Page 44 of Passion Restored

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Once again, Liz’s feet hurt, and she wanted to just soak in her old tub and forget about the long day. Only she couldn’t, since she’d made plans with Owen and she was pretty sure her tub had a small leak anyway. It was just one more thing on her household list that never seemed to end, and she had a feeling that soon she’d have to ask the Gallaghers for help.

She hated asking for help.

Liz let out a snort as she toed off her work shoes. Yeah, the fact that she hated asking for help wasn’t a surprise at all. She’d rather throw herself on an anthill most days than show someone she couldn’t do things on her own. That’s probably why she was currently exhausted, hating her job, and in need of a bubble bath she couldn’t have.

Maybe drinking tonight with Owen would help.

Or sex. Yes, sex would help tremendously.

How she’d gone from avoiding him to needing him in her life she didn’t know, and she didn’t want to think about it. If she kept dwelling on it, she’d end up fucking things up again. He hadn’t run away when she’d bared her past to him; instead, he pushed at her harder to let go. So maybe if they were careful, if they took things slowly, they might have a shot.

She had one leg out of her pants and froze, her gaze meeting her reflection in the mirror.

A shot? She was at the point where she was thinking about having a shot with Owen? And not the alcoholic kind. The kind that meant futures and having trust in someone, believing that they wouldn’t screw everything up where they left you bleeding and broken on the ground.

How had this happened?

And more importantly, did she want this to happen?

Liz blinked at her reflection before letting out a breath. It was just one more date, one more day with a man that confused her to no end. This wasn’t a proposal for something more. She just had to take it one day at a time and not stress herself out as much as she was. Between work, her house, and Owen, she was going to end up with an ulcer.

Okay, time to get over herself, and get her mind in the game. She had a date with a very sexy man tonight, and if everything worked out, she’d have a few orgasms, as well. Owen was good with his hands in and out of bed. She blushed. Okay, fine, so she was one lucky woman. She just had to remember that. And as long as she didn’t think about how she could mess things up, she’d be fine.

She jumped in the shower quickly, washing away the day and the stress of the job, knowing she didn’t have much time to get ready before Owen showed up. Thankfully, she’d chopped off a few inches of her hair the week before so it wouldn’t take her hours to blow dry it like usual. Thirty minutes later, she had her hair as done as it was going to get, a little bit of makeup on, and a wrap dress Tessa had made her buy over a year ago that she hadn’t had a chance to actually wear yet.

She’d put on patterned tights, and was just about to get into her knee-high boots when the doorbell rang. As Tessa was already out on her date for the evening—a second date with a man from an online dating site—Liz scrambled to the door, boots in hand.

On the other side, Owen stood on her small porch, the dark coal of his trousers looking sexy as hell on those thick, muscled legs of his. He had on a long-sleeved dress shirt that was a few shades lighter than his pants, and hadn’t bothered with a tie or overcoat. Instead, he wore the leather jacket that she loved and made her want to dry hump him right there on the porch.

From the knowing look in his eyes, he had the same idea.

“I’m almost ready.”

Owen’s gaze traveled over her body, and he licked his lips. “We could just stay here, you know. I’ll help you into those boots, and then I’ll strip down those tights of yours so I can fuck you from behind. Of course, I’d have to lick up that pretty ass of yours because damn, honey, that dress just makes your curves stand out so everyone knows they’re perfect for my hands.”

She rolled her eyes, even as her body heated at his words. “It’s a wrap dress, so it’s supposed to make my curves all sexy-like. According to Tessa anyway.”

Owen stepped forward so he could close the door behind him before reaching out and tracing his finger over the side of her breast. “Tessa’s right. And a wrap dress? Does that mean I get to unwrap you later?”

Liz leaned forward and kissed his stubbled jaw. “That’s the general idea. But seriously, I’m hungry, and you promised me a date. We can have all the sex you want when we get back, but I skipped lunch thanks to an emergency, and I’m starving.”

Owen frowned before going over to pick up her coat off the rack by the door. “Let’s get you fed then, Lizzie. But you know that you shouldn’t skip meals. You’re a nurse.”

Liz finished zipping up her boots and turned her back so Owen could help her into her jacket. “Yeah, well, nurses and doctors have horrible diets. We eat what’s on hand, and rely on coffee to get through the day. While I’d love to be able to say I eat salads at lunch and hydrate, I totally don’t.” She turned and Owen pressed a small kiss to her lips. Her damn traitorous heart sped at the touch, and she did her best not to lean into him and demand more.

“Let’s feed you, then. And hydrate. Then I’ll work out the kinks in your back by fucking you until we’re both exhausted.”

She grinned at him as he opened the door for her. “That sounds like a plan, Gallagher. Food and sex. What more could a girl ask for?”

Owen gave her an odd look she couldn’t decipher before blanking his face. She’d said something that either irritated him or made him think, and she had a feeling it had to do with the fact that she kept pushing him away, ever so subtlety. Damn it, she needed to do better, but it was reflex, after all.

The drive to the restaurant Owen had made reservations for wasn’t uncomfortable, and for that she was grateful. He asked about her day, and she told him all she could without going into details. Not only did she not want to break patient confidentiality, she knew ER room visits weren’t the best thing to talk about over dinner.

The place Owen had chosen for dinner was near the main downtown area of Denver, but not in the busy part where it was hard to find parking. Apparently, Owen’s sisters-in-law worked at a tattoo shop near there with Maya actually owning half of it. Maybe if Liz ever had a moment to herself, she’d stop by and see if she could get something small. She loved the look of Owen’s ink, and she’d always wanted something for herself.

When she’d told Owen that over appetizers, his eyes had darkened. “What would you get?”

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