"You, uh—you really don't have to do that," I stammered. "You don't have to do this, Stella."
I wasn't due in surgery until the afternoon and I had another three hours before rounds. I didn't have any reason to turn down her offer, other than my complete inability to form sentences around this woman.
She smiled and those dimples popped again. They were deep enough to hold the entirety of my heart, soul, and being, and I was ready to claim my place in there now. Did she know what she was doing when she hit me with that sunshine? Did she understand?
"I really do, Cal," she said. "The raccoonasaurus was probably going to tear off my leg and run back to the forest with it, and you prevented that situation. And…" She offered a little shrug. "We're trail buddies. Trail buddies get coffee. It's the rule, Cal."
"It's the rule?"
She bobbed her head, the movement sending her ponytail swishing over her shoulder. I stared at those silky strands, wondering what they'd feel like between my fingers. Over my bare chest. And then, lower. "Yep, it is."
I couldn't argue with that. I could not.
"Let's go before that creature comes back for my leg. Today's one of those days where I know I'll need both of them."
I shouldn't have said anything but I couldn't stop myself. "What creature?"
A blank expression pulled her smile into a flat line. "The giant beast that ran out from the woods and hissed at me. I'm sure you saw it."
I scratched my chin. "I saw a little beaver but I can't say I noticed anything else on the trail. I could've missed it." My gaze dropped to the flare of her hips. "I'm sorry. I was a bit preoccupied."
Stella crossed her arms over her chest with a huff. "I know beavers and that was no beaver."
"Maybe you're not used to seeing them from that angle." I took a step back. Ran my hand down the nape of my neck. Hoped she was experiencing some momentary deafness or temporary amnesia because what the fuck was wrong with me?
"Really, Cal," she replied, dragging a slow gaze over the length of me. "Really."
"I'm not going to say anything else because it's going to come out very wrong and I will continue fucking everything up."
"I'm not sure you can stop yourself." She hopped off the tailgate and slammed me with a gut-stirring smirk. "Let's go. We're getting coffee."
I followed her red Volkswagen around the corner, gazed at her while she chatted with the barista about coffee beans, and when we sat down at a table by the window, I couldn't stop myself from blurting out the only question I needed answered.
"Who are you, Stella? I want to know everything about you."
4
Stella
Cal laidhis thick forearms on the table, his tawny eyes wide as they dug straight into me, and he said, "I want to know everything about you."
Oh, he was a treasure. All that wide-shouldered strength and those soulful gazes. He was sweet in a quiet, bashful way. He was also built like a wide receiver and that made his sweetness just a touch more endearing.
And he'd been watching me?—followingme?—for months.
That was a fun little recipe for early morning oddness. When viewed under a certain light, it was creepy. But that wasn't this morning's light. Cal didn't worry me. If anything, I was fascinated. A bit flattered too. And I could handle myself.
"Mmhmm." I stirred my matcha latte. He was still doing it—watching me—but now that I knew, I warmed under the attention. "Spoken like a true stalker."
His gaze snapped away from my hands and up to my face.
"No, no, that's not it," he stammered. "What I said back there, I know it sounded bad. That's not what I meant. Honestly, it never went beyond noticing you on the trail. Lime green Asics." He laughed, nodding toward my shoes. "I'd never do anything, you know, I'dnever." He dropped his head into his hands and huffed out a long sigh as he rubbed his eyes. "I'm not a stalker. I'm sorry about all of this. I should go."
His ears were pink. He was blushing, and even though he was waiting for the earth to open up and swallow him whole, I was charmed. "No, don't go," I said, touching my fingers to his forearm for a second. "You have a nice, big cup of coffee here and I really can't eat this scone by myself."
Cal looked up at me, then he eyed the lemon scone smothered in blueberry glaze. I was sure it would be a two-biter for him. He looked like the kind of man who could actually, truly eat a horse and then ask for the dessert menu. He'd demolish a tray of my mother's meat pastelitos before they cooled from the fryer. "I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."
"It takes a lot more than that to make me uncomfortable. Really, I've seen it all. I'm good," I said, waving him off. "Anyway, I took a picture of your license plate and texted it to my assistant in case you decide to torture me in your basement or kill me in the woods." Cal rapid-blinked at me as his mouth fell open. "It's too early to joke about that? Okay. I'll hold off a little longer."
