Nothing.
My eyes scan the room. Bookshelves, desk corners, the small bowl where he sometimes leaves keys.
Nothing.
The office door suddenly opens behind me and I turn. Dominic stands there, still damp from the shower, a towel draped loosely around his neck. His body is strong and sculpted from years of early morning runs and long hospital shifts. Broad shoulders. Defined arms. The kind of quiet strength that makes him look almost carved from stone.
He watches me with mild curiosity. “What are you looking for?”
“Oh—nothing,” I say quickly. “I think I lost one of my earrings earlier. I thought it might’ve fallen in here.”
Then I gesture casually toward the drawer. “Actually… you have a locked drawer.”
Dominic glances at it. “Oh. That one.” His tone shifts slightly. “Yeah, I keep that locked because it has patient case files and some controlled prescription records. Hospital compliance rules. If those ever got out, I’d lose my license.” He walks over calmly. “I can grab the key if you want.”
I shake my head. “No need.” I offer a small smile. “I trust you.” My fingers drift to the small key charm hanging from my necklace, absentmindedly turning it between them.
The words feel like a lie the moment they leave my mouth but I need him to believe them. Because the truth will come out eventually and when it does, I want to know everything.
Dominic kisses the top of my head. “Okay, love. I’ll finish getting dressed and we’ll head out.”
I step out of his office and close the door behind me. Downstairs, I pause near the window. Outside, Mrs. Alden our neighbor stands in her yard watering her flowers. I step outside and wave. “Hi, Mrs. Alden!”
She looks up and for a moment her expression softens into something strange.
Almost… sad.
She gives me a small, sympathetic smile. She looks away without waving back. Confused, I step back inside just as Dominic comes down the stairs. He looks effortless. A long-collared shirt under a soft sweater, the collar pulled neatly over the neckline. Brown pants tailored perfectly. His coat draped over one arm.
He rolls his sleeves up slightly. “Just how you like it,” he says with a grin. He leans in and kisses me. His scent wraps around me, clean and warm, bright citrus layered over smooth cedarwood with a deeper smoky note underneath. Familiar. Comforting. He studies my face. “Ready?”
I nod.
He walks me outside, opening the passenger door like he always does. The sky fading into deep violet as the first stars appear. He climbs into the driver’s seat and starts the car.
I glance over. “So,” I ask quietly, “where are we going?”
Dominic smiles.
“Somewhere worthy of that dress.”
We drive for a while.
At first it’s the familiar parts of town, restaurants, traffic lights, the glow of storefront windows passing by in soft streaks of color. Then the city slowly fades, streetlights grow farther apart, houses turn into long stretches of dark trees and winding roads. The air outside the car feels cooler here. Dominic rests one hand on the steering wheel, the other loosely holding mine across the center console.
“So,” he says casually, “we were down two nurses today. Again.”
I glance at him. “Two?”
“Yeah,” he sighs. “Flu season. Half the staff is either sick or pretending to be.”
I laugh softly. “Pretending?”
“Oh yeah,” he says with a grin. “You’d be amazed how many people suddenly develop mysterious fevers on Mondays.”
He squeezes my hand. “But today was… interesting.”
“Oh?”
