8. STERLING
The end of the day at the clinic is always a flurry of paperwork and last-minute appointments. Today is no different. I”m hunched over my desk, surrounded by medical records and schedules, trying to wrap up before the sun dips below the horizon. My staff is buzzing around, finishing up their tasks and preparing for tomorrow. The usual routine.
”Dr. Cole, I wanted to discuss the treatment plan for Mrs. Jenkins” cat,” says my vet tech, Sarah, from the doorway. ”The antibiotics we prescribed don”t seem to be improving the condition, and I was thinking we should consider an alternative—”
I cut her off, irritation creeping into my voice. ”Sarah, we”ve been over this. Stick to the treatment plan unless there”s a significant reason to deviate from it. Changing medications without proper cause can do more harm than good.”
Sarah looks frustrated by my response, but then she leans against the doorframe in a move I”ve seen many times before. She tilts her head to the side, her fingers gently tracing the contours of the wood, ”I just thought—”
I don”t like being hard on her, but I can”t let her think this flirtatious play she does is going to work on me. ”Your thoughts should be based on medical rationale, not whims. Follow the protocols, and if there”s no improvement, we”ll reassess. Now, if you don”t mind, I”m in the middle of something.”
Sarah nods, retreating from the room. Hopefully she gets the message this time.
I lean back in my chair, massaging my temples. All I can think of is getting home for the night.
”Dr. Cole,” my receptionist calls from the doorway.
”Yes?”
She glances over her shoulder. ”There”s a young woman here to see you. Emma.”
I sit up in my chair, wiping my hands on my scrubs. ”Please, send her in. And let everyone know they can take off for the night. I”ll lock up. Thank you.” I feel my entire mood lighten in an instant.
A moment later, Emma breezes into the room with that bright smile of hers. She”s wearing a casual sundress, the vibrant colors contrasting with the clinical white of my office. Her mere presence injects a burst of energy into the room.
”Hey there, Dr. Grumpy. Long day?” she teases, a playful glint in her eyes. ”I heard you rip into that poor girl about the antibiotics. Not very nice, Doctor. Not nice at all.”
I shake my head, unable to stop myself from grinning. ”Yes. It”s been a really long day. And Sarah is a nice girl, but she has a habit of… Never mind, it doesn”t matter.”
Emma tilts her head at me, mirroring Sarah”s gesture, but this time I”m captivated by the movement. I”d follow any suggestion she makes, about everything really, even if it”s antibiotics.
With a soft click, she gently closes the door behind her, the sound marking an unexpected turn in my day, but a welcome one for sure. Emma moves behind me, her closeness bringing a sudden warmth to the air. Her cool hands find their way to my neck.
”I think you may need to loosen up a bit,” she says giving my shoulders a slight squeeze. ”Maybe I can help.” She leans down to whisper in my ear. ”May I?”
Oh, yes you may, no need to ask.
”I see no reason to object, just trying to be friendly, right?” I do my best to keep from voice from cracking and goosebumps from forming an assembly line, but it”s too late. Hopefully she”s not looking at my skin.
She giggles at my comment. ”Of course, what kind of friend would I be if I didn”t offer a mini massage after a tough day? You helped me at the wedding, now I can return the favor.”
”Seems only fair,” I respond. But what”s not fair is the shockwaves Emma is sending through my body just by having her hands on my shoulders. I am going to need a straightjacket for my heart to keep it in my chest when she actually starts massaging.
I feel my whole body tense in anticipation. Emma obviously feels it too.
”Hey. You don”t need to flex for me, I know you have muscles,” she jokes.
Ha. Not flexing. Totally involuntary.
”Oh, that”s just some knots. I”d never intentionally flex,” I say while spreading both arms to my sides, actually flexing. I need a momentary distraction from her touch.
But that only makes her squeeze my shoulders again. This the most stressful massage ever. Breathe.
”Do you want this massage or not?” Emma playfully smacks me.
”Absolutely.”
Her hands start to work deeper into my muscles, and it”s taking everything in me not to tense up again. I can”t imagine what kind of goofy face I”m making right now. I”m thankful everyone is gone for the night. Nobody needs to see their boss this way.
”Actually, I wanted to talk to you about something important,” Emma says as she continues.
This is good, talking should help distract me.
”Sure, go ahead.”
She moves to my neck and I let out an involuntary moan. Apparently, talking is not helping. Hopefully it wasn”t as loud as it sounded to me.
”That good, huh?”
Ok. She noticed. ”Um, yes, it”s fine.” I lie. Because it”s way more than fine.
Emma giggles like it”s no big deal, then continues. ”So, picture this,” her voice is lace with excitement. ”A community-driven shelter that not only provides a safe haven for animals but also becomes a focal point for everyone in Cedar Creek.”
”Uh-huh…” I have no idea what she just said because when she got excited, she started pushing harder, and I think I left my body.
”Well, first things first, we need to get the town involved to get it funded and off the ground,” she suggests, leaning forward.
”I”m thinking a series of events: a silent auction, a concert and maybe a raffle. We can reach out to local businesses and artists to donate items or services. You know, make it a collaborative effort.”
”Uh-huh…” I really tried to listen that time, but once her body pressed into my back it was game over. I”d like to see you focus through that.
Emma”s so determined in whatever it is she”s saying, she hasn”t seemed to detect I”ve zoned out.
”I have some connections in Memphis and my friends could help too. Mia could donate items from her bakery and Zoe has real estate associates. I”ll talk to them tonight and see if they”re on board.”
She moves from my neck to my head. Yikes, that is not going to help me concentrate. Emma runs her fingers through my hair, starting at my forehead and raking them all the way to the nape of my neck.
I don”t know who taught her what constitutes a friendly massage, but this isn”t it, not that I”m complaining.
