“All that means is now we getta move onto the good shit without the anxiety.”

“Good stuff?”

“Yeah.” I grin, and her eyes drop to my mouth. “Now I get to find out how wet I can make you just by whispering in your ear, find out how fast I can make you come with just my fingers. I get to discover things, like I found out this morning that you’re just as beautiful when you wake up as when you go to sleep. Good shit,” I finish, seeing her mouth is softer and her eyes are darker than they were before I started speaking.

“Right,” she whispers, taking another sip from her coffee.

Sipping from my own cup, I watch Dizzy run into the kitchen and jump up, placing his paws on her bare leg. Reaching down, she picks him up. “You ready to eat?” she asks him, and he answers by licking her jaw, making her laugh. I lean back and watch her wander around the kitchen in her robe. Knowing I can kiss and touch her whenever I want, all I can think is, Yeah, this is the good shit.

Chapter 5

Harmony

SEEING AT LEAST A DOZEN missed texts on the screen of my cell phone, I bite my lip and start going through them one by one. Apparently, no one missed Harlen tossing me over his shoulder and leaving with me last night. Obviously, they were all okay with him taking off with me, since no one even attempted to rescue me from him.

I need to finish getting ready for work, so I send everyone a quick text letting them know I’m okay and will call as soon as I have time to explain everything that happened, and there is a lot to explain. I lift my head when I see a shadow fall over me and watch Harlen, who’s still shirtless, wearing only jeans, put a hand on the bed at my hip and his face close to mine. “Gotta get to my place, shower, then get to the shop.”

“‘Kay.” I study his eyes and handsome face up close, loving that I now know exactly how his lips feel when they are pressed against mine and how his beard feels against my skin.

“I’ll see you when you get home tonight.”

“‘Kay,” I repeat, watching him smile.

“Kiss me, Angel.”

“‘Kay,” I breathe, lifting my hands to his warm, rock-solid bare chest then sliding them up to his shoulders, using the leverage to lift myself up to kiss him. I may start off placing my mouth against his, but before long, he takes over and turns the kiss into something else… something better… something hotter. God, I didn’t know anyone could kiss the way he kisses. I had no idea a kiss could take the oxygen out of your lungs while at the same time filling you up with life.

Dragging his mouth from mine, his hand wrapped around the back of my neck squeezes. “Tonight,” he says, and my eyes flutter open while I pull in a breath.

“Tonight,” I agree, and his lips touch mine then the tip of my nose before he stands. I watch him in a daze as he puts on his shirt, and then keep watching him as he grabs his boots and leaves the room, giving me a smile over his shoulder as he goes.

I fall to my back in the bed and stare up at the ceiling, feeling nothing but happiness. No fear, no worry about the unknown, just happiness. Smiling, I get up and finish getting ready for work, and then head out with that same smile still on my lips.

***

“Hey, you,” Mimi says, and I look up from the chart I’m working on and meet her gaze. Mimi and I started working here a few weeks apart, but she’s been a nurse for over six years. The first time I saw her, I didn’t know what to think. She’s edgier than any other nurse I’ve met. She has lots of tattoos, black hair that’s cut in a short bob with sharp bangs that brush her almond-shaped, and unusual colored blue-green eyes. I wouldn’t have guessed she’s as sweet as she is by just looking at her, but she is, even if she is a little blunt.

“What’s up?” I ask as she rolls her chair closer to mine.

“I’m exhausted.” She yawns, grabbing her coffee and taking a sip. “These hours are kicking my ass.”

“I hear you,” I concur, picking up my Coke and twisting off the lid. “We only have a couple more hours left though, so not much longer.”

“Thank God. I feel like I could fall asleep standing up.” She yawns again. “This coffee isn’t doing it for me anymore,” she mutters as she pushes out of the chair to stand, sending it rolling back a few feet. “I’m going to go grab a 5-hour ENERGY out of my bag in the break room. Do you mind watching my rooms?”

“Not at all,” I say, and she gives me a small, tired smile before she walks off. Going back to working on the chart in my hand, I lift my head when I sense someone getting close to the nurses’ station then feel myself tense when I see it’s Dr. Hofstadter. Dr. Hofstadter was one of the first doctors I met here at the hospital after I started. When I met him, he gave me the heebie-jeebies. He’s creepy when he’s trying to be charming, and even though he’s good looking, he’s the kind of man whose position as a doctor has given him a false sense of power.

“Hey, Harmony.” He winks, and I fight to keep myself from gagging.

“Hi, Dr. Hofstadter.” I give him a fake smile as he leans against the double ledge counter in front of me.

“How are you?” he asks, and I watch his eyes drop to my chest.

Total creep.

“I’m good. How are you?”

“Been good, spent part of the weekend on my boat, the other part playing golf at the country club.” He smiles what I suppose would be an attractive smile if he didn’t make my skin crawl.

“That’s nice,” I mutter, praying silently that one of the patient’s call light turn on so I have an excuse to get away from him.

“Have you ever been out on a boat?”

“Yep,” I answer, not giving him anything else, since I don’t want to engage him and drag out this conversation.

“Maybe we shou—”

“Hey, Dr. Hofstadter,” Mimi says, sounding upbeat and peppy, and I watch his eyes go to her and twitch with annoyance.

“Mimi.” He lifts his chin in her direction.

“Did you see the football game?” she asks, moving herself to stand between my chair and the counter, blocking him from view.

“I didn’t,” he mutters.

“Bummer, it was a great game.”

“Yeah.” He clears his throat. “I gotta head out. If you ladies need me, you know my number.”

“Yep,” Mimi agrees, and I see his eyes come to me from around her shoulder and watch him smile.

“Have a good night.”

“You too.” I don’t smile back. I just watch him turn and leave.

“God, he’s so creepy,” Mimi says, turning to face me once he’s disappeared down the hall and through the double swinging doors at the end.

“I know,” I agree, because he is, and I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks so.

“Was he going to ask you out?”

“I don’t know, but I hope not.”

“You don’t want to be on his radar. You need to avoid him.”

“I’ll avoid him,” I assure her.

“Good.” She opens her 5-hour ENERGY and tips it into her mouth.

“So who played in the game yesterday?” I ask with a smile, and she grins at me.

“Fuck, I don’t know, but it’s the only thing I could think to say when I saw the look on your face and him leaning over the counter.”

“Thanks for saving me.”

“Don’t mention it.” She shrugs, taking a seat in her chair, pulling out a chart, and opening it up.

Looking from her to the clock on the wall, I hold in a sigh of disappointment. I still have an hour and thirty-four minutes before I can go home. Damn. With no other choice, I get back to work.

***

I pull into my driveway at a little after eleven p.m. and notice the lights on inside. Something I’m not use to, but something I really like. I shut my car down and grab my bags off the passenger seat. The minute I open my door, I watch Harlen step out onto the front porch with Dizzy in his arms.

“Hey.” I slam my door behind me and head his way.

The moment I’m close enough for him to reach, the arm that’s not holding Dizzy slides around my waist and his mouth drops down to mine for a soft kiss. “Hey,” he says there, and I smile. “You hungry?”