Me: Tabster.
Tab: What?
Me:Your new nickname.
Tab: Um. No.
Me:I think it’s cute.
Tab:My sister’s cooking infected your brain. You’re crazy.
Me:I had fun tonight.
Tab: I did too.
Me:What are you wearing?
Tab:You really should go to the ER now.
Me:I’m being serious. What are you wearing?
Tab:What do you want me to be wearing?
Me:Me. But, I figure that’s not going to happen tonight.
Tab:I’m really starting to worry my sister’s food is bothering you.
Me:The only thing that’s bothering me is you, Tabster. I want you.
Tab:I don’t know what you expect me to say to that.
Me:That you want me too.
Tab:And if I say I do?
Me:I’ll drive over there and give you what we both want.
Tab:And if I say I don’t?
Me:Then it’s still going to happen, just not tonight.
Tab:I think the best thing to do right now is to not answer.
Me:Chicken.
Tab:Maybe. But I’m not going to have sex with someone who calls me Tabster.
Me:I’ll work on a new name.
Tab:Goodnight crazy man.
Me:Goodnight Tab-u-lust
Tab:Try again, Bozo.
I stare at the phone, grinning like an idiot after that. I finally put it away, shaking my head. How have I gone so long without this woman in my life?
Chapter Nine
Tabitha
“I can’t believe you’re dating Dr. Miner! Why didn’t you tell me?”
I close my eyes. Delores makes the twentieth person to ask me that since I got to work today. I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me that rumors about me and Brody would spread through the hospital, but it honestly didn’t.
“We’re not—”
“Publicly discussing it right now, Nurse Robbins.”
I jerk up at the sound of Brody’s voice, surprised to see him.
“Oh. Well of course. It’s just that Tabitha and I are so close, I was sure she would tell me,” Delores explains. She’s lying. I try to avoid talking to Delores at all costs. She’s one of the biggest gossips here. I roll my eyes, but I don’t deny it. Brody’s grin lets me know that he saw my reaction though and I share his smile—and I might get lost in his eyes for a minute… they are just so pretty...
“I’ve asked her not to. You know how hospital gossip is,” he answers. Before Delores can respond he reaches over and grabs my hand. “Can I talk with you a minute? I was wanting to discuss the dates of your sister’s wedding so I can make sure Dr. Braden can fill in for me.”
“Oh. Yes, of course,” I whisper, stepping around Delores. Brody leads us away from the break area, where I had been trying to get a bottle of water from the vending machine.
“I’ll talk to you at lunch, Tabitha!” she calls.
“Not if I see you first,” I mutter under my breath and I get rewarded with Brody’s bark of laughter.
“I take it you and Delores aren't best friends like she insinuated.”
“Not even close. You realize just by coming to talk to me that you’ve added fuel to the fire,” I warn him.
“Interesting way to put it.”
“What’s that mean?”
“Nothing, just that you’re expecting me to make it… hot.”
“You really are insane,” I laugh, because I don’t know what else to say. He’s crazy. He’s also funny, sweet and hilarious. And I really like him.
“I think you like me,” Brody says and I can feel myself blushing. I look at him and it’s on the tip of my tongue to say I don’t.
“I think I do too,” I whisper instead. This flash of panic thrums through my body when I realize what I’ve just done. I rush to take it back, but I don’t know what I would say. I don’t get the chance anyway. Brody leans in closer, so close I can smell his expensive cologne and it, combined with the look in his eyes make my knees weak.
“You wouldn’t believe how happy that makes me, Tabitha,” he murmurs. I find myself moving closer into him, almost as if there’s a gravitational force commanding me.
“What are we doing?” I ask confused when he pulls away. Then, I remember where we’re at and I know my face colors beet red.
“Getting to know each other,” he answers. His face gives nothing away. I have no idea what he’s thinking. What if I’m making a fool of myself here and he’s just… a player? God knows I’ve met plenty of men just like that.
“That might be a bad idea,” I answer, suddenly confused.
“You don’t want to be strangers when we get to the wedding around your family and friends do you Tabster?”
“Ew. I told you no on that name and I guess not. We need to be believable I suppose.”
“Then just go with it. Relax around me, be yourself,” he urges, and his hand comes up to drift against my shoulder. His touch seems to heat my body, almost burning it. The color of his eyes darken and I have the strangest urge to jump on him, wrap my legs around him and ride him like a racehorse.