Page 49 of Meet Me in the Blue

“Yeah… I have to head to the hospital. My patient’s water broke.”

I wasn’t used to the sensation of arousal, at least not like this. Luka took care of his body. He was lean muscle and lithe limbs with broad shoulders that tapered down into narrow hips. These were all things I used to think were objectively attractive, nothing I would have ever cared about. But after last Thursday, after what had happened between us, there were times I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about his mouth and his hands, and the way he’d touched me—the way he’d made me feel. Nothing had happened between us since then, and I hadn’t expected it to. I was grateful to get to be there for him, grateful to sleep next to him, and hold him until he fell asleep.

“Oh…” His shoulders slumped, but he tried to hide it, turning to throw one of the towels into the laundry basket by his closet. “I guess it’s back to life.”

I stood and the springs in his mattress creaked. He watched my reflection in the mirror above his dresser. Wrapping my arms around him from behind, I kissed him below his ear. His skin was hot from the shower, his pulse throbbing beneath my lips. “Hopefully it won’t take long.”

“You’re coming back?” He turned in my arms, his blue eyes hopeful.

“I have to, you have my dog,” I teased, and he shoved me in the chest. “Where is she, by the way?”

“Nora’s room. She’s a pet thief.”

“Maybe she needs someone too.”

He draped his arms around my neck, his mouth sliding over mine with a soft sigh. “I guess I am the lucky one. I have you.”

I hummed against his lips, and he parted them for me. If I didn’t have to leave, I would stay like this for as long as he would have me, his skin under my palm, his sweet tongue in my mouth. But babies were not accustomed to waiting for people to deliver them, and I had to leave or chance having another provider, or one of the nurses, catching this kid.

“I have to go.”

His fingers bunched in the cotton of my hoodie, and he kissed me again, urgent, once, and then again, before tearing himself away with the cutest, sulkiest expression on his face. “I’ll be okay.”

“It’s good, Luka. To have some time for yourself. It’s healthy.”

“I know you can’t stay here forever, and you need time, too, but it’s been nice. Makes me think about all the summers we had as kids, without all the pubescent stink.”

“We were inseparable.”

“Yeah.”

“Hey…” I pressed a kiss to his cheek and pulled my keys from my pocket. “I’ll be back soon. I can stay here as long as you need me to. But I think you need to spend some one-on-one time with your mom and sister too. I want to be here for you, but you need to process with your family.”

“Maybe. But it’s easier when you’re here.”

“I’m not a crutch, Luka. I’m your friend.”

“Just a friend?” he asked and leaned in, running the tip of his nose along my throat.

“I don’t think we’ve ever beenjustfriends.” I cupped his cheek, tracing the curve of his lip with my thumb. “You’re not alone. Nora is down the hall. And I think your mom would love some company.”

“They make it all feel too real.”

“It’s real, Luka… Your dad… your family… me…” I hugged him to my chest, and he squeezed his arms around my ribcage. “I’ll come back as soon as I can.”

“I love you,” he said, the words wet and shaky. “You’re right…” He raised his eyes. “Maybe tomorrow you can stay at your place. Mom wants to finalize the memorial, and… maybe it’ll be a good time for all of us to just… mourn him.”

“I think that’s a good idea.” I leaned down, resting my hands on his shoulders as I looked him in the eye. “You’re stronger than you think you are.”

“Sure.”

“You are.” I gave him another quick kiss, and he lowered his arms to his sides. “Get dressed, or better yet, don’t. It will give me something to look forward to while I’m gone.”

A real smile split his face, his cheeks flushing with color for the first time since Thursday. “Rook… you can’t say stuff like that and then just leave me here.”

“Bye, Luka.”

“Wait,” he grumbled. “Rook, come on.” I waved at him over my shoulder as I opened his bedroom door. “You’re the worst,” he said, but there was too much humor in his tone to take him seriously.

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