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“Say something to convince me that this is a bad idea,” Gage says in a low voice. His eyes are trained on my hand where it touches his skin.
“This?” I answer as I trail my finger down the ridge between his abs.
He swallows hard and gives me a“no shit”look.
I shrug. “Maybe it is a bad idea. But we’re on the same page, you and me.”
“I don’t know about that,” he says.
Oh.
He takes my hand and lifts it to his mouth. It tickles and sends a shiver up my arm when he softly kisses that tender spot on the inside of my wrist. He groans and closes his eyes, tilting his face up toward the darkening night sky.
“I want to let these burgers burn to a crisp while I sneak you to my room and lock the door. Is that what page you’re on?”
The butterflies in my stomach race around in a flutter.
“Buns and cheese!” Tripp howls from the door and we jump apart from each other. I brush my hair back and Gage turns to fix his shirt and adjust the problem behind the zipper of his jeans.
I move to look busy and give the burgers a flip. “Couple more minutes on these,” I say like I’ve been watching them the whole time and not exploring Gage’s irresistible chest.
“Master griller huh?” Tripp teases me and puts an arm around me casually.
Gage steps up next to us, and I peek at him out of the corner of my eye. He looks none too pleased. I snicker to myself because if he’s trying not to appear jealous, he’s doing a terrible job.
I’m a warm-blooded human, so of course I’ve noticed that Tripp is attractive. Between the full tattoo sleeve on his one arm, the ridiculously chiseled features that could cut glass, and his witty and infectious life of the party personality, I have no doubt most girls flock to him like vampires at a blood bank.
But from the moment I met the boys in the bunkhouse, I wasn’t drawn to him like I was to Gage. It’s harmless and fun, nothing serious of course. But the way I want him is impossible to ignore.
The burgers are done, and the guys carry them inside on a platter. I follow in behind them, pretending I didn’t just go over a list in my head of ways to flirt with Gage again.
Music plays from the retro jukebox in the corner and several people I haven’t had the chance to meet yet mingle around the pool table in the corner. From the looks of it, they’re other guys who might work here. The jeans and boots are a dead giveaway.
I turn toward the dining table where the cheers are coming from. Warren holds the top of his hat down while he chugs a cup full of beer. He stands across the table from a guy whose name I don’t know, then flips it upside down on the table. The four people in a line next to him jump and yell, slapping him on the back.
Another group in the kitchen clinks their shot glasses together, taps them on the counter once, and then tips them all back in unison. I smirk at the surrounding chaos and laughter.
A football game plays on mute on the TV and I spot a stack of red plastic cups on the coffee table right in front of it. Before moving to grab one, Kee slides up next to me and bumps my hip with hers.
“There you are!”
“Hey,” I smile at her. “Having fun?”
“Totally. This is great isn’t it?”
It is. There’s warmth all around and it’s not just from the fireplace. It’s familiar to me. I can remember nights like this when I was growing up. It wasn’t the same type of party, but it was a group of people who gathered together to chat and eat and watch or play games. We didn’t have much in the way of money or material things, but there were always people around that we loved. People that worked together, played together, and would do anything for each other. It’s a part of this community that I’ve always loved and missed.
It’s a whole different lifestyle compared to the cutthroat world of medical school. In Baltimore, I’m constantly surrounded by competition. People who are simply courteous out of obligation, not caring and friendly out of love.
I like to pretend that it’s a good thing I didn’t have close friends like this in school and that I need to be pushed out of my comfort zone to reach my potential. And maybe it was that way for most students. But in reality, I took it too seriously. Like my life and my family’s lives depended on it. I was sacrificing friendships and other life experiences just to get ahead.
I still believe that I need to do whatever it takes to take care of my family. And I will. I’m just beginning to see what I’ve been missing out on by taking the path I chose.
This is exactly what I was afraid of when I agreed to come stay here. Questioning myself. Regret. Longing for the type of life I haven’t allowed myself to have.
I’ve been nearly killing myself through medical school as a means to an end. But looking around, these people are happy and thrilled regardless of whether their bank accounts might be bursting at the seams. That’s not what’s important to them. Their circle of people? That’s what they value.
They’re living in a place that makes them happy. Doing what fulfills them. Not what earns the highest paycheck possible. It’s a way of life here. I can respect that. And honestly? I envy it.
