Page 64 of Resisting You

Renato narrowed his eyes. “You know what I mean.”

He could see the conflict playing out on Frey’s face—the want to deny and the honesty warring with him. After a beat, he let out a sigh and shrugged. “Yeah, okay. I mean, it’s not easy for me to find time. Childcare is expensive, and I don’t really like being away from Rex on my days off.”

“I wouldn’t ask you to,” Renato told him.

Frey licked his lips. “This makes me sound like a real douche, but maybe after he’s in bed, you could come over? I just…don’t want to complicate things for him.”

Renato wasn’t sure what Frey meant, but he did understand it was tricky, dating someone who had a child. Their beginning and middle had been so rocky there was no reason for Frey to believe their ending would be easy.

And Renato could be patient while they learned to trust each other.

What choice did he have if he wanted this?

He cradled Frey’s face between his palms, then kissed each corner of his mouth softly. “Whatever you need me to do.”

“God, don’t be reasonable now,” Frey said, his laugh ragged.

Renato smiled at him. “Would you like me to be an asshole? Tell you to get the hell out of my house?”

“That would be familiar, at least,” Frey said, but he surged in and kissed Renato again. “Text me later.”

Renato nodded, and he didn’t get up to follow Frey as he gathered his clothes, dressed slowly, then headed for the bedroom door. He watched the tension creep back into Frey’s body, and he wished he could kiss it away again.

And he would. When Frey allowed him close.

“Will you text me?” Frey asked, sounding unsure.

Renato nodded. “I will. I meant what I said. Whatever you need me to do.”

Frey’s mouth opened, then shut, and then he sighed and gave the doorframe a quick pat before turning on his heel and leaving. Renato sat, half expecting him to burst back in for a last kiss, but it wasn’t long before Renato saw headlights flash over his window and then heard the sound of a car pulling away.

He wasn’t entirely sure what this all meant—or what it was going to become. But he knew that this was something he wouldn’t let go of. Not willingly. He’d been given another chance at not being lonely, and though it wouldn’t destroy him not to take it, he was tired of hurting.

And Frey was one thing he was willing to be selfish with.

The first few times Renato had said he was getting too old for his job had been a joke, but he was starting to wonder if maybe he was. Surgeries were harder on him now. His back hurt, his knuckles ached, and it felt like his eyeglass prescription was changing every six months.

Maybe it was time for him to consider changing his practice. Maybe it was time to do the things he’d been telling some of his patients to do: slow down. Take it easy. Remember that he was only human.

The thought was slightly heartbreaking in ways he couldn’t quite put words to, but it didn’t feel like an ending.

“Dr. Agosti?”

Renato jumped. It was absurd to say he wasn’t expecting to hear Frey’s voice, considering they’d scrubbed in together, but Renato had been drifting a little, which wasn’t something anyone wanted their surgeon to say.

Christ, maybe it wasn’t all him. Maybe working with Frey was the problem because his soft, inquisitive tone sent shivers down his spine, and he wanted to drop his tools, peel away his gloves, and pin Frey to the wall beside the sinks and ruin him with his mouth.

“Dr. Agosti,” Frey said again, quieter this time.

“Quiet,” Renato snapped. Luckily, it was a simple procedure. They were removing floating cartilage from a woman’s knee, and he wasn’t doing the work. The doe-eyed, trembling resident had the honor. “So, are we going to make the first incision, or are you waiting for the patient to die of natural causes so you can get out of it?”

“Unnecessary,” Frey started.

Renato looked at him over his mask. “I’m fairly sure no one heard me asking for your opinion. Did anyone in this room hear me asking for Nurse Millie’s opinion?”

“Are you serious right now?”

Renato bit back a sigh. “Deadly.”

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