Page 23 of My Reluctant Valentine

He gave that growly groan I loved. “Fuck, Ella. Yes, damn it. Any muscle you want. Now, focus, little doctor. Hands at ten and two.”

I gripped the wheel. It didn’t feel strange. Or wrong. Cole’s presence beside me, solid and steady, made everything less scary.

“Good girl.” His praise sent heat through me. “How does it feel?”

“Like...” I swallowed hard. “Like maybe I could do this. With you.”

“Want to try starting it?”

I nodded, surprising myself. The engine purred to life under my hands.

“Just around the lot,” he promised. “I’m right here.”

I managed two careful circuits, his quiet encouragement making me braver with each turn. When I finally parked, my hands were shaking but my smile was real. He helped me out of the SUV and straight into his arms.

“You did it.” He kissed me so thoroughly I wanted to jump back in just to get another reward. “I’m so proud of you, Ella.”

“I did it, didn’t I?” I beamed at him. “Though I might need lots more... hands-on instruction.”

“Careful.” His voice dropped lower. “Or this driving lesson is going to turn into something else entirely.”

“Promise?”

The look on his face was answer enough. But before he could show me exactly what kind of lesson he had in mind, a familiar voice cut through the moment.

“Well, well, well. What do we have here?”

We both froze. Jake stood a few feet away, grinning like the cat that had gotten into the cream.

“Jake?” I squeaked and took off running toward my brother. He caught me in his arms, giving me a big bear hug. “What are you... how did you...”

“Please.” My brother rolled his eyes and placed me back on my feet. “Why do you think I hired Cole as your driver and to give you driving lessons? Though I’m guessing there’s been some... extracurricular instruction happening too.”

Of course, my cheeks turned a bright red.

The grin never left Jake’s face. “Though I gotta say, Cole, when I asked you to teach her to drive, this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.”

“Plans change,” Cole said, pulling me closer. “Best change of my life.”

The way he looked at me made my heart flutter. No clinical terms needed to describe this feeling. This was pure, simple love.

“I love you,” I blurted out, then blushed. “From a completely non-medical perspective.”

His laugh rumbled through his chest before he turned serious. “I love you too, little doctor. I have since you started quoting medical terminology to cover how nervous I made you.”

“You two are disgusting.” Jake made gagging noises, but his eyes were soft. “Though I guess this means you’re staying in Hope Peak?”

I looked up at Cole. “I want to. I think this is just what I want to do. Be a doctor in a small town.”

Cole’s arms tightened around me. “Stay with me. Let me teach you everything—driving, love, life. All of it.”

“Even when I talk medical during sex?”

“Especially then.” His kiss made me forget my brother was watching. “Though I’ll still have to punish you for it.”

“Oh God,” Jake groaned. “I’m leaving before I hear things I can’t unhear. I’m staying at the lodge. Come find me… later.”

We barely noticed him go, too lost in each other.

---