Page 42 of Ten Day Affair
"I don't get done here until seven. Is that too late? I'll need to go by my house and wash off, get out of these scrubs."
That totally sounded like I was trying to be sexy. I'm so not.
"Of course." His lips twitch, fighting a smile. He knows exactly what I'm doing.
"Perfect."
"Eight o'clock, then?"
"Eight works."
My on-call phone vibrates on my hip. I glance down and see the text.
Level 1 Trauma - ETA 10 - MVC, 22M, unstable vitals
"I have to run."
"Sounds good. See you tonight."
I’m already stepping backward, pulse kicking up, adrenaline rising when I wave with a pursed smile. I pausejust long enough to catch the look he gives me. It's steady, unreadable, and somehow still a little amused.
“Eight,” I say, tossing it over my shoulder as I turn toward the trauma bay.
I scrapemy hair into a high ponytail, kick off my sneakers, and collapse onto my couch. I need to jump in the shower and head next door. But I need a second to breathe.
The evening sunlight filters through the blinds, painting stripes across my hardwood floors.
My body aches from all the standing I did today, but my mind won't stop turning.
It's the first time I'm thinking about dinner, at his house, just the two of us. This time, I can’t just hop in my car and drive away when it’s over.
Oh, my God. My heart races with nervous excitement. What am I doing?
The thought sends a flutter of something through my chest that I refuse to name.
It's just dinner, I remind myself. I'm just his friendly neighbor in a town where he knows no one.
I push myself off the couch and head to my bedroom, stripping off my scrubs as I go. Maybe I'll cancel. I should cancel. I could text him that I'm just too exhausted after today. That would be the smart move.
Instead, I'm standing in front of my closet, sliding hangers across the rail with more force than necessary. T-shirts, jeans, scrubs, and workout clothes. Nothing appropriate for whatever this is.
What is even appropriate for a non-date with my neighbor whom I've already slept with?
Then I spot it, tucked in the back. The midnight blue dress I wore to an outdoor concert last summer. It's simple and elegant, without going overboard, with a neckline that shows just enough skin to be interesting without screaming desperate.
I pull it out, holding it against my body as I look in the mirror. Not too formal. Not too casual. Perfect for a neighbor dropping by for dinner. Or a date that isn't a date.
This is ridiculous, I mutter, tossing the dress onto my bed. It lands in a silky pool of fabric. I stare at it for a long moment. I'll decide after my shower.
Arden's voice echoes in my head:If he's only here for a few days, enjoy the ride.
She's right. That's all this is. It's a temporary distraction. A gorgeous, complicated distraction with great hands and a mouth that?—
Shit.
After my shower, I wrap a towel around my head and slip on my robe. The sliding glass door in my bedroom sticks a little as I push it open and step onto the porch. The concrete is still warm beneath my feet.
The night air wraps around me, thick with salt and that heavy stillness that always comes before a storm. My robe clings to my skin in the humidity, useless against the heat.
