What can I say, my wife is a fucking showstopper. She’s not just beautiful. She’s unnerving and magnetic all at once.
“Dr. Prescott!” someone calls, and I turn to see Mark Davis from Vascular heading our way, his arm slung around his wife, Cathy.
“Rhys,” Mark booms.
“How’s it going, Mark?” I shake his hand and do the whole kiss-kiss thing with Cathy.
Mark lingers too long when he greets my wife. His grin is definitely not appropriate. Jealousy snaps inside of me, and I want to thump my chest with my fists and scream, “She’s mine.”
“Jayne, you look incredible.” Mark is an incorrigible flirt. “You sure this guy deserves you?”
She smiles smoothly. “Just as much as Cathy deserves you.”
Mark laughs, delighted, while Cathy gives Jayne a knowing look, the quiet solidarity of wives who’ve done this dance too many times.
We mingle.
I engage in small talk about new research grants, innovative surgical technology, and recent budget cuts. Jayne nods, smiles, says all the right things. She seems fine, even at ease until…well, Tory.
It’s my fault she stiffens because Ibrought her name up during our argument, giving her a reason to fuel her unease toward my colleague.
That was a dick move, and I regret it.
“Rhys.” Tory’s in black tonight, elegant and professional.
Compared to my wife, she’s…almost bland. Sure, she’s more my style in how she dressed tonight, but personality-wise, she holds no candle to my wife’s kindness and generosity. Her sharp elbows are fine in the workplace, but not in your home.
“I was wondering when you’d show.” She goes on tiptoe and hugs me.
I keep the touch neutral and pull away as quickly as humanly possible.
“Tory, you remember my wife.” I wrap my hand around Jayne’s waist, almost as if I’m keeping her close, almost as if I’m stopping her from running away from me, from us.
“Of course. Jayne, you look absolutely stunning.”
“Thank you, and so do you, Tory,” Jayne says serenely.
There’s a beat, a quiet, razor-thin moment where neither woman looks away. Then Jayne lifts her glass to her lips, the faintest curve of amusement touching her mouth as she melts into me.
Relief loosens my muscles.
She’s mine.
She’s still mine.
Always mine.
Tory turns back to me. “Dr. Berman’s looking for you. He wants to talk about the upcoming rotation schedule.”
“I told him no work talk tonight! I want to enjoy a drink and”—I hold Jayne’s gaze—“my wife.”
“Your drink is half empty, and I’m sure yourwifewill be fine for a little while without you.” There’s a challenge in her eyes, which I don’t like. Not at fucking all.
“Tory—"
“I’ll tell him you’re on your way.” Her hand brushes my arm as she cuts me off and then moves quickly, disappearing into the crowd.
Jayne’s eyes are on me.
