Page 96 of The Doctor's Irreplaceable Love

She went to the fridge and looked inside, laughing as she turned back to him."Are you in the mood for a char-cooty board?"

He raised an eyebrow.

Shelley grinned."Charcuterie, if you want to be fancy—but around here, we call it a char-cooty board.Good enough to impress fancy out-of-towners."

He chuckled, loving the way she included herself as a local.“Do we have what we need?"

"We do."She started taking packets out of the fridge, placing them on the counter."I can put something together in no time.Why don't you take a seat?How was the hospital this afternoon?"

Part of him wanted to offer to help, but another part was enjoying this so much that he pulled up a stool at the island, turning it around to face her so that he could watch her work.

She glanced back over her shoulder at him."Was everything okay?Sorry, I should have asked before now."

"No, everything's fine," he told her."Everyone's doing okay."

He knew what she was referring to — they'd lost a patient last week, and it had hit him hard.

He hadn't consciously compared Shelley to Katrina in a while, but the concern and compassion Shelley had shown when he was down over losing old Bart Simmons couldn’t have been a starker contrast to the way Katrina used to tell him that he shouldn't get so involved, that it was only a job.

He smiled."If I was quiet, it was because I was just enjoying the moment."

She stuck her tongue out at him."Are you trying to tell me that I'm talking too much?Fair enough."

She turned back to the cutting board."I'll give you some peace."

He slid down from the stool and went to stand behind her, closing his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder.

He lifted his head."That's not what I meant, and you know it."

She looked up at him with a smile.

"I do.But I also know you need a bit of peace when you come in.Especially on hospital days."

He rested his chin back down on her shoulder."I feel peaceful with you."

"Aww.I know what you mean.I feel peaceful with you, too.It's easy, this — being together."

Her eyes widened as if she’d just realized what she'd said.

He didn't want to give her the chance to overthink it.

"It is," he said."Peaceful and easy — and...right.And when I said that I was enjoying the moment, that's what I meant.And..."He hesitated, but he had to tell her."I was enjoying you.Enjoying watching you."

She raised her eyebrows.

"The way you just came in and started figuring out dinner," he explained."The way you're so at home here."

"I do feel at home with you, Trip.I was just thinking that this afternoon."

He took a breath.

He’d thought he was on the verge of officially asking her to move in with him, but the way she'd just shifted it — saying she felt at homewith himwhen he'd been talking about her being at homein his house— gave him pause.

There was no rush.Maybe it wouldn't be fair to ask her right now.Not when she and Harper were moving into the cottage this weekend.

He pressed a kiss to her temple before straightening up.

"Are you sure I can't do anything to help?"

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