Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
JESSICA
My phone buzzes, drawing my attention from the patient chart on my computer screen. I glance toward it, my stomach squeezing when I spot the name on the screen.
Matthew:
Want me to pick you up?
I bite the inside of my cheek as I pick up my phone and type.
Jessica:
I’m coming straight from work.
His text appears on the screen almost immediately.
Matthew:
So?
His cocky response has me rolling my eyes.
Jessica:
So I have my car with me.
And driving here is completely out of your way.
Matthew:
I don’t remember asking if it was on my way.
My fingers tighten around my phone, and I can feel the corner of my mouth twitching upward. Warmth spreads through my belly as I just stare at the message. Why the hell does he have to be like this? Why can’t he be an asshole like most guys these days?
Sure, he’s cocky and confident, and it can get annoying, but still he’s nice.
I know how to defend myself from arrogance, but I don’t know what to do with this, and it’s unnerving.
“You’ve been cheerful today,” Aiden comments as he leans against the counter, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Any exciting plans?”
Locking my phone, I put it down and look up at him. Lately, a lot of our shifts have lined up, and it’s nice to have a familiar face to work with. Somebody who actually isn’t afraid to pick up the slack and doesn’t bitch the whole time.
“I’m going out tonight. You?”
Aiden’s brows rise. “With Mae?”
“Ummm…” I tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear, my gaze dropping down to my phone just as my screen lights up with an incoming text.
Matthew:
I don’t mind picking you up.
Aiden sees it too, his expression turning serious. “It’s that cop guy?”
Color rises up my cheeks as I lift my head. “What?”
“Your ‘friend’?” Aiden makes air quotes, and our previous conversation comes back to me. “The one helping you with Damien?”
Shit, why did I tell him?
The words just came out of my mouth when he offered to do it, but now I wonder if it was a bad idea after all.
“We’re just friends hanging out,” I say defensively, trying to play it off.
Aiden lifts his hands in the air. “I’m just trying to look after you. You two looked cozy, and Eva said she asked around about him, and apparently, he’s a player. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“And since when do we trust Eva?” I bite out, feeling the annoyance rise inside of me. Annoyance and something that feels a lot like jealousy.
The moment the word pops into my mind, I brush it off.
I’m not jealous. Merely… irritated. That’s all.
Just like I would be if any other person came to the ER looking for help, but instead of offering it like we should, she was giving them googly eyes and batting her eyelashes, looking for attention.
Nothing else.
Aiden chuckles softly. “I guess you’re right about that one.”
“God, I hate that woman. She drives me crazy with her unprofessional behavior. What are the chances she might leave? She hates it here.”
Aiden shrugs. “Not good, I’m afraid.”
Sighing, I turn back to my computer. “Lovely.”
“I’m so sorry I’m late.” My words come out as ragged pants as I sit down next to Matthew on the blanket. The area is dim, the movie already playing on the screen the town has put up. “I got sidetracked and then parking was a nightmare—”
Matthew presses his finger against my lips, effectively shushing me. The corner of his mouth lifting in amusement. “It’s fine.”
I inhale a long breath at his touch and hold it in for a moment.
Matthew chuckles softly. “Breathe.”
I let out a shaky breath, his eyes turning darker as he stares at me. Once again, we’re close. Too close. His callused finger still presses against my lips, rubbing softly against my flesh and sending tingles coursing under my skin.
“You don’t have to apologize.”
“I was late.”
Matthew lifts his shoulder in a half-shrug before letting his hand drop. “Comes with the job.”
“I—”
Dammit, he’s right.
I’m so used to apologizing for losing track of time or for my job taking longer than anticipated that it just comes naturally. Not that my apology ever did anything to satisfy Damien.
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah, just charting took longer than I anticipated.”
“Hey, look on the bright side; at least you don’t have a boss who corrects your reports like you’re in high school again.”
My brows quirk up at that tidbit. “He does not.”
Matthew smiles, but the amusement doesn’t reach his eyes. “Oh, yes, he does.”
“What an asshole!”
“That’s Jenkins for you.” He shakes his head. “Let’s not talk about him.”
