“I am picky now,” Viktor says, ignoring him. “I like smart women… with drive and ambition.”
Chase’s brow lifts. “You mean like… physiotherapists?”
Viktor doesn’t answer, just takes a sip of beer.
Jake grins. “Oh no. It’s still happening, isn’t it?”
“What is?” Eli asks.
Chase leans forward, voice gleeful. “His crush on Heidi, that physio from the Moreno Clinic. You should’ve seen him at the fundraiser. Viktor didn’t take his eyes off her once.”
“I was admiring her posture,” Viktor explains. “And her shoulders… for rehab reasons.”
“Is that why you were admiring her ass, too? For rehab reasons?”
The boys snicker as Chase continues. “Storm table was stacked that night. Hutchy, me, Jake… and Viktor drooling over the physio.”
“I was not drooling,” Viktor mutters. “I wasn’t even damp.”
Logan nearly spits out his drink, choking on a laugh.
“Maybe I am evolving,” Viktor says mildly, then takes another sip of his own drink.
“Heidi’s cool,” I say. “A hardass, but she knows her shit.”
Viktor flicks his gaze toward me. “She is very competent.”
Chase lets out another bark of laughter. “Yeah, I bet that’s what you’re into.”
“That’s Dr. Doom’s friend, right?” Logan nods toward me, wagging his eyebrows. “You know, your favorite surgeon?”
I don’t rise to the bait, just take a pull of my own beer and meet his eyes evenly. They have no idea we’ve had a thing for months.
“Didn’t know you were so interested in my injury support team.”
“Not interested,” he says, still grinning. “Just observant.”
Jake chuckles. “Youdidcall her Dr. Doom there for a few weeks.”
I don’t answer, keeping my expression neutral because yeah, I did used to call her Dr. Doom.
Now, I’ve had her legs over my shoulders, her laugh in my mouth, and her body wrapped around mine so tightly, I’m not sure I’ll ever come back from it.
And now she’s growing my baby.
She’s the first person I think of when I wake up. The voice I replay when I can’t sleep. The reason I already know I’m about to head up to my hotel room once I finish this drink. Because now I’m thinking about the way she looked yesterday morning before I left—barefoot and sleep-ruffled, curling her hands around a mug of coffee and smiling right at me.
I’d brushed the hair off her face and kissed her goodbye, then leaned down further to place one soft kiss on her stomach. It’s only been a couple weeks since she told me, but I’m spending every chance I get with her.
The banter rolls on, but I’m only half-listening.
Eli orders a bourbon. Jake jokes that he needs to retire and open a damn farm. Logan is halfway through a story about Meadow sticking googly eyes on the TV when he and Lulu babysat.
I just watch quietly, beer in hand and leaning back against the booth. My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I glance down.
Havoc:I’m home—got time for a call?
Everything else fades. I down the rest of my drink and stand, clapping Jake on the shoulder and nodding to the boys.
