Chapter 30
AIDEN
I closed down my computer and headed for the elevator, heart fluttering.
Knight had spent the past two weeks healing. The last of his bruises had faded. The hitch in his movements that betrayed his pain had smoothed out. And this morning, he’d proclaimed himself ready for that date I’d promised him.
He still wouldn’t divulge any details. I normally didn’t like being surprised, but Knight had gone through some heavy shit and found his way out the other side.
I couldn’t have said no, even if I wanted to, and I was too curious about what Will Knight planned for a perfect date to do any such thing.
Drs. Rose and Foley were standing in front of the elevator when I arrived.
“Heading out?” Dr. Rose asked.
“Yes.”
“Over to the clinic?”
“Not tonight,” I said. “But I’ll volunteer tomorrow.”
She nodded, watching me with her head tilted. “You’ve really taken to the work over there.”
“Understatement,” Foley muttered.
“Yeah. I’m sorry if you kind of got a bait and switch,” I said. “I told you I wanted to go into surgery, and you expected me to follow through—”
She laughed. “Don’t be silly, Aiden. The only commitment you gave me was to your research for this year. As long as you see that through, your future is yours to set.”
“Wait,” Foley said. “Did I miss something?”
“Aiden has expressed interest in a residency with Dr. Meadows next year,” Dr. Rose said.
Foley’s eyes widened. “Shit.” He grimaced.
“Er, sorry, Dr. Rose. I think maybe I messed up. I was giving Aiden a hard time about his feelings about surgery, and um…” He bit his bottom lip, looking uncharacteristically uncertain.
“I was being a jerk. I’m sorry. I’m sure you’d still make a great surgeon. ”
“No, you were right,” I said. “Also kind of a jerk, but a smart one.”
Dr. Rose laughed. “He’s usually that.”
I jabbed the button to call the elevator. “The way you felt about the OR is how I felt about working one-on-one with patients. It’s why I couldn’t go this whole year on research alone.”
“If we’d let you assist in the OR—” he started.
“No,” I said. “That part I could do without.”
He nodded. “Okay, then. Good luck over in primary care.”
“Thanks, but I’ll be here doing research for Dr. Rose for the rest of the year. You can’t get rid of me that easy.”
He laughed, and shockingly, Foley looked almost nice. “Well, can’t blame a guy for trying.”
Dr. Rose clucked, admonishing him, but Foley’s tease was practically the nicest thing he’d ever said to me. I’d take it.
The elevator arrived, the doors gliding open, and I stepped inside. “See you guys Monday.”
Knight was waiting when I got home, already showered and dressed in black jeans, a thick belt with a chain, a skin-tight white tank that practically glowed against his skin, and his leather jacket.
My mouth instantly watered, and the night we first met surfaced in my mind.
“Look at you.” I fanned myself. “Is this date in bed?”
He grinned. “Play your cards right, and it might end there.”
“Might?” I raised an eyebrow. “I’m going to assume you said that because it might also end in the car or the side of the road or behind some trees…”
He laughed, eyes sparkling. “Go get changed, Angel. Wear something nice enough for dinner, but comfortable enough for dancing.”
So, it was like that, was it? I smiled sweetly. “Give me two minutes.”
Forty-five minutes later, I emerged from the bathroom, showered, shaved, dressed—three times—and styled.
Knight whistled low, eyes dark as he took in my ensemble.
I wore a mostly transparent white top embroidered with small daisies over a bedazzled teal tank top that stopped short of my midriff. I’d paired it with snug black jean shorts—a little more discreet than booty shorts, but still exposing a good amount of thigh.
Based on Knight’s reaction, I’d gotten the effect I was going for.
“Damn, Angel.” He wrapped an arm around my waist and tugged me against him. “You are tempting me to be so bad.”
I grinned. “Not until I get this mystery date.”
“Right.” He gave me a hard kiss. “Let’s go before my willpower hits its limit.”
I preceded him out the door, flicking a glance back to see his gaze locked on my ass.
I raised an eyebrow.
“Just appreciating the effort you put in,” he said playfully.
I laughed. “If you got it, flaunt it, right?”
“Hell yeah. You can flaunt anything you want in front of me.”
Knight headed toward the car. I strode over to the bike instead and gave him a look.
He hesitated. “You don’t want to take the car?”
“I’d hate to ruin that hot look you’ve got going with my dusty old hatchback.”
He smirked. “Well, okay. I love to ride. But…” He glanced at my legs. “I can’t promise you won’t get absolutely shredded if we have an accident. It’s why I wear the leather jacket.”
