Page 73 of Deck the Fire Halls

We heard the clinic door open, and Katie greeted my first patient. Soren nodded. “I should go,” hemurmured. “I have to do all the things I didn’t get done yesterday afternoon.”

Because we’d been unable to stop touching each other, even just wrapped up in each other in his kitchen, fully dressed. Or later, cuddling on the couch while he insisted we watch the Christmas movie channel on TV... but that had turned into more kissing than cuddling, until I’dmademyself go home when it was dark enough so Mr. Ling wouldn’t see me doing the walk of shame.

The memory made me smile, but then I remembered that I would hardly see him this week. “You start night shift tonight?”

He nodded. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. I understand shift work. Anyway, we’ll make up for it.”

He raised an eyebrow, his smile becoming a grin. “I’ll text you.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

He stood there for a beat, and we just stared at each other. My heart was now hammering, nearing tachycardia levels, I was almost certain. He nodded as if he understood. “I’ll see you soon.”

He left, and I had to put my hand to my heart and do some controlled breathing—and rein in my stupid smile—before my first appointment.

I put the rose on the bookcase behind me and went about my day.

I had a full day of appointments, ranging from an infected big toenail to a possible fractured hand, babycheck-ups, elderly medication consults, and repeat prescriptions.

It was easy and incredibly rewarding to take five minutes to chat with each patient. To be reminded that patients are people and not just a number or an insurance statistic.

I was home early enough to make dinner and settle on my sofa with my book. I even turned the Christmas tree lights on and the lights at the front of my house. It was the most festive I’d ever been, in my adult life, at least. And something so simple as having a Christmas tree made me smile.

So did the few texts from Soren, and the ones I’d replied with. It was all so fun and flirty, a little bit dirty, but damn, that made me smile too.

I was the most relaxed I’d ever been.

And happy. But mostly I was sated. Not just my body, but my heart too.

I was, possibly for the first time in my life, content.

The next day I got a text from Hamish. He’d organized a small gathering for dinner at the pizzeria. I was certain he just wanted details, and given I had no other plans other than a few more chapters of my book, I agreed.

Plus, I really did like these guys.

And getting to actually hang out after work with friends over pizza sounded pretty damn great.

It was snowing, so I drove the short distance to Main Street, hurried inside, and pulled my beanie off as I walked inside. I’d not been in the pizzeria beforeand I was immediately transported back to my childhood in the old Pizza Huts. The décor, the smell. I loved it already.

Gunter and Braithe were in a booth so I made my way over. “Hey,” I said. “How amazing is this place?”

Braithe laughed. “Right?”

“Pizza Hut, circa 1985,” Gunter said.

“Exactly,” I agreed.

Braithe made a face. “Wasn’t alive then.”

Gunter nudged him. “Oh, shush.”

I chuckled just as Hamish arrived. He slid in next to me, taking his beanie and gloves off, ignoring the others and smirking right at me.

Yep.

This was going to be an interrogation.

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