Page 43 of Perfect Imperfections

Cam sighed as they repeated their earlier back and forth. “So, did you and the doc do it?”

“Cam! He has a kid!”

“What? Single parents can’t get it on? I’m pretty sure that’s how they got into their situation in the first place.”

“We didn’t…do it.”

One dark eyebrow rose. “But you did do something?”

Her right hand came up to tug on her ear. Holding it in was killing her. She wanted to shout from the rooftops and seal her lips shut forever. How could her feelings be so contrary?

“It’s okay, Ellie.” Cam’s expression softened. “You don’t have to tell m—”

“He kissed me! Or I kissed him. We kissed. I can’t really remember who started what.”

For one stunned moment, Cam stood perfectly still. Then her best friend let out a loud whoop, throwing her hands in the air and shaking her hips in a celebratory dance.

“I knew it! That’s awesome! It was awesome, right?”

So much more than awesome. It had been overwhelming, intense, breathtaking, the most astounding experience she’d ever had with another human being.

“Yeah. It was pretty awesome. But…”

Cam frowned. “But?”

Dipping her head, she admitted. “It might have gone further, but Charlotte woke up and needed him, so he walked me to my car.”

“So, you two kissed in his…?”

“Kitchen.”

“Nice.” Cam winked. “Okay, you make out in the kitchen, then when his daughter needs him, he gallantly walks you to the safety of your car and tends to his child. Plus, he’s handsome and a doctor. I swear if I didn’t love you so much, I’d steal him right out from under you.”

No, she wouldn’t. Cam would never break up a happy relationship. Or a miserable one. Her friend had been on the receiving end of a few jerks who thought they could have their cake and eat it, too. She would never hurt someone like that. But she got the message. Sullivan was a very special person. She agreed.

“You two would never work out,” she teased. “He’s an inch shorter than you and in heels you’d tower over him.”

Cam waved a hand in the air, moving off to grab her equipment for the morning. “Like I care if a guy’s shorter than me. That’s their hang-up. Not mine. What’s wrong with short kings? It just means they’re closer to where they ought to be.”

She pointed down toward her crotch and Ellie nearly choked on her coffee again. She had to remember how outlandish her bestie could be and how dangerous it was to consume hot beverages around her.

“Well, don’t get your hopes up,” she said to herself as much as her bestie. “We’re not serious. He has a lot of responsibilities and a kid. We agreed to keep this thing casual.”

An arrangement that sounded a lot better last night when it meant she got to kiss Sullivan. In the light of the day, she wondered if this plan was smart. She’d never been good with casual. Then again, she’d never been good with long term either.

Cam shrugged. “You never know where casual can lead.”

Casual or long term, didn’t matter. For Ellie, it usually ended in disaster.

They started prepping for their morning. Today Stephan was coming by to give the penguins their monthly checkups. Ellie had to prep the exam room in the back, and they’d have to bring the birds there one at a time. It was a long and arduous process, as some of the birds didn’t like to be separated from their partners, but it was necessary. The health of the animals was the number one priority of the zoos and hers as well. Last year, they had a sweep of avian flu. She’d gone home most nights crying, watching her beloved birds fall ill, their mournful chirps and squawks haunting her late into the night.

Everyone made a full recovery thanks to the efforts of Stephan and Rob, but it had been touch-and-go there for a while. Ellie might have spent a night or two in the aviary sleeping next to the cages of her sick friends. The animals were her friends. All of them. She loved them and they loved her. She’d always preferred the company of animals to humans.

Well…

She usually did, but lately things felt different. Recently, she was finding she very much enjoyed spending time with one human in particular. Sullivan Green.

At the mere thought of his name, butterflies took flight in her stomach. She’d never felt this way about anyone before. She’d had crushes. Liked guys. Dated. She’d even had sex. It had been a while and not anything to brag over honestly. But with Sullivan, everything was different. The things he made her feel were different from anything she’d ever experienced before.

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