I swallow a groan.What the fuck?
This is Zara. My best friend. The woman I shouldn’t want. The woman who has been sneaking into my dreams lately. Dreams I had in college and she starred in more times than I want to confess to.
Dreams that would put those spicy scenes she’s referring to…to shame.
35
GARRETT
Zaraand I arrive at the medical building with ten minutes to spare. She’s been squirming in her seat for the past thirty minutes. Discomfort or nervousness creases her brow, her teeth pressed into her pinkish-brown, plump lower lip.
I find an empty parking spot not far from the entrance. Zara climbs out of the Explorer but doesn’t move beyond where we’re parked, her eyes on the building. Uncertainty wars on her face.
I walk to her side of the SUV and cup her cheek. Her jasmine-scented skin is soft beneath my fingertips. “Hey, you okay?”
Her beautiful brown eyes meet mine, the emotion in them unchanged. “Can I have a kiss?”
“You can definitely have a kiss. Anytime you want.” I capture her mouth with mine, and her lips part, giving me access to the sweet heat of her mouth.
Christ, I’ve missed her. Missed this.
My tongue strokes hers, and I’m eager to distract her for even a few seconds from whatever awaits her upstairs. The warm spring breeze brushes against us, as if wanting to get in on the action. Small birds from a nearby tree chirp their approval. I deepen the kiss.
It’s been six days since I last kissed her. Six days since we made the deal to kiss whenever we need a dopamine hit.
While it might be six days since my mouth tasted hers, it’s been only three since I had my mouth on the smooth skin of her neck. Three days since I first wanted to suck on her perfect nipple.
Just the thought of that makes me hard.
Zara’s hands rest on the outside of my thighs, and her thumbs stroke a teasing caress over my denim-covered skin. Her touch is intoxicating, and it isn’t helping my situation. But that doesn’t stop me from taking one more swipe of her mouth with my tongue, memorizing her taste.
I pull away, not wanting to, but we’re going to be late if we don’t get going. “You ready to go upstairs?”
She nods and winces.
“Your neck?”
“Yes. And everywhere else. My body isn’t a fan of long car rides these days. I’ll be fine once I move around.” She takes a couple of steps toward the front entrance, but her movements are stiff, robotic. It’s like each step takes tremendous effort, but her expression barely reveals anything, a mask pulled into place.
Shit, I’ve never seen her like this. The caveman part of me wants to hoist her up and carry her to the rheumatologist’s office. But she won’t appreciate it. She’s stubborn. Independent.
She’ll pinch the skin on my arm if I try.
I speak from experience.
I hold out my arm for her to take, and we slowly walk to the main entrance. “I forgot to tell you,” I say, as if we’re out for a casual stroll. “I found a child-play psychologist for Peony.” I’d meant to tell Zara during the ride to Portland, when she asked me how Peony was doing, but then we started talking about something else, and the thought slipped my mind until now.
“That’s great. What does Athena think about the person?”
“I haven’t told her anything about it yet. Simone gave a list of names the other day, and I contacted a few of them.” I talked to one of them on the phone and felt instantly at ease with her.
Hopefully, Peony feels the same way with the therapist. And if not? I’lltry someone else on the list. “We have an appointment with the therapist in two weeks. ’Cause Peony can’t talk yet and tell the therapist what’s wrong, it could end up taking a lot longer for the benefits of therapy to be seen.”
“I can imagine it is more challenging. And frustrating for you and Peony.” Zara flashes me a smile. “But see? I knew you’d be an amazing father.”
“I’m not sure about that yet. But I am trying. We’ll see howthatgoes when I take her to my parents’ next week for dinner, so she can finally meet my brothers.” And to see if Peony is more accepting of my father now that she’s more comfortable with me.
“That’s all you can do. Try.” Zara smiles at me again. This time something stirs inside me, an emotion I can’t name, and an intense craving to kiss her once more broadsides me.
