Page 124 of Scotch on the Rocks

I barked a laugh that had her back arching. “It would break my heart if you started being nice to me, harpy.” I rolled her pert little nipple. “What else?”

“We don’t move in together for at least a year.” Damn. I’d actually expected her to want longer. But even with her only a hundred yards away … it felt too much.

“No.” Pressing a hand between her shoulder blades, I urged her forward, watching as the spray hit her back and rolled down her spine, pulling back so I fucked her with shallow strokes that tortured us both. “No time stamps. We take that step when it feels right, before or after a year.”

“Shit…” Her whole body quivered. “Fine. Now fuck me hard, Macabe.”

I kissed the base of her neck. “You gonna say my name?”

She shook her head.

“Slow it is.”

* * *

I scooped the wriggling cat back into its carrier, its black fur so like Shakespeare’s I couldn’t help but wonder what the little demon was getting up to. Her owner too, she’d been half asleep when I’d slipped out of bed this morning to make an emergency house call.

“That should be you until next year.” I handed the carrier to the smiling owner. “Keep her out of trouble.”

He laughed good-naturedly, petting the cat through the wire door. “I’ll do my best, this one has more energy than me and my husband put together.”

Just like another cat I knew.

Fuck. I needed to get a hold of my obsession at work, but I couldn’t stop smiling.

I didn’t even wait for him to exit the reception before I called out to Kelly, “Who’s up next?”

She shot me a wide look. She’d been doing that a lot lately. I think the constant smiling was weirding her out. “It’s your lunch hour.”

“Right.” I pulled my phone from my scrubs pocket, wondering if I had time to pick up lunch and make it to IvyHouse and back before my next appointment. No doubt Juniper would have nothing more than cereal if I didn’t intervene. Then the bell sounded and … Alistair ducked beneath the door, head swivelling as he sought me out.

I still couldn’t get used to this new look on him. Hair shaved only millimetres long, it made his sleek profile appear roughened, like he didn’t spend his days in scrubs and Crocs, but doing something more outdoorsy. As did the splits across the knuckles of his still healing hand.

Meeting my eye, he stared me down, the frown on his face almost dangerous.

When did he grow as wide as me?

A loud crunch cut through the tension.

Behind her desk, Kelly ate from the bag of crisps in her hand, wide eyes pinging between the two of us, clearly ready for a show.

I cleared my throat, and her cheeks turned pink. “Let’s do this out the back, shall we?”

“If you prefer.” Alistair strode ahead, the portrait of casual as he disappeared into the surgery room.

“If you need me, boss, I totally have your back,” Kelly whispered.

“I’ll buzz twice,” I joked, then laughed at her very serious salute.

I knew I should have felt nervous. But if Alistair had come to have it out again, I welcomed it. Maybe then we could move on with our lives.

Pausing to close the door, I pointed out the still healing split and yellowing bruise on my lower lip. “Come to hit me again? My face could use the evening out.”

He didn’t move from his reclined position against the table but his jaw tightened. “Of course not. It shouldn’t have happened at all.”

I shrugged. “I deserved it.”

He tilted his head but didn’t disagree. “Was Juniper upset that I ruined your good looks?”

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