somehow, Shaw worked his magic, and Miami traded for Nicky. For the first time ever, outside of holidays, we were all in the same place at once. Between law school, college, and medical school, we’d had a lot of distance. I insisted on one night a month with the four of us getting together for dinner. No one has ever missed it. Even if scheduling is a nightmare, these dinners are sacred.
“Sure is, MDN is here, so I need to get off the phone.”
“I’m sending you the profile of a guy that looks like your type. Hell, it says he’s even a lawyer.”
“Stop!” I hiss, hang up on her, and rush to finish dinner.
A few minutes later, the doorbell rings. “Come on in,” I yell from the kitchen.
“Bizzy!” Mathis comes in shaking his head. “I’ve told you about that. Keep your damn door locked!”
I kiss him on the cheek and accept the bottle of wine he offers. “I knew it was one of you.”
“Still, you shouldn’t be careless.”
The doorbell rings again as I dump the noodles in the water, and Mathis goes to answer, since he apparently locked it after he came in. Both Nicky and Shaw walk in with their own bottles of wine. I go to Nicky first and cup his cheek, searching his face. It’s a habit I formed after we both went into remission.
He silently does the same. When we’re both satisfied, we silently give a shake of the head and hug tight. He kisses my temple and moves to the appetizers on the counter. Then I’m faced with Shaw’s overwhelming presence. A surge of desire and longing shoots through me as I take him in.
His six-foot two frame towers over me. He’s kept a well-trimmed beard for the last few years that sets off his full lips His eyes glow with shades of gold. It’s no secret I have unusual eyes, but when I stare into his, I could lose myself for days. They are the most soulful eyes I’ve ever seen on anyone in my life, have been since the day I first saw him.
It’s so much more though, every time I see him, he exudes a raw, deep, and undeniable sex appeal. The kind of appeal that no one else can match.
Through the years, I’ve become a master at hiding the feelings swirling when it comes to Crenshaw Bennett. I’ve resigned myself to the fact that he’ll always see me as a sick, young girl. Even now, at almost twenty-five, he’s never looked at me as a woman. I’ve tried to get over my hopeless infatuation, but there’s no denying that he owns a piece of my heart.
That’s why, when I find myself suffocating under the pressures at work, he’s who I turn to. The instant I’m in his big strong arms, the weight of grief dissolves. He handles me so gently, I almost feel precious in his embrace.
“Bizzy,” he says, kissing my cheek. He mirrors Nicky’s move by searching for any sign of sadness. I know he’s worried about my breakdown last week, but I’ve come to terms with the fact that Grady is going to die soon.
“I’m good, Shaw. Promise.”
He nods but instead of moving his hand, he sweeps his thumb across my lips gently. My breath hitches, and his eyes flash. Something passes between us, but I’m too lost in his gaze to figure out what it is.
“I’m starving.” Nicky opens a beer and slides onto a barstool.
Shaw drops his hand as I snap out of my trance and move to the stove.
“I tripled the recipe. You should be fine.”
“What are we having?”
“Dipshit!” Shaw slaps Nicky’s head. “You never ask. When will you learn? It’s rude.”
“It’s just Bizzy!”
“You need to learn to be suave. Say something along the lines of ‘What smells so delicious?’.”
“Suave, huh? When did you become the master on charm?”
“I’m trying something new.” I break up their argument. “It’s organic.”
The kitchen goes silent. Mathis looks to the ceiling, and Nicky makes a face like I’m serving dog food. Shaw purses his lips.
“Guys, it has chicken!” I defend, but get no reaction. “Fine, it’s a Chicken Parmesan with rotini and roasted vegetables.”
Every shoulder in the room relaxes.
I hand Mathis the table settings and instruct Nicky to help. When they walk out, Shaw comes up behind me and lays his hands on my shoulders. He threads his fingers through my hair, gently untangling the waves. It’s no secret how much I wanted long hair after the chemo. It took