I made appropriate sounds, nodded in the right places, and tried not to think about the way his hands had felt on my waist. The way his voice had dropped when he'd said my name. The way I'd wanted to close that last inch between us and just—
My phone buzzed as I pulled into the clinic parking lot.
Easton:
Emergency came up. Can't make it to the clinic today. Sorry.
I stared at the message, my stomach twisting.
Emergency. Right.
Or he was avoiding me after last night. After I'd pushed him away again. After I'd stood there in his arms wanting him and then running like a coward.
I typed and deleted three different responses before settling on:Everything okay?
The read receipt showed he'd seen it immediately.
No response.
"Asshole," I muttered, shoving my phone in my pocket and heading inside.
The day crawled.
Monique noticed my mood around noon when I snapped at her over a misfiled chart. "You okay, Dr. Honors?"
"Fine," I said, softening my tone. "Sorry. Just… a long night."
"Easton's not coming in today, is he?"
"No." I grabbed a mop with more force than necessary. "We'll manage."
But his absence was everywhere. The kennels cleaned. The inventory he'd been reorganizing. The empty spot by the sink where he'd stand, rolling up his sleeves, making some dry comment that would make me smile despite myself.
I'd gotten used to him. To his presence. To the way he fit into the rhythm of the clinic, like he'd always been here.
And now he was gone, and I had no idea if it was temporary or if I'd finally pushed him away for good.
"Dr. Honors?" Monique's voice carried from reception. "Your last appointment just left. Want me to lock up?"
"Please," I called back. "I'll finish the charts."
But I didn't move toward the charts. Instead, I stood in the bathroom, staring at my reflection in the mirror above the sink.
My cheeks were flushed. My lips parted, like they were still waiting for a kiss that never came.
I touched my fingers to my mouth, remembering the way he'd looked at me last night. The heat in his eyes. The certainty in his voice when he'd said,"This hasn't changed."
He was right.
Nothing had changed. The want was still there. The pull between us was still magnetic, still impossible to ignore.
And I was terrified.
Terrified of what would happen if I let myself have him. Terrified of what would happen when the truth came out. Terrified that I was falling for him all over again, and there was no way this ended without someone getting hurt.
My phone buzzed.
Holly:
