I make it until lunch before my magnet hands pull that phone right into my fingers. I glance at the screen and see a message from Luke. It’s a selfie of him at a shipyard, a welding helmet pushed back over his hair, a ridiculously cheesy smile pulling those full lips up.
Dammit.
I click my phone off and then click it back on. I stare at that picture for a long minute and then do something so unlike me that I’ll cringe for years to come.
I hold my camera up and snap a picture of myself, wearing my white lab coat, arching an eyebrow behind my glasses.
My finger hitssendbefore I can overthink it.
And then I overthink it. My mind is reeling and panicking.What have you done?But a moment later, a text comes in, and I blush.
Luke:Damn.
My cheeks burn hotter, and I slam my phone face down on my desk, before picking it up again and staring at the screen.
Luke:Show me more, Doc.
Is he flirting? Is this sexting? Andrew refused to do this with me; he said it was juvenile.
Before I can analyze it, my phone pings again, and I see a picture of Luke pulling the hem of his dark blue shirt up, revealing a defined six-pack. His skin is a little dirty, and when I zoom in, for scientific purposes only, I can see sweat glistening off his muscles.
Oh, for fuck’s sake.
Amanda pokes her head into my office, and my phone clatters to the ground. She eyes it and then me, popping gum between her purple lips.
“Next patient is here.”
“Fine,” I say, clearing my throat. My face is positively on fire. “Send them to room two.”
“Already did. Was just reminding you that you have to work and to stop looking at porn.”
“I’m not….” My words trail off.
Amanda keeps looking at me, and I glower at her. I do not need her all up in my business. My sisters are enough.
As soon as the door is closed, I swipe my phone up from the ground and tuck it in my pocket.
I will not engage with him anymore.
It’s bad enough that I have to see this man when I get home.
And yet, I can’t help the excitement that zips through me at the thought.
* * *
Luke arrives an hour after me, and I walk as slowly as possible toward the front door. I will not scamper about and seem eager for this.
I willnot.
As soon as I pull the door open, Luke smiles widely at me and holds up a six-pack of beer and a large brown paper bag with grease stains lining the sides.
“Hey,” he says as he strolls past me. He smells like engine smoke and gasoline. It’s not intoxicating in the least.No, it’s dirty and filthy and is making my mouth water.
I stare at him as he sets the beer on the counter and pries the brown paper bag open.
“I got burgers and fries.”
“How healthy,” I reply, and he smirks at me.