“My grandaddy made me take self-defense classes all through high school so I could always take care of myself. You’re just lucky I didn’t kick you in the groin.” Her eyes sparkle as her lips pull into a sweet smile, and I’m momentarily breathless.
For a split second, noticing her smooth tan skin, light freckles dusting her chest, pronounced collarbones, and delicate mouth makes me feel guilty. Wishing I could run my finger across the slope of her shoulder all the way down to her fingers and see if she sighs makes me feel like I’m doing something wrong. I’d wrap my hand around hers and pull her up close to me until I could feel her heart beating against mine. I’d smell her hair. I’d taste her lips, he
r neck, her shoulder—and wanting to do those things makes me feel downright dirty, no doubt because of my career and learning to not see women in my practice as anything besides a patient. I mentally shake myself, because I’m not in the office, Jessie isn’t my patient, and I’m allowed to be a man right now.
Except…maybe my eyes are telling Jessie a little too much of what I’m thinking, because suddenly her smile dims a little and she takes a step away. Her eyelashes fall, and I see the moment she realizes she’s still wearing a towel.
“Okay, well, if you’re alright, then…I think I’ll just…” She hitches her thumb over her shoulder. “I better go. Call me if you can’t get the bleeding to stop and need me to drive you to the hospital.” It’s pretty cute how she’s fumbling around, bumping into the wall as she turns, and then nervously chuckles over her shoulder. “There’s a wall there.”
I smile and lean back against the counter, still holding the toilet paper to my nose.
Her cheeks have bloomed into roses, and I get the feeling she doesn’t hate the attention I’m showing her but isn’t sure how to handle it either.
Jessie backs her way out of the bathroom then gives me a short wave. “Bye.”
I don’t say anything, just hold my smile as she slips away.
I cross my ankles as I lean back against the counter fully and silently count how long it takes before she comes back. Two, three, four…
Jessie pops back in, face fully aflame now and an embarrassed smile curling her lips. “Yeah, so I forgot this is my bathroom…can you just…”
I’m already pushing myself off the counter and walking toward the door, unable to wipe the stupid grin off my face for the rest of the day.
SUNDAY
I shut the fridge. “We’re out of creamer.”
Jessie is standing beside me, holding a cup of black coffee, looking like I just told her she has to pee in that mug and drink it.
“No,” she whispers dramatically.
“Not a fan of black coffee, I take it?” I already know she won’t drink it without cream, but I ask anyway so she won’t know I’ve been tracking her every movement since she moved in.
“Drew”—I’m still not totally used to hearing my name used so casually on her lips—“creamer is one of the few magnificent little wonders in this world. I refuse to go without it, and no, I’m not being dramatic.” When she smiles like that, I don’t stand a chance. I will bend to her every desire every time.
“Alright then.” I scoop up my keys.
She sets down her mug and hurries after me. “Wait, where you going?”
“To the store to get you creamer.”
She’s bobbing behind me, trying to grab the keys. “No! I didn’t mean you had to go. I’ll go. It’s for me anyway.”
I hold the keys up high so she can’t take them. They jingle playfully. “I need a few other things too.”
“Then make a list, and I’ll get them while I’m there. I better go ahead and buy Grandaddy more Oreos anyway.”
I grin down at her attempts to hop in the air for the keys and her inability to do so because of how uncomfortable it is with her swollen belly. I’m so mean, hanging them like a bone on a string over her head. “Nope, I’m going.”
Determination settles in her stubborn green eyes. “Fine. Then we’re both going.”
“Great.”
“Wonderful.” Her chin angles up. “I’ll drive separate.”
“You’ll ride with me.”
Her eyes narrow and she waits three beats before responding. “Only to help preserve the planet.”