Page 324 of The Doctors Will See You Now

I nodded, looking back at our parents one more time and allowing myself a little smile as I shook my head. I mean, Jesus. That deserved at least a little amusement.

I followed Harlow in silence, and we went back out her door, down the stairs, and outside, taking a seat on the stairs of the stoop.

She waited patiently while I worked up the nerve to explain myself.

It was completely unlike her and made me even more nervous.

“I’m sorry I stalked you.”

“Yeah, that was a tad over the top,” she replied immediately.

“I know,” I admitted. “I talked myself out of it a couple of times, but then, yeah, it just happened anyway. I don’t know how, but I can’t change it now.”

“Tell it to the cops,” she teased. Or…God. I hoped she was teasing.

“Harlow—”

“What the hell, Scott?”

“I know,” I said on a sigh. “But I guess I was feeling insecure.”

“You? Dr. Erotic? Insecure?”

“See, that’s the thing. I’m not just that guy. And, yeah, I guess sometimes, Scott Shepard isn’t immune to getting insecure.”

She scoffed and I nodded.

“I know, it surprised me too. I’m normally so awesome,” I divulged, and she bit her lip just a tiny bit as she studied my face like a map, trying to get a read on me—and perhaps trying not to laugh at my obvious joke.

“And you were constantly dodging me about your apartment. I should know where you live, Low.”

“Why?”

My eyebrows pulled together. “Why what?”

“Why should you know where I live? We’re not in a relationship. We haven’t made any promises to one another.”

I took a deep breath in and blew it out while she watched. “Well…I guess that’s the thing. There’s something about you,” I admitted with a shrug. “Something that makes it so I can’t stop thinking about you, and you and me together, and that maybe…I don’t know…maybe I want a relationship.”

“So it was me you were talking about last night.”

I felt my eyes pinch together. “Last night?”

“To the paparazzi. Not tonight, but maybe soon, I think you said.”

“That comment was nothing. Jesus. Someone printed that?”

“Yep. Someone other than me, by the way. Which I considered castrating you for. But, given the circumstances, I guess that’s the least of my problems.”

“Problems?”

“We’re not relationship people, Scott!”

Irritation crawled up my throat. “That’s not true. You were in a relationship with Brent,” I argued.

“Yeah. In college. And I told you that it didn’t end well. I don’t want to go there again!”

Instantly, I recognized talking about this shit wasn’t going to get me much of anywhere. If I wanted more from Harlow—and I did—I was going to have to make it happen with actions. Good thing I’m an action man.