Chapter 11
Audrey
Icheck the time before quickly walking into my closet to get dressed.
Tyler should be here any minute, and I’m still in my robe.
I got home late from the hospital, and I’ve been rushing to get ready.
I hate running behind, but this was unavoidable.
One of my patients had a complication post-surgery that I spent ninety percent of my day taking care of.
With any other guy, I probably would’ve canceled. But when the thought briefly crossed my mind earlier today, it made me surprisingly sad. And I’m only partially ready to acknowledge it wasn’t entirely because of my plan.
I’ve been annoyed since our date that I can’t get Tyler off my mind, even more than before.
And none of my thoughts revolve around my father.
All of them have to do with wondering what it’s like to kiss him, wishing that he’d done it the other night.
I tell myself that if he had, it wouldn’t consume me as much as it has.
So this is really Tyler’s fault. He should’ve gotten it over with, and I wouldn’t be obsessing about whether it would be as good as I suspect. The stupid part of me hopes that it’ll be terrible. Maybe that would help me stay focused on what’s really important.
Which is not how attractive I find Tyler.
I’m zipping my dress when a knock sounds at my door.
“Shit,” I mutter as my fingers fumble with the small zipper.
When I get it up all the way, I take one last glance at myself in the full-length mirror before hustling to my door just as Tyler is calling out my name from the other side. I whip the door open, slightly breathless, and the sight waiting for me does nothing to help me catch my breath.
Tyler’s dressed in all black—black slacks, black shirt, and black jacket. He looks mouthwatering, and I’m almost positive my jaw is on my chest.
Up until this point, I’ve seen him in his work polo or in casual jeans and a T-shirt. Tyler, even slightly dressed up, is apparently what I’ve been missing in my life because every other thought I’ve ever had leaves me as I try to form words.
Thankfully, Tyler saves me when he says, “You look incredible, Audrey.”
His deep voice and sweet compliment make every nerve ending in my body tingle with arousal.
“You, uh, look great, too.” I step back into my apartment to let him enter. “Sorry, I’m running just a few minutes late. I got held up at the ho—” My hand freezes where it’s reaching for my purse. “Library. I got held up at work. At the library. And got home late.”
My breathing picks up as apprehension floods my veins. Did he notice my slip-up?
When I turn to face him again, he’s standing right inside the door with his hands in his pockets, watching me with a smile on his face. “It’s all good. Next time, just text me so you don’t have to rush. I’m flexible.”
Relief cools my heated skin. “I’ll make sure I do that.” I slip the strap of my purse over my shoulder. “I’m ready.”
Gesturing to the door, he pulls it open for me and allows me to pass by.
After he steps outside with me, I quickly lock the door and drop my keys into my purse.
His hand goes to a spot low on my back, and my body tingles at the contact, especially where his pinky finger gently moves up and down over the swell of my ass.
It seems so mindless that I wonder if he even realizes he’s doing it.
We’re quiet for the first few minutes of the drive. Nervousness has my throat dry and my hands clammy. Just as I open my mouth to ask him about his day, his phone rings through the car speakers. The name on the screen flashes up as Jack Sanders.
Tyler makes a low, growly noise before saying, “I’m sorry. This is my boss. And my cousin. I have to get it.”
I gesture to the screen. “That’s no problem. I understand.”
Tyler squeezes my thigh in gratitude, and goosebumps jump across my skin. He presses the button on the screen to connect the call.
“Jack, is this important?”
A deep voice answers him. “Kind of. Curt called me. Can you stop by his job? He has an issue that he needs help with, but Nate and Ian are unavailable. And I’m on another job.”
My ears perk up at Jack’s request. A flurry of excitement has my body on high alert. This is precisely what I’d been hoping for. I cut my eyes over to Tyler when he groans in response.
He glances over to me before asking, “Is this an issue that’s going to last a long time?”
Jack responds quickly, as if trying to convince Tyler to do this for him. “I don’t think so. You know he’s only been with us a few months, so I think he just needs some back-up with the client, and you work well with him.”
“Fine, I’ll stop by,” Tyler says through a clenched jaw.
“Thank you, man. I owe you big time.” The call disconnects, and the car is once again silent.
Tyler lets out an exasperated sigh, looking dejected. “I’m so sorry, Audrey. I’ve been counting down the minutes until I could see you again. This isn’t how I saw tonight going.”
My core heats at his admission. I reach out and grip his solid forearm. “Tyler, please don’t stress. I completely understand.”
Contriteness makes my chest tight. I know I can’t let this attraction I feel toward Tyler get in the way of what I need to do, but that doesn’t change anything. That doesn’t make my mom any less sick. That doesn’t make this situation any less dire.
He twists his hand so that he can intertwine our fingers, resting our conjoined hands on my thigh. I hate how much I’m enjoying the connection, but I’m unable to break it. I’m going to take one selfish moment and relish the feel of his skin against mine, even if I know I’m being ridiculous.
I’m staring out the window, taking in the chaos of downtown, completely lost in thought, when we turn into a small lot and stop. Narrowing my eyes, I look around.
This can’t be right. Joe would never be down here. Not on purpose, anyway.
“Uh, where is this job you have to stop by?” I ask cautiously as I unbuckle my seatbelt.
