Page 13 of Stolen Kisses
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Krista was usually a slow drinker, but tonight she downed her first beer like she was back in college. She was already halfway through her second and the wings hadn’t even arrived yet.
She blinked up at the blurring image of Noah, regretting that she’d missed lunch. The floor had been busy, though, and she’d promised Mandy that she’d keep Adam company during her spare moments.
“That bad, huh?” he asked, his Southern-boy drawl swinging easily, looping through her tired body and awakening areas she preferred stay dormant when he was around.
“Remind me again why I became a nurse?” she asked, taking another drink.
Noah started to answer, but she raised a hand and cut him off.
“Because I wanted to torture myself. I know.”
“No, because you enjoy taking care of people. You always have. It’s who you are.”
She sucked in a breath, grateful that it was only them tonight. She’d missed Noah last week. “But Karen just wants me to hand out medication and change bedsheets. I take too good care of people, and that’s apparently a bad thing.”
Noah chuckled. “It’s a good thing. You’re an awesome nurse.”
Anyone else could’ve said so and she would think they were just trying to make her feel better. But when Noah said things like this, she actually did feel better. “Thank you.” She finished off her second beer. “And to add to my day, I rode the elevator with Dr. Dale again, and he hinted at going on a date. Again.”
“That’s a bad thing?” Noah asked.
Krista frowned. “Yes. I work with him and, I don’t know, he’s not really my type.”
“You should give the guy a chance. Maybe you’re just a little picky.”
Krista’s mouth fell open at the suggestion, and her heart ached a little that Noah suggested she go on a date. A part of her wanted him to be a little jealous over the prospect. But nope, looking at him now, all relaxed and grinning, she didn’t see a trace of the green-eyed monster. “Maybe I will give him a chance,” she said, “just to prove I’m not picky.” And to see how Noah reacted. Not that he would. He didn’t think of her as anything other than his best friend.
“Great. Can’t wait to hear all about it.” He pushed his drink away. “Guess I’m driving you home tonight. It’s the least I can do since I stole your brother away for theSummerly.”
Krista slumped even farther in her chair. “No more free DDing from Joey. That’s going to hurt. Guess I’ll just have to start flirting with the guys here. Have a new one take me home each night,” she said, watching Noah again.
He continued to smile easily. “This is Blushing Bay, but there are still lowlifes out there. You have my number. You call me anytime and I’ll drop what I’m doing and come get you. That’s a promise.”
She stared at him across the table. “What if you’re on a date?”
The left corner of his mouth kicked up, poking a dimple in his cheek. She’d always liked that dimple. Had always craved to touch it, kiss it. God, she was pathetic when it came to him. “You always come first,” he said.
Butterflies swarmed her chest.
“What if it’s a get-lucky kind of date?” She waggled her brows.
Now both corners of his mouth curved into a widespread grin. “Then my lucky date and I will take you home together.”
“A threesome.” She let out a tipsy giggle. She hadn’t even realized she’d crossed the tipsy threshold. She should really stop after two beers. She’d learned that lesson a long time ago, but some lessons needed to be learned over and over again. One of which was that Noah Sawyer was never going to be more than a friend. She really should start looking at her dating options before her youth withered away and all the “good ones” were taken just like her mother kept warning they would be.
Tina appeared and set a plate of yummy wings at the center of the table. “Anything else?” she asked.
“How about another beer?” Noah said.
“Sure thing.” Tina looked at Krista. “What about for you?”
“Can I have another, too?” Krista avoided Noah’s look of consternation. This was the most relaxed she’d felt in ages. Sheneededanother beer. That or she needed a man in her bed melting the tension off her body—and that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon.
“I’m going to have to carry you to your bed, aren’t I?”
Krista’s gaze snapped up and her body warmed.My body nestled in Noah’s arms?Yeah, that sounded all kinds of good to her.
