Page 11 of Working Out West

Glancing around with what I knew would be a huge smile, I stopped on Adrik, who watched me. “This is cool. I’ve never been in a limo and always wanted to go in one. I’d thought about hiring one for prom. I had it all planned out,” I told him as the limo started driving, and I opened the mini refrigerator at the side to see bottles of water and champagne. “I was going to ask the guy I’d been crushing on for years to prom. He’d be ecstatic and fall in love with me, and we’d get matching suits and have a dream night.” I snorted out a laugh, leaning back into the seat, which was super comfortable. “It didn’t work out that way. The guy punched me in the face, called me a faggot, and told me if I showed my face at prom, he and his buddies would kick my ass.” Shrugging, I added, “I hadn’t thought my dream would crash, especially when it was about a month before that I’d seen a friend of his giving him head in his car in the parking lot.” I chuckled. At least I was able to laugh at it now. “Still, I had a good night. I went out to my first gay club.”

Oh shit… there I went again, telling the man things about my real life.

“What is his name?”

I jerked back at the venom in his voice. “What?”

“His name. Tell me,” he clipped.

Whoa, okay. If I had to guess, Adrik was pissed on my behalf and might have the idea to hunt this guy down to kill him. That wasn’t good.

I laughed nervously. “Adrik.” I shook my head, scooted a little closer, and put my hand on his knee. “It’s fine. I’m over it, and I’m sure wherever he is, karma has fucked him hard for being a douche.”

Adrik’s gaze was on my hand. He grunted, jaw clenching. “You won’t give me name?”

“No, sorry.” God, why was I apologizing for saving someone? It was weird, yet my chest expanded and warmed because it was then I knew Adrik cared.

Shit.

I removed my hand and waved it around. “Anyway, can I get a hint as to where we’re going?” My heart was beating so fast in my chest. I didn’t need to know Adrik was protective or sweet in an aggressive way, because knowing it made him more appealing.

“Nyet,” Adrik said softly. He smirked over at me. “You do not like surprises?”

“They’re great… for other people.”

He snorted.

“Is it far?” I tried.

He crossed his arms and kept his smirk in place.

Rolling my eyes, I huffed. “Fine.”

“How is college?”

This was normal. Too normal. Like a couple seeing how their day was. I wanted to cry because my heart wanted it to be real.

Brushing invisible lint off my jeans, I shrugged. “College is college. Hard, but something needed for the future.”

“Had you always wanted to be a doctor?”

I smiled. “Pretty much. My mind is inquisitive. I love puzzles of any kind, and besides helping people, I knew becoming a doctor would be a good challenge.”

“You will practice in a… doctor’s office?”

“Yes, being a surgeon wouldn’t be for me. I get a little queasy with blood.”

When he chuckled, it drew my attention immediately. He looked beautiful laughing like that. He shook his head. “You will still need to deal with blood.”

Smiling, I shrugged. “I know, but not as much.”

I liked this. Talking with him.

Too much.

Sadness gripped me for a moment, but I pushed it away.Client, client, client,I chanted in my head. Hell, Adrik probably thought nothing of our time together anyway. I was behaving like a lovestruck teen with a silly little crush. I had to put my man pants on and stop this shit.

“We are here,” Adrik said.

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