“Okay.” I nod slowly, suddenly feeling nervous.
It’s not like this is the first time we’re doing this; the only difference—a very big difference—is that we’re alone. There is no buffer. No Mae and Nico bickering and drawing our attention from the elephant in the room. No uniforms between us. It’s just Matthew and me.
I swallow the knot in my throat, my gaze darting around. Quite a few people have showed up, but it’s not that surprising. People, old and young, love things like this. There are groups of friends huddled around on the blankets, and couples sitting together, just like us.
Only we’re not a couple.
Not really.
“What are we watching, anyway?” I ask, glancing at the screen, trying to find something to talk about, but I don’t recognize the actors. Then again, I’ve never really been interested in movies.
“I have no idea.”
My gaze snaps to Matthew, who’s leaning back on his elbows, an easy grin tugging at his lips.
“Let me get this straight. You asked me to a movie without looking up what’s playing first?” I chuckle softly.
“Pretty much.”
I shake my head, although, honestly, I’m not the least bit surprised. Still, I can’t help but ask, “Why? What if you don’t like it?”
Matthew crooks his finger at me. I lean closer as he whispers, “I never planned to watch the movie.”
“You never… Oh.”
The color rushes into my cheeks as I lean back and just stare at him while he watches me. I tuck a strand of my hair behind my ear and chastise him half-heartedly. “You really have to stop doing this.”
“And where would be fun in that?”
I open my mouth to protest, but just then my stomach decides to grumble. Loudly.
Matthew’s brows quirk up. “Hungry?”
He doesn’t wait for my answer before starting to pull out containers from a backpack. There are grapes and crackers, and even a box from Reading Nook with brownies and cinnamon rolls.
“You came prepared.”
“Well, you said you were coming from work, so I figured you might be hungry.”
Although he says it matter-of-factly, I can feel warmth spread inside my belly. I can’t remember the last time somebody worried about me being hungry besides my parents. Never. That’s the answer. Never.
“It’s not that deep,” Matthew protests as he cracks open one of the containers.
But that’s where he’s wrong. It is that deep. He doesn’t have to do anything nice for me. After all, this is only for show. It would be just as simple to show up and play our parts, but he does it because this is him.
He grabs one of the crackers, extending it toward me. “Eat.”
“Seriously?” I narrow my eyes at him. “What am I? Five?”
Matthew doesn’t budge, though. “Apparently, since you still haven’t had a bite.”
“I can take my own food.”
“Well, I’m a dutiful boyfriend, so I’m taking it upon myself to feed you.”
I give him a warning look, but he stubbornly waits, not moving a muscle.
“This is silly.”
“I’m glad we can agree on something,” he replies, his voice dropping lower. “Open that pretty mouth for me, Richards.”
That deep baritone sends a shiver running down my spine as illicit thoughts fill my mind.
Me. On my knees. His callused finger skimming over my chin, coaxing my lips to part as he whispers those exact words to me. Only this time, it’s not food he’d be feeding me. My mouth waters at the idea.
As if he can read my mind, Matthew’s gaze zeroes in on my mouth.
I swallow hard. My teeth graze over my lower lip. My stomach squeezes, and my thighs press together.
Get your head out of the gutter, girl, I chastise myself as I lean forward, ready to be done with this.
Only, when my teeth sink into the cracker, my lips brush against his fingers.
Fire blazes in Matthew’s eyes as he watches me, his jaw clenched tight.
My pussy pulses with need, reminding me it’s been a long time since it’s gotten any attention.
Way too long.
I really need to get laid.
Not that it’s going to happen anytime soon considering our little scheme.
I chew slowly before swallowing. “Happy?”
A low grumble comes out of Matthew’s chest, and I can’t quite pinpoint if it’s annoyance or frustration he’s feeling.
“Not even close.”
His voice is pure gravel as he reaches down, not once moving his gaze from me, and this time, he picks up a grape and offers it to me.
“Are you going to feed me the whole time?”
“Until you start eating on your own.”
“You’re so bossy.”
He snorts and nudges the grape toward me. “You haven’t seen anything yet, Trouble.”
