your kind of place.”
He shrugged. “I’m open to new experience,” he said, handing her a napkin.
“Oh, thanks,” Claudia said, wiping the sweat from her forehead and then her neck. “I love to dance, but I always have to go home and take a shower.” Claudia dabbed her chest then stopped when she felt him go still. He probably found her coarse. The women he probably went out with wouldn’t dry themselves off with a bar napkin. She crunched up the napkin and cleared her throat. “I hope you haven’t been designated to guard the table. If you want to dance, I can keep watch.”
Peter bit his lip then said, “No, I’m fine.”
“You don’t want to dance?”
He shook his head again. “Not yet.”
Claudia stifled a groan. The strong silent type. Tamara could keep him. She turned her attention to the dance floor, hoping she could spot Darius. “What a crowd, huh?” she said just to fill the silence between them. “I like to study people.” She surveyed the crowd then pointed. “See that woman over there? She’s going to wake up tomorrow regretting her decision if she leaves with that man. He’s married. Want to know how I know?”
She glanced at Peter expecting him to look bored. Instead, she found his intense gaze focused on her. He nodded. She swallowed, suddenly unnerved by his attention. “I’ve met his wife.” She gestured to a man near the back wall. “Now that guy is out of his league. He needs to go to some place quiet. He’s probably like you. You’re only here because of Tamara, right?”
Peter shook his head then offered her a sudden arresting smiled.
Claudia caught her breath. He was a lot more than adorable. He was gorgeous. He’s mine, she heard Tamara say. Claudia clenched her hand into a fist and stared down at the table. He wasn’t her type anyway.
“Okay, now it’s your turn. You try to read people.”
“I won’t be as good as you.”
She fell forward, again enchanted by his voice. “It’s like a secret weapon.”
Peter blinked. “What?”
“That voice. It’s beautiful. Why don’t you talk more often? No wonder you’re studying radio and film. You’ll be perfect.”
“Tamara thinks I’m doing it as a hobby. She’s not the only one.”
“Don’t worry. She’ll get used to the idea. You have to follow your passion.”
“Even at my age?”
“You’re what? Twenty-seven?”
He nodded.
“That means you’re seasoned. Besides, you could easily pass for much younger. A lot of students enter college because they don’t know what to do or because they have to. You know why you’re here, and it’s better late than never.” She smiled at him, letting all her preconceived notions drift away. He wasn’t a snob or dull. He was wonderful. “I admire you. It takes courage to do what you want when others don’t approve.”
Peter leaned forward. “My parents still hope it’s a phase. I’ve already done some voice-over work, and in high school I interned at a local radio station. They actually offered me a job. I also have a successful podcast.”
“Why are you even in school then?”
He lowered his eyes. “Degrees mean a lot in my family. I thought if I had to get one, I might as well get one in a field that interests me.” He met her eyes. “But enough about me. Why did you choose psychiatry?”
“Actually, I did a double major in both psychology and psychiatry. I wanted to make sure I had the medical training of a psychiatrist so that I could prescribe the best medications for my patients. And a psychology degree allows me to not have to rely on a big practice, but to spend part of my time doing research and writing articles. People fascinate me.”
Peter rested his chin in his hand. “Do I fascinate you?”
In every way, Claudia thought, falling into his melting brown eyes. She blinked, realizing the danger of her thoughts. “Yes. I mean no.”
“Which is it? Yes or no?”
“Yes, but in a purely speculative way.”
Peter’s eyes
He shrugged. “I’m open to new experience,” he said, handing her a napkin.
“Oh, thanks,” Claudia said, wiping the sweat from her forehead and then her neck. “I love to dance, but I always have to go home and take a shower.” Claudia dabbed her chest then stopped when she felt him go still. He probably found her coarse. The women he probably went out with wouldn’t dry themselves off with a bar napkin. She crunched up the napkin and cleared her throat. “I hope you haven’t been designated to guard the table. If you want to dance, I can keep watch.”
Peter bit his lip then said, “No, I’m fine.”
“You don’t want to dance?”
He shook his head again. “Not yet.”
Claudia stifled a groan. The strong silent type. Tamara could keep him. She turned her attention to the dance floor, hoping she could spot Darius. “What a crowd, huh?” she said just to fill the silence between them. “I like to study people.” She surveyed the crowd then pointed. “See that woman over there? She’s going to wake up tomorrow regretting her decision if she leaves with that man. He’s married. Want to know how I know?”
She glanced at Peter expecting him to look bored. Instead, she found his intense gaze focused on her. He nodded. She swallowed, suddenly unnerved by his attention. “I’ve met his wife.” She gestured to a man near the back wall. “Now that guy is out of his league. He needs to go to some place quiet. He’s probably like you. You’re only here because of Tamara, right?”
Peter shook his head then offered her a sudden arresting smiled.
Claudia caught her breath. He was a lot more than adorable. He was gorgeous. He’s mine, she heard Tamara say. Claudia clenched her hand into a fist and stared down at the table. He wasn’t her type anyway.
“Okay, now it’s your turn. You try to read people.”
“I won’t be as good as you.”
She fell forward, again enchanted by his voice. “It’s like a secret weapon.”
Peter blinked. “What?”
“That voice. It’s beautiful. Why don’t you talk more often? No wonder you’re studying radio and film. You’ll be perfect.”
“Tamara thinks I’m doing it as a hobby. She’s not the only one.”
“Don’t worry. She’ll get used to the idea. You have to follow your passion.”
“Even at my age?”
“You’re what? Twenty-seven?”
He nodded.
“That means you’re seasoned. Besides, you could easily pass for much younger. A lot of students enter college because they don’t know what to do or because they have to. You know why you’re here, and it’s better late than never.” She smiled at him, letting all her preconceived notions drift away. He wasn’t a snob or dull. He was wonderful. “I admire you. It takes courage to do what you want when others don’t approve.”
Peter leaned forward. “My parents still hope it’s a phase. I’ve already done some voice-over work, and in high school I interned at a local radio station. They actually offered me a job. I also have a successful podcast.”
“Why are you even in school then?”
He lowered his eyes. “Degrees mean a lot in my family. I thought if I had to get one, I might as well get one in a field that interests me.” He met her eyes. “But enough about me. Why did you choose psychiatry?”
“Actually, I did a double major in both psychology and psychiatry. I wanted to make sure I had the medical training of a psychiatrist so that I could prescribe the best medications for my patients. And a psychology degree allows me to not have to rely on a big practice, but to spend part of my time doing research and writing articles. People fascinate me.”
Peter rested his chin in his hand. “Do I fascinate you?”
In every way, Claudia thought, falling into his melting brown eyes. She blinked, realizing the danger of her thoughts. “Yes. I mean no.”
“Which is it? Yes or no?”
“Yes, but in a purely speculative way.”
Peter’s eyes
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