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“Thanks, Sterling.”
“Anything for you.”
I’m tired, but there seems to be more behind his words. I shake out of my exhaustion. “I’ll see you soon.” I wait for him to say goodbye and end the call, placing my phone in my cupholder and heading home.
When I pull into my driveway, Sterling is sitting on the front porch. His elbows are resting on his knees as he scrolls through his phone. When he looks up, the smile that lights up his face also lights the fire in my heart. He is exactly what I need after the day I had. Time with Sterling makes everything better.
Parking my car, I take my time gathering my purse, phone, and keys before climbing out. By the time I reach him, he’s on his feet with his arms wide open. I don’t hesitate to walk into his embrace. The feel of his arms around me changes my mood instantly.
“Are you hungry?” he asks.
“Yes. What are we having?” I ask, pulling back.
“I made cheesy chicken and rice with broccoli. Come on. I’ll make you a plate.” He laces his fingers with mine and leads me into the house. It smells amazing, and I give myself a mental pat on the back for giving him a key to my place.
“It smells so good,” I say, dropping my purse to the table, along with my phone and my keys. I kick off my shoes. “I need a quick shower. I’ll be five minutes tops.”
“Take your time. I transferred this to the Crock-Pot so it would stay warm.”
“Remind me to thank your mom for teaching you how to cook.” His laughter follows me down the hall to my room. I quickly strip out of my scrubs, toss them in the hamper, grab some comfy clothes, and take the world’s fastest shower.
Pulling on shorts, a sports bra, and a tank top, I don’t bother with my hair—choosing to pull it into a ponytail and calling it good. When I reach the kitchen, Sterling has two plates of food ready at the table.
“Thought you could use one.” He nods to the beer that’s set in front of one of the plates on my small island.
“Definitely. Thank you for this.”
He takes the seat next to me, and we dig into our food. “I have plans for us tomorrow,” he tells me, taking another bite of his dinner.
“What are we doing?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“Good surprise or bad surprise?”
“Are there bad surprises?” He raises his brow, his lips lifting in a smile.
I shrug. “I’m sure there are.”
“Well, this is a good surprise.”
“What do I wear?”
“Anything is fine. It’s not fancy. Something comfortable.”
“Do I get a hint?” I ask, forking up my final bite. “This was so good.” I nod toward my now cleared plate.
“The hint is that you’re going to love it, and thank you.” He stands and grabs our empty plates. “I’m going to clean this up and put the leftovers in the fridge. Go pick out a movie. Do you want another beer?”
“No. I’ll grab a bottle of water. Want another?”
“Sure. I’ll be right there.”
I move to the fridge, snagging two bottles of water, and run one of the bottles over the back of his neck as I pass him. He turns faster than I thought he would or could and grips me by the hips, lifting me in the air over his head as if I weigh nothing. I’m half tempted to dive forward and pretend like I’m Baby inDirty Dancing.
“Now I’ve got you.” His voice is husky.
“What are you going to do with me, Tank?” I ask. His eyes heat, and he starts to lower me. I lick my lips, a move he doesn’t miss. Just when our mouths are close to meeting, finally, after all of these weeks, his phone rings. He sighs heavily and lowers me to my feet. Instead of my lips, his press a kiss to my forehead.
