Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
Lily
“Heard you’re going for the world record in how many times a person can get vomited on during a shift?” Erica’s voice came from behind where I stood in front of my locker, changing out of my scrubs.
“One would think, but no.” Thank goodness I’d had the wherewithal to dodge most of the egg salad sandwich and Jell-O lunch that didn’t agree with one of my patients, since changing medications, otherwise I would have beaten my own personal record of five.
“Well, at least you can finally go home now, so there’s that.”
“Exactly. Tag, you’re it.” I laughed with a lighthearted smile, passing off the reins.
“No, thank you, if given a choice, but it is what it is; here’s hoping for an uneventful night shift.”
“One can only dream.” I pulled my hoodie over my head, tugging it low before grabbing my keys and slinging my duffel bag over my shoulder. “Anyway, I’m out. Have a good night.”
“Thanks. You too. Oh, hey, before I forget again.”
I stopped with my hand on the door handle and turned.
“Last week, during the day shift, a guy was lingering around asking about you.”
My fingers tightened around the handle. “About me?”
Erica nodded slowly, her brows pulling together. “Yes, he said he was an intern with Neurology, but the whole exchange was weird.”
I dropped my hand to my side. “Weird how?”
“It wasn’t just what he asked, it was how he asked, and his tone was completely off, like he wasn’t surprised you weren’t there.
As if he thought you were avoiding him.” She hesitated, then stepped a little closer, lowering her voice before continuing.
“He spoke like there was some kind of unfinished business between you two.”
My stomach sank. “That doesn’t make any sense. We haven’t had any recent crossover cases with that department.”
“I know, and I told him just that. That’s why it struck me as odd, because he didn’t seem confused, though. If anything, he looked amused. Like he knew something I didn’t.”
A chill ran down my spine as the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end.
“And you’re sure he was from this hospital?”
“I mean, yeah, I think so. That would be weird, wearing another hospital’s scrubs in ours, don’t you think?”
“Right.” I placated her, but meanwhile, my mind was racing with what-ifs. “Did you catch the name on his ID badge?”
“No, he had it tucked into his pocket. I did ask if he wanted to leave a message or his contact info. He said no, and he’d catch you when the timing was better, then just walked off.” She paused and eyed me curiously. “Maybe you’ve bumped into him down in the cafeteria or something?”
I shook my head. “No. Not that I remember.”
But even as I said it, a darkness stirred within, like a shadow of unease that would forever haunt me, one I didn’t know how to escape.
Her eyes lingered on me like she wanted to say more but thought better of it.
Questions circled in my head the whole way home, each one repeating like a warning. I desperately wanted that part of my life gone, but it was foolish to think that could ever be true. The internet lived forever, and I’d always spend my life looking over my shoulder because of it.
Sliding my key into the lock of my front door, I turned my wrist, more than ready to flop down on the couch and relax with Jaxon, only to gasp when I opened the door and absorbed the scene unfolding before me.
Jaxon cooking in my kitchen was an absolute sight to behold.
A signature basic black T-shirt stretched over his sinful arm muscles as they flexed with each movement, paired with worn blue jeans, but it was the bare feet that had me smiling like a love-struck dreamer because he looked entirely at home in my space.
I was busy relishing the feeling of calm and security that washed over me whenever he was near, when he stepped away from the stove and pulled me away from the doorframe where I had been leaning.
“You’re home.” His hand snaked around my neck and into my hair, angling my neck upward and drawing me into his sphere before my lips parted with need.
I couldn’t stop the heated breath that escaped me as I dropped my bag to the floor at our feet and pushed up on my toes, reaching for his shoulders to wrap my arms eagerly around his neck.
Jaxon lifted me off the ground with one arm wrapped around my waist and pinned me against the back of the door, which was now closed. With my legs hooked over his hips, I felt him feeling around beside me, locking all my locks after his restraint snapped and he captured my lips with greed.
We’d been taking things slow while we got reacquainted, but there was no denying that what we both wanted was on the cusp when I shifted my hips into his, feeling just how much he desired me.
“I’m sorry,” he breathed across my lips.
“Why are you apologizing?” I tangled my fingers in his hair. “I like knowing how much you want me.”
“Oh, I more than want you Lils, but . . . I have a plan.”
“Plans are known to change all the time.”
“Not this one, beautiful.” He brushed his lips down my neck, sending shivers through me, before his tongue licked a path back up to where he pressed soft butterfly kisses on the sensitive patch of skin just under my ear. “Trust me, okay?”
