Page 63 of Her Paramedic
She nodded. “Oh, let me get your present.”
She pushed off the door frame and headed into her bedroom, went to the closet, pulled out the gift, and headed back into the living room. Talia sat beside him on the couch and handed him the bag.
“What’s the occasion, baby?”
She shrugged. “I don’t need one to do something nice for you. The same way, you don’t seem to need one.”
She watched him remove the decorative paper and pull out a model antique car. It was a 1920s Ford Model T with a clock on the side of it. It was a decorative piece she thought he’d like. She’d been passing an antique shop earlier in the week after lunch and saw it sitting in the window. Talia had immediately thought of him. It took watch batteries, and she’d gotten a pack so he wouldn’t have to worry about it for a while.
Slate leaned over and kissed her after surveying it. “Thank you, gorgeous. I have the perfect place for it.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I wanted to. There are batteries in the bag, too,” she informed as he packed the car back inside. “I’m going to go get ready. Do you want to leave at eight?”
“Eight works. We’ll have a late dinner, and we can go to that lounge you like,” Slate responded.
Talia nodded before exiting the living room. She had the perfect outfit to wear for the evening.
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Slate sat in the living room at a quarter to eight as he waited for Talia. He’d showered in the guest bathroom and gotten dressed. He was scrolling through his phone, looking at restaurants. Each time he took her out, he liked to take hersomewhere new, even if she’d been there before or he had; they hadn’t been together, and that was the point. He looked up as she came into view, and he couldn’t contain the groan that built in his throat.
“Talia,” he stated.
She wore a two-piece lilac set. The skirt housed two long splits on either side and hugged her hips. The top had a deep V-neckline, and her midriff was exposed. Slate knew that several of her body parts would play peekaboo with him all night. Her hair was pulled on top of her head, and a few tendrils were left loose on each side. He stood, placing his phone in his back pocket as he approached her.
“Baby, you look gorgeous,” he complimented. “But I need you to change.” When she raised a brow at him, he continued. “I’m not trying to tell you what to wear. This isn’t insecurity or jealousy, but I haven’t seen or taken you out in weeks. I can’t promise to behave if you wear this.”
She slid her arms over his shoulders and rose onto her tiptoes, kissing him softly. “If I wanted you to behave, I would have worn something else.”
Slate chuckled as she smiled at him. “Remember, you said that. Do you have your EpiPen?”
“Yes, but since this clutch is too small for the pouch to fit, it’s in the side zipper.”
He nodded before taking her hand, turning out the living room light, and exiting the house. She locked the front door, and he opened the passenger door for her before getting in and heading towards the restaurant.
“When are your next days off?” Talia asked a few minutes into the drive.
Slate thought about it. “Next Thursday and Sunday. You plan to come see me?”
“Yes. I can come on Saturday after my clients, and we can work on the car you’re fixing up. Well, you can work on it. I’ll look pretty and enjoy watching you get all sweaty.”
He chuckled, reaching over and taking her hand to kiss the back of it. “It’s a date then, baby.”
Talia had watched him work on the car before, and Slate knew she’d enjoyed it immensely if the request she’d made while watching him was any indication. Slate honestly didn’t care what they did. He enjoyed spending time with her, and while he’d been away for good reason, he planned on making up for their time apart. The same way he did when their schedules didn’t align.
Slate placed the drink in front of Talia as they sat at a table in the lounge. He’d chosen one away from the others in a dimly lit corner. They’d gone to an Asian fusion restaurant where he was sure every man they passed did a double-take at his girlfriend. Hell, their server seemed lost for words whenever he looked at her, or she said something to him. Slate had found it amusing and did his best not to laugh at the young man.
They’d had a repeat of it when they’d entered the lounge, but he’d never been one to get upset at other people looking at what was his. It was only natural for them to look. Talia was hands down the most beautiful woman in any room she stepped into. Sue him for being biased.
“We should spend the day in bed tomorrow,” Talia said after tasting her drink.
“I already planned on giving you a reason to,” he countered with a smirk, and she nudged him as she laughed.
“You know what I meant. I missed you, and if you’re leaving tomorrow evening, I don’t want to share you with the rest of the world.”
He leaned over and kissed her. “I missed you, too, baby. And, yeah, we can do that.”
Slate decided then that he would stay the entire day and leave early the following morning to go home, change, and make it to work. He leaned back in his chair and placed his hand on her exposed thigh.
