“Exploring?” She arched her brow. “That’swhat they’re calling it these days?”
“Shut up. You know what I mean.”
Marie giggled. “You are so far gone already.”
“I am not.” I shot her a look, embarrassment and giddiness warring in my chest, but she only laughed harder. “Okay, maybe I am…a little. I just…”
“You’ve already fallen.” It wasn’t a question but a statement.
I sighed, feeling vulnerable. “Yeah...yeah, I think I have. And I don’t know if that’s incredibly dumb of me or not, but he just makes me feel all of these things, and my stupid heart is in overdrive.”
Blake made it so damn easy to fall for him.Too easy. He was sweet. He listened as if what I said actually mattered. He was smart. He was ridiculously good-looking. In bed, he left meundone.
With every little thing, he kept checking every goddamn box I had.
Part of me worried these feelings were just my hopeless romantic heart setting itself up for disappointment—a kind I knew all too well. But another part of me felt it deeper than anything before. With Blake, every moment vibrated with something new and intense.
I wanted so badly to trust that latter part of myself, but I was worried that I was just falling into my old tried and true habit of making myself see what I wanted to see. I’d pulled more than a few “gotcha” moments on myself in the past, so despite wanting it to be, trusting that this was different wasn’t easy.
Marie was grinning like an idiot. “And…what does Blake think? Feel? Say?”
“I don’t know…he’s really good at keeping things to himself,” I joked. Partly. “He’s affectionate and flirty, but I can tell he still has some walls up, even though he tries not to let them show. I don’t know if it’s because of my brother or what, but I don’t want to push him either. So, I’m just trying to let things play out.”
“Is he reallythatconcerned about Wes?” Marie asked.
I nodded. “Yeah, I think he is.”
“Look, I know your brother can be a bit over the top and dramatic with you at times, but I’ve seen worse. Plus, he doesn’t strike me as the type to let something like this get to him. Wes is so damn laid back.”
“He is, but at the same time, they’ve been best friends since they were kids. I think it’s more about loyalty for Blake, like he feels he’s betraying Wes by keeping it from him, and he thinks Wes will see it that way, too. But like I told him, there’s nothing to tell. Not yet. Not until we figure out what this is and where it’s going to go, if anywhere.”
The following day, I was back to working alongside Blake. The ER had been relatively quiet that day—a word we never said out loud so we wouldn’t jinx ourselves. So, after discharging our last patient, we decided to check and restock the code carts and drawers in the rooms to give ourselves something to do.
I was grabbing some things from the supply room when the door opened, and Blake walked in. “Grab some O2 tubing, too.”
I nodded and glanced up—the tubing I needed was on the top shelf. Standing on my tiptoes, I tried reaching for it, stretching as far as I could. Suddenly, I felt Blake step behind me, his chest brushing against my back. He grasped the steelshelf with one hand to steady himself and reached up with the other to grab the tubing for me. For a moment, I was boxed in by him, surrounded by his presence, and I didn’t hate it one bit.
He lowered the oxygen tubing in front of me, dipping his head. “Here ya go, baby girl…”
I all but melted on the spot, a flush rushing up my neck. He knew exactly what that damn term of endearment did to me.
Was heteasingme?
Onpurpose?
Atwork?
It was definitely working.
“Thank you.”
I took the tubing, but he didn’t let go right away. “You know…” His voice turned amused as he leaned closer to my ear. “We could always run out to your car and see what supplies you have in there for stocking.”
I huffed out a laugh. “Ha, ha.Very funny.”
His chest rumbled with laughter against my back before he stepped away, and the absence of his warmth was immediate. I turned to face him, intent on making a playful retort, but before I could speak, the door swung open.
Marie poked her head inside, breaking the moment. “Blake, can you come to bed three?”
