He shook his head.“Whether it is or not, Connor’s in love with you.He wants to marry you.You can’t do this to him.”
“I can’t live a lie, either.”
“You don’t get it.Nothing is going to happen between us.”
“It sure felt like something when you kissed me.”
“You’re imagining it.Overreacting to a kiss.You’re a friend.A friend who’s trying to screw up that friendship.”
“I don’t love Connor.I’m not sure I ever did.”
“Bullshit.You two couldn’t be closer.”
“Not anymore.It’s not sudden.I’ve known how I felt about you for a long time now.And I think you have feelings for me too.No matter how much you deny it.”
Ignoring the second part of her statement, he said, “If that’s true why are you just now telling me this?”
“I didn’t want to hurt Connor.And I wanted to be sure.But I’m tired of living a lie.I’m tired of never admitting my true feelings.”
“Do you think you can come to me from his bed and I’ll be okay with that?This isn’t like you, Casey.”
“Connor and I haven’t slept together in weeks.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“I love you and I think you love me too.”
She rose and walked over to him, standing so close he could smell her scent.Light, fresh, and damn it, seductive.“I don’t.I have never given you cause to think I do.”
“Not purposely.But you don’t realize how easy your face is to read when you’re not in doctor mode.I’ve seen how you look at me when you don’t think I’ll notice.But I have noticed.Say you’ll give us a chance.”
“No.Whether I have feelings for you or not is immaterial.You’re Connor’s girl.”
“Not anymore.”
If this had happened before she and Connor had gotten together… But it hadn’t.And Connor was his best friend.A man he was as close to as a brother.“You don’t get it,” he said, losing patience.“Nothing is going to happen between us.Ever.Go back to Connor.He loves you and he’s a good guy.”
“I know he is.But pretending I feel the same for him as he does for me has become impossible.I feel like a horse has been lifted off my chest now that I’ve told him.”
“You’re going to regret it.Fix it before it’s too late.”
“It’s already too late.”
“No, it can’t be.You and I?We aren’t happening.”
“Why?Why are you being so stubborn?”
“I don’t love you.I never will.”Damn it.Now she was crying.“It’s not being stubborn.I can’t do it, Casey.Being with you would be wrong.”
“You’ll change your mind.You have to.This isn’t over.I’ll talk to you later.”She left him then.
Not if he could help it.
He watched her go, wishing he was another kind of man.A man who would take what he wanted—who he wanted—no matter the consequences.
Then Connor and Casey went on a run to pick up some soldiers injured when a roadside bomb blew up.Hours later, Connor brought Casey in.She’d been caught in a secondary explosion while she was helping the injured.
Casey was in as bad a shape as he’d ever seen.He’d done his best, Connor as well as their best nurse assisting, but it hadn’t been enough.Casey died on his table.
