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The shower was hot and soothing, but Alessia's mind continued to race as she lathered up. Nicolai Zhukov was not a man used to being told no, and she had a feeling her refusal to drop everything and meet with him would not sit well. She could practically hear his voice in her head, low and commanding: "I will see you at lunch, Alessia. Do not keep me waiting."

She shuddered, a thrill running through her at the thought. Damn Nicolai and his magnetic pull. She was stronger than this, dammit. She had to be.

After toweling off, Alessia dressed quickly in her usual scrubs and pulled her hair back into a neat ponytail. Grabbing her bag and keys, she headed out, determined to put Nicolai out of her mind and focus on her patients.

The morning flew by in a flurry of activity, as Alessia treated everything from a broken arm to a nasty case of food poisoning. No matter where she went, however, she recognized a large man who had to be one of Nicolai's men-watching her. It was irritating but she di