His Games, Her Rules

I climb down the steps of St. Jose with my work bag around my shoulder and my hair in a loose ponytail as I head toward the parking lot to my car. It’s fifteen minutes past seven and I just ended my shift. Right now, I just want to go home, take a shower, and binge-watch Seinfeld over again on Netflix.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Monique texted me she wouldn’t be coming home tonight because she was at Dave’s. I’m happy for her even though I strongly believe she deserves someone better than Dave. I think my opinion about Dave doesn’t matter as long as he treats her nicely. That’s what matters.

A hand on my shoulder pulls me to a stop and I turn around, startled by the sudden touch. Doctor Sanders pulls away immediately, hands in the air in surrender as he smiles at me.

I take a deep breath and pull out my earbuds from my ears and throw them inside my bag.

“Sorry. I’m sorry I scared you. I’ve been calling your name and you weren’t answering. Now I know why.” He says as he drops his arms.

“Yeah, I’m sorry.” I chuckle nervously as I scan the doctor.

He’s dressed in dark blue jeans, a T-shirt, and a black jacket. He looks good, handsome actually. I guess he’s closed for the day too.

“I guess you’re heading home?” He asks and I nod.

“Yeah.”

“Right. I would have asked to give you a ride but I guess you’ve got your car back from the mechanic.”

“Yeah.” Doctor Sanders and I haven’t had a chance to talk ever since that incident at the cafeteria a week ago. The day Dominique Gray decided to flirt with me and probably give me high blood pressure by saying things I wasn’t ready to listen to.

“We haven’t talked since that day.” He says like he’s reading my mind.

“Yeah. It’s been a hectic week.” I came up with an excuse which is actually the truth.

“Yeah.” He says, chuckling nervously as he runs his fingers over his hair.

“If you don’t mind me asking, are you seeing Dominique Gray?”

“What?” I chuckle, wondering why on earth did he come up with something as ridiculous as that.

I get it. Dominique may have given off a vibe when we sat opposite each other but that doesn’t mean we’re together. Dominique Gray is the last person who would want a relationship. I barely know the man but I know for a fact that Dominique isn’t looking for love. He’s looking for sex without any commitment.

And come to think of it, I’ve been getting stink eyes and weird glances since that day at the cafeteria. It’s not like it’s new, it’s just that, this time it’s different.

“I mean, it’s okay if you are. I just don’t wanna look like I’m crossing a line here, which I’m not planning to.” He says. What does that mean?

Wait, is Dominique right? Does Doctor Sanders really have a thing for me? But why? I may be friendly to a lot of people in St. Jose and that includes Doctor Sanders, but that doesn’t mean I’ve given him that kind of vibe that I may be interested in hospital romance. I mean I have had little suspicions about his kindness and likeness toward me, I just assumed that he’s just being professional because he treats other people like that too.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, is something going on between you and Dominique Gray? It’s not like it’s a bad thing and I know it’s not my concern, I just wanna be sure. I may have been a dick to him, but I don’t want to be the one that ruins things for the two of you.” Well, this is just sad to listen to. Is he jealous of Dominique?

“Doctor Sanders, there’s nothing going on between Dominique and me. We’re not dating and we’re not seeing each other.”

“Oh.” He sounds relieved.

“Yeah.”

“But I think he likes you. And men like Dominique Gray, when they find something interesting, they do everything within their power to acquire it.”

I hate that I’m having this conversation with Doctor Sanders right now. Why does he care about who I hang out with or date unless he’s intimidated by Dominique? But who wouldn’t? He walks like he owns the world and everyone in it.

“Well, we’re in luck. I’m not a thing.”

Doctor Sanders chuckles. “Yeah, I know. I just mean he has a thing for you and he won’t stop chasing you until he gets what he wants.”

“Well, let me worry about that, Doctor Sanders. Thank you for your concern.”

“It’s nothing, Robyn.” He exhales. “Would you be free this weekend?”

“I don’t know. I’m going to have to go through my schedule.”

“Oh. I would love to have dinner with you sometime. Get to know each other better and talk.” Why?

What’s there to talk about? And what makes him think I’m willing to know more than I already know about him?

“Sometime later, I guess. I gotta run.” I say.

Doctor Sanders nods and gives me a warm smile. “See you later, Robyn.”

“You too, Doctor Sanders.” I turn around and hastily walk toward my car that’s thankfully not parked at the end of the parking lot.

I unlock it and slide inside, shutting the driver’s door after me. I throw my head against the car seat and groan loudly. What’s my life turning into? Am I going to have another Doctor Ricci drama with Doctor Sanders too? I exhale through my nose and turn on the engine of the car.

I think it’s time to change this car anyway. I say in my head as I back out of the parking lot and onto the road. I’ve been driving Betsy, my Toyota Camry, 2010 model since I arrived in New York City four years ago. And I chose this car because of a lot of reasons, and one of them was I didn’t want unnecessary attention. I could afford an Avalon or a Jeep Wrangler if I wanted to, but this car was what I chose. It’s an everyday vehicle that an average person like me can actually afford.

It’s a good front.

As I drive down the road, different thoughts scramble into my mind. I thought about what my life would have been like if I hadn’t run away to a city like New York. My parents would still have had their leash on me while I answered to every word they uttered.

I hated New York. One of the cities in the world I would never willingly stay in is New York and my family knows that too. I hate how loud it is, how overpopulated it is, and not to talk about the crime rate. Over the roof. New York is the last place I would have stepped my feet in and it is the place I chose to settle down. People would wonder why and the answer is obvious. No one is going to look for me here because they know I never liked it here. This is the last place anyone would look for me.

As I hum to Beyonce’s song playing from the stereo in my car, a particularly intense blue eye finds itself in my brain cell. One thing I hate to admit to myself is that the day Dominique Gray walked into my life, everything changed. His existence alone is threatening to break down my well-perfected life not to mention his sex appeal.

I’ve been playing every word he whispered into my ear this past week and I can’t get enough. He proved to me in that cafeteria that I wanted him, more than I’d care to admit. Whatever this is, this attraction, I need to get rid of it. And he’s made me realize the only way we can both put a stop to this little game is if we have sex, even if it’s once. And maybe, this sexual tension, whatever it is, will subside.

Dominique Gray is a constant reminder of the life I was running from and the last thing I want is getting entangled with a man like Dominique. Even though my body keeps saying otherwise.

I pull my car to a stop in the parking lot of my apartment building and turn down the engine. Pulling my key out of the ignition, I step out of my car with my work bag in hand and shut the door behind me. As I step into the lobby, I see Tyler stepping out. He gives me a small smile and a nod as he walks past me.

Now, I feel like shit.

I exhale for the millionth time today and go straight to the elevator, pressing the button as it slides open. I step inside and press my floor button, leaning against the elevator wall as I tap my feet against the floor of the elevator.

When the elevator arrives at my floor, it slides open and I step out, craving to be in my apartment and my bathroom. I need a warm bath and I’m craving it. I search for my keys in my bag as I walk down the long hallway to my apartment. I look up, with my keys in my hand as I lock eyes with a pair of green eyes. Damien Emerson stands in front of my apartment door, dressed elegantly, with a bouquet of Daisies in his hand. He gives me a warm smile when I approach him.

What the fuck is he doing here?