Chapter Twenty-Five #3
“I think it’s working, Dr. Savage,” she said, her voice soft, “judging by that smile on your face.”
Tobin walked to Grier and pulled her in for a brief kiss, willing her knees not to buckle with the sensation of Grier’s lips on hers.
She needed all the resolve she could muster today—to keep this inside until the fireflies surrounded them.
She wanted Grier to remember this night forever, and she wasn’t about to let a premature declaration alter the course of her plan.
They moved into the center of the clearing, and Tobin stomped down some patches of tall grass to make space for a couple of blankets.
Within minutes, she’d created a cozy little nook for their picnic—where they could talk comfortably as the sun set, then snuggle into each other when the temperature dropped.
She felt Grier’s eyes on her while she worked, the hairs on the back of her neck prickling with the warmth of affection radiating from her—even from yards away as she explored the meadow.
She sat on the blanket, wrapping her arms around a bent knee, trying—futilely—to settle her nerves.
Then Grier appeared behind her, the warmth of her body pressing against Tobin’s back as she knelt down and wrapped Tobin in her arms, instantly grounding her in the way only Grier could.
“Are you hungry?” Tobin asked, lightly stroking Grier’s arms. The sensation beneath her fingertips helped calm her racing heart as she reached for the container of sandwiches she’d packed for the occasion.
Grier’s lips grazed Tobin’s ear before she settled her cheek against Tobin’s.
“I’m famished,” she said softly, then shifted to settle beside Tobin on the blanket.
“How are things going with Dr. Vanders—were you able to undermine his subterfuge?” Tobin asked, finding it surprisingly easy to talk with Grier, despite the emotions swaying inside her like an unmoored boat.
She was genuinely intrigued by Grier’s work and enjoyed getting updates about her day—particularly about her patients.
It was obvious Grier connected deeply with each one.
And while she held a fondness for some more than others, Tobin didn’t question Grier’s ability to give each treatment, every case, her concentrated effort.
It was in those moments—when Grier spoke about her work— that Tobin could feel her passion radiating off her. Grier’s dedication was evident in everything she did, but it was most unmistakable in the way she talked about the kids.
Even if Tobin hadn’t experienced firsthand just how adept Grier was as a practitioner, she wouldn’t have been able to ignore the fervor in Grier’s voice or the way her eyes shone just a little brighter when she talked about her patients.
It was captivating—to watch her, and to listen to her.
Tobin was utterly defenseless against Grier’s charisma. And she was a willing captive.
So, when Grier expressed troubles at work, Tobin wanted to be her sounding board. She knew she couldn’t fight her battles for her— Grier was neither incapable nor was Tobin under any delusions that her interference would be beneficial, or even welcome.
But she did want to be a safe place for Grier to vent. And when needed, a distraction from it all.
When Grier had problems, Tobin wanted to help her find a solution—in whatever way Grier would allow.
And Tobin knew Dr. Vanders was a problem. A big one.
She hadn’t met Dr. Vanders, but her distaste for him grew with each interaction Grier described. Tobin understood why he could feel threatened by Grier—especially after Grier won Physician of the Year.
But to deliberately sabotage an entire department out of spite?
That was a level of pathetic she couldn’t comprehend.
She was rooting for Grier, and hoped that her allies within the hospital were cautious supporters, if not full collaborators in her response.
Grier sighed, bloated with frustration. Tobin noticed her teeth clench, a muscle in her jaw twitch with the strain.
She pulled back—just a little—muting the comfortable ease that had been present between them just moments before.
Tobin hated it. Even though she knew, intrinsically, that Grier’s reaction wasn’t directed at her.
“Numbers picked up a bit this week,” Grier said, her voice tight—measured in a that way Tobin knew meant she was deliberately controlling her emotions. “Thanks in part to Haleigh’s referrals, and a few other providers at the hospital I’ve been able to chat with throughout the week.”
“We’ve had to be careful about approaching many of the surgeons, though—both because we don’t know where loyalties lie and because we can’t risk anything too obvious drifting back to Vanders.”
“Have you decided if you’re going to confront Vanders directly?” Tobin asked, her tone deliberately light, hoping to convey a sense of ease that might help Grier subconsciously relax.
Grier chewed a bite of sandwich, and Tobin watched the movement, envisioning the cogwheels of her thoughts turning dependably behind her eyes.
