Chapter Eight

Bryan walked along the deck, hands in the pockets of his white shorts, smiling as he passed folks, greeting everyone with a cheery word.

The sun was shining. The ocean was deep and blue. There were laughing Littles all around. Life was pretty damn good.

But not as good as it could’ve been.

Ella Grant would have made it better.

He couldn’t stop thinking about the woman.

Try, damn it. Don’t get so caught up with a fantasy woman that you miss all the women right around you. There are dozens of Littles who came on this cruise hoping to meet a Daddy. One of them might just be your Little.

He reminded himself that Ella was not a fantasy. She was very real. She just happened to be his patient. And maybe not even a Little.

Maybe.

She gave off that energy, that was for sure. If he had to bet, he’d lay money down on the Little side.

The patient thing made it complicated, but not impossible. There were no rules against doctors dating patients. It wasn’t like a therapist with a client—which was a big no! Things were different for physicians.

He reminded himself to try and forget her, simply living in the moment and enjoying his semi-vacation.

But work was going to be calling him sooner than expected.

“We need the doctor!” someone shouted.

“Where’s the ships doctor?” another person called.

Bryan ran toward the commotion, ready to help. When he arrived at the seating area around the pool, he saw several folks had gathered around a woman who looked to be passed out in one of the chaise lounges.

“I’m one of the ship’s doctors,” he said. “Please stand back and give me some room.”

His first thought was this was heat related. But one of the first rules of medicine was to never assume. He’d examine the patient and let the data speak for itself.

But he was the one who nearly fainted when he saw the unconscious woman’s face.

Surely not! It can’t be her! Am I so preoccupied with her that I’m imagining this person to be Ella?

But a closer look told him that his eyes were not deceiving him.

Ella Grant was on the Little Star.

And she needed his help.