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“It’s not a big deal. I just know you wear those pins on your coat at the clinic, and I thought it would be cool to have your pup there, too.”
She had a handful of pins on her doctor’s coat, clustered above the place where her name was embroidered—a little enameled red heart with a white paw print in the middle that saidRescue is Love, another that was a kitten playing with a ball of yarn, one that saidLive Love Bark, and one with a goofy-looking blue tang fish that readJust keep swimming.
She closed the pin in both hands and held it to her chest. “Thank you.”
Her eyes were getting shiny. Oh shit, he’d made her cry? “It’s not a big deal.”
“Please shut up. It’s a big deal to me. It’s special to me. Don’t take that away, please.”
Now he didn’t know what to say, so he said nothing.
“I don’t understand you, Dex.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry, too. I’m sorry I haven’t been listening to you. You’ve been telling me you don’t want to be with me, and I’ve been ignoring that.”
Shit. Had he missed his chance? “It’s not that I don’t want to be with you.”
Confusion creased her beautiful face. Still holding the pin to her chest, she set one hand on his chest. Dex marveled at the power of that touch. His entire body seemed to slow—heartbeat, respiration, cognition, everything just …rested. Because her hand was on his chest. A flannel shirt between her skin and his, and still.
“What do you want?” she asked.
He wantedso much. But he was still convinced he wasn’t right for her, wasn’t good enough for her, was too old, too dangerous, too damaged, too everything and not enough of anything.
He’d told himself he’d never get serious with a woman because too much of him was buried in the shadows of the things he’d done. And the things he’d lived through.
But he wanted Kelsey. And she wanted him. And her father had stepped out of the way.
Her hand sneaked up from his chest, and she brushed a soft thumb over his lips. “You’re healing well.”
He caught her hand and kissed it. “I had a good doctor.”
She stared at their hands. When her thumb brushed over his new ring, he asked, “Was that you?”
“Secret Santa is secret,” she said, but the rising pink in her perfect cheeks was the real answer. Yes, she’d bought him the ring. His chest ached and he kissed her hand again.
“Dex …”
“Did you come with your folks today?” he cut in before she could say more. When she nodded, he asked, “Can I give you a ride home?”
“Why?” she asked. He could see she wanted the answer he wanted to give.
“Because … because I like you. I’d like to talk to you about …”
When he couldn’t finish that sentence, she prodded him. “About?”
“About us.”
“Do you want there to be an us?”
“Do you?”
“I think I’ve been pretty clear about that. Too clear, probably. Pushy, even.”
“I like that you’ve been pushy.” At least one of them had the courage to go for what she wanted.
Again, she frowned. “You want there to be an us? You and me?”
“Me and you. Try, at least. If you still do.”
Her confused frown transformed so quickly into a grin there seemed to be an explosion of light around her. “I’ll get my coat and let my mom know I’m leaving.”
