Page 13 of Doc

Ash groans. “No, you just fucked my brains out.”

Laughing, I lean over and kiss his head. “You asked me to.”

He hums and folds his arms under his head, turning to look at me with dark amber eyes. “I did, and you delivered, as always. What would I do without you?”

“Perish,” I deadpan.

He laughs and I grin, allowing him to scoot closer and lean against me. “Seriously, though,” he mutters. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

These are the moments no one else gets to see. Around everyone else he’s a sarcastic pain in the ass with no bedside manner. And though he’s still like that when we’re alone, he’s also just Ash with me, not Doc. He doesn’t have to work hard topretend to have his shit together, or to be what everyone needs in an emergency.

“I almost kissed my new assistant today,” he says, words muffled by the pillow he’s buried his face into.

Reaching down, I grip his hair and lift his head up, forcing him to look at me. “I’m not sure that’s what Cristian meant when he told you to be nice.”

He scoffs and I tug his hair a bit harder, making his mouth drop open on a gasp. “I didn’t mean to, and Ididn’tdo anything.”

“But you wanted to.”

“Yes. He… There’s something about him that is intriguing, and it called to me on a level I’ve never experienced before, not even with you. No offense.”

“None taken, my dear. I know what you mean.”

Ash sighs and I release his hair, letting him put his head down. He shifts on the bed so he’s laying half in my lap, and I drop my hand to gently run my fingers through his soft brown hair.

“Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but there’s just something about him that calls to those deep, dark parts of me. The ones no one wants to see.”

I tug on his hair once again before going back to petting him. “I do. I see them, and I understand them. I just can’t… I can’t.”

“I know. And I don’t want that from you. I never have, never will. You’re different.”

I snort.Different. That’s one way to put it. But it works for us, and has for years, so it doesn’t bother me.

“I can’t wait to see how…intriguingthis new assistant of yours is.”

He groans and rolls over onto his back, glaring up at me. “I don’t like how you said that. Please don’t scare him off. Cristian’s already said I have to be on my best behavior since he’s Petrov’s nephew.”

I laugh and lean down, kissing his forehead. “Unlike you, I actually know how to behave, Ash.”

He sticks his tongue out and grumbles something under his breath.

Deciding to go easy on him, I change the subject. “You hungry yet?”

“I could eat, yeah.”

“Did you eat anything today?” He doesn’t meet my eyes and I sigh. “You need a keeper.”

“I was busy!”

Shaking my head, I slide out of bed and head for the dresser, snagging a pair of sweats and putting them on. “Next time, I’ll tell whoever’s in charge of you to make sure you eat.”

“I don’t need to be micromanaged, James.”

“Apparently you do,” I snap back. “I’ll go heat up the food. Don’t move.”

“Yes,sir,” he sasses.

“You so need a keeper,” I mutter with a shake of my head.

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