this—maybe this wasn’t the best idea for a date. We can go somewhere else, I just need to make a call—”
“No, that’s not what I meant,” Brennan said with a smile. He set the helmet on the bike seat, then placed his hand on my arm forearm reassuringly. And embarrassingly enough, the gentle touch did settle my nerves. “At least tell me what you have planned, first.”
“It’s less of a plan and more like a standing appointment,” I said.
“Well, let’s go then,” Brennan said with a grin. “I’m just happy to be spending time with you. And I don’t want anyone thinking I’m a bad influence on you.”
I swallowed and directed my smile at my feet. He was always doing that—making me feel seen. Seen and appreciated. It had been a long time since someone had treated me like this, especially someone as accomplished and smart as Brennan. So I steeled myself and nodded.
“All right, come on,” I said.
Brennan brightened as we walked toward the front doors of the hospital.
“Hiya, Lawrence,” the receptionist said brightly. “Got your badge here and ready to go. Who’s this?”
“This is my, uh—” There was the anxiety again. What was Brennan to me? We were more than friends, but he wasn’t—wasn’t my boyfriend.
But.
I wanted that.
The realization nearly knocked the breath from my lungs. I shook it off as quickly as it hit, though—I’d deal with that later. Right now, I had to focus on preparing Brennan to meet the kids.
“I’m his guest,” Brennan said easily when it became clear I wasn’t going to say anything. “Brennan Stacker.”
“Helping out with the kids today?” the receptionist asked as she printed his visitor’s badge.
Brennan shot me a grin. “Guess so.”
We walked down the hallway toward the elevator. “So,” Brennan said. “The kids, huh?”
“Yeah. I volunteer with some of the kids in the cancer ward weekly.” As we waited for the elevator, I shoved my hands in the pockets of my jacket. Even after all this time, it was still hard to talk about. “I mentioned my brother, Parker, before?”
“Yeah,” Brennan said gently, his attention focused on me even as I stared at my shoes.
“He had leukemia. Diagnosed when he was just three years old. And I’m a local boy, you know, so this is the same hospital where he was treated until he—he passed. Four years ago. He was fourteen, and I was twenty-one, so.” I cleared my throat. “I spent a lot of time in this ward. And I remember how lonely Parker got. And I just—I don’t want the kids who are here now to feel that way, too, you know? Because they’re so brave, dealing with this, and it’s really isolating. And I think it’d make Parker happy. To know I was still here, helping out.”
The elevator doors opened to let us on, and we both stepped inside.
“Hey,” Brennan said.
I glanced up. The elevator doors slid closed, and suddenly we were alone. Brennan’s eyes were warm, so warm and intense that I could hardly keep his gaze.
“Hey,” he said again, but this time he touched my chin, tilting my face up. Once our eyes met, he slid his hand to my jaw, cradling my face. “That’s amazing,” he said softly.
I blinked. Amazing? It just felt like the right thing to do.
“You’re amazing,” Brennan said. “Just when I think I’ve got you figured out, you find a way to surprise me again.”
I flushed under the praise as my heart jumped into my throat. I was about to protest—to explain I wasn’t amazing, I wasn’t complicated, I was just—Joker. But before I could speak, Brennan leaned forward and kissed me. And all my protests crumbled under the warmth of his lips on mine.
I was so lost in the kiss that I didn’t hear the elevator doors slide open as we reached the fourth floor. I did hear a familiar voice say, “Ooh! Excuuuse me!”
Anna grinned with delight, clapping as she watched us. “You brought him!”
“What?” Heather nearly shouted, looking up from where she was buried in a book. “He brought who?”
“The guy!” Patrick shouted.
“This is the guy, right?” Devon asked. “Are you the guy?”
“Kids, please,” I said a little desperately as heat rose in my cheeks. I should’ve known they’d sell me out immediately.
“I don’t know,” Brennan said with a wide grin. He wrapped his arm around my waist as he tugged me inside. “Am I the guy?”
“So maybe I’ve mentioned you,” I admitted. “Once or twice.”
“Constantly!” Anna said, throwing her hands up in the air.
“I didn’t