I nodded. “I trust you’ll be careful with me.”
“I will.” He handed me a helmet. “Put that on and hold on to me.”
He swung a leg over his bike, settled into the seat, and pulled on his own helmet.
I got mine fastened and climbed on behind him, my pelvis sliding forward until I nestled against his back and ass.
Fuck, this left little to the imagination, huh?
I wrapped my arms around his waist, enjoying the feeling of his stomach flexing under my hands as he kick-started the bike.
“Lean into the turns,” he called. “Don’t fight it. Just trust me.”
He walked the bike back out of the driveway, got us turned, then rolled the throttle. The bike jolted forward, sending my heart into my throat as we took off like a shot.
I gasped and held on tighter, my cock hardening with the burst of adrenaline flooding my body. Fuck, yeah. Why hadn’t I asked to ride on Knight’s bike before now?
We cruised through the park, then turned onto the highway, and he sped up, our surroundings flashing by. The initial fear settled into exhilaration, and I found myself grinning like a loon as I huddled against Knight’s back.
Knight didn’t head for town, but continued on the highway. I had a feeling I knew where we were going, and when the first Omaha sign appeared, my stomach jumped. We’d met in an Omaha nightclub. It only made sense he might bring me back here.
I hadn’t expected it. I’m not sure why. Maybe because those steamy Omaha memories and our days in Riverton felt like two different lifetimes.
Knight didn’t take me straight to the gay club.
First, he drove us to a nice tavern called the Black Sheep.
The interior was dimly lit with a polished wooden bar that curved along one side of the room, matching booths, and a scattering of tall pub tables.
A chalkboard to our right announced the specials, including shepherd’s pie, smothered pork chops, or lobster mac-and-cheese.
“Will, there’s no spicy food,” I teased. “What will you order?”
He chuckled. “This date is for you, Angel. I’ll suffer through it.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a spice jar of red pepper flakes. “For emergencies.”
I laughed. “Oh no. You didn’t!”
“Always be prepared, right?” he said with a wink.
That made me wonder what else he might be prepared for. Perhaps in that nightclub back room, like the night we met?
My pulse spiked, and Knight smiled knowingly.
The hostess arrived to seat us at one of the booths, and we both settled in to order. I ate light, thinking about what else the night might hold. I encouraged Knight to go all in on the foods he wanted.
He had plans for this date night, but so did I. Plans that made my palms sweat. Plans that twisted my stomach with nerves, but the good kind.
We talked while we ate—not about anything serious, but about our favorite movies and music, our hobbies, and our vices. It was first-date type stuff. Things we’d missed by living together as former hookups, instantly close without having to get to know each other as strangers would have.
“You have an unhealthy obsession with coffee,” Knight said as I ordered my second espresso martini with dinner.
“Says the man adding his own red pepper flakes into the Cajun chicken Alfredo.”
He grinned. “I know my vices, Angel. You’re the biggest of them all.”
I pretended to gasp. “Are you suggesting I’m bad?”
“You’re very bad,” he said. “But also very good.”
I tapped my lips. “I don’t know if you can have it both ways.”
“That’s too bad, because I intend to have exactly that tonight.”
I squirmed a little at the thought. Cleared my throat. “Ready to get the check?”
He smirked. “Eager for the rest of the night?”
“Aren’t you?”
“Fuck yeah. I’m not even going to pretend otherwise.”
“Good.” I finished off my martini and sat back. “Maybe you can redeem yourself for insulting my television choices.”
“Hey, I’m not shaming,” he said. “You want to watch reality trash, you do that. Anything that helps you relax is good with me.”
“Are you saying I’m not relaxed?” I challenged.
“Well, yeah. I know you, Aiden. You’re incredibly focused on your work, and you’re an amazing doctor, but you barely give yourself permission to breathe.”
I wanted to argue, but he wasn’t wrong. I’d been pushing for so long to be the perfect brother, the perfect doctor, the perfect survivor that I didn’t know any other way to function.
At least, I hadn’t before I met Knight. Before I moved to Riverton and got closer to my brother. Before I started to see all the ways that I was containing and trapping myself in a prison of my own making.
The server arrived with the check, and Knight handed off his credit card. When they’d gone, he reached for my hand.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean it was a bad thing. You’re perfect just the way you are.”
I blinked hard. “I’m not perfect, Will. I try too hard to be. You’re not wrong. For such a long time…”
“I know.” He squeezed my fingers. “You deserve everything good in the world, Angel. You don’t have to earn it. It’s already yours.”
“Does that include you?”
“Since the night we met,” he said, eyes holding mine. “I’m yours.”