I frowned. “That was unnecessary."
"It was accurate." His tone remained infuriatingly even.
"And you're remarkably indecisive," he said without missing a beat.
"I'm not indecisive. I'm cautious."
“Call it whatever helps you sleep,” he said.
At a red light, Riven pulled his phone from the center console and handed it to me. "Put your number in. That's my personal line."
I accepted the device hesitantly and typed in my contact information. "What should I save it under?"
"Whatever you want."
I smiled and decided quickly. I typedNurse Reyaand added a heart emoji.
“There,” I said brightly. “Done.”
He glanced at the screen and his jaw tensed almost instantly. “Why is there an emoji?”
“Because it scares serious men,” I said sweetly. “I like to keep things balanced.”
He stared at me for a moment. “Remove it.”
"No. It adds warmth. And you said I could choose." I grinned. "Can't take that back now, Riven."
I placed his phone back on the dashboard and watched him from the corner of my eye.
The almost-smile was still there. Barely. Like he was trying to put it away and it wasn't cooperating.
I faced forward and said nothing, because saying something would ruin it entirely and I was not about to do that.
Cold, distant, unreachable Dr. Riven Cross had just almost-smiled because of an emoji.
I was going to think about that for a completely reasonable and totally normal amount of time.
CHAPTER SIX
RIVEN
I glancedat the backpack on Mireya’s lap while carefully merging into downtown traffic. It was small and clearly worn from years of use. The zipper was uneven, like it had been pulled too many times and was on the brink of destruction.
“That’s all you brought?” I asked, keeping my tone casual.
She turned toward me, her brows knitting slightly. “What do you mean?”
I flicked my eyes toward the bag. “For the move.”
“Oh.” Understanding softened her expression. She adjusted it slightly on her knees. “I already had most of what I need at the hospital.”
That made sense. It sounded efficient and responsible in a way that was very like her. Still, something about it didn’t sit right with me.
“So everything else is at work?” I asked carefully. “Not just scrubs?”
She let out a small, almost embarrassed laugh. “Yeah. I keep other things there too, even my clothes for emergencies. It’s easier than going back and forth all the time.” She hesitated, then added, “I do my laundry at the hospital instead of payingfor a laundromat. It’s cheaper that way. These clothes just haven’t been washed yet.”
A laugh escaped my mouth before I could stop it.
