Page 83 of Unrest
Iwas halfway through my shift and bored enough to read about suturing techniques when the door to the med room opened. The sight of Rylen’s handsome face and stark gray eyes sent azingsinging through me.
“Hey,” I said, shutting the book and trying not to grin like an idiot.
The hallway was silent behind him as he slipped in and closed the door. It was the middle of the night.
He leaned against the door. “Working hard?”
“Hardly working.” I pushed the book away. Nerves shot through my belly as Rylen pushed off the door and his presence filled the room, energizing my blood. He paced before me with his arms crossed.
“That new guy,” he said quietly. “I want you and Remy to keep your distance from him.”
My eyebrows pushed together in curiosity. “Why?”
“He’s just got some skeletons.”
“Don’t we all?” I backed up to the exam bed and hopped up on it, my feet dangling. Rylen moved closer and put his hands on my knees, sending a shiver up my thighs.
“Yeah, but, let’s just say his skeletons would . . . clash with others’ skeletons.”
Huh? I was about to dig for more information, when he grasped my lower thighs and pulled me to the edge, stepping between my legs. Our conversation fled my mind. The intensity of his eyes took up every bit of space in my head. When his body met mine, a rush went to my core and my breaths became shorter.
“I’m on the clock,” I whispered.
“Yeah, me too.” He wrapped his arms around my back and I slid mine over his shoulders. It was still so strange and exhilarating to be able to touch him like this.
His mouth hovered over mine, his warm breaths skirting my lips. “Want me to leave?”
“No,” I whispered. My nails dug into his hair as I pulled him to me. God, his mouth was so perfect on mine. One of his hands roamed up my back to my neck where he cradled the base of my head as he leaned forward, making me cling to him, wrapping my legs around his waist as he held me at an angle. The kiss grew hungry and hurried. If he were to slide a hand down my pants right now, I would immediately come apart. No kiss had ever done that for me. No kiss had ever made my body beg for so much more, and right now it was crying out to be covered in him.
My mind was harried when Rylen’s mouth pulled back and he pressed his forehead to mine, our panting breaths mingling between us.
“I wasn’t planning for that to happen. It was supposed to be a quick break.”
He had to get back to work. I gave an unhappy whimper and fought the urge to resort to dirty tactics to get him to stay longer. But what I was craving should probably not be done in an unlocked room when Top could walk in at any second. The thought was sobering. I unhooked my feet from his back and tried not to pout.
Rylen leaned in and sucked my bottom lip into his mouth before releasing it and giving me a look of sheer ravenous promise. The thrill of that look was still crashing through me when he closed the door behind himself. I closed my eyes and took two deep breaths, trying to calm the blood flow that had me yearning for things I couldn’t have right then.
Damn him.
I was worthless the rest of my shift, still marveling at this change of events, the shiny newness of it, imagining what it would be like to be with Rylen in all ways. In other words, I was turned on at work for hours.
Damn him.
By the time Captain Ward relieved me of my shift, I was a bundle of taut nerves. I didn’t know how I’d be able to get to sleep in this state. It was only five in the morning, so Remy would still be sleeping, which would help cool me down when I got to the room. I would hunt down Rylen right now if he wasn’t at his shift for another couple hours.
I walked down the chilly tunnel with my flashlight on, lost in thought. When I neared the end I heard a strange sound coming from the other side of the door—a voice, but it sounded like a distressed moan, like someone was in pain. I rushed forward and pushed the door open, only to stop dead in my tracks. Linette was sitting on top of one of the dryers, yanking her shirt down and turning a glare to me. Josh stood between her legs. He turned his head, eyebrows up in a menacing way that was meant to scare off the intruder, but when he saw me he gave a wry grin.
I pushed the door to the tunnel closed and walked through the room without a word. Linette’s husky giggle followed me up the stairwell, until she was suddenly silenced, I’m sure by Josh’s mouth.
Well, then. I was sufficiently cooled down now, and ready to nap until breakfast.
The stars aligned that night after dinner, and everyone gathered in the hotel lobby. It had quickly become my new favorite place on earth. Someone had set up a ping-pong table and dart board. Aside from the covered glass, the room had a sense of normalcy that we were lacking in daily life. The ceilings were higher. Music played lightly overhead. It seemed to be the only place where people dared to laugh and relax a little. We’d brought a pack of cards to play with Remy and Tater after their meeting.
An old business room off the lobby was being used for the Grief Support Group. We’d watched Remy and Tater walk in, along with the chaplain, seven other men and women, and the new guy with his head down. Captain Michael King. He always looked like he was wasting away. I made a mental note to make sure he was at the meals.
Rylen starting acting nervous when he saw him go in. He scooted to the edge of the loveseat we shared, and watched the closed door, tugging his earlobe.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