I make sure to roll my eyes at him extra hard before bending down and taking the grape.
His eyes flash, the muscle in his jaw ticking.
He’s affected by this as much as I am.
Good.
Two can play this game.
I grab the grape before he can move, and extend it to him.
“Seriously?”
“It goes both ways.” I shrug.
I know better than to expect him to back down from the challenge. No, Matthew would never do that.
Before I can blink, he leans closer and grabs the grape, his teeth grazing over my finger before he pulls back. My heart is thundering wildly inside my chest, a soft pinch of pain radiating from my skin where he sunk his teeth in.
He, on the other hand, seems to be completely at ease as his tongue darts over his lip once he’s done chewing. “You were right; this is much better.”
“You bit me,” I hiss softly, my heartbeat still echoing in my eardrums.
“Nibbled.”
My gaze falls to my fingers before meeting his again. “You bit me.”
He extends his hand, his finger brushing a few crumbs from the corner of my mouth.
“Wh-what—”
I suck in a breath as his fingers slide down my neck and over my collarbone, playing with the thin strap of my top. He leans closer, his nose tracing the column of my neck as he inhales softly.
My stomach squeezes tightly at the proximity, the faint scent of his cologne—something dark and spicy—overwhelming my senses as he rubs his thumb over my neck, each swipe making my heart beat faster.
His lips brush against the shell of my ear, his warm breath tickling my skin as he whispers, “Trust me, if I bite you, everybody will know it.”
I close my eyes as a shudder goes through me at his words. The silent promise in them. I let out a shaky breath, blinking them open to find Matthew’s dark gaze fixed on me.
“See my mark on your skin.”
My fingers sink into the blanket as I try to regain some sense of composure, when my body is practically begging me to give in.
It’s been ages since my body felt this alive.
And Matthew? I bet he knows how to make a woman feel alive.
But we can’t do that.
It would blur the lines too much.
“We agreed.”
“To what?”
“Rules.” I swallow hard. “No kissing.”
A dark chuckle escapes him. His fingers slide to the back of my neck, curling around my nape. Not grabbing or pushing. Just holding me. “I’m not breaking any rules.”
Not yet, anyway, is the silent implication.
“Do you want me to break them?”
Yes.
“N-no.”
His smirk grows bigger.
Knowing.
He places his free hand on mine, our fingers interlocking.
He tilts his head and softly whispers, “Liar.”
I fist my fingers into his shirt. “Matthew…”
But I don’t get to finish, because the next thing I know, somebody bumps into him.
He leans over me, his arm holding his weight so he doesn’t squish me.
I look over his shoulder and find none other than Damien standing there, his arm over Lauren’s shoulder.
“Oops.” He chuckles. His gaze is throwing daggers at us, not in the least bit apologetic. “My bad.”
She shoots me a smug smile as she leans into him and whispers something into his ear, giggling exaggeratedly.
Well, that didn’t take too long or require too much effort.
Lauren is known for jumping from one bed to another, trying to land her next husband. I’m not even sure which number she’s currently on. So if he thinks that’ll make me jealous, he completely missed his mark.
“Maybe you should watch where you walk next time.”
That scowl on Damien’s forehead only deepens. “This is public property. I can be here all I want and you can’t do shit about it.”
I wrap my fingers around Matthew’s, drawing his attention to me, and shake my head.
He isn’t worth it.
“Let’s go, babe.” Lauren giggles exaggeratedly as she tugs at his hand, her lips brushing against the side of his neck. “I promised you fun. We both know you’ve missed it the last few months.”
“Damn right, I did.” He slaps her ass as the two of them walk away in the opposite direction, and my nose wrinkles in disgust.
How did I ever date that guy?
“You think he finally got the memo?”
I turn to face Matthew, but his hard gaze is still locked on Damien’s retreating back.
“He’s pissed, and trying to get a reaction out of you.”
“By dating Lauren?” I snort. “Please, they can have each other for all I care. They deserve one another.”
“Maybe, but that doesn’t mean he’s giving up.”
I let my head fall onto the blanket as I groan. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”