Page 12 of From the Moment We Met

“What—”

“It’s mine; it’s my talisman. It always brought me luck. She needs it more than I do now.” Lilly's voice was soft across the bed as she smoothed Janie’s matted hair, avoiding Jacob's gaze.

“You gave it to her?”

Lilly nodded. “As I said, it always brought me luck. You should rest, Mr. Edmonton—”

“It’s Jacob.”

Lilly's jaw twitched. “I prefer Mr. Edmonton, if it’s all the same to you.”

Her words hit like fists. He hated that she erected a wall to protect herself from another verbal onslaught. His brain blanked as he looked at her, noting how she refused to meet his gaze. How do I apologize for being a total cad to the first person who has ever seen through my bullshit excuses?

Jacob didn’t have an answer, or an apology, for Lilly, but he would make certain to come up with one. She deserved one. “If that’s your preference…thank you for saving my sister.” Giving Janie’s hand one last squeeze, he trudged out of the critical care unit.

∞∞∞

Lilly

“Lilly, hold up a moment.”

Lilly turned, smiling at Dr. Torres as he leaned against the counter in the critical care unit. He finished his notations and closed the patient binder, handing it off to a staff nurse. Lilly smirked behind her hand as the young redhead blushed and cooed at the surgeon, her amusement increased only by Dr. Torre’s blithe ignorance of the nurse’s flirtation.

“What can I do for you, Dr. Torres?”

“Do you think you can call me Enrique?”

“Perhaps I can manage it.”

His hand pressed against her lower back as he smiled down at her. “Have a drink with me. It’s been a shit day.”

Lilly glanced at her watch. Not only had it been a shit day, but it had also been a fourteen-hour day. “It’s almost ten.”

The surgeon chuckled. “You think I don’t know that? I arrived just after you this morning.”

Lilly realized he had the most endearing smile and lips; lips that damn near kissed her earlier that day. She returned his laugh. “One drink, but if I fall asleep, you’d better not leave me in the pub!”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Dr. Torres murmured.

∞∞∞

The pub was relatively quiet, with only a smattering of locals playing billiards. Lilly and Dr. Torres fell into a booth across from the bar, ordering up whiskey and burger platters.

He handed her a glass and she smiled, taking a sip. “Dinner of champions; thank you, Enrique.”

“I like how you say my name.”

Lilly blushed, but she didn’t know why, it was hardly an intimate conversation. “My New York accent is hardly known for its fluidity. Yours, on the other hand, is lovely.”

Enrique slid his hand across the table and clasped Lilly’s fingers. “I hope you aren’t angry at my behavior earlier. I seldom act so rashly, I got lost in the moment.”

Lilly chewed her lip, staring at the table. “Nothing happened, so don’t worry about it; no harm, no foul.”

His fingers tightened around hers. “Something would have happened. My regret is that it didn’t…or that you would be angry because it did.”

Lilly met his dark brown eyes and smiled, wondering when the fireworks and sparks would show up. This man was magical, everyone thought so, and he was interested in her. She should be melting on the spot. Perhaps she truly was frigid after her last relationship. “I’m not angry.” She swirled her whiskey and took a sip. “You did an amazing job with Janie.”

“Thank you, God was smiling on us today. Enough about work, tell me about you. What’s your story?”

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