“Thank you.” I swivel in the seat, and Trey’s hand falls to the side. “Right this way.” I jump up and plaster a helpful smile on my face. “They’ll have you all patched up in no time.”
“Natalie?” He places a hand on my upper arm and holds me in place. “Are you okay?”
Shit. His eyes bore into mine. Damn it. I was just getting used to him being an asshole, but now, he’s showing signs of the sweet, caring boy I loved more than life itself.
The guy who was my first everything. My first crush. My first kiss. My first lover. The man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with until my entire world exploded, and I couldn’t take him down with me.
“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you.” I nod and move out of his reach. He’s moved on. Hell, he had to have moved on years ago. There’s no reason to ruin his day with my fucked-up existence. He already needs a bunch of shots and stitches.
I yank the curtain back. “Go ahead and have a seat. Nurse Rivera will be with you in a moment.”
My eyes are glued to him as he adjusts his long legs and perches himself on the bed. His dark hair is disheveled like he ran his hands through it, hundreds of times. My fingers itch to stroke the strands and return them where they belong. Or grab fistfuls of it and stick his tongue down my throat.
Stop it. I sniff and close my eyes. He still smells like spice and wood. The warring scents of antiseptic and cologne shouldn’t turn me on, but they do. Move back. Get out of his space. He was talking to someone on the phone. Probably letting his woman know he’s going to be late. I straighten my shoulders. “What did you do?”
“About what? You leaving?”
My knees buckle, and I grab the portable tray in front of me to keep from landing on my face. He can’t still care about me leaving. It’s not possible.
There’s no way something that happened that long ago is still eating at him like it tears me up. Because I haven’t spent one night in the last twelve years, not thinking about him. “No, to your arm.”
“Oh.” He lifts it up like he just remembered what he’s here for. “Work incident.”
“Where do you work?”
“Building inspector/engineer for Hooper and Daughtry.”
“That’s great.” Thank God.
For the first time, since seeing him again, a little bit of happiness settles over me. My sacrifice paid off. A part of me had always feared my betrayal started him down the wrong path. It didn’t. Everything I did was worth it.
“Somebody left a board out hidden under a bunch of shit, and it knocked a piece of glass into my arm.”
“I assume you’re going to violate the owner for a code infraction?”
“You know it.” He grins, and his perfect white teeth flash against his dark complexion. Fuck. He’s more handsome now than he ever was.
“Good.” My heart clangs against my ribs, and my stomach does a slow summersault. Son of a bitch. I’m still in love with Trey Collins. Not a big surprise. I’ve tried to date other men over the years, but none of them were him. He left big shoes to fill that no one else ever had a chance of filling.
However, it’s pointless. The past is in the past. “It’s good to see you, Trey. I’m glad you achieved your dreams.” He went to college, got his engineering degree, and bought the house he wanted. Good for him.
“Not all of them.” His voice is soft as his eyes search my face. “Sorry for being a dick when I saw you up front.” He nods his head toward the reception desk. “Seeing you again threw me off for a second.”
My entire body surges with adrenaline. His eyes are filled with a mixture of regret and something else. Is it love? Lust? Anger? Shit. I can’t tell. My hands shake, and I clasp them together.
Holy cow. Could he still be interested in me? No. Don’t go there. He’s moved on. From what I heard; he was a total player in college. He had to ha
ve forgotten all about me before I even made it to Gram’s house.
“Mr. Collins.” Nurse Rivera yanks back the curtain and jerks her attention from him to me. “I can come back.”
“No.” Heat floods my face. “I was just leaving. Trey…” I clear my throat. “I mean, Mr. Collins is probably itching to get that wound cleaned and get out of here.”
A slow grin curves up his cheeks. “Princess, it was good to see you. Don’t be a stranger this time.”
“Bye.” I trip over my shoes. Shit. Why am I falling all over the place? I’m a grown-ass woman. Not an eighteen-year-old girl crushing on the high school quarterback. But damn, he made a fine-looking QB. I steady my legs and speed walk to my seat.
Princess. My clit twitches. I loved it when he called me, Princess. Any time he wanted something, a kiss, a hand job behind the bleachers, or to get into my Sunday panties, all he had to do was call me, Princess.