Knox leaned my way, and he brought the side of his face so close to mine, his breath tickled my jaw. "You owe me."
Desire snapped to attention like a cadet caught sleeping on the job. My insides twanged with a sudden thrum of lust at his nearness and the way his cologne smelled on his skin. There was something else, too. Whiskey maybe? It was manly and woodsy, and I fuckinglovedit. It was a massive effort not to snuggle my nose into his strong neck. "What… do I owe you?"
He pulled away just far enough to catch my gaze. "I'll be sure to let you know when the time comes."
"That's concerningly vague," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
One corner of Knox's mouth curved a fraction. "You smell like a barn."
Frowning, I pinched the front of my shirt and sniffed it. I kind of did. "Yeah, well, you smell like alcohol."
Knox sighed and went to stand in front of the pen with his arms crossed. "I was at the bar. Admittedly." Mini gave up her ministrations on Pumpkin and demanded attention from Knox, which he gave her absentmindedly as he stroked between her ears. Like an evil villain with his enormous sidekick. "Who gives a sheep as a gift?"
"Farm bum," I reminded him, coming to stand next to him. Pumpkin went back to her blankets, which were near the heating vent, and tucked her legs under her. Her eyes drifted closed, like she could sense the danger of being booted out was finally over. "You don't usually go to the bar. Hard day?"
Rook gave me a side-eye. "Incomprehensibly, finding a lamb in my living room is the least trying thing about this day so far."
I stretched my mouth to the side. "Oh, shit. Did someone—did you lose… someone?" I didn't know what the correct term was for having a patient die, but I knew it had to happen sometimes.
Knox didn't seem to mind my fumbling question. He nodded, arms still crossed and watching the lamb sleep. "Saved the mom. Didn't save her baby."
My heart clenched. Every part of me wanted to reach for him and console him in some way, to wrap my arms around his tall body and hold together whatever was clearly fracturing. But he didn't like being touched. And I healed through touch. It was a cruel irony. "I'm sorry, Knox. That's… really, that's terrible."
With a sigh, he shrugged and said, "It happens. We'd like to control everything, but the reality is that fate is my co-worker, and I don't get a say in what she does."
"Shitty co-worker," I muttered.
Knox's mouth softened, and he turned to look at me fully. "Yeah, fuck her."
A surprised laugh sputtered from my lips, and I waved him over to the couch. "Come on. Mini's been walked and Pumpkin doesn't need milk for another few hours. Come play a mindless video game with me."
His voice elongated with an uncertain tone. "I don't know about that."
"You're a surgeon, Knox," I pointed out derisively over my shoulder. I had connected my game console to the TV he never used weeks ago. I preferred online games lately, but every oncein a while, a cartoon go-kart race wasjust the thing. "Your big brain can handle a little racing game." I turned on the console and fired up the game, tossing Rook a controller just as he joined me in the living room. The game popped up, obnoxiously bright and cheery, and I gestured to it with a grin. "See? You're not afraid of a little mushroom guy and a plumber, are you?"
Rook considered the large flatscreen with its simulation race on the opening screen. He squinted. "This seems like a ruse to kick my ass at something."
"What?" I asked in mock offense. "How dare you? Look, you can choose your character."
Reluctantly, Knox sat on the sofa with the controller between his enormous hands and his features pinched while he learned the controls. He chose the main bad guy of the story—of course, he fucking did—and I picked my usual princess dressed in peach. In fact, in their storyline, that villain often stole the princess, and I tried not to think about what it might be like to be a prisoner to Knox. He'd tie me up, maybe gag me, and have his way with me…
I shook my head. Racing. Cars.Get your head in the game, Gemma.
Rook cast another sidelong glance my way. "You're about to trounce me, aren't you?"
"Nonsense. You'll do really well." The starting bell dinged, and I hit the button at the exact right time, catapulting my character's go-kart forward. I grinned devilishly. "For a beginner."
Knox lost pitifully the first three times. Then he figured it out, and I would glance over at him to find his stoic, handsome face fully concentrated on the game. He didn't so much as furrow his brow, but the dancing lights from the screen cut across his sharp cheekbones, and his light eyes didn't waver from the goofy turtle in the go-kart. He beat me the fifth time, but that was the only one I allowed him.
Finally, my eyes started to cross, and I told Rook to just practice on his own since he seemed intent on continuing. He muttered something about beating the all-time record, and I slumped back against the cushions, my eyes heavy with sleep and my mind foggy but sated.
Pumpkin's little cry for milk woke me first. I tried to sit up, inhaling with surprise and wondering what universe I was in. The room had gone dark, and only the weak light from the streetlamps outside filtered into the living area. And someone was holding me. I rotated a surprised look down to my right to find Rook's arm around my body. We'd both slumped over sideways, and I'd fallen asleep tucked against his side while he slept partially upright against the couch cushions. His arm pinned me securely to him, heavy and warm.
Pumpkin bleated again, filling the cavernous apartment with her pitiful cry. If I didn't have a baby literally begging for my help, I'd be tempted to stay right where I was. Being held by Rook was far more satisfying than it had any right to be. His body was lean but soft, and he held me like he wanted me there. Like I belonged at his side…
"Nope," I scratched out, shaking my head. I tried wiggling out from his arm, but he didn’t budge. "No, Gemma. Bad Gemma," I whispered to no one. Well, to myself. My stupid, clearly smitten, delusional self. When had that happened? When had I gone from being repulsed by Dr. Snooty Rook to craving his touch?
Knox woke with an eerie kind of quietness that didn't surprise me. He simply opened his eyes and sat up, looking down to findme still against him. I tried to get away from him, but he didn't release me. With a sleepy huskiness, he asked, "What's wrong?"
