Zoe walked outside for a break, she'd been having a rough day, to top it off she'd had a slight hangover from the two bottles of wine she'd drank last night. That's what Clinical Lead did to her.

She leaned against the wall and let out a big sigh.

"Bad day?" a voice asked.

Zoe turned to look. She was greeted by a tall, handsome stranger with a cheeky glint in his eye. "Very nice." She thought to herself.

"Er, yeah you could say that." Zoe smiled.

"Here," Max said as he passed her a cigarette.

Zoe smiled at him and lifted her dress slightly to reveal a nicotine patch.

"Go on..." Max encouraged.

"My mother always said not to be led astray by strangers." Zoe told him.

"In that case, I'm Max, nice to meet you. See,not strangers anymore!" Max laughed.

Zoe laughed too, his laugh was infectious, "I suppose it'd be rude not to." She took the cigarette from him as he lit it for her.

"And you are...?" Max asked.

"I'm Dr Hanna, Zoe Hanna. Lead consultant." Zoe told him.

"Ah. Well Dr Hanna it's been lovely to meet you, enjoy that cigarette, I'd better get back, it's my first day. Don't want to be annoying Big Mac already!" Max said.

"Listen, thanks for this," Zoe said pointing at the cigarette in her hand, "maybe I can repay you somehow, drink later?"

"That would be good only I'm meeting my girlfriend after work so I'll have to take a rain check I'm afraid." Max said, "I'll see you around though?"

"Yep," Zoe replied, "that you will."

As Max walked inside Zoe could have kicked herself.

"What are you doing Zoe?!" She said to herself. He was a porter, that didn't bother her, he was at least ten years younger than her and of course he had a girlfriend, someone that gorgeous wasn't single these days. Walking back inside she felt like a complete fool, this is why she should be by herself she thought, always chasing inappropriate men.

"Zoe!" Rita called as she entered the ED.

"Patient on the way, fallen from some scaffolding, potential paralysis."

"Your day is about to get better then." Max winked at her as he pushed a patient in a wheelchair towards the lift.

Zoe couldn't help but smile. What was with the wink? His girlfriend surely wouldn't like that.

"Stop it!" Zoe said to herself, "you're deluded, he's just being friendly."

She wished she was wrong. There was something about this guy that she knew she wanted more of. As she walked into Resus she couldn't help but wonder just how serious this relationship was with his girlfriend.