Simple Seduction Ch. 02

Mallory sighed and pressed her fingertips into her forehead. She wanted nothing more than to go to sleep and never wake up. Her head was pounding, probably because some handsome, funny, but overly egotistical pro-football player had kept her out at all odd hours of the night after insisting upon going dancing to work off his dinner. She'd admit she'd have a very interesting night with Ryan.

"Are you alright Dr. Evens?"

Mallory turned to the pretty little brunette who she'd just hired as the receptionist at the office. She was sweet, but she talked a lot and she had a tendency to write down the wrong appointment times. Mallory smiled and nodded her head.

"Yes, Rachel. I'm just tired. I stayed out a bit longer than I should have last night."

"Oh well don't worry. You only have three more patients before lunch."

Mallory sent up a silent thanks and walked into one of the exam rooms were a new mother was fretting over her new born baby.

"Oh Dr. Evens! I don't know what to do. Abigail just won't stop crying. She won't eat or sleep. It's driving me insane!"

"It's nothing to be worried about Mrs. Halley. Little Abigail is just colicky. She should be fine if you switch her formula."

"Are you sure that's all it is? Is colic serious?"

"Well it's rather common in babies, but it's certainly no fun."

Mallory watches as the woman visibly relaxed.

"I'm guessing little Abby isn't sleeping all night yet?" she asked.

"No. Not yet. Michel, my husband, has been getting up with her the past few nights. He says it's his gift to me as an early birthday present." She said, smiling fondly at the thought of her husband. Mallory felt a slight pang of longing, but brushed it aside with a smile of her own.

"That's very considerate of him. How about we weight the little one here and see how much she's grown in the past two weeks?"

Two hours later, when she was finally able to close for lunch, Mallory laid her head on her desk and closed her eyes, attempting to block out the world. The office was empty, save for herself and one of the nurses who was catching up on some paperwork.

Digging in the side drawer of her desk, Mallory found a bottle of Aspirin and took two, hoping that they would help with her nagging headache.

There was a knock on her door and Mallory looked up to see her sister walk in looking like something that had just stepped off of a magazine cover, which was more than likely the case. She wore a dark green sweater dress and a pair of brown leather boots. Her hair was perfectly styled and her makeup was flawless.

Mallory suddenly felt drab in comparison with her hair piled on top of her head, glasses perched on her nose and a white lab coat open over a sensible grey skirt and black button down top.

"Hello my wonderful, sweet, outrageously beautiful baby sister." Macey practically sang as she sailed through the office and into a leather chair in front of Mallory's desk.

"Hey Mace."

"How'd it go last night?"

"It went well." Mallory shrugged.

She'd actually had fun with Ryan. He was funny and had made her laugh. By the end of the night they were talking and hanging out as if they were old friends. They'd even made a date for lunch. It was, however, strictly platonic. He was a bit too egotistical for her type.

"So did you two hit it off?" Macey asked, innocently biting her nails.

"Macey! Tell me you didn't do all of this to set me up!"

"I didn't! Not really, anyways. I just hoped maybe you two would hit it off. I mean you haven't been on a date in ages. I could have just called the guy and cancelled but I wanted you to have some fun."

"I did have fun, but he's not my type sis."

"You have to admit Mal, he is yummy."

"Yummy is an understatement."

"Is it now?"

Mallory's gaze flew to the large figure standing in her doorway and she could feel her face heating up. "Uh, hi Ryan?" she muttered.

"Ryan? Oh dear. That's embarrassing." Macey giggled.

"Ryan, this is my older sister Macey Lenora Evens. Mace, this is Ryan O'Connell."

"Pleasure to meet you Macey."

"Same goes. Well I just came by to tell you that Mom expects us home for a family dinner tonight. You better be there. I don't want to hear about you working any more late nights volunteering up at the hospital this week. It's not good for you." Macey said walking around the desk to give Mallory a kiss on the cheek before making a graceful exit.

Mallory mumbled under her breath and turned to Ryan.

"Do not take this the wrong way, but you look nothing like you sister."

"No. I go my looks from maternal side of the family. What brings you here Ryan?"

"Oh, uh you left your wallet at the club last night. I was returning it." He said reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small leather wallet. Sure enough it was her.

"Oh goodness. Well it's a good thing I haven't needed anything out of it yet."

"Yeah. So, you think I'm yummy?" he asked lifting his eyebrows suggestively.

"I'm sure ever female in the world with a pulse also thinks so."

At the moment he looked incredibly yummy. He wore a pair of jogging pants and a grey sweat shirt. He looked slightly sweaty and winded.

"You're right."

"Oh hush. Give me my wallet." Mallory said and held out her hand.

"That's a cute picture of you and your sister by the way. I love the pigtails. What were you six?"

Mallory gasped. "You went through my wallet?"

"Hey I had to make sure it belonged to you." Ryan said, throwing his hands up in the air.

Mallory shook her head.

"You're office is empty. I'm assuming you're off for lunch?"

"Yeah."

"For how long?"

"I've got another hour."

"Oh good. Come on. I've wanted to try that little diner across the street for a while. The guys on the team say that it's excellent."

"It is."

"Well grab you purse and follow me. I'm starved."

Mallory shook her head and watched as he walked out the door.