Tyler points out the window across the street to one of the music venues. “Right there. We’re filling in security for the manager while he secures a more permanent contract. I used to work a lot of his jobs, so I know him pretty well.”
I swallow hard. Frustration has my muscles tensing, thinking I was about to witness something useful with my father. Only, that’s not the case at all. I plaster on my widest smile. “Great.”
We climb out of the truck, walk across the street, and enter the noisy bar. Tyler nods at a man on the far side of the bar in a uniform similar to the one Tyler wore at Joe’s house a few weeks ago.
Tyler guides me over to the bar and helps me onto the barstool. “Wait here. I’ll make this as fast as I can.”
My nod feels unnaturally jerky as I try to keep my feelings locked away.
Tyler steps beside me and leans over the bar to talk to the bartender.
Shaking his hand, he inclines his head in my direction.
I can’t hear what he’s saying, but I can only assume he’s asking the bartender to look out for me while he’s gone.
Tyler’s hand brushes down my back, and an electric thrill follows the path before he leaves me alone.
To sulk that the job in question has nothing to do with my father
That one bright glimmer of hope when Jack called about a job made the feeling of disappointment particularly heavy.
All I need is to get access to my dad’s house so I can find something, anything, that can help me convince him to help my mom.
I bet it wouldn’t take me any time at all.
Joe’s so cocky that he probably thinks he’d never get caught for anything.
So everything incriminating is probably right out in the open. At least that’s my hope.
I was close the last time, but I got interrupted.
That won’t happen again. My mom doesn’t have time for this to go on forever.
Before I can get too deep into revising my plan, I feel my purse vibrate against my side. Digging through, I finally find my phone and open the messages.
I have a text from a fellow surgeon, informing me that my patient from earlier today is being taken back into surgery by the on-call team due to complications that have flared since I left, in case I wanted to come back in to assist. Or at the very least, check in later.
I rub my forehead. “Shit.”
I text back that I’ll be there soon, then drop my phone in my purse, sit up straight, and try to find Tyler in the crowd.
Despite his height, it takes me a few moments.
Once he’s in my sights, I hop off the barstool and make my way across the bar.
When I’m next to him, I grab his bicep gently and call out his name.
He turns to me, and the smile that brightens his face has my breath catching. “Did you need something, Audrey?”
I clear my throat and give myself a mental shake. “Sorry to interrupt, but I have a work emergency. I have to get going. I’ll call a rideshare or something.”
His smile fades, and confusion fills his features. “An emergency? At the library? Is it even open this late?”
Fuck.
A strangled laugh pops from my chest. “Uh, yeah. The alarm’s going off. And they, uh, can’t get a hold of anyone else. So I have to go check it or something.”
Tyler stands up straighter and turns to face me. His expression morphs into a protective glare. “Audrey, I’m not going to let you check out an alarm by yourself. What if someone’s breaking in? I’m coming with you.” He goes to take a step forward.
My hand flies to his chest, ignoring how it feels below my palm and the way it makes my insides tingle, and I practically yell, “It’s cats!
” I hope the grimace I feel inside doesn’t show on my face.
What the fuck is wrong with me… “We, um, have a feral cat problem. And they set off the alarms all the time.”
Tyler licks his lips as his eyes narrow. “Feral cats,” he repeats slowly.
My head bobs up and down. “Yep, craziest thing. So anyway…I have to get going. For the cats. But I’ll text you soon, and we can figure out what day we can have a do-over.”
For good measure, I pop up onto my tiptoes and press my lips to his cheek in a quick peck. His woodsy cologne makes me even more lightheaded than just being near him does.
Before I can move away, he grabs me around my waist and pulls me into him.
My hands land on his pecs as his hand that’s not on my body already buries in my hair.
I suck in a surprised inhale as his lips claim mine.
His lips are soft yet firm, moving with an expert precision that has my body melting into his.
Our tongues meet in the middle before Tyler’s grip on me tightens, and he angles my head to kiss me even deeper.
Every other person surrounding us fades away, and all I can hear is my heart pounding and air whooshing in my ears. That’s soon followed by a groan that vibrates through where our bodies touch and drowns out any remaining thoughts.
Completely lost in the kiss, I’m about to climb him like a tree when his lips slow before stopping completely. My eyes stay shut as his lips leave mine, and his hand slips from my hair before his thumb runs over my bottom lip. He carefully sets me away from him, and my eyes finally flutter open.
His cocky smirk greets me when my vision returns to normal. “Say hi to the cats for me, baby.”
“Cats?” My voice cracks halfway through.
I can barely hear it, but I watch his chest move with a chuckle. “Yeah, the ones trying to burgle the library.”
The last few minutes come rushing back to me, and my heated cheeks flame even further. “Yes, sorry. Cats.” I hike my thumb over my shoulder. “I’m gonna to get going.”
He nods slowly. “Audrey, don’t go outside until your ride is right out front, please.”
The concern in his voice has me wanting to ignore my responsibilities and stay right here with him.
But I know that isn’t possible. Not tonight. Not ever.
With a nod, I turn away from the one thing that’s made me feel joy in I don’t even know how long—a tiny chip of my heart breaking away in the process.