Page 108 of Yours to Keep

“You look terrified.”

“I am not terrified,” he said immediately.

“You’re totally terrified.”

He scrubbed a hand over the back of his neck, his posture suddenly stiff. “Okay, so maybe I’ve negotiated multimillion-dollar deals with less anxiety than I’m currently experiencing, but that doesn’t mean I’m terrified.”

I chuckled, my head shaking. “You’ve never met a girlfriend’s parents before?”

“No.” The admission came out gruff but honest.

“They don’t bite,” I promised.

“They’re going to hate me.”

“They won’t.”

“They absolutely will. I’m the guy who made their little girl cry.”

“That only happened once.” I reached across the table and slid my hand over his. “Either way, my parents will see what I see.”

He studied our joined hands like he was committing the moment to memory. “What do you see?”

I squeezed gently. “A man who tries. Even when it’s hard. Especially when it’s hard. A man who does his best, who learns, and who make me the happiest I’ve ever been.”

Something vulnerable flickered across his face, gone almost as quickly as it’d appeared. He turned his hand, threading his fingers through mine. “I would like to meet them.”

Relief and happiness clashed inside my chest, and I grinned. “That’s great. Because I already told them we’d come to dinner next week. They’ve been begging me to meet you.”

His eyes widened, but he nodded. Neither of us were eager to break the spell of our first public dinner, but eventually we got up to leave. His hand found the small of my back when he guided me toward the car, the touch possessive and gentle all at once.

Back at his penthouse, the moment the door closed behind us, the distance we’d maintained all evening snapped like a thread pulled too tight. He kissed me like he’d been holding it in for too long. Like he still couldn’t quite believe he was allowed to.

I laughed softly against his mouth, but the sound dissolved into a breathless gasp when he lifted me effortlessly, carrying me to the bedroom without breaking contact. Every touch felt urgent but loving, like he was memorizing me all over again and couldn’t wait to get inside me at the same time.

As we undressed each other, there was whispered laughter, followed by hot kisses that lit a fire in me he was only too eager to feed. We made love, neither one of us holding back. Hours later, lulled by the slow rhythm of his breathing against my chest, I drifted into sleep with my fingers curled loosely around his hip.

In the morning, sunlight filtered through the hospital windows when I arrived for my shift. I adjusted my badge as I stepped off the elevator, bracing automatically for the strange new normal of being openly together.

He stood halfway down the corridor, talking to one of the department heads with his sleeves rolled up and his tablet tucked under his arm. He’d been doing this a lot recently, getting out of his office and trying to be more present on the floor.

He glanced up mid-sentence, and the moment he saw me, his expression shifted, professional focus melting into warmth. For a heartbeat, old instincts whispered at me to keep walking and maintain our distance, but instead, I smiled and walked straight to him.

He paused when he realized I was coming over, giving the guy he was talking to a quick grin. “Will you excuse me for a moment?”

The man nodded, watching curiously as I reached them. I slipped my arms around Sullivan in the middle of the hallway, not even minding that the department head was right next to us.

“Good morning,” I murmured against his chest. “I missed you earlier.”

“A very good morning, apparently,” he replied, his voice softer than usual. “I’m sorry I had to head out so early. I wasn’t sure where you stood about coming in together and I had an early meeting anyway.”

I felt eyes on us, curious, amused, and maybe even approving, but for the first time, I didn’t care. They knew now. Everyone knew, and although they were still staring and didn’t quite know what to make of it, I honestly didn’t give a damn.

The only thing I cared about was the way his hand settled comfortably at my waist like it belonged there. What we had was real, and if anyone had a problem with that, then it was their issue to deal with.

Every day, I helped heal people, and now it was my turn to heal my own heart. Sullivan was the key to that, and together, we could handle anything.

EPILOGUE