“Time off from work. Say we wanted to go on vacation…both managers would be gone.”
“Assistants, we both have them. Not the same thing as replacing two members of staff.”
“Disagreements at work bleeding over into our personal lives and causing problems between us.”
“We’re professionals. Work related issues stay at work.” Keep setting them up, babe, and I’ll keep knocking them down.
She was quiet for a moment. He gave her a gentle nudge with his chin. “Is that it? Is that all you’ve got?” The heavy sigh that lifted her chest told him that the next one was a biggie. Bring it, and I’ll tear it down, too.
“If…” She swallowed. “If this doesn’t work…between us…it would be difficult to work together—”
“No.” Gabe stopped that thought before she could take it any further. He pulled her face from his neck, tipped her head back on his shoulder, and sealed his mouth over hers. Desperation and need flavored the kiss, though whose he couldn’t discern. “The only ‘if’ here is if the job gets in our way, and I was looking for a job when I found this one. I chose this one to be close to you, and that’s all. Finding another won’t be a problem. We come first.” He banded his arms around her. “You come first.” She had to know that, believe it. Trust it. “I made that mistake once; I don’t intend to make it again. You and I know better than anyone that life holds no guarantees, but I say we take what we have now and run with it, take it as far as it goes.”
She was quiet for a moment, then murmured, “I want this.” She looked up at him, her eyes fierce with resolve. “I still have issues to work out, and I’m so sorry for what I said. I’ll never compare you to him.”
He brushed his lips over hers. Then, because he could, did it again. “We both have issues, we’ll work them out together, and I swear to you, no matter what happens, no matter how angry I get, I’ll never raise a hand to you. I can’t, however, promise we won’t argue or fight over stupid stuff. I’m not perfect.” She gave him a look. “It’s true. But you know the best thing about arguing and fighting with a lover?”
“What?”
“The make-up sex is smoking hot.”
She grinned.
He sat there for a while, content to just hold Beth, feel her sigh as she relaxed in his arms. “You remember at the wedding, just before Albert went down for the count? I was having a beer with Ian and you were helping your son.”
“I remember. We were eye-flirting.”
He snorted. “Honey, that was an eye fuck if there ever was one.” Her jaw dropped. “Anyway, when I looked up and saw you looking at me, I felt…alive.”
She looked up at him, her eyes bright and moist as they met his. “Like you’d been returned to the land of the living.”
She’d nailed it. “Yeah, exactly like that. You know what I mean?”
She pressed her mouth to his. “I know exactly what you mean, and I plan on making you feel that way for a very long time.”
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Acknowledgments
So many times, we read that writing is a solitary endeavor with a lone person hunched over the keyboard listening to the voices in his or her head. She may sit motionless, fingers poised on the keys for an undetermined length of time, then spring from her chair and pace the floor, making odd hand gestures while muttering under her breath. She talks to the monitor and carries a dog-eared notebook and pen to jot down fleeting ideas, scenes and dialogue. Google becomes her most valued friend.
There are certain special individuals who played a very important role in the evolution and eventual completion of this, my debut publication. With that in mind, I humbly acknowledge the following:
My fellow ER nurses, Ellen Horn and Kelly Polak, for reading a very rough partial of this book and nagging me to hurry up and finish it, and Angela Hunter for reading bits and pieces during our night shifts in the ER and for, well…just being you. I wouldn’t have had such great supporting characters in this book had it not been for the three of you. Your friendship and support mean as much to me as Connie’s mean to Beth.