Olivia’s POV
When he stretched out his hand for a handshake, I took it immediately, and I could swear my legs turned to jelly at the contact.
"I... um... hi," I stammered, suddenly forgetting how words worked.
He released my hand and smiled, gesturing to a comfortable chair. "Please, have a seat. Tell me what brings you here today."
The moment I tried to sit down, a sharp pain shot through me, causing me to wince visibly. I adjusted my position, trying to find a comfortable way to perch on the edge of the seat without putting too much pressure on my tender areas.
"Are you alright, Ms. Hopton?" Dr. Heart asked, his piercing green eyes studying me with an intensity that made my cheeks flush and my already weak knees weaker. "You seem to be in some discomfort."
"I’m fine," I replied quickly, crossing my legs and then immediately uncrossing them when that made it worse. "Just... pulled a muscle at the concert last night."
His lips curved into a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. "I see. Concerts can be quite... fun."
Something about the way he said it made me shiver. I couldn’t tell if it was unease or attraction - probably both. There was something about Dr. Heart that commanded attention, that made it hard to look away from him. Not that I wanted to. The man was gorgeous in a way that was unfair to me right now. I was here for Alex not a Love Coach.
"So, Ms. Hopton..."
"Olivia," I interrupted. "Please call me Olivia."
"Olivia," he repeated, and the way my name rolled off his tongue sounded very sexy. No one has ever called my name like that before, not even my crazy ex’s. "Tell me what brings you here today."
I shifted again, from both discomfort and embarrassment. "My roommate made the appointment. She thinks I need help with... a situation at work."
"And what situation might that be?" He asked, his eyes never leaving mine. It was difficult to concentrate now. Why was he looking at me like that?
"It’s silly, really," I began, fidgeting with the hem of my skirt. "There’s this guy at my firm - Alex Gregory. He’s brilliant, successful, everyone respects him, and he’s... well, he’s incredibly attractive."
Dr. Heart’s demeanor changed instantly. The smile vanished from his face, replaced by a hardness that transformed his features.
"Let me guess," he said, his voice suddenly cold. "You’re attracted to him?"
I blinked, taken aback by the change in his tone. "Well... yes. How did you..."
"And this Alex," he continued, cutting me off, "he’s what? Senior partner? Executive? The golden boy who gets all the praise while others do the real work?"
"He’s not like that," I defended, feeling hurt by his assessment of Alex. "He works harder than anyone. He earned his position."
Dr. Heart leaned back in his chair, regarding me with what looked almost like contempt. "And you think someone like him is going to suddenly notice someone like you?"
My mouth fell open. "Excuse me?"
"I mean no offense, Olivia, but men like Alex Gregory don’t date women they work with. They especially don’t date women who worship the ground they walk on."
"I don’t worship..."
"You do," he said firmly. "I can see it in your eyes when you talk about him. You’ve built him up into something... like a god."
I felt anger bubbling up inside me. "I thought you were supposed to help me, not insult me."
"I am helping you," he replied, "By telling you the truth. This Alex Gregory is not for you. You need to set your sights on someone more... accessible. Someone more in your league."
"My league?" I repeated, dumbfounded. "And who exactly are you to determine what league I belong in?"
Dr. Heart leaned forward, his intense gaze holding mine captive. "I’m someone who recognizes when a person is chasing a fantasy instead of reality. Someone who can see that you’re wasting your time on a man who will never see you the way you want him to."
I stood up abruptly, wincing at the pain in my ass but too angry to care. "Is this how you treat all your clients? Tell them they’re not good enough for the people they’re interested in?"
"Only the ones who need to hear it," he replied flatly.
"Well, I don’t need to hear it. And I don’t need your help." I grabbed my purse, "Kira was wrong. This was a complete waste of time."
"Yeah, it was." He agreed. "Door’s that way Lady."
I shook my head, confused by his behavior. One minute he was looking at me like I was the most fascinating person he’d ever met, the next he’s dismissing me like I wasn’t worth his time.
"You’re crazy," I muttered, heading for the door and pulling it open. "And I’ll make sure to leave the worst review on your page. Jackass"! I screamed before slamming the door behind me, tears burning my eyes.
The moment I got home, I logged onto his website and left my review: "Arrogant, cruel, and completely unprofessional. Save your money and time. This ’Love Doctor’ is nothing but a sadistic jerk who gets off on hurting people."