Page 21 of When You Blush
Okay, that’s not entirely true. Yes, I want to see my nephew, but I’d also like to see his gorgeous nurse and explain to her that I am absolutely, without question,notthat baby’s dad.
And I’m not married.
And I’m not a fucking liar.
Rather than wait for the elevator, I take the stairs up one flight and walk down the hallway, but before I can reach the NICU, Harper herself comes walking through the doors, wheeling baby Bryce. He reallyisthe sweetest little guy.
And I can see he’s not panting nearly as much as he was earlier.
“I’mnotmarried,” I say in greeting, and Harper scowls.
“Okay,” she replies, not meeting my gaze, “then I won’t say anything to your girlfriend/life partner/fiancée/whatever the hell.”
“I don’t have any of that either.”
She scowls at me, finally looking me in the eyes.
“Bryce is gorgeous, and I love him, but he’s not mine.”
Her shoulders fall just a bit, and I realize she’s relieved.
Not because she was jealous but because she feltguilty.
Shit.
“He’s Birdie’s baby brother. The other guy who wasin that room with us? That’s my brother Bridger. And Dani, although yes, she’s beautiful and sweet, is Bridger’s wife, and I’m one hundred percent sure he’d break my arms off if he thought I evenconsideredlaying a hand on her. Which I never would.”
Harper frowns, swallows hard, and sighs.
“I’m no psychiatrist, but I assume that was a trigger for you.”
Now those gray eyes—not behind glasses today—blow wide, and she stares up at me.
“Uh. Yeah. And I apologize.”
I nod, and I want to touch her so fucking badly. But this is where we work, and there’s more to say at another time and place.
“Apology accepted. Take care of my nephew for me.”
“Of course. He’s doing better already.”
With a smile, I brush my fingertip down his head, over all that thick dark hair, then nod at Harper and walk away.
It feelswrongto walk away from her, and I hardly know her.
Hell, aside from knowing how she sounds when she comes, what she likes to eat, and the fact that she enjoys the same music as I do, Idon’treally know her.
But I’m going to.
It’s been a fuckingweek.
An entire week of time at the clinic, the ER, getting Bryce home, and trying to fit in time with my family.
Thisis why I don’t pursue relationships. Because I am married to the hospital, having a full-time affair with the clinic, and my family is my sidepiece. Every minute of every day, I’ve wanted to track Harper down, get her number, take her on a date and then back to my place.
And I don’t want that for just one night.
I’m considering starting a … asomethingwith this woman, yet the rest of my life is the same as it’s always been. It’s not fair to her.