”That”s great,” I mumble.
”Really? Which part?” she asks excitedly, oblivious to my current state of mush.
I hear my voice come out in a breathy rasp. ”All of it.”
She spins my chair around. I closed my eyes at some point, so I open them now that I know I”m facing her again. Her beautiful smiles shows me she”s pleased with the conversation. I”m pleased too, believe me.
Emma looks deep in thought for a moment before continuing. ”I would love to be part of something meaningful, Sterling. If you”re serious about this shelter, count me in. I”m even willing to stay for the summer to help kickstart the project.”
Ok. The fog is lifting now that she stopped massaging. She wants to raise money for a shelter. Refocus.
”That”s a generous offer,” I say, appreciating her commitment. ”But are you sure? You have your life in the city.”
She shrugs. ”I could use a change of scenery. Plus, I don”t have to be back to work until the new school year starts, so I have some time. It”s not like I”m eager to get back to face Dean, anyway. This would be good for me, too.”
I”m moved by her dedication and her massage in equal parts. ”Thank you, Emma. Your involvement will make a huge difference.”
She reaches out her hand. “Partners?”
”Partners.” I try to inject some playfulness into the moment and wildly shake her hand up and down. True to Emma”s style, she loses her balance, a scene that seems to play out about once a week. But I don”t really mind; after all, it means she ends up in my lap.
I am not prepared to smell the vanilla scent on her skin or feel her hair brush gently across my face.
Emma throws her head back in laughter, and I can”t help but chuckle along. When she brings her head back to face me, our eyes lock. There”s a spark between us, undeniable and electric. I grip the sides of my chair tightly, my knuckles turning white as I fight the urge to seize this moment.
Every fiber in my being screams to lean in and kiss her, to finally know what it feels like to capture her lips with mine. Straightjacket. I need one now. There”s only so much willpower a man can have.
But it”s Emma that makes the first move. Her eyes take on a mischievous glint that sends my heart into overdrive. ”Did you enjoy your thank you massage?”
That must be a rhetorical question.
My eyes close again thinking about her hands running through my hair just moments ago, trying to relive the feeling. ”It was, uh, yea, it was great. Thank you.”
I feel Emma”s cheek press against mine as she whispers in my ear, sending a cascade of shivers down my spine. ”I have one last thing to do and then we”ll call it even, sound good?”
I swallow the softball size lump in my throat. ”Uh-huh.” My vocabulary has really taken a hit in the last ten minutes.
I can”t force my eyes to open. If this is a dream, I want to stay here as long as I can, relishing in the sensation of her presence, soaking it all in.
So I”m unprepared for the sweetness of her lips that are now pressing gently against mine. They”re so soft in their touch, I question if they”re even there. My eyes snap open, needing to confirm the reality of the moment.
And then I see it. Emma”s face is so close to mine, it must be her lips. It”s real. I can”t believe something so tender can create such a turbulent wave inside my body.
She parts her lips to deepen the kiss just slightly and I can”t help but slide my hands to waist, tugging her closer, needing her closer. Emma gasps into my mouth and I can no longer hold back. I want to hear that sound again.
I want… more of her.
I lift her off my lap and carry her toward my office couch. I want to lay her down and explore every inch of her mouth with mine. But when her back hits the leather, she bolts upright, slamming into my nose.
”Ugh.” The pain radiates through my head, forcing me to the floor.
”Oh my gosh, Sterling. I”m so sorry!” Emma immediately kneels beside me. ”Is it bleeding?”
I remove my hands from my nose. ”No, I don”t think so. I just need a minute.”
The minute isn”t for the pain; it”s to send an all-points bulletin to my body to shift back to neutral. Maybe that was a sign we shouldn”t be crossing the line.
”This is all my fault. It was just supposed to be a friendly, little thank you kiss.” Emma looks at me with soft eyes.
”It”s ok. It was definitely moving past ”friendly,” though.” I laugh. ”But, it will still officially be my favorite thank you of all times, even with the nose thing.” I wink at her.
Her cheeks blush instantly as she looks down at the floor. She”s precious.
”I think we can call it even now.” I stand and reach for Emma”s hands to pull her up. ”Let”s just forget about it, no harm done.” I wiggle my nose to show her it”s not broken.
But let”s be honest. There was collateral damage. I will never be able to look at those puffy red lips the same way again. I”m ruined. And I will never, ever, forget that kiss.
Emma takes my hands. We”re standing face to face, and I haven”t let go. ”Let”s meet back here on Monday and go over more details of the project.” I don”t add ”because I missed most of what you said during my massage.”
She squeezes my hands and smiles. ”Sounds great. This is going to be amazing. You and I will be the perfect team.”
Oh, yes, I agree.
There”s a moment of awkward silence, like we can”t decide how to say goodbye now that we”ve kissed. I do my best to keep it friendly and wrap my arms around her in a hug. I hold my breath to make sure I don”t inhale the scent of her skin because mission ”stay friendly” will be aborted immediately.
Emma pulls away first, but as she says ”goodbye,” she looks at my lips briefly. Oh, no. Please don”t do that. Peter, think of Peter. This is Peter”s sister, and he will do way worse to my nose if he finds out I”m kissing her.
I put a hand on her back and lead her to the door. I”ve got to get her out of here as much as it pains me to do it.
”I”ll see you next week.”
”You got it,” I don”t miss the way her eyes sparkle when she says it. I”m not sure exactly what has gotten into her today, but I like it.
Working with Emma on this project is great way to spend more time together and do something for the town. But if she”s going to continue looking at me like that, I”m going to need an ”Emma resistance kit”, complete with a fire extinguisher, panic button and maybe some duct tape for my lips.