AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"Yeah," he repeated. "I mean, I'm here. I'm covering a few different services. Running the ER for a couple of days. That's the prize for being the new guy,apparently."
Alex glanced over her shoulder at me, and I smiled in spite of myself. I knew what she was thinking, and I wasn't happy aboutit.
"There's a small get-together on Christmas Eve," she started, gesturing between us, "and a bunch of us are going. Acevedo will be there with his wife, and Hartshorn, too. You shouldcome."
He shook his head, and for once, I was on the same page with this guy. "You don't need a thirdwheel."
"Not a third wheel," Alex replied with a laugh. Seriously, where the fuck was my salty girl when I needed her? "It's really casual. Oh, and the food isamazing."
Stremmel glanced around as if he could find an exit hatch in the hallway. When he didn't find one, he scowled at the rug beneath his feet. "I'll get back to you on that," hesaid.
"I'll put you down for yes, but you can let me know if anything comes up," Alexsaid.
"Fantastic. It's so good that we bumped into each other like this," I said, my words drier than the Mojave. "So, sogood."
"Are you on your way in for the day?" Alex asked him, waving toward thestairs.
Stremmel nodded. "Yeah," he replied. "Rounds."
"I'll walk with you," Alexsaid.
Before she could take a step, I closed my fingers around her arm and yanked her back. "Actually, Alexandra," I said, not bothering to finish that sentence. I wasn't surrendering my last moments of the morning with Alex to thisguy.
Stremmel held up a hand as he crossed the landing and started down the stairs. "I'll catch up with you some other time," hecalled.
Alex whirled around to face me. "What?"
I backed her up against the wall, my knee moving between her legs and my hands landing on her waist. My lips met hers as I leaned into her, crowding every inch of her space and swallowing her surprisedgasp.
"How much time," I breathed between kisses, "do youhave?"
Her fingers were in my hair, fisting and pulling in every direction. I'd look like a wreck when I got to the office, but I didn't care. I was Alex'swreck.
"Not enough," she murmured against my mouth. "And we're in thehallway."
Despite the layers of winter clothing between us, I gripped her hips harder. "Sowhat?"
"So, we're not dry humping in the hallway," shesaid.
"Who said anything aboutdry?"
I felt her laugh on my lips, and it defused some of the irrational tension brought on by Stremmel.Some. She pressed a hand to my chest, pushing me away, but brought her other hand to my crotch. She cupped me through my jeans, stroking just enough to make me contemplate dragging her back into the apartment and telling the world to fuck off for theday.
"I have to go," Alex said, and there was real remorse in hervoice.
Nodding, I pulled her hand away from my jeans and tugged her into my arms again. It served two purposes: I liked the way she fit me, and I couldn't handle another second of dick petting if it wasn't going anywhere. "I know," I said. "Sorry about startingthat."
"No apologies," she said, her head nestled on my chest. "But you don't have to paw me every time Sebastian isaround."
"I just don't like the guy," I cried. "And you're so fucking nice to him. What's thatabout?"
Alex glanced up at me, her eyebrow arched. "He just got here, Riley. Like, five minutes ago. He doesn't know anyone, and he told me that he left behind a fucked-up situation in California." She gave me a pointed look, the kind she'd taken out back to whittle into a goddamn dagger for situations when she needed to puncture all of my internal organs in one shot. "And I was new in town not too long ago and if it hadn't been for people like Acevedo and Hartshorn, I would've been miserable,too."
Chastened, I tucked some stray wisps of hair over her ears and kissed her forehead. "Understood," I replied. "It just takes me by surprise when you're nice to people who aren't serving youfood."
"Oh, would you shut up?" she snapped. "I'm nice to people all the time. I'mdelightful."
I leaned forward, my forehead touching hers, and smiled. "That's my saltygirl."
