Page 49 of Stone Vows

“Both. I just wanted to see if you were an honest thief,” she says. She nods to the two remaining cups. “You only have one left to try and I have two.”

“Better choose our questions wisely then,” I say with a smirk.

“Do your worst,” she says.

“Never have I ever cheated on a test,” I say.

She shakes her head. “Nope, sorry, me neither. Um, never have I ever played strip poker.”

I don’t touch the Jell-O cups. “Sorry, but no. Never have I ever gotten a tattoo,” I say.

She looks down at the ground and huffs out an unhappy sigh. Then she holds out her hand. “Let me try the lime-green one.”

“Wait,” I say, holding it back from her. “That’s not how this game works.”

She looks apprehensive and she nervously twists the thick bracelet around her wrist. “I’d show you,” she says. “But then I’d have to kill you.”

“Oh, it’s one of those, is it?” I say, handing her the cup as I wonder just where she has a tattoo. Her inner thigh, maybe. Or perhaps low on her back near the globes of her ass. I find myself shifting around in my seat thinking about it.

Maybe I’ll get to see it if I assist on her surgery. Surely Dr. Redman will let me do that after looking out for her all this time.

“This is it,” she says, giving me back the container. “Only one last flavor for us to try.”

“You’re up,” I say. “Make it a good one.”

She looks around the courtyard in thought. I follow her eyes. She stares at an older couple strolling hand-in-hand, the woman in a hospital gown. The man stops their progress and kisses the woman chastely on the lips. Then he takes her hand again and brings it to his mouth, kissing it as well before they continue their stroll.

Elizabeth brings her pinky finger to her mouth and starts chewing on the nail. She looks almost scared when her eyes come back to meet mine.

“Never have I ever wanted something I can’t have,” she says, her words hooking me somewhere in my chest.

We share a long look. Not just any look. A deep, powerful, all-encumbering look.

Volumes are spoken between us in these few seconds. Her eyes are more expressive in this moment than I’ve ever seen them. She’s trying to tell me something without actually telling me something. And ethics be damned, I’m all too willing to let her.

She’s not looking at me like I’m her doctor. She’s not even looking at me like I’m her friend. She’s looking at me like the old man was looking at his wife. With sincerity. With reverence. With passion.

“Elizabeth,” I whisper.

I don’t even break our stare when my hand fishes around for the remaining container on the bench. I open it, surely spilling some as I blindly stick my spoon in for a bite. Without any words, I bring the spoon up to my mouth and eat the brightly-colored blue Jell-O. Then I nod my head at her. I nod my head in answer to the silent questions in her eyes. The questions she doesn’t have to ask because I’ve already answered them all with my stare.

“On second thought,” she says, finally breaking eye contact. She grabs the container from me and silently finishes every last bite.

Chapter Twenty-two

We haven’t talked about what happened in the courtyard a few days ago. But something definitely changed between us. And despite the fact that Dr. Redman has started assigning me more cases, I find myself making excuses to spend more time with Elizabeth.

And Elizabeth, she seems . . . happier.

It’s not that she was depressed before. In fact, she’s been a joyful person for the most part. But she just didn’t seem happy. Not until now.

I’m spending my lunch break in her room, catching up on some medical journals while she reads one of her pregnancy books.

“Are you going to deliver the baby?” she asks, looking up from her book.

“I probably won’t be doing the C-section, but I’m hoping to be in the room to assist. Since this is a teaching hospital, the consent forms you’ll sign for surgery will give residents permission to participate in your care. But if you don’t want me to . . .”

“No, it’s not that.” Her pinky finger finds its way into her mouth. “How much, uh . . . how much of me will you see?” She blushes, her eyes not meeting mine.

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