Page 10 of Playing with My Heart

“I’ll be there,” he answered, flashing me a final smile before stepping out of the car.

Watching him walk away, my thoughts flickered to the way his laughter had filled my car, the stories we’d shared which helped me get to know him beyond the professional exterior I met at work. There was something about Parker that felt like—well, like a possibility waiting to unfold.

With a sigh, I maneuvered my car back onto the road, the empty passenger seat beside me suddenly too prominent. But the thought of tomorrow, another day with Parker’s presence, kept the loneliness at bay.

“Tomorrow,” I murmured to myself, a promise wrapped in anticipation.

Chapter Four

PARKER

The first light of dawn had barely peaked above the horizon when I stirred awake, a tremor of excitement fluttering in my chest. I’d been looking forward to this day all week. I was finally going to be able to introduce David to Travis who had offered to show us some of the best places in Chicago.

Smiling, I rolled over to look at my boyfriend. His chest rose and fell in an even rhythm as he slept, his face as familiar to me as my own. After all, I’d been staring at that face for over a decade. I traced the line of his jaw with my fingertips and his eyes fluttered open. “Good morning,” I whispered.

A lazy smile spread across his lips as he pulled me closer. The scent of his evening shower lingered on his skin—warm and comforting, weaving a sense of home into the air that surrounded us. “Hey,” he murmured, voice rough with sleep.

Our mouths met in a kiss that promised more, igniting a slow burn that spread throughout my veins. This was the connection that had bound us together as high school sweethearts tonavigating adult life side by side. Our hands roamed, tender at first and then with growing urgency. My body began to awaken under his touch. After all these years together, we knew exactly where to touch the other, how to bring each other to the heights of pleasure. But before the heat between us could build into a flame, a shrill beep sliced through the quiet room.

David tensed, and I fought back a sigh, knowing that sound all too well—the harbinger of duty calling. He reached for the phone on the nightstand, and the crease between his brows deepened as he read the text that illuminated the screen. “It’s the ER,” he said, voice laced with resignation. “There’s been a massive pileup.”

“But what about our tour of the city?” I asked, hating the petulant sound in my voice but unable to stop it.

“I’m sorry, babe. They’re calling everyone in, I have to go. But why don’t you still go with Travis. Let him show you around and then you can show me another day.”

I understood the demands of his job better than anyone, but it didn’t make these moments any easier. His schedule had been a bone of contention between us for a while. I’d begged him to take a job in a medical office, somewhere with more consistent hours, but he’d insisted that working in the emergency room was his true calling. I tried to be understanding. I wanted him to follow his dreams, to be happy, but more and more, it seemed like the thing that made him happy was the exact thing that was pulling him away from me. I’d been hoping the move to Chicago would be a fresh start for us, but so far, I wasn’t convinced.

“Of course,” I replied, trying to mask the disappointment that gnawed at my insides. “Go save lives, Dr. Hero.”

He offered a rueful chuckle, pecking my lips one last time before slipping out of bed. I watched the muscles of his back flex as he gathered his things. “I’m sorry about…” David said,gesturing to our bed and what had been about to transpire there. “We’ll make up for it tonight?”

“Sure,” I answered smoothly, forcing a playful wink even though my stomach twisted with the knowledge that he would probably be too tired by the time he got home to want to pick up where we’d left off.

David hurriedly got ready in the bathroom then with one last apologetic glance, slipped out of our room. The apartment door closed a few seconds later with a quiet snick that echoed loudly around the small space, like the sealing of a tomb. I lay back against the pillows, the remnants of our interrupted intimacy hanging in the air like a question left unanswered. Frustration simmered beneath my skin, mingling with a restlessness I couldn’t quite explain.

My gaze landed on the empty space beside me, cold and unyielding without David’s warmth. It was supposed to have been a day of fun and friendship, a chance to explore our new surroundings while strengthening our bond. But now, with plans unraveling, I was left with a pulsing silence and ache inside my chest.

Maybe this was some sort of sign, a nudge from the universe telling me to take a step back and reevaluate. David and I had built a life together, but were we still walking the same path? Shaking off the thought, I swung my legs over the edge of the bed. I needed to clear my head, find a way to salvage the day.

I grabbed my phone, the screen lighting up with David’s last message—a string of apologies over missing dinner the night before. With a sigh, I typed out a text to Travis.Hey, looks like our plans have changed. David got called into work.

Almost immediately, my phone buzzed, and Travis’ reply popped up.No worries! How about I swing by and pick you up? Chicago won’t explore itself!

A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth, my mood from just a few moments before, lifting. That was Travis—ever ready to seize the day with a grin. “Yeah,” I whispered to the empty room, “let's do this.”

The city greeted us with its symphony of sounds and vibrant array of colors, and we dove headfirst into the heart of it all. Millennium Park was alive with tourists and locals alike, all basking under the summer sun, a constant breeze keeping it from becoming unpleasantly hot. I suppose there was a reason Chicago was known as The Windy City. Travis’s laughter was infectious as he snapped photos of us with the gleaming curves of The Bean reflecting our grinning faces.

“Come on, Parker,” he said, a challenge sparkling in his blue eyes. “Let’s see if we can get the whole skyline in one shot.”

We posed and stretched, angling our bodies in ridiculous ways until we were both doubled over with laughter. It wasn’t just the absurdity of our attempts, but the easiness between us. “Next stop, Navy Pier!” Travis announced with a flourish, leading the way.

As we strolled along the pier, the breeze off Lake Michigan carried the scent of fresh popcorn and cotton candy. “Ready to conquer new heights?” he quipped, motioning toward the towering Ferris wheel.

“Uh…Only if you promise not to let go,” I replied, only half-joking.

“Never,” he vowed, and there was something in the solemnity of his tone that made my heart skip a beat.

The world fell away as we ascended, Chicago sprawling beneath us. I leaned against the railing, peering down at the tiny figures below, but it was the occasional brush of his knee againstmine that had caught my attention. It was purely innocent, but the jolt of electricity that traveled up my leg every time was as exciting as it was confusing.

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