Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
Paige
I met Cormac for dinner at the local diner, nothing too fancy, but perfect, small town comfort food.
I order baked mac ’n cheese and a side salad, while Cormac ordered a burger and fries, and we both ordered milkshakes. Who goes to a diner and doesn’t order a deliciously creamy milkshake?
“I thought your niece was your daughter when I first walked in. I wasn’t going to ask you out, figuring you were married or whatever.
I mean, a good-looking guy like you, must be taken.
” I watched Cormac’s face, his emotions easy to read.
He wore his heart on his sleeve despite how hard he tried not to.
What, or should I say, who hurt him?
“No. I’m more of a loner type of guy. I focus on work, my niece, and that’s about it.”
“I understand. I’ve dedicated most of my life to my career so far. I figured it was time to slow down somewhere, put down some roots, be close to my parents. So here I am.”
“I can imagine it was hard getting through medical school.”
“It was. Clinicals were worse, and residencies even more so, but I made it through. I can’t wait to help people in this small town and the ones around here. There’s only one other doctor’s office in town and as the town expands, we need more access to care.”
“I agree. Did you grow up around here?”
“A few towns over. You?”
“I grew up here. Went into the military for a while, before coming back and going into security at the hospital. Worked my way up pretty quickly. I had a lot of specialty training in the military that helped beef up my resume.”
“That’s amazing. Thanks for your service. I always admire men and women who fight for our country. You’re brave.”
“Thank you. I wish I felt it.”
“You should. You accomplished a major feat.”
“Yeah, I know. But it doesn’t always feel that way.”
“I can imagine it was hard easing yourself back into civilian life. Give yourself grace.” I reached across the table and placed my hand over his.
His eyes shot up and burned through mine, his gaze piercing and strong.
But there was pain. A lot of pain. “If you ever want to talk about anything, I’ll gladly listen. ”
“Thank you.”
Our food came and I shifted the conversation, finding out he enjoyed watching boxing, relaxing over a fire with some beer, and he lived for his niece. He pretty much shut himself off to the rest of the world. Yet here he was, talking to me.
“I love watching trashy reality TV. That’s my guilty pleasure,” I said over a slice of flourless chocolate cake. We shared the slice of sinfully rich chocolate, the whipped cream adding a perfect sweet touch.
Cormac laughed. “The drama ones? Or the competition?”
“Definitely the drama.” I grinned. “I love it. Especially with a bottle of wine and a carton of ice cream.”
“Naughty doctor. I like it.” Cormac said, his voice low.
Was he flirting with me?
After we finished at the diner, Cormac walked me to my car. “I’d love to see you again, Paige. I had a great time.”
“Me too.” I looked into his eyes, then down at his lips, then back up to his eyes, my stomach twisting into tiny knots. I wanted to kiss him so much. But I also wanted him to kiss me.
Silence fell between us and the moment stretched on when finally, he leaned closer.
Closer, closer, my chest heaving, my heart pounding, when finally, his lips landed on mine, and he swept me into a mind-blowing kiss.
His tongue swirled with me as we kissed and kissed. He tasted so sweet, so amazing, so perfect and I knew now that I had a taste it would never be enough.
And when we break apart, it felt as if a part of me left, like I wasn’t whole anymore, not without his lips on mine.
“Shit,” Cormac mumbled. “What the hell…”
“I know.” I whispered back, my breaths coming hard and fast. “That kiss was unlike anything I’d ever felt before…”
“Me too. I need to do it again.”
And so, he does. Again, and again.
Our relationship moved quickly after our first date, the two of us nearly inseparable. We’d spend all our free time together, in between work shifts, going on date after date and making out until our lips were swollen and our jaws ached.
I hadn’t let it get farther than a kiss yet. But I wanted more. I just didn’t want to ruin anything I had with Cormac so far.
My love life in the past wasn’t great. I went for the wrong guys, fell too quickly, and ended up hurt. I don’t want that again, hell I can’t bear it. After throwing myself into school and my career, I no longer cared for it. My vibrator did the trick.
But now…having met Cormac, having felt the passion between us, I wanted him more than I’ve ever wanted anyone else.
It had been two weeks of dates of passionate make-out sessions, of endless flirty texts, dirty texts, and everything in between, and I was falling madly in love with him.
That was, until he pulled away.
He wouldn’t answer my calls, my messages, and when I showed up on his doorstep out of sheer panic, he wouldn’t answer the door. His sister, Karen, told me to give him space, but I had a feeling it was much worse.
He was trying to close me off.
I wasn’t going to let him.