"Come on Little Red!" Ryan called from the hallway.

"I told you last night not to call me that, you over grown monkey!" she called back, but a smile grew on her face.

"No way! I'm a big bad wolf! And I'm hungry!"

An hour and a greasy cheeseburger later, Mallory walked back into her office, laughing. Ryan had left, but had promised to pick her up to come watch his morning practice the following day. She only worked three days a week, another pediatrician covering on the other two days, and tomorrow was her off day. She didn't know why she agreed to go with him, but she didn't see what it would hurt. She was a little curious about watching a bunch of overgrown teenagers tossing around a football and slapping each other on the rear, and she'd told Ryan as much. He'd grimaced and went into how football was a manly man's sport and the slapping was a mere show of encouragement.

Her headache had evaporated so she took care of the remainder of her patients with a smile. She was exhausted when she got home and set her alarm so that she could take an hour long nap before going over to her parents' home for family dinner night. She loved family dinner night. It was always very interesting. She knew she had one odd family. But she also knew she'd never give it up for anything in the world.

She drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face.

When her alarm woke up, she jumped out of bed and ran to her closet. She knew she needed to be at her parents' house in less than an hour so she pulled on a pair of nice blue jeans and a long sleeved green blouse her sister had gotten her for her last birthday. She let her hair down and ran her hand through it while slipping into a pair of green and gold flats, also courtesy of her lovely sister.

She pulled into the huge three story house she'd grown up in in record time. Macey's car, a very flamboyant red Porsche was parked in the driveway and Mallory shook her head. Her black Mazda looked a bit funny sitting beside the Porsche.

She got out of the car and walked inside of the house, only to be greeted by her mother.

"My baby! Oh I haven't seen you in weeks!"

She was suddenly enveloped in a hug that was bordering on bone crushing. "Mom we had lunch just last week." Mallory laughed.

"Oh. Well it seems like it's been weeks."

"You cut your hair Momma."

Rebecca Evens' fiery red hair, which used to fall down her back in a riot of curls much like her own, was now cut into a short curly bob. It suited her face.

"It was time for a change."

"It's beautiful on you."

"It most certainly is."

Mallory looked up at her father who had just entered the foyer.

"Daddy!" Mallory yelled and launched herself into the bigger man's arms. She'd always been a Daddy's little girl, for as long as she could remember. He was her favorite person in the entire world. It was probably because she was the more like him than her mother. They were both strong willed and compassionate by nature. They both loved classical music and art museums; and occasionally a bit of rock and roll.

"Hello pumpkin." Richard Evens dropped a kiss on his youngest daughters head. He was a tall imposing figure at 6'4", and even with the greying hair and laugh lines he was incredibly handsome.

"Oh good you're here! I was beginning to get worried that you'd gone off the side of the road or something!"

Mallory looked at Macey, who wore a pair of blue jeans and a t-shirt. Even in the causal wear she was stunning.

"I was only five minutes late Mace."

"That's five minutes later I have to wait for food! Mom made fried chicken and mashed potatoes. You know I don't play when it comes to my mashed potatoes."

Mallory laughed. This was the side of her sister people rarely ever saw. The laid back, fried chicken eating side.

"So Mal. What did you and Ryan do after I left?" Macey asked and Mallory shot her a look.

"Oh Mallory, Macey was just telling us about how she set you up with Ryan O'Connell. How did that go?" Her mom asked.

"It went well, but he isn't my type. We are just friends."

"No sparks when he kissed you eh?" her dad asked shaking his head.

"Daddy!" Mallory hissed. "He didn't kiss me."

"Ah, so there is hope yet!" Macey sang.

Mallory shook her head and followed her somewhat dysfunctional family into the dining room. Her mother had already set the table and Mallory took her seat across from Macey.

The conversation bounced around from topic to topic. Her mother had ordered her to bring Ryan to the next family dinner, and had ordered Macey to ask Josh when he was to propose.

"I want grandbabies already! I'm almost fifty-three!" she sighed.

"And still as beautiful as the day I met you at sixteen."

"I was fourteen when you first met me baby. You threw mud at me and called me brace face."

"That's only because I wanted you to have my babies in the future."

"Yeah Dad, you were a real charmer I bet." Macey laughed.

"Oh he could be!"

Mallory rolled her eyes. "Remember the time he tried to take mom on a picnic in the middle of a snowstorm?"

"We had to call the cops to go search for them!" Macey giggled.

"I was traumatized cause you told me that dad was going to turn into the abominable snowman and mom was going to become his snow queen, and that we would never see them again!"

"Good times!"

Mallory got home a few hours later and took a long bath. Her thoughts turned to Ryan as she lay soaking in the lilac scented bubbles. Sure he was extremely good looking, but he was too arrogant for her liking. She had fun with him, in the short span of two days she'd known him. With a sigh she sank deeper into the water. It would be nice if she felt something for him. She'd admit to herself that she was lonely, but she'd yet to find someone who wanted to be with her.

Most guys that were into her usually took one look at her sister and fell in love with Macey. Not that it was Macey's fault. She couldn't help the fact that she was beautiful, and it really didn't bother Mallory so much, at least not unless she was really into the guy, then it bothered her.

When she went to bed that night she dreamed of Ryan. Only in her dreams he was more than a friend.