Page 20 of Joshua
Chapter Eight
Joshua
Hazel’s worried expression eases and is replaced with affection. I can’t believe she brought me coffee. Taking in her features, I commit them to memory. She’s beautiful, thoughtful, and sweet.
I move the coffee to my other hand and cup her face. Stroking the soft skin of her cheek, I kiss her. I kiss her because I can’t go another minute without tasting her. The soft caresses earlier were nice, but now… now I need to touch my tongue to hers. The sensual touch of lips, tongue, and teeth express what our voices can’t.
Remembering where we are, I kiss her hard one last time and pull back. “You’re the best surprise I’ve ever received.” It sounds like a line, but it’s the God-honest truth.
Doubt flashes across her face, and I blame Sabrina for it. In time she will learn I don’t play those games. I don’t have the time or inclination. My mother and sister have been my guiding light. A woman’s heart is powerful, and if I’m given the opportunity to care for it, I handle it with care.
Hindsight is twenty-twenty, and I accept responsibility for not seeing the signs of how Sabrina felt. If I had, I could have handled the entire situation differently.
“How much time do you have left?” Hazel whispers and lays her head against my shoulder.
“Only a few more minutes.”
She sighs and burrows against me. I rest my cheek on her head and breathe her in. She’s warm and soft, and when my body perks up, I remind it that now’s not the time.
“Can I be honest?” I murmur against her hair, a strand tickling my lips.
Hazel stiffens before nodding against me. “Yeah. I gotta say, I really like honesty.”
My nostrils flare when I suck in a breath. “I haven’t liked someone in a very long time, not until you showed up with ants in your pants.”
She slaps my stomach. “Hey!”
“Ow! I deserve that.” I chuckle, and Hazel grunts in agreement. “Hazel, baby… all joking aside, I really like you. I know what you heard has you questioning what you know. It’s understandable, and I don’t blame you. In case you’re wondering, I’m only seeing you and you’re the only person who’s been on my mind since I laid eyes on you.”
My heart races, pounding violently against my sternum as I lay out my feelings. Hazel is a woman I can see myself falling for. To be honest, the path has been set, and I’m enjoying the stroll.
The silence drags, and it’s time for me to get back. Things feel unsaid and restless, but I take comfort in the fact she’s still cradled against me. “I need to get back,” I say and give her shoulders a squeeze.
Hazel’s fingertips find my jaw, and I pause. Lowering my face to her, I see a beautiful, scared woman. She tips her mouth toward mine, and I meet her. Our lips brush, and the kiss is emotional. Words have been left unsaid, but the warmth of our mouths tell me things will be okay. At least, that’s what I hope for.
“Come on, I’ll walk you to your car,” I say and push to my feet.
“It’s okay. You don’t ha—”
I cup her cheek and she pauses. “It’s dark. Let me walk you back.”
“Okay,” she whispers, a small smile teasing her mouth.
After pressing my lips to her forehead, I pull her into me and walk her to the car. We share a quick kiss good-bye, and I don’t walk away until I hear the soft click of the locks engaging.
Lifting the cup of coffee to my mouth, I sip it for the first time. It’s lukewarm, but it’s the best damn coffee I’ve ever had. None of the women I’ve dated have surprised me just because with a cup of joe to help wake me up. I press the heel of my free hand to my chest and rub. An unfamiliar ache where my heart is has me slowing.
It seems somewhere along the way I not only stepped on the path I knew would lead to complicated and fulfilling emotions, but I started a descent. I’m not sure how long it’ll take until I reach the bottom, but I plan to enjoy every moment with Hazel.
There’s an extra bounce in my step when I return to the emergency department. The long shift doesn’t feel as dreary as it had before Hazel popped by.
The waiting area remains quiet, and I enter the back. I note Dr. Rollins at the desk speaking with Erika.
“Nurse Bradley, welcome back.”
“Thanks, Doc. Everything good?”
She nods. “Yeah. Same old. Slow night, eh?”
