“Gwen asked for you,” Reese said.
I pushed out a breath with my hand pressed to my chest. Gwen was a nurse practitioner at the clinic, and she was married to Dr. Pierce. They co-owned the urgent care facility and were partial owners in the medical office connected to the urgent care clinic.
“I’ll be right there.”
Reese eyed me but remained silent. She simply nodded and went back up the hallway. I watched her as she limped away. Though curious, I never asked her what caused her disability.
I shook off the wayward emotions still streaming through my body and pushed them down. I would have to work them out at a later time. Even as I went back to work, it was like I could still feel Ace’s lips on mine. That kiss had been even more intimate than that night we had sex in his bed.
That tryst that came on the heel of an argument was cold and distant, even if pleasurable. What happened in the examination room was different.
More intimate. My heart, body, and soul started to crave more.
CHAPTER10
Ace
About a week after my impromptu visit to Savannah’s workplace, I entered my home to the sound of laughter. A child’s laughter followed by the throaty amusement of Savannah’s.
My chest expanded, my body suddenly shaking off the tiredness I felt after a long-ass work shift. I hadn’t flown that day, but we’d undergone more rigorous training and reviewed our previous training flights. I was happy to have the evening off for the first time in a few weeks.
That was, until I walked right into the middle of Savannah and Aiden, cooking in the kitchen. After dropping off my bag and heel-toeing my shoes off by the door, I instinctively followed the peels of giggles and music in the direction of the kitchen.
Neither one of them saw me at first. Without thinking, I leaned against the wall and silently watched as Savannah shook her hips in time with the music. She danced while bending over to open the oven. A blast of heat filled the air, accompanied by the smell of garlic, onion, and rosemary.
“Is it done?” Aiden asked, coming to stand next to her in front of the oven.
“Not quite. A few more minutes.” Her voice was so delicate and sweet when she spoke to him, even when reprimanding him for running in the house.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. My mind flashed with a memory of Savannah speaking to our son like that while pregnant.
“Let’s dance,” she suddenly said. She took Aiden by the arms and swayed from side to side, tossing his arms high in the air.
He broke out in laughter.
With a shake of my head, I stood away from the wall to leave.
“Mr. Ace, you’re home,” Aiden said, stopping me in my tracks.
“Oh,” Savannah commented, turning to me. Her eyes widened briefly. “No night flight tonight?”
I cleared my throat and shook my head. For the past seven days, I’d done my absolute best to avoid Savannah. My head had been even more fucked up since I kissed her in that damn examination room.
I’d barged into her job to get answers. To demand to know why she walked out on me. I hoped that whatever answer she gave would resolve something inside of me. I thought it would finally allow me to hate her the way I wished I could.
Instead, I found myself wanting her even more.
When she’d whispered with tears in her eyes that I deserved better, I could feel the rust shake lose off of the protective instinct I always had for her. Rather than pushing her away, it made me want to reel her in and keep her close.
If we hadn’t been in her place of work, I know for a fact, I would’ve taken her right where she stood.
“Are you joining us for dinner?” Aiden asked, breaking my thoughts.
I stood a little taller and peered down at the boy. There was a look of hope in his eyes. Again, my chest tingled with something foreign.
In lieu of an immediate answer, I floated my gaze over to Savannah. She stared back at me.
“I’ve made plenty of food.”
