Page 21 of Forgot to Tell You Something

Dan sets down our drinks with a flourish. “Am I going to have to turn the hose on you two? I can feel the heat from here.”

My cheeks flame as I shoot him the bird, sipping my whiskey sour.

“Actually, I have a nursing question for you.” Dan snickers at my intense stare. He knows better than to be a cock block. “I don’t mean right now. Later. Once you two have cooled down.” He ducks away from the napkin I lob at his head, walking to the opposite side of the bar.

“Jackass,” I mutter, swinging my gaze back to Owen, who is studying me intently. “Do I have something on my face?”

“Talk to me, Darlin.”

“About?”

“What are your rules?” Owen asks, leaning his forearm on the bar, his other hand stroking my knee.

“Excuse me?” What in the world is this man talking about?

“Every woman has rules, that unspoken code they’ll never break.”

“I thinkeveryonehas rules. It’s not gender specific.”

“Fair enough. What are yours?”

The man is nothing if not direct. “No one’s ever asked me to state my rules upfront.”

“I’m not everyone.”

“Don’t be an asshole.”

“Trying not to be,” he chuckles, his gaze never leaving mine as he sips his drink.

“I didn’t meanyou. That’s a rule.”

“Agreed. Seems fairly simple.”

“Not as simple as you might expect. Don’t hit.”

That got his attention. “Not in a million years.”

I fiddle with the hem of my dress, as the conversation veers into unexpected territory. “That’s good because, with biceps the size of tree trunks, you could inflict some damage on a woman my size.”

His hand cups my face, forcing me to look at him, those gray eyes soft as a foggy morning. “I will never raise a hand to you, Tally. Unless it’s to spank that delicious ass of yours.”

I giggle, thankful for the segue back into banter. “Well, that’s an entirely different chapter of the rule book.”

“Glad to know it’s not off the table.”

“Only if you kiss it afterward.”

“Every. Single. Inch.”

There goes my pussy again, all aflutter with this man’s overt sexual teasing. Granted, I’m hardly holding back on my end. “Hmm, sounds enticing.”

“I’ll be sure to demonstrate for you later, unless you want to lock the door in the bathroom here.”

The nurse in me breaks into the moment. “Have you seen their bathroom?”

Owen laughs, finishing off his drink. “Good point. We can wait. So far, your rules are cake, Darlin. Anything else I should know?”

I stare into his light gray eyes. Such a unique color. Sometimes with a shadow of blue, other times with a hint of purple. Mesmerizing. Much like the rest of him.

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