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Russ’s eyes lit up with excitement. “That’d be great. Thanks, man. Now, what can I help you with? I assume you’re here for a reason.”
I explained what I had in mind and got out of there as quickly as I could.
Late in the day when I finally made my way to the clinic to help update some patient notes for Doc Sharma, I ran into Oz putting some finishing touches on a mural he’d created in the kids’ area of the waiting room. We’d both spent the previous Saturday and Sunday nights painting the walls while the clinic was closed to patients. Now that the paint had had plenty of time to dry, Oz was finally able to use the colorful decals he’d found online to create the cartoon woodland scene he’d come up with.
“That looks fantastic, Oz,” I said as I entered the clinic and shucked off my coat. “Even better than you described it. The kids are going to love it.”
He turned to me and brightened as soon as he saw me, which made my heart thump. After putting down the tool he’d been using, he hopped over the small barricade he’d erected to keep the kids out of the area while he worked and made his way over to me. I slid my arms around his waist and leaned in for a quick kiss.
“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” I murmured against his soft lips. “But now that you’re here…” I tightened my arms around him as if I wasn’t about to let him go.
“Missed your face,” Oz admitted softly into my ear. “You were gone before I woke up this morning.”
I pulled back and looked at him, recognizing the hint of insecurity in his expression.
“I had to go check those rental properties I manage on the other side of the mountain. Didn’t want to wake you. I’m sorry, I should have thought to leave you a note or send you a text.” I brushed a quick kiss over his mouth before saying, “Let me take you out for dinner when we’re done here. I just need to finish up some paperwork. Shouldn’t take more than a half hour or so. What do you say?”
His face brightened again. “Like a date? You mean, with clothes and everything?”
I felt my face heat. We’d spent the better part of the past two weeks naked or nearly naked in one or the other of our cabins. Usually we were in his cabin, since it was more homey and comfortable and because all of Boo’s stuff was there, not to mention it was more convenient for him to be near his sewing machine and dressmaking supplies. There had been several nights I’d woken up in the middle of the night and found the other side of the bed empty, only to discover him hard at work in the main room with his fabric and designs.
“Not like a date, an actual date. We can even go see a movie afterward if you’d like,” I said before brushing his hair back from where a small lock had fallen in his face. It had grown out a bit since he’d cut it, and I liked having more to sink my hands into when we were in bed together.
“Mm, not sure about the movie. As much as I’d like a date, I kind of prefer naked movie time at home,” he teased.
We’d been curled up on the sofa a few nights before watching a movie at his place when I’d begun undressing him. He’d made a comment about how that had become our norm during movie time. I’d poked my head up from under the blanket after peeling off his pants and grinned at him. “If you could just show up naked for movie time from now on, that would make it a lot easier on me,” I’d said in response.
I looked around the clinic waiting room to make sure no one could hear us. The final patients of the day had already been called back to an exam room, so we were alone.
“I’m never going to complain about naked movie time, sweetheart,” I said, leaning in to sip from his lips again. I would never get tired of kissing Ozias Ballard. He was sensual, responsive, expressive, and so very sweet. Every time we kissed, he seemed to melt against me in a way that made me feel completely trusted and adored. It was something I tried not to think too much about, because then I’d become obsessed with reminding myself that it wasn’t going to last.
“Ok,” I said, forcing myself to step back. “You finish your mural and I’ll go work on those charts. Meet back here in thirty minutes with ideas about where you want to eat tonight, okay?”
He nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”
Before I passed the reception counter to head to the back, I remembered something. “Oh. I saw Russ earlier. The guy wants your number. I told him I’d ask you first to make sure it was alright with you.”
