I clear my throat and try to ignore the fluttering in my stomach as I direct her toward the hospital cafeteria. My heart quickens when I guide her around the corners with my hand over the small of her back, and she glances up at me with a coy smile while the machine groans and releases a trickle of coffee into a cheap paper cup. I gesture toward the sugar packets and creamer cups, but she shakes her head.
“It’s no Starbucks,” I admit, bringing our cups over to an empty table.
“Community Coffee’s better, anyway. But all that matters right now is that it’s hot.” She shivers as soon as her hands wrap around the cup.
“I’m sorry you’re so cold,” I tell her. “I promise I’ll get you that jacket as soon as Tiana picks us up.”
“And you said this wouldn’t be romantic?” she poses with a smirk before leaning over to blow on her coffee, giving me an exemplary view.
I blink lazily at the sight of her pursed lips and her shapelyfigure, her sun-kissed skin a beautiful contrast to the deep plum of her dress and the hair cascading over her shoulders a near-perfect match to the coffee in her cup. I know I should look away, that it’s wrong to objectify her like this, but I can’t stop myself from indulging. Her eyes drift up to mine, catching me in the act, and my pulse throbs in my ears as I wait for her to call me out. Instead, she holds my gaze as she straightens and takes a sip, the lipstick stain she leaves on the rim making me wish I were that paper cup. And I’m starting to worry she’s actually capable of giving me a cardiac arrhythmia or a neural disruption.
“How are you feeling, Benadryl Boy?” she rasps after a while.
“Warm,” I say without thinking. “And a little tingly.”
She laughs, and so do I.
“You’d better get some of that coffee in you before the pink drink takes over. Otherwise, I’ll be forced to track down this Dr. Reed and have him take you home instead.”
“I’d much rather a bedtime story from you,” I mumble and take an obedient sip, sighing when the caffeine works its way through my system. She watches me carefully, looking amused.
I’ve never been much of a drinker, and I’ve certainly never done drugs, but this blend of medication and Claire’s attention is giving me the best buzz I’ve ever had.
Then again, maybe that’s her phone vibrating on the table.
“Tiana’s here,” she announces, and we chug the rest of the coffee and make our way outside, this time with Claire leading me by the hand.
“So, how’s it going?” Tiana intones as soon as I lower myself into the back seat.
“Warm and tingly,” Claire answers for us, and I squint an eye when Tiana squeals too loudly.
I find my jacket from earlier and drape it over Claire’s shoulders. She looks really, really pretty when she says thank you.
The car lurches forward while Claire and Tiana start chatting, their voices mingling in a way that makes it hard for me to follow. Iglance down and notice Claire’s palm resting in the space between us, and I cover it with my own.
“I like holding your hand,” I whisper, and she turns to smirk at me while Tiana keeps talking. She flips her hand over beneath mine and interlaces our fingers. It makes me smile.
“Looks like I’ll have to drop you off a few blocks away from that pharmacy,” Tiana announces after a while, her voice sounding clearer than it had a few minutes ago.
“Are you okay to walk?” Claire turns to ask me, squeezing my hand.
I blink at her. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“You sure? You’re looking a little glossy-eyed,” she muses.
I straighten and tug my hand free, realizing I can add “being a lightweight” to my list of emasculating moments tonight. “I’m good. The coffee helped.”
“Wait, is that it?” Tiana protests as Claire and I step out of the back seat.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“She saves your life and spends the past couple hours by your side in the ER, you’ve got sparks flying between all the whispering and the handholding and the gazing, and you still haven’t kissed her yet? What are you waiting for?”
Claire snorts, and I realize I’m frowning. “To be fair, this isn’t exactly a real date,” I grumble defensively.
“Dude, this whole situation is one big rom-com meet-cute!” Tiana cries out. “Just kiss her already!”
“She doesn’t want me to kiss her now, not while I’m covered in hives and hospital germs,” I argue, turning my eyes back to Claire’s. But the way her shoulders sag and she bites her lip as she looks away seems to disprove my claim. “Right?” I add low enough so that only Claire hears.
