Page 65 of Good Girl's Guide to Love
“I didn’t realize he worked on your floor.”
“Used to. Though, he has made it a point to stop by labor and delivery every day this week.”
My blood pressure immediately spikes. “He has? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It’s fine,” she says, though I don’t think it’s fine at all. “He hasn’t bothered me. Really.”
“Really?” I say, my jaw ticking back and forth. “Ainsley. That’s why we’re doing this. For him to stay away from you.”
Her hand goes to my heart, and I don’t know what kind of voodoo this woman possesses, but her touch immediately begins to calm me. “You have. It’s convenient that every time he comes up to the floor, I happen to get a phone call from you that one of my fellow nurses announces with absolute glee. You have impeccable timing.”
That makes me feel slightly better, but I think it’s about time that I reintroduce myself to Dr. Dipshit. “If he bothers you, Idon’t care if I’m at practice, or even at a game, you call me. Deal?”
She nods and pats my heart before removing her hand. “Cross my heart.”
There it is again. A phrase so common, yet it’s somehow become ours.
Ours.
No. This isn’t an “ours.” This isn’t an “us.” We’re just two people helping each other out. A transaction. Nothing more, nothing less.
Even though it feels like more.
A lot more.
Every cell in my body is screaming to kiss her. She’s so close. Her perfect pink lips are just inches from me. It would be so easy just to lean in and take them into mine. If cameras are around, they’d probably love getting that picture. But I don’t want them to see that. No, if I did kiss her, I wouldn’t want the world to see. That would just be for us.
But that can’t happen. There can’t be an us. If I’ve learned anything tonight, it’s that this woman is way too good for me. She delivers babies. Her smile literally lights up a room. In no way should she be with a former juvenile delinquent from Detroit turned last-chance football player who still has a reputation for fighting.
So I can’t kiss her. I can’t ruin her.
But God, I want to.
guide to love rule #132
There is never a good way to ask your sisters how to give a blow job.
19
ainsley
“There she is,the most popular woman in Nashville.”
I roll my eyes as Quinn walks into Maeve’s house, Grace in her arms. “I’m not the most popular woman in Nashville.”
“Maybe not the most popular, but one of the most envied.” Stella offers her two cents as she walks into the expansive living room of Maeve and Logan’s mansion. I don’t even know if mansion is a big enough word. This house could have its own zip code.
“You guys are exaggerating.” I do my best to play off their words as I set down the two large pizzas and breadsticks we ordered for our girls’ night. “This town is filled with country legends and actresses and beautiful people everywhere you look.”
“That may be true,” Stella says as she brings up something on her phone. “But not every one of those people has the Fury’s hottest player looking at them like this.”
When Stella shows me her phone, I actually lose my breath for a second. I knew there were pictures of Linc and I from our date two nights ago. I thought I’d seen all the pictures that magically showed up on social media the next day.
But I didn’t see this one.
We’re sitting at the bench at the river. Our ice cream is long gone, and Linc’s arm is draped on the back of the bench. I’m transported back to that moment, his fingers lazily tracing random patterns across my skin. I had goosebumps all night, and it wasn’t from any chill in the air. I don’t know what he said in this moment, but I can tell I’m laughing. Relaxed. Not worried if we were being photographed or overthinking a single thing.
Then there’s Linc. While my eyes are looking down at the moment, his aren’t. They’re looking right at me, the dimple in his cheek enhanced by his small smile.