“Always.”
He leaned back, his gaze soft and tender, as if my trust were the most sacred gift he could ever receive. “I made you dinner.”
“Whatever it is, it smells delicious.”
“So are you,” he murmured against my lips.
“If only you’d seen me earlier.” I swallowed and let out a small, disbelieving laugh at how my day had unfolded. “It was a messy day at the office. I had to shower twice.”
“That sucks, especially when I’m the only one who should be getting you all dirty,” his fingers squeezed my backside.
“Jaxon.” I arched my back off the door.
“Food first, beautiful.” He stepped back and sadly lowered me to the ground.
“And then?” I pursed my lips and batted my eyelashes playfully.
“You’ll just have to wait and see.” He smirked, sending a kaleidoscope of butterflies into a flurry in my stomach.
“A girl could get used to this kind of treatment,” I said as he linked our fingers and walked me toward the breakfast bar, where he had a whole setup complete with two place settings, placemats I didn’t even recognize, candles, and a bouquet of red roses. “Jaxon, you didn’t need to do all of this.”
“I know I didn’t have to, I wanted to; there’s a difference.”
“You’re so sweet, thank you. All of this,” I waved my hand toward the kitchen as I breathed in the buttery garlic aroma, “you make me so happy.” I pressed my lips together in a smile as I felt my eyes begin to water.
He slid his hands up my neck and framed my cheeks. “Glad you feel that way because this is just the beginning, Lily. I wanted our first night, well, technically our second, but your first time coming home here after work to be special.”
“Anytime we’re together is memorable.”
“I love that you think that way, but you’d best get used to this treatment because I plan to spoil you for as long as you’ll let me.”
“Forever.”
“Yes, Lily-Bee, forever. Now, let’s get you settled because this is just the beginning of the night’s festivities,” I parted my lips to interject, but he stopped me, “and not to worry, I’ll have you tucked in bed by your normal time so you’ll be well rested,” he winked, “by your shift in the morning.”
“Sounds like you’ve got everything taken care of.”
“That I do,” he kissed the tip of my nose before turning toward the kitchen, “and because I know you won’t risk a headache from a glass of wine, I picked up a non-alcoholic sparkling wine to pair with our dinner.”
“You really thought of everything, didn’t you?
” He shot me a smile over his shoulder as he stood in front of the stove, plating our dinner, then placing my plate down in front of me first with a kind of reverence that made me pause and appreciate the sweet gesture.
“Yum, fettuccine Alfredo, one of my favorites.”
“I made enough so you can either take the leftovers to work tomorrow or have them for dinner, since I won’t be here.”
“Thank you.” I twirled the fettuccine noodles, coated in a rich, creamy sauce, around my fork and took a bite, welcoming the blend of butter, parmesan, and garlic that burst across my tongue in a flavor explosion.
“Oh, my God,” I moaned, covering my mouth with my hand.
“This is . . . So good, Jaxon. So good.”
“Never thought I’d be jealous of food, and yet here we are.” He looked at me with pure wonder in his hooded eyes.
I plucked a single noodle with my fork from the plate and dangled it between us. “Can’t have you feeling left out now, can we?”
“No, no, we can’t,” he replied, leaning in, matching my movement as we both took opposite ends of the slippery noodle between our lips and sucked until our mouths met in a frenzy in the middle.
I was lost in a haze when Jaxon broke our kiss, his eyes dropping to my lips, lingering for a beat before his hand framed my jaw.
I wasn’t sure what had captured his interest until his thumb swept over the corner of my mouth.
My breath hitched, thinking he was going to lick the sauce away, but I welcomed the surprise when he pushed his thumb between my lips and found my tongue eager to lap it all up.
“Fuck, what am I going to do with you?” he murmured.
“Fuck around and find out.”
He reared back, seemingly shocked by my bluntness. It only took a second before we both fell into a fit of hysterics.
“Only we could turn a corny movie moment into me wanting to wipe this counter clean and lay you out on it.”
“I wouldn’t complain.” I pushed my plate away making my desires clear.
“Food.”
“I’m full.” I smiled, more than eager to forget our dinner and everything about rediscovering each other slowly, because at that moment, all I wanted was his mouth and touch everywhere.
Jaxon pushed his chair back and leaned down over me before hoisting me up over his shoulder.
I yelped in disbelief and swatted at his backside teasingly. “What are you doing, trying to channel Jameson’s energy with the fireman’s strut?”