friend. “Right. I’ll get right on that.” Then he walked away.
Joe was over in the corner with some of the other guys, lifting weights, but at Zeke’s approach, he sat up and glared at him. “I’m with Derick,” Joe announced, shaking his head. “If you’re going to spread that annoying happy crap, then stay away.”
Chuckles echoed throughout the group, but none dared to openly agree with Joe.
“What has you in such a foul mood?” Zeke asked, leaning against one of the weight machines. He was back in uniform today, his back healed enough for him to pull shirts over his head without tugging at the stitches. But he didn’t dare start in on the weight lifting again, even though his muscles and his mind craved the exertion.
Joe stood up and grabbed a towel, wiping his face. “It isn’t that I’m in a foul mood. It’s that you are acting just like Mike.”
Zeke glanced over at their friend and leader, who was in the conference room. The door was open at the moment so they could all see Mike as he pointed out something to General Kelly. Then Zeke glanced over at Lexie, Mike’s new wife, who was smiling as she worked on her computer, her fingers flying over the keyboard. The woman was one of the most efficient assistants their team had ever had. Add in the fact that she worked her butt off, both during the day to help out the team, as well as at night, when Mike stopped bothering her, to write romance novels.
Zeke would never admit it to anyone, but he’d read her books and…hell, they were pretty damn good!
“What’s wrong with acting like Mike? He’s a good guy.”
Joe glared at him for a long moment, then just rolled his eyes and turned away.
Zeke laughed, and strolled into his office, sifting through the tasks that required his attention. As he sat down and got to work, he smiled unconsciously as he considered options for dinner tonight. He’d struggled to sleep last night, so he’d woken up and started cooking, getting things ready for tonight. But what should he make for dessert?
Chapter 5
Abby paced across her small apartment, skimming her hands down over the jeans she’d pulled on after she’d finished her shift. Was her sweater set okay? Was the red too…sexual? Maybe she should change into a different color. She had several sweater sets because they were easy to coordinate with her skirts and slacks. Maybe blue? Yes, she should change into the blue sweater set.
But before she reached her bedroom, the doorbell rang and she froze. “Zeke,” she whispered. He’d promised not to kiss her last night, but that promise didn’t carry over to tonight.
Okay, maybe she should hold off on the kissing until his back was healed a bit more. She glanced over at the supplies she’d grabbed from the hospital earlier today. The gauze and ointment rested on her coffee table, seeming innocuous and simple. But the reality of those materials meant that she’d get to touch Zeke’s back once again. And that…that was a problem.
The doorbell rang again and she sighed, accepting that she didn’t have time to figure everything out. Better just to confront the issue head on.
“Hello…” She trailed off as she took in the man himself. He wore a pair of jeans that hugged his hard thighs and trim hips, but the tee shirt. Goodness, the tee shirt was…oh my! His muscles were on full display, the sleeves tight around his bulging biceps and…oh my!
“If you keep staring at me like that, I’m going to do something against my doctor’s orders,” he murmured, his eyes glowing with heat.
Her eyes snapped higher, taking in his handsome features and those blue eyes that…sighing, Abby stepped back, allowing him to come into her apartment.
“Let’s change your bandage.”
He stepped into her apartment and everything suddenly felt much…smaller. Tighter! It was all because Zeke’s shoulders were so wide and so amazingly…delicious!
Darn it, she was a doctor! She saw men’s bodies all the time. It was just bones and muscles, tendons and…!
Nope. There was no way Abby could compare Zeke to the other men that came through the emergency room. He was…better. Bigger, better, sexier, taller, more delicious, and just…!
“You’re doing it again,” he said, his voice low and grumbly. Zeke moved closer, resting his hands on her hips as he gently pulled her closer. “And guess what?”
“What?” she whispered, holding her breath as she waited…waited…for him to kiss her.
“I don’t have to stop myself