Chapter 27
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Case
“I should be saving lives, not listening to you bitch about some framework for a kiddie game.”
“It’s called Letter Leap.” I glance at my cousin. “I thought you said you were done being Dr. Fuller for the day. Your shift ended two hours ago, no?”
Fighting off a smile, he stares at me. “I’m a man of medicine, Cason. My work is never done.”
I bark out a laugh. “Is that why you’re drinking water and not scotch?”
I hold up my almost empty glass not only to punctuate my point but to get Kendall’s attention. I need a refill.
Asking Gavin to meet me at Durie’s after I spent three hours with Elias was a good idea, whether my cousin wants to admit it or not.
“You said we needed to hang out while I’m in town,” I point out. “I didn’t promise the conversation would be great.”
Gavin looks to Kendall instead of commenting on my remark. “She’s about to cut you off.”
I shake my head. “I’ve had one drink. I’m not even close to my limit.”
“The bar shuts down in twenty minutes.” He points at his watch. “Maybe you didn’t realize that you called me after midnight. You’re still running on California time, aren’t you?”
“What can I do for you two?” Kendall stops next to Gavin. “Are you still nursing that water, Doctor?”
She lets out a stuttered giggle at her attempt at a joke.
Gavin huffs out a strangled laugh even though I can tell he didn’t find it funny. He moves to grab his wallet from the inner pocket of his suit jacket. Pulling out a few bills, he drops them on the bar. “We’re both fine. We’re set to leave.”
Her gaze inches its way up Gavin’s arm to his face. “I’m heading over to a club in Midtown after I lock up. Do you want to tag along?”
Gavin’s been in this pub with Drake. He greeted Kendall by name when we sat down, but before I could ask how well they know each other, he’d shot me down with a slap on my shoulder and a reminder that he doesn’t dick around with anyone Drake has been with.
Their friendship formed because of me, but I’m happy to see that it’s still going strong.
“Thanks, but there’s somewhere I need to be,” he says with a grin.
Home in bed is the place he wants to be. I’ve heard it twice since he walked in. I can tell that he’s dead tired, but after what happened between Emma and me earlier, I needed a stiff drink before I walk back into my apartment knowing she’s in bed.
I hope to hell she’s asleep.
I don’t trust myself at this point not to kiss her, or touch her. With my dick driving my desire, I’d be all in with little regard for my friendship with her brother.
Kendall shrugs. “If you change your mind, let me know.”
Scooping up the money, she sets off toward a table surrounded by men in suits.
“I doubt like hell Drake would mind if you took her home,” I offer.
“I’d mind.” He sets a hand on my forearm. “You’re too immature to understand that.”
I laugh. “You’re what...four or five years older than me?”
“Three.” He waves three fingers in my face. “I’m three years older. That means I’m wise enough to know that you didn’t drag my ass down here to talk about work. What’s going on?”
The change in his tone sets an alarm off inside of me.
I know what he’s thinking and he’s so far off base that I stop him before he can dive headfirst into the one subject of discussion I want no part of.
Gavin is a healer. It’s in his blood. If he sees someone in pain, he wants to step in and do his part.
He helped me when I needed it, but I’m not looking for his sympathy tonight.
“Emma,” I spit out her name. “Goddamn Emma Owens.”
He sits back on the stool. “You fucked her?”
My gaze darts to his face. “Hell no.”
He laughs. “You want to fuck her.”
“Hell yes,” I admit.
“You’re worried about Drake.” He points out the obvious. “You think he’ll be pissed.”
“He will be pissed,” I spit each word out slowly. “Do you remember what happened when I took Annabeth Carson to bed?”
“I don’t believe you shared all the details.” He chuckles. “I vaguely remember you got laid and that ended with a black eye and a broken nose.”
I was twenty. Annabeth was a year younger and the sister of a guy I knew named Aaron. Drake was a better friend to her brother than I was, but that didn’t matter to Aaron.
The strength behind the punch Aaron threw that connected with my face said it all. He saw my actions as a betrayal.
Drake took Aaron’s side in that battle. He railed on me for fucking a friend’s sister. It took months for us to get back to where we were before that.
I promised Drake I’d keep my hands off the sisters of all of our friends.
That vow means that I can’t get any closer to Emma than I was tonight.
“That was almost ten years ago,” Gavin points out. “Drake hasn’t exactly been following any fuck rules the past few years. You do know he screwed one of my exes, right? He fucked Kaia.”
Every time Drake brought up another conquest, I’d tune him out. I doubt like hell the women he was mentioning by name signed off on him sharing what they like in bed.
The only reason I recalled Kendall’s name is that he talked about how they got along when he stopped after work for a beer. She was a friend to him before their one night stand.
“That doesn’t give me a pass,” I say tightly.
Gavin taps the back of my head with his palm. “Stop this shit.”
“What the fuck, Fuller?” I lightly punch him in the shoulder.
“You have the right to go after what you want.” He pushes the water glass in front of him to the side so he can rest his elbow on the bar.
“Drake’s off living his life. You need to do that too.
If you feel a connection with this woman, act on it.
If it turns into more than a hookup, Drake will have to deal. ”
“It won’t turn into more.” I shake my head. “Emma lives in Seattle. I’m grounded in California.”
“So, you have fun while you’re both in New York.” He glances at his watch. “You and Emma are adults. You can handle this and Drake if it comes to that.”
I swallow what’s left of the scotch in my glass. “It won’t come to that. We’re going our separate ways in a few days. If anything happens between Emma and I, it ends when we leave New York.”