Page 71 of Dr. Off Limits

Parker rolled to her side and propped her head up on her hand. “Because it’s good sex or because it’s more?”

“It’s definitely good sex. Like ... I mean, I don’t think what I’ve been doing before can be counted as sex, if I compare.”

Parker laughed. “I know that feeling.”

“And it feels like more, but maybe it’s not. Maybe it’s just because we’re sneaking around and can’t go to Pizza Express on a Saturday night and then to the cinema. Maybe it’s more exciting because it’s forbidden.”

“Only one way to find out. Go public.”

I shook my head and sat up, crossed-legged and facing Parker. “No, for all the reasons above. Also, Jacob wants to keep things between us for his own good reasons.”

“So what, you just continue as you are until the end of time? You’re like forty with two kids and a dog and you still can’t be seen out in public together?”

I laughed. “Well of course not.” I took a sip of the champagne going warm in the sun. It was still delicious.

“So you’re thinking that if it lasts, at some point things have to change. If they can change in the future, why not change them now?”

“And then we break up next week and I compromised my reputation for no reason.”

“Okay, so when? What’s the line you have to cross before you say, okay, I’m ready for everyone to know this is my man?”

“Maybe the year after next? When I finish the program.” Realistically, we would never last that long. There were a thousand things that could break us apart between now and then.

“You’re going to wait two years? And everyone in the hospital will think you’re a big fat liar and not believe anything you say from then on.”

I groaned. There was no easy answer.

“The fact that you’re breaking your rules for this guy, the fact that you’re telling me it’s so great between you and it’s so easy—that’s not a problem. Unexpected things work out. Look at me and Tristan. No one saw that coming.”

I narrowed my eyes at her, incredulous that she could be so naïve. “What are you talking about? Everyone saw that coming! You two had heart eyes every time you were in a mile radius of each other. Your father invited Tristan to that fundraiser because he wanted to introduce the two of you, then he gave you a real honeymoon for your fake marriage so you were forced to spend time together. Come on.”

“Okay, maybe you’re right. I’m just saying that if you’re prepared to break your stupid rules for this guy, he must mean something to you beyond the good sex. And if he does mean something, you can’t live like vampires. At some point you’re going to have to come out into the sun.”

Parker was right. Jacob and I couldn’t stay in hiding forever. There was no low-key dating Jacob Cove. He was the hospital heartthrob. I was going to get low-key hated by at least eighty percent of the women on staff and a hefty proportion of the men. There was no easy answer except calling it quits.

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