The hairs on my neck prickle when she says my name. I shift to my side to see her better, now only inches from her. “My hacks are actually reserved for the woman who holds the title of my girlfriend.”
She smiles, looking down at the floor, then up at me again. “Aw, shoot.”
“But for you, I could make an exception,” I suggest, not tearing my eyes from hers.
“Well.” She wets her lips. “Nicely played. You know how girls like to feel special.”
“There’s no one more special than you, Katherine Lennox,” I murmur.
She doesn’t even flinch, and taking the cue, I close the space between us.
Our lips meet in a rush—like we’ve both been holding our breath for weeks and can now finally exhale into each other. It’s not slow or tentative. It’s all heat and relief, her mouth searching and warm under mine, her fingers curling instinctively into my T-shirt like she’s anchoring herself to me.
I’ve imagined this a hundred times before, but nothing even came close.
She shifts closer, deepening the kiss, and I reach up to cup her cheek. My thumb brushes her skin. But then, just as quickly, she pulls back, breathing hard.
I freeze.
Her gaze flickers from my mouth to my eyes. “This is casual, right?” she rasps, her voice a little hoarse. “I don’t want anything serious.”
My pulse thrums in my ears. I don’t move, don’t even blink for a second. Then, I nod slowly. “Yeah,” I say, even though something inside me tightens. “Casual.”
She tugs me back toward her, and our mouths crash again. Clutching the front of my shirt, she pulls me flush against her, and I lose track of everything but the feel of Katherine—her hands, her body, her soft gasp when I nip at her bottom lip.
She rolls ontoher back, bringing me with her, and I brace a hand beside her head, trying not to crush her on the mat.
“Will you watch the match tonight?” I ask, instantly regretting my question. That’s definitely not casual. “You know, to see what you’re missing out on while you’re at the hospital,” I add, hoping she’ll just think I’m being cocky.
“It’s hard work, you know,” she says, her eyes teasing. “I’m not exactly lounging around the break room. People’s lives are in my hands.”
“Fine. I’ll just have to give you a play-by-play afterwards, then.” I place another kiss on her lips.
She wraps her arms around my neck. “Sounds like a plan.”
Smiling against her lips, I quickly lose myself in her warmth. I know this is casual and all, but I can’t wait to see her again.
Chapter 18
"If I caught a fish like him, I’d throw out every other line and guard that pond with a taser.”
Kat
The trauma bay is wrapped in the scents of antiseptic and burnt adrenaline. We’ve had two car accidents, one ruptured spleen, and a dislocated shoulder from someone falling down a set of tube station stairs, all before I even had the chance to finish my tea. But that’s just how I like it—fast-paced. No time to think, no time to feel. Especially not today. Because every time I have a second to myself, I can’t help butremember that glorious kiss earlier. Why does Archie have to be such a good kisser?
I peel off my gloves and drag myself into the staff room, my scrubs clinging to my skin after hours on my feet. I check the board—clear for now—and pour myself a cup of vending-machine coffee, even though it tastes like socks.
Sinking into one of the chairs, I sigh, grateful for the brief reprieve. I loosen my hair tie just enough to let my scalp breathe. The room is quiet, broken only by the hum of the fridge and the faint crackle of a muted TV.
Oh. The match is on.
Someone must have left it tuned into BBC Sport, and because I’m lucky that way, there he is in the corner of the screen, guarding the net in that flattering navy kit that really shouldn’t be legal. Archie is all sharp focus and coiled readiness.
I can’t peel my eyes off the screen, instantly pulled into the match. Or maybe it’s just Archie. I wish the other team played better so we’d see him more. An opponent trips Wade, and I bang my hand on the table. “What the—”
“Whatcha doing?”
I jump in my chair and turn to see my colleague, Jana. I didn’t even hear the door open—even with the TV on mute.
