Page 67 of Dr. Intern

I smile as I think of what to say. “Thank you. For doing that with me . . . for walking me through it.”

“Don’t thank me,” he replies, and I swear I can hear a similar smile on his face. “You’re dynamite, pretty girl. I just lit the fuse.”

“Goodnight, Beau,” I whisper.

He pauses for a moment before answering me, as if he’s holding back from saying something. “Goodnight, Claire.”

Chapter 26

Beau

Iwas up at the crack of dawn this morning despite the opportunity for a solid twelve hours of sleep. I guess my body has finally adjusted to chronic sleep deprivation, though my early wake-up call probably has less to do with the fact that I’m adjusting to residency, and more to do with the fact that I woke up with a painful boner.

On my way to the gym, I left Claire coffee and a note like I always do, though this time I pushed things a little further to see how she would react.

When I get back, we’re going to continue what we started last night.

P.S. I fed Frosty. Turns out that if I give him food, he acts sweet. Kind of like someone else I know.

I want Claire to know that whatever she says or does, it’s not going to make me see her any differently so she doesn’t have to hide or feel embarrassed. Last night it was like her last wall of defense began to crumble, and I love that I got to share that with her—got to help her let go of everything she was expected to be.

The breathy little sounds that she made as she touched herself were enough to immediately send me over the edge, but I fisted myself to hold off until she was right there with me, falling over the cliff of ecstasy. And I’m so proud of her for jumping with me.

By the time I finish up at the gym and grab a shower, Claire’s reading on the balcony with a cup of coffee in her hand. I’m not entirely sure what she has on beneath the white comforter she’s wrapped in, but her hair is pulled back into a low bun and I’m desperate to go out there and plant kisses along her exposed neck.I just can’t get enough of this woman.

Choosing to give her some time alone and let her come to me when she’s ready, I prop myself up at the kitchen counter and sip my protein shake. In the past, Claire would’ve avoided me completely if she was embarrassed, so the fact that she’s out of her room at all is a good sign.

As I’m scrolling through my email with our December on call schedule, my phone rings.

“Hey, Momma,” I answer, putting the phone on speaker. “How’s Houston treating you?”

I haven’t had a chance to hear how their move from Atlanta went. The only reason I know everything went smoothly is because my brother texted pictures of my three nieces climbing all over my dad. It looks like they’re in for an exhausting few months.

“Oh, it’s fine,” Mom replies, sounding disinterested. “Though I’ll never understand why your brother decided to move here. This city has more concrete than New York. And don’t even get me started on the zoning laws. Why in God’s name would you put a brewery next to a residential neighborhood?”

I smirk as I think about how my brother has probably heard this rant several times already. “Missing Atlanta?”

“Oh no,” she says quickly, her voice rising an octave. “It’s lovely to spend time with the grandkids. Did you know that it’s almost December? I’d have no idea because we’re out by the pool right now in flip-flops.”

I chuckle, imagining the chaos around her. “Sounds like you’re living a tough life.”

“Have you ever heard of a Kolache?”

“Uhhh,” I reply, trying to think about the word. It sounds Polish or something. “I don’t think so. Why? Should I have?”

“It’s a yeast roll with egg and meat inside. They’re everywhere here. Though, it’s probably a good thing you don’t know what they are because you’d love them too much.”

I roll my eyes, waiting for my mom to comment on the inevitable. Surprisingly, she doesn’t mention my health and the sound of a splash in the background interrupts our silence. It’s followed by the hearty sound of my dad’s voice, and screams of laughter from my nieces.

“How’s Dad handling the move?”

I’ve been so busy lately, and hearing their voices makes my heart sink. My youngest niece was born right when I started residency, and I haven’t had a chance to meet her yet. She’s cute as fuck, though, and I can’t wait to teach her everything I know about being a fun uncle.

“Oh, you know your dad. He’s found a golf course nearby, so he’s as happy as can be.”

“Tell him that I’m gonna kick his ass one day soon.”

“I hope you have a cleaner mouth with your patients,” Mom says, probably rolling her eyes.

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