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Erika put her finger in her mouth, pretending to gag.
“At least I’m getting some action, Doc.”
“Not this again,” she said, throwing her hands up. “You have an unhealthy interest in my sex life.”
“You’d have to have one for that to be true.”
“Unlike you, Balakay,” she said, pronouncing his name like the substitute teacher in the old Key and Peele skit, “I prefer to keep certain aspects of my life private. For all you know, I could have a very active sex life.”
“Bullshit,” he fake coughed. He had the same bird’s-eye view of her front door that she had of his. As such, he knew perfectly well she hadn’t hosted a single sleepover since moving in three years ago…at least not when he was in town. She’d gone on a handful of dates, mainly with men she knew from work, but as far as he could tell, none of the guys she’d gone out with had ever made it past the good-night kiss—and he couldn’t recall any of them progressing to a second date.
“You know, maybe you wouldn’t be so focused on the sex aspect of your relationship if you actually tried to develop something deeper and more meaningful yourself.”
Blake frowned, shooting her a horrified look. “Thought you knew better than to use the R word with me, Erik.”
Erika snorted. “Thought it was the H word I was supposed to avoid.”
He pretended to start scratching like he had a rash. “They’re both deadly.”
“Idiot,” she muttered.
“Listen, Doc. I’m not swearing off the R or H words forever, but you have to think practically. It wouldn’t be fair to take myself off the market when I’m still so young and hot.”
She quirked one eyebrow, and he braced himself for an insult. “I’m not sure you and I define ‘young and hot’ the same way.”
He hip-bumped her, a silent kudos for her joke.
“So you might get married someday?” she asked. “I always got the impression that was a hard no for you.”
“It’s just not in my immediate plans for the future, but somewhere down the line, who knows? Right now, I’m focusing on my career, on setting all the records,” he added with a cocky grin.
“Would those records be on the ice or in your bedroom? Because you have to be creeping up on some sort of record for most?—”
“On the ice,” he interjected, putting them back on track. “There’s plenty of time for boring shit like settling down with the old ball and chain when I’m in my fifties.”
Erika laughed. “Thank you so much for reminding me why I was smart to turn down all your invitations to,” she finger-quoted several of her next words, “‘date’ you when you first moved in. I’ve since learned ‘dating’ to you is actually synonymous for ‘hooking up.’”
“Semantics,” he teased.
Erika rose, shaking her head in amusement. “Well, I’m going to head back over to my place. Laundry beckons.”
Blake stood too. “Same. Plus, I’ve got a bunch of errands to run before practice.” He walked her to the door.
“Thanks for breakfast,” she said, with a wave.
He smiled, then watched as she crossed the hall, disappearing into her own apartment before closing the door. He leaned against the frame for a minute, considering Erika’s confession about feeling lonely.
She’d surprised him. Mostly because, try as he may, he couldn’t understand or relate.
He had a good life. The life he wanted. He was a lucky guy, and he knew it.
“Not a thing missing,” he murmured to himself, smiling as he headed to the bedroom to strip the sheets. “Not a damn thing.”
CHAPTER TWO
Erika smiled when she walked into the waiting room and saw Blake waiting for her, leaning on the receptionist’s counter and flirting with one of the nurses, Denise.
He waved when he spotted her, straightening to join her. “Hey, Doc. Ready to go?”
