Page 86 of Attached At Heart
But tonight was different.
Nothing about tonight felt like two longtime friends sharing a meal.
A charge existed in the air between us, and I was having a hell of a time convincing myself that this wasn’t a date. Or, at the very least, some kind of torturous foreplay. Because watching Delaney lick her spoon clean as she polished off her soup was turning me on in undeniable ways. And she seemed to know it, her sparkling gaze lifting to mine in a coy glance.
“How has your experience at Boston Medical been compared to Mayo?” she asked, but I was too busy watching her mouth to register her words. It was only when her lips stretched into an amused smile that I realized she was waiting on me to reply.
It took everything in me not to raise a brow. Becausereally? She wanted to look at me like that and then talk about work?
She was still unsure; that was what this was. She didn’t quite know how to exist in our new reality yet, the one where we acknowledged that our chemistry was not just friendly. She was holding on to the things that tied our friendship together instead.
But I didn’t want to talk about medicine tonight. I wanted to talk about her.
“Well, I’m no longer working with my favorite person, so there’s that.”
She pursed her lips like she knew what I was doing.
“Do you wish we were both still working at Mayo?”
I considered that before realizing that I wouldn’t choose to go back in time if I could. As much as I loved the learning experiences I’d had with Delaney, I’d rather have her living in my home as my wife than have her as my coworker.
“I wish we were still working together, but no. I think I like our arrangement in Boston better.”
A slight flush worked up her neck as she nodded. “It’s been nice for you to spend time with Natalie, Noah, and their kids, hasn’t it?”
A couple of weeks ago, I would have let her believe that was the only reason. But not today. Not anymore.
“It really has,” I admitted. “But Lane?—”
“Speaking of your family, I need to tell Sully about this dinner so he knows you pulled out all the stops on this honeymoon. That was an amazing meal,” she gushed.
Goddamn, she was making this difficult.
“You know, it’s funny because I thought about sending him a photo of you sitting there with your wine for that exact reason. But then I realized Sully would permanently have a picture of you in that dress, and I’d probably have to destroy his phone.”
“Oh, shut up,” she laughed, her cheeks tinting pink enough that I could see her blush despite the low lighting in the restaurant.
I shook my head. “Why do you always think I’m joking?”
“Because that’s what we do,” she said dismissively, looking down at her glass of wine. “We tease each other.”
“Mmm.” I waited until she glanced up again to add, “I think it’s called flirting, Delaney. You’ve just been in denial.”
Delaney blinked, her red-stained lips parting. She looked at me, staring hard—like pieces were starting to come together, similar to the ones in those damn puzzles she loved so much.
Watching her come to terms with reality was all I’d ever wanted. This was just the start, but still.
“Yeah, Blake?” Her breaths were coming quicker, the rising and falling of her chest so fucking distracting because of that dress and everything it was showing off.
“Yeah, Lane.”
I said it without a hint of levity.
“And what else have I not realized?”
Everything, baby.
Her brows furrowed before I could reply aloud. “Are we on a date right now?”
