Page 99 of Undeniably Enemies

“Shut up.”

“What?”

“Don’t you fucking dare apologize.” He huffs out a breath, his voice low and tortured. “But next time communicate with me, so I won’t have to follow you in here and hear you puke your guts out and discover the meaning behind the number four.”

I laugh mirthlessly. “Again, I didn’t invite you in here. This isn’t for your voyeuristic pleasure. But I’ll be sure to remember to give you the heads-up next time I’m mid-panic attack and about to hurl my guts out.”

“Tell me about the fours.”

I spin around, giving him a withering stare. “Fuck off, Jack. I owe you no explanations, and you’ve already gotten more truths from me than I like to share.”

He crosses the room and stands directly before me, his hand going straight to my hip, and his expression fiercer than I’ve ever seen it. And just like every time he’s touched me, I feel my skin hum as if it’s waking up after a long slumber. His eyes skim mine, and he takes another step, his body so close I can hardly stand it.

“Are you ever not a pain in the ass?”

“With you? No. Lucky for us it’s my last day here so you won’t have to deal with me being a pain in your ass for several months since interns don’t start until July.”

His hand cups my jaw. “Lucky for me.” His mouth comesdown on mine, stealing my breath in a kiss that’s the sweetest, softest, most tender kiss I’ve ever experienced.

“Don’t.” I practically sob the word and push him off. I can’t take him being like this with me. My heart won’t survive it. Not after that. And speaking of. “Did she survive?” I already know the answer. If he’s in here that fast after I ran, I hatefully know the answer.

“No.”

I swallow thickly, refusing to let my eyes burn with the tears they want to start producing.

“Let me go.”

He shakes his head. “Oh, Cinderella, I think we both know that’s impossible.” He presses against me and kisses me again. “I’ve tried to let you go so many times, but I can’t. I’m done with this bullshit. I’m done pretending I don’t want you every second of every minute of every hour of every day. I can’t let you go. Now let me take you home. Let me take care of you.”

29

Jack grabs his stuff, but he doesn’t change. I think he’s afraid I’m going to bolt on him, and I thought about it. I did. But that look in his eyes when he told me he can’t let me go will haunt me till I’m a hundred and fifty, and with it, I stay rooted in place.

“Hey!” comes a voice over my shoulder, and I turn to find Layla. She rushes over to me, concern all over her pretty face. “I was looking for you.” Her arms wrap around me. “Are you okay?”

“I’m okay. It just caught me off guard.”

“How could it not? I’m so sorry. Can I do anything? Call someone? Take you home?”

“Actually, that’s what I’m doing,” Jack says from behind me with such authority, there can be no argument. Jesus, Jack, so much for not broadcasting shit.

“You are?” Layla looks shocked, and her gaze flickers back and forth between us. Likely because our hatred has been no secret. Not like our history or that we spent a weekend fucking a couple of weeks back or have been friends more or less since.

“Yes, she’s my neighbor now. Or didn’t you know?”

Layla snorts out a laugh, clearly thinking what everyone else thinks about this. “No, I didn’t know, and the fact that you not only haven’t killed each other yet, but you’re taking her home, makes me not only believe unicorns could be real, but that there can be peace for all in this world.”

Jack rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling. “You guys all set? I didn’t exactly get a chance to sign out my patients.”

She waves him off. “I’ll take care of it. You get her home for us.” Layla gives me another hug, and Jack drops his hand to my lower back, and that’s how we walk out of the ER. With his hand on my lower back.

“What are you doing?”

“What do you mean?” he asks as he opens the passenger door of my car for me. He’s been running to work despite how freaking cold it’s been, but evidently, he won’t let me drive, and I’m still a little too worked up to argue with that. He climbs in and starts the car but doesn’t pull out as if he’s waiting for me to follow that up.

“Okay, what are we doing?”

“I’m taking you home, and I’m going to make you come until you see stars, and after that, I’ll make you dinner so we can talk.”

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