Sitting beside Heavenly in the hospital cafeteria hadn’t been smart. They’d only been apart for ten days, but it felt like ten fucking years. All he wanted to do was drop his hand beneath the table—and onto her thigh. And he couldn’t…yet.
Beck had nailed down a plan to introduce her to the man behind the lab coat. He’d fail if he caved to the impatient beast inside him and felt her up at work.
“Have any big plans to celebrate New Year’s Eve tonight?” One thing he did know? She wouldn’t be spending it with Seth.
Thank fuck.
While in Vegas, Beck had called Hammer to wish the throuple a Merry Christmas. Imagine his thrill at learning the girl-poaching PI was back in New York. It had been Beck’s second-best Christmas present. His first was an unexpected seasons greetings text from Heavenly. Her message that she’d been thinking of him had been a thrill, almost as exciting as if she’d asked him to fuck her.
The next morning, he’d left Gloria’s place—halfway through his stay. He’d had grand visions of having her on a date by Friday, in his bed by Saturday, and wearing his collar by Sunday.
Stupid, optimistic fucker.
It was Monday, and he was finally laying eyes on her.
When he’d asked if she wanted to kick off the weekend with him and catch a movie, she’d turned him down because she had to wait tables. Same for dinner Saturday night. Ditto Sunday. Not seeing her frustrated the shit out of him…but it made him more determined to come up with a plan C she couldn’t refuse.
“I’ve always wanted to get dressed up and go to a fancy New Year’s Eve party.” Then she slumped glumly. “But I’m low woman on the totem pole, so I’m waiting tables. Again.”
At a kids’ pizza place on a night of adult revelry? Weren’t the curtain climbers in bed by ten? “I was hoping we might ring in the New Year together.”
“I would have loved that. I’m sorry I’m always working. When they hired me, I asked for all the hours I could get between now and the start of my next semester. I got them.”
Beck swallowed a curse. She was putting herself through college and doing her best. He had to dial back on the impatience—and the horniness. But he was going to lose his shit if he couldn’t persuade her to go out with him soon.
“Understood. But fair warning: I’ll keep asking. I can be a very patient man, given the right motivation.” And you, little girl, are all the motivation I need.
“I don’t mind you asking. I just feel terrible. It shouldn’t be this hard to spend time with a friend.”
You’ll figure out we’re more than friends when I’m filling you with my cock, and your pretty little pussy is clutching me in orgasm.
Beck stifled a growl as he picked up his fork. They ate in tight silence, Heavenly nibbling on her pork chop and casting searching glances his way.
After washing down the last bite, Beck pushed his plate away and changed tactics. “How did you do on your finals?”
Heavenly wrapped her rosy lips around the opening of her water bottle. He tried to ignore the way her throat worked. Impossible. His mind filled with images of her on her knees, mouth wrapped around his cock, big blue eyes staring up at him as his wide crest nudged the back of her throat.
“My tests were much harder than waiting tables, but I did good.”
“I won’t lie and tell you they’ll get easier. But every exam you pass means you’re closer to making sure you don’t spend the rest of your life schlepping food.”
“Oh, thank goodness,” she muttered. “At the end of the night, my feet hurt so bad, despite the new shoes you sent me for Christmas—thank you; they fit perfectly, by the way. But waitressing is a lot of peopling for me.”
Beck fought a smile. “So when you get off work, do you shut yourself in your room?”
“No. The first thing I do is take a long shower so I can be blissfully alone. It’s weird because I love coming to the hospital and helping people who genuinely need care and comfort. But after waiting tables, I ignore the rest of the world until I have to go back.”
“While dreading every moment until your next shift?”
“Oh, so you’ve waited tables, too?”
“No. I guessed, based on your…enthusiasm.” When she giggled, Beck sipped his water. “How was your Christmas?”
“Fine.” She paused. “Quiet.”
“No family?”
“Some, but other than work it was almost too peaceful with you and Seth both gone.”
Beck was still celebrating the fact the asshat wasn’t around to cock-block him.
“When are you going to let me add some excitement to your life?” His words teemed with innuendo.
“When Seth tried that, I didn’t do so good. I barely spent an hour with him, and he just…left.” She pushed her plate away as if she’d suddenly lost her appetite. “I’ll probably never see him again.”