take-out bag and started pulling out the food. “When do you get off?”
I glanced at the clock as I dug through my purse for some change. “In about five hours. I told you this morning I had a twelve-hour shift.”
“I know. I was hoping it might’ve changed.”
“Nope.” I walked over to the soda machine. “We’re short-staffed today.”
The smell of fries made my stomach grumble. I snatched the two waters and walked back over to the table, tossing one bottle to Wes. He caught it with one hand and sat down. For a few minutes there was nothing but silence as the two of us dug into our food.
The other nurse finally got up. She tossed her garbage away and left. The door slammed behind her. I wasted no time and leaned over to kiss Wes fiercely on the mouth. He seemed taken off guard, his lips unmoving beneath mine. It took him only a few seconds to react just the way I wanted him to.
When I pulled away, Wes had a slightly dazed look on his face.
“What was that for?”
I shrugged and took a drink. “I don’t know how much time we’ll have alone, so I might as well take the chance while I have it.”
Wes leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. He made an appealing picture, just sitting there with that serious expression of his. Right then, more than anything, I wished I could leave work and go home with him.
“When are the crazy shifts going to end?”
“The same time yours end,” I teased.
He smiled and reached out, his fingers laced with mine. “I mean it.”
I gently squeezed back. “I know you do. But this is how it always is. A few weeks of crazy shifts. A small lull and then more crazy shifts.”
“Just don’t overwork yourself.”
I loved his concern. “I won’t. I promise.”
“Because the minute you do, you know you can stop working, right?”
I got up and threw my trash away. “Why would I do that?” I asked over my shoulder. “I love my job.”
“And I love you. I want you all to myself. There’s nothing in this world that I can’t give you.”
When I walked over to him, his hands curled around my waist, bringing me snug against his body. He squeezed my hip. I kissed the crown of his head.
“I love you, Victoria.”
The look in his eyes showed he meant every word. Even if I was dressed in scrubs, he still made me feel beautiful.
—
There’s nothing better than coming home after being on your feet for twelve hours.
Anxiously, I kicked my shoes off and walked right past them, not bothering to line them up against the rest of the shoes. The kitchen light was off, but light from the living room poured out into the hall. It was uncharacteristically quiet. Most times the TV was on, usually as background noise.
“Wes?” I called out.
My question was met with silence.
My legs felt like jelly as I walked down the hallway. All I wanted to do was slide beneath my sheets and go straight to sleep.
Entering the bedroom, I immediately collapsed onto the bed and pressed my cheek against the floral comforter. Since Wes and I moved in together, we’d had to compromise on what items of ours stayed, what went into storage, and what had to go. His townhouse had been a complete bachelor pad, from the black leather furniture to the bland art on the wall. I liked splashes of color, flowers everywhere. The first time he saw the pale, yellow floral comforter, he reacted with horror. In the end he relented, and now the bachelor pad was gone. We met in the middle to create a cozy space that was all ours.
The bathroom door opened and out walked Wes, a towel wrapped around his waist. My exhaustion magically disappeared. Rivulets of water trailed down his ribs. His wet hair fell across his forehead, drops beading off it and sliding down his face like tears. He dried off his hair and leaned over to give me a quick, “Hey. Finally home.”
“Finally. I’ve decided that it’s probably a really bad idea for you to come have lunch with me.”
He lifted a brow. “Why’s that?”
“Because I was counting the hours until my shift ended. More so than usual.”
I watched him closely. His body was lean, the cut of his abs prominent, his chest wide. The muscles in his back were pulled taut against his skin. He pulled out a pair of boxers and