I glance at my phone.7:54 PM.He is early.Of course he is early.
My heart pounds as I cross to the door, pausing to check my reflection in the hall mirror.I look… nervous.Excited.A little terrified.I take a deep breath and pull the door open.
Zach stands in my doorway, and all the air leaves my lungs in a rush.He wears dark jeans and a black Henley that stretches across his broad shoulders, the sleeves pushed up to reveal tattooed forearms.His dark hair is pulled back in a loose knot at the nape of his neck, highlighting the sharp angles of his jaw.He looks dangerous and beautiful and so intensely male that my mouth goes dry.
“Hey,” I manage, voice embarrassingly rough.
Zach’s eyes travel slowly down my body, then back up to my face.The heat in that gaze makes my skin flush.
“Hey yourself, Doc,” he says, voice low.He holds up a six-pack of beer in one hand and a paper bag in the other.“Brought provisions.”
I step back, gesturing him inside.“You didn’t have to do that.”
“Figured you wouldn’t have much in the way of food,” Zach says, moving past me with a confidence that suggests he’s been in my space before.The thought sends a strange shiver through me.Not unpleasant, just… unexpected.
“That obvious, huh?”I close the door, hyperaware of how small my apartment suddenly feels with him in it.
Zach sets the beer and bag on my kitchen counter.“You work eighty-hour weeks saving lives.Grocery shopping’s probably not high on your priority list.”
“Fair point.”I move closer, curious about the contents of the bag.“What’d you bring?”
“Burgers from Ray’s,” Zach says, unpacking foil-wrapped packages that release the mouthwatering scent of grilled meat and spices.“Best in town.”
My stomach growls audibly, reminding me I hadn’t eaten since a hurried protein bar around noon.“You’re a lifesaver.I was just about to order something.”
“Great minds,” Zach says, the corner of his mouth quirking up in a half smile that does dangerous things to my pulse.
We fall into an unexpectedly comfortable rhythm, me grabbing plates and napkins while Zach arranges the food.He seems to know his way around my kitchen better than he should, finding the bottle opener in the second drawer he tries.
“You want a glass?”I ask, holding up a beer.
Zach shakes his head.“Bottle’s fine.”
We settle at my small dining table, knees almost touching in the limited space.I unwrap my burger, perfectly medium-rare with what looks like caramelized onions and some kind of aioli, and take a bite.
“Holy shit,” I groan, the flavors exploding on my tongue.“This is amazing.”
Something flashes in Zach’s eyes at the sound I made.He takes a slow pull from his beer, throat working as he swallows, and I find myself transfixed by the movement.
“So,” I start, desperate to break the tension before I do something stupid like climb across the table to him.“About last night…”
“Which part?”Zach asks, his voice a low rumble.“The fight, or what happened after?”
Heat crawls up my neck.“Both, I guess.”
Zach sets his beer down, eyes never leaving mine.“The fight was necessary.Those assholes deserved worse than they got.”His jaw tightens.“No one talks to you like that.Not while I’m around.”
The possessiveness in his voice sends a thrill through me that I probably should find alarming but instead find incredibly hot.
“And after?”I prompt, heart hammering against my ribs.
Zach leans forward slightly, the intensity in his gaze pinning me to my chair.“After was a long time coming, Doc.Years too late, if you ask me.”
I swallow hard.“Why now?What changed?”
“Nothing changed,” Zach says, his voice rough with honesty.“I’ve wanted you since high school.Watched you walk those hallways with your head high, never backing down, no matter how much shit they gave you.”His eyes light with the memory.“You were the smartest kid in school.Knew exactly who you were and didn’t apologize for it.While the rest of us were still trying to figure out our lives, you had yours mapped out.”
I blink, surprised by his perception.“I didn’t think you noticed me back then.”
