He squinted at her—mostly because she still pointed at her chest, and he was seriously trying to be a good guy here and not check out her girls. “And?”
“One of these things is not like the other.” She gestured to herself, then to him, startling when her hand brushed against the front of his shirt. But she didn’t move it. Which was nice because the little hairs along his arms prickled at the touch.
He wanted to move his hand to hold hers there in the indent between his ribs. Could she feel his heart beating? Sense how the air crackled.
“We don’t match,” she said. But she gripped the front of his T-shirt, letting her hand stay there.
He moved his hand to hers, letting it settle over the top.
“I don’t live in your world. I live here,” she said.
“It’s not like we’re on different planets. Believe it or not, I spend a good deal of time here.” He stopped speaking so that could sink in for them both. “I’d like to get to know you. Apparently, you might want the same?”
She nodded. “I do.”
“Then what does the rest of it matter? We have coffee. See where that takes us. Maybe it’ll take us to dinner or drinks. I don’t even know if you like the bar scene. Or if you’re a vegetarian. Or if you like pickles and cilantro.”
“Not really. On the bar scene.” She crossed her arms over her chest. “And I like steak, so the other isn’t really me either. Yes on the pickles. No on the cilantro.”
“Noted.” He swallowed hard, letting his thumb trace along her knuckles since it made her smile.
“Are you always this amazing?” she asked.
Ha, usually he was one of many shades of red.
“No.” He shook his head. “Sometimes I seriously screw shit up. But, I just… I don’t let it define me. You know?”
She nodded, the little kiss of a smile on her lips making him appreciate the fact that he’d put it there.
“I should go check on Babushka,” Sam said. “Make sure she doesn’t need a doctor.”
“Or the guys from Fire Station 21?” Tanner asked with a wry smile.
Sam snorted. “They’re a nice crew, at least. Good guys.”
The clinic was empty except for Katy.
“Where’s Babushka?” Sam asked, peeking behind one curtain.
“She felt better, so she left.” Nurse Katy rolled her eyes. “This is the fifth time today she’s done this. I’d say let’s reach out to her family for their support, but you and I both know that won’t help.”
“Keep me posted if she comes back?” Sam asked, then turned back to him, rocking a little on her toes.
“Why don’t you come over to my place? After work? Too late for coffee, and I think I hit my quota of people today. But I can order in steaks, and I’ve got a pool table.”
“You probably have an actual pool, too,” she said.
He did. “Well, it came with the whole Dimefront package.”
“You have a pool?” She stilled.
“I mean, Mach and I share a pad, so we have a pool, but yeah. I do. You swim?”
She nodded. “It’s my favorite.”
Look at that. He now knew multiple somethings about her. Many things: she liked steak, didn’t do the bar scene, cared a lot about the residents here, and she liked to swim.
“Bring your suit,” he said.
