“That would by lovely, Blake. Thank you. I’ll just take a salad if you don’t mind. That way, if I’m needed and can’t get to it right away, it will still be good.” Priya reached into her pocket and pulled out some bills.
He waved her away. “You can pay me back later with a meal or better yet some of those sweet fried things you left in the staff room at Christmas time. What were they called?”
“Jalebi. I’d be happy to make some.”
And he’d be happy to eat them.
“Carli, what can I get you from the caf?”
“A Chicken Caesar wrap, if they have one that doesn’t look too wilted. Otherwise, any sandwich will do. Thanks, Blake.”
Priya put her hands on her hips. “And does she have to make you something, too?”
“She made me dinner for my birthday last weekend, so she’s all paid up.”
The look that Priya sent Carli was one he’d seen before between women, but he had no idea what it meant.
Pushing off the desk, he shoved his hands in his pockets. He really wanted a few minutes alone with Carli but hated to ask Priya to leave.
“I’ll…uh, bring that food back here in a bit.”
Priya’s gaze bounced back and forth between him and Carli, then suddenly a huge grin lit her face.
“Oh, I have a lot of work to do in my office. Back there. With the door shut. Thanks again, Blake. I’ll see you later.”
Smiling his thanks, he rested back against Carli’s desk once the radiologist had closed her office door behind her.
Humor gleamed in Carli’s expression. Her hands sat demurely in her lap, and she stared at him, her head tipped.
“Promise me you won’t leave unless you tell me first.”
“Sure, but why?”
He pushed his foot toward her and tapped it against hers. “I worry about you and want to make sure you get home safely.”
Her foot pushed against his now. “Was there something else you needed?”
“Is it that obvious?”
She bit her lip, trying to hide her laugh. “Well, I know about that addiction you have and what a difficult time you have fighting it.”
The waiting room was currently empty, as was the office, but he knew how quickly that could change. Reaching over, he wheeled her chair right in front of him and leaned down so their faces were almost touching.
“Want to know a secret?” Carli’s voice was soft and breathy. Wow, it turned him on.
Yes,he signed with no sound.
Carli signed something back, but he only caught the wordsmeandyouwith a couple others in between. Was one of themsame?
“Should I know these words?”
“I’ll teach you now.I’m addicted to you, too.” The last words she spoke slowly as she showed him the signs.
When he realized what she’d said, a huge grin split his face. He pressed his lips to hers and waited for the floaty feeling he always got when they touched. There it was. Beautiful. Yet the kiss wasn’t long enough. They needed to be professional, even though he wanted to grab her and keep kissing her until it stopped snowing. They said it might be a few days, right?
Regretfully, he eased back and tried to remember the signs she’d taught him over the weekend.Later, can we kiss more in my office?
Carli burst out laughing.