When Grier swallowed, Tobin watched her posture shift— something subtle but unmistakable. A new energy giving her confidence, almost resolute with whatever conviction she’d settled inside her mind.
“I’m going to bring it up at grand rounds next week,” Grier said.
“But I’m not going to name him directly.
I’ll leave it up to everyone to make their own inferences.
I don’t want to create a situation where he feels cornered—but I need him to know that I know.
And that there are other accountable providers now—people who can circumvent his nefarious antics. ”
She finished with an abrupt nod of her head, a silent manifestation of her own confidence, and one Tobin recognized as Grier reassuring herself that she’d made the right call.
Tobin smiled around a bite of her sandwich. She loved listening to Grier’s plans—loved hearing her find her pace, loved recognizing that confidence when she’d made a decision she was going to see play out.
Mostly she loved seeing this version of Grier—the raw, intimate one she kept tucked away from the rest of the world.
It wasn’t a facade that Grier wore in front of others—no, Grier was genuine in everything she did.
It was the careful way in which Grier tamed her reactions and responses to everyone around her, but let those same things become spontaneous when it was just the two of them.
Tobin loved Grier’s unrestrained, uncoached, wild self the most.
Because it was just for her.
And she loved being the reason Grier felt safe enough to unwind. “You’re such a subtle badass,” Tobin said, grinning. “I want to be you when I grow up.”
Grier’s light, confident laughter resonated warmly through Tobin’s body, settling softly beneath her sternum. Lub dub.
After they ate, Grier settled perpendicular to Tobin, resting her head in Tobin’s lap. Tobin combed her fingers through Grier’s loose hair, the scent of her shampoo and the familiar musk of her perfume wafting over Tobin in periodic waves with the gentle breeze.
It was peaceful. Dusk had settled over the meadow, and the stillness of the clearing was shifting as the darkness crept in. Tobin could hear the hum of cicadas in the tree, the distant call of an owl echoing through the woods.
“Oh gosh! That reminds me!” Grier exclaimed. “I didn’t even tell you—Owlivia is ready to be released! Grant and I broke the news to Delta last night.”
She looked up at Tobin, who could barely make out more than the outline of her face in the growing darkness. But she could see the light of her eyes shining through the shadows, like a beacon of promise.
Tobin would fall into those eyes over and over.
Lub dub, lub dub.
Tobin sucked air through her teeth, grimacing. “How did that go over?”
She brushed a loose strand of hair behind Grier’s ear, casually grazing her pulse point in the process, relieved to find a steady rhythm.
“Actually, better than you’d expect,” Grier said with a soft chuckle. “She seemed kind of relieved.”
Tobin loved that sound—Grier’s laughter. It blended with the sounds of nature around them, settling in Tobin’s stomach like a balm for her nerves.
She was straining against her reflexes, forcing herself to stay present and focus on Grier’s face, even as the flicker of lights in her periphery tugged at her attention. The fireflies came to life—quiet, blinking sparks escalating quickly with the deepening darkness.
Grier hadn’t noticed yet, and Tobin hoped a few thousand more would join the silent chorus before they captured her attention.
“Raising a baby owl is quite the undertaking,” Tobin offered lightly, keeping Grier focused on her.
“You’re telling me! That thing has lungs!” Grier exclaimed, reaching for Tobin’s hand where it still threaded through her hair. She laced their fingers together over her chest, and Tobin could feel the steady beat of her heart between her breasts.
She tried to encourage hers to match its pace.
She couldn’t stand the space between them—small as it was. Leaning forward, Tobin placed a gentle kiss on Grier’s forehead, then one on each of her eyes. She inhaled the familiar scent of Grier’s skin and perfume, calming and arousing her in the same breath.
Grier’s free hand slid up to Tobin’s neck, pulling her closer— down to her lips.
The sensation of Grier’s soft, unhurried kiss sent Tobin’s already erratic heart soaring to new levels. Grier teased her lips with the tip of her tongue, then slowly opened for her.
This—this—was Tobin’s favorite.
The easy way they fell into each other’s comfort. The slow, knowing kisses. The way everything else just fell away as Grier languidly wrapped her lips around Tobin’s—sucking and nipping and lavishing.
It was just… perfect.
Grier’s hand shifted to Tobin’s face, her thumb brushing gingerly along her jaw. She pulled away, breathless and senseless.
It was too dark to see anything but the reflection of the moon in Grier’s eyes. But it was enough to make Tobin’s stomach flip.
Lub dub, lub dub, in love.