Page 105 of If Only In Our Dreams

And also punch him in the face.

“Shithead,” I muttered, and Robin laughed.

“You owe me monies,” he told me in his best Rosie impression. The annoyance Trent’s interruption had caused bled away as quickly as it had come. I leaned down to kiss Robin, aching to taste his laughter.

“You can have all the monies you want if you keep looking at me like that,” I murmured, kissing him softly—the way he’d always deserved to be kissed.

“Teddy bear,” Robin accused against my mouth, muffled and awkward and perfect.

“Only for you,” I promised, because it was true.

Robin fell asleep in the car on the way down the mountain. He had the present I’d picked for him clutched tightly to his chest. I’d caught him eyeing the large round stuffed crow more times than I could count—and covertly, while he’d been distracted sniffing wax melts, I’d nabbed one.

I knew I’d done well, because when I’d presented it to him, his eyes had misted up—and he hadn’t said a word. Just simply tucked into my chest and hugged me as tight as he could.

His present for me had been a pen. It was a fancy pen, made of marbled wood and gold. And I had immediately fallen in love with it. Especially when I realized just how well he’d grown to know me in such a small period of time. This was the kind of gift I would’ve picked for myself. And when he’d tucked it into the bag he’d informed me cheerfully that a “sexy doctor like you needs a sexy-ass pen.”

I didn’t wake Robin.

I let the crunch of gravel beneath the wheels and the fat snowflakes that had begun to fall comfort me as we made our way down the mountain. The van was good in the snow, and it was drifting leisurely enough there was no need to worry.

Still though, I made sure to take each turn slow and steady—both to avoid any icy patches, and so that I wouldn’t jostle Robin while he rested.

It was only after we arrived back in Belleville, traveled down Main Street and past my office to the parking lot behind it, that Robin finally woke up. He snuffled, jolting wide awake only seconds after his first sleepy sigh.

“Oh shit.”

“Shh,” I murmured, gently stroking a hand through his hair as the heater blasted hot air at us both. It ruffled the hair on my arm, but I ignored the odd sensation. “It’s okay.”

“I fell asleep!” Robin stared at me, horrified. “During ourdate.”

“That’s okay, sweetheart,” I promised. “It was a big day.”

I didn’t point out the fact he’d just acknowledged that ithadbeen a date. It was enough to know that he understood what it’d been. Despite knowing that that had been a slip up on hisend, for sure. He was very careful to only ever refer to me as his friend, and our relationship as temporary.

A fact I hoped in time I could change.

Especially after our talk at the mall.

“But I didn’twantto sleep,” Robin tried to explain. “Which—I mean…is crazy, considering how much I’ve wanted that for like…forever. But today I just…I didn’t want to miss a single second.” He stared at me, conflicted.

“The night’s not over,” I murmured, tracing the shell of his cheek and enjoying the way he shivered. “Don’t look so sad.”

“But—” Robin’s voice cracked. “What if this is our only one? And I just…”

“It won’t be,” I promised, leaning over and kissing the frown right from his lips. He hugged his crow plush tighter, and the fluff of the stuffed beast brushed against my flannel as I sank back into my seat.

It took a couple trips to get everything up the stairs. I tried to help, but Robin gave me the grouchiest, most adorable face I’d ever seen, and commanded me onto the couch with a point of his painted finger and a scowl.

“No way, asshole. Sit your gigantor ass down.”

I’d done as I was told, because truthfully, my back was still protesting. When Robin returned after neatly piling all his presents up safely on the kitchen counter, he eyed me with concern.

“What do you need, babe?” he asked, gaze snapping to the cold sweat at my temple.

“Pills in the cupboard, please,” I replied. Normally I’d get up and get them myself. But normally…I was alone.

Robin proved himself to once again be an incredible partner.

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