look very hot, but I'm not going to tell you that.
"Thank you," he replied warmly. "Let's go."
I followed him to his car. "You're driving today?" I asked as he opened the door to the passenger seat for me.
"Yes, I'm a great driver. You'll see." He answered smoothly.
I giggled, slipping inside. My heartbeat was erratic as the thought of it being just him and me dawned on me.
Wouldn't be the first time.
The cafe was a blend of modern and cozy.
He pulled out my chair before sitting across from me, his attention entirely on me in a way that made my stomach flutter.
A waiter showed up by our side immediately.
We both told our orders, before being left alone.
When our coffee arrived, steam curling into the air between us, he leaned back slightly, studying me.
"Did you sleep well?" He broke the silence.
"So well." I admitted with a grin.
He smiled. "Yeah, you look well rested."
"Did you sleep well?"
He chuckled, running a hand through his hair. "Not really."
I tilted my head to the side. "Why?"
He leaned closer, one corner of his lip tilted upward. "I was nervous. It's not everyday you get to grab coffee with a gorgeous doctor."
My heart almost stopped, before I let out a soft giggle. "The country's biggest CEO was nervous?"
His smiled deepened. "The country's biggest CEO has a heart and emotions too."
I tilted my head, studying him. "That might shatter a few carefully curated headlines."
He laughed. It made him look divine as it softened his entire tough CEO persona.
I wrapped my hands around my cup, warmth seeping into my palms. "You're very different outside conference rooms."
"Is that a good thing?" He asked, taking a sip of his coffee.
"Yes," I assured. "You're easy to talk to."
"That's because I'm not trying to negotiate anything with you."
I laughed. "Yet."
His eyes sparked with amusement. "Careful. I might start."
"What would you negotiate?" I humoured.
He tilted his head, pretending to think. "More of your time."
My heart fluttered.
"I'd argue I don't have much to give." I replied, unable to fight off my smile.
"I'd argue quality matters more than quantity." He answered.
I giggled, a warmth settling in my heart, trying to ignore how my pulse was misbehaving.
"So," I said, taking a sip of my coffee, "was I part of your very busy CEO schedule? Or did I interrupt important world-dominating plans?"
He smirked, chuckling quietly. "I moved three meetings for this."
My eyes widened. "You're joking."
He tilted his head to the side. "Do I look like the type to joke?"
I pressed my lips together, too aware of the heat creeping up my neck. "You don't look like the type to resort to flattery either."
He raised a brow, a smirk tugging his lips upwards again. "Is that what I'm doing?"
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep my smile from spreading. "Maybe."
He leaned back, amused. "Well, from where I'm sitting, you look like you're enjoying it."
I shrugged, pretending to be casual. "Maybe a little."
He laughed softly. "You're cute when you try to downplay things."
My brows shot up. "Excuse me?"
"That," he said, pointing at my face, "that exact look."
I shook my head, laughing in disbelief. "You've known me for what? Coffee, one dinner and a conference?"
He leaned forward, smirk perfectly in place as he placed his elbows on the table. "I may not know you for a long time, but I can tell when you're pretending not to be flustered."
My cheeks warmed instantly, butterflies erupting in my stomach. "I'm not flustered."
"Convincing." He teased.
I took another sip of my coffee just to give my hands something to do.
My fingers trembled slightly around the cup, betraying nerves I was trying to control.
The silence dragged on, heavy and intimate, each passing second making my heartbeat thud harder against my ribs.
It was dangerously loud, or at least it felt that way, as if he might hear it too.
I knew I had to say something before the frantic rhythm of it gave me away completely.
I cleared my throat. "So what do you usually do on your days off, Mr. Anderson?"
He considered it. "Work."
I snickered. "Of course."
"But," he added, eyes flicking back to mine, "I'm trying something new."
"And how's that going?" I smiled.
"Well," he said, glancing around the café, then back at me, "I'm sitting across from a very pretty doctor who saves lives and leaves me wonderstruck."
My breath caught in my lungs.
But before I could even live the feeling of warmth and excitement reeling in my body, I saw someone familiar outside the cafe.