Page 61 of Doctor I Do

My shoulders sag with relief. Blowing out a breath, I turn to face her.

“I’ll wear your ring.” She holds up her hand, where my ring sits, and she waves, so it catches the light.

Her cute smile on her face is totally calling me out on my protectiveness, but I like that she isn’t fighting me. Instead, she’s reassuring me. I just need to relax and let her be without me for a night.

BANG! I must’ve fallen asleep on the sofa, because it isn’t until I hear banging and crashing outside that I’m wide awake. Standing up in a rush, I go to the door, hearing Tahlia giggle.

I open the door and the air leaves my lungs. She’s in her sexy black dress, on her hands and knees. Her green eyes lock onto mine, and a hand covers her mouth. “I’m sorry. Did I wake you?”

“Not really. But what are you doing down there?”

Her face scrunches up, her eyes glassy from alcohol. “What do you mean, not really?”

“As in, I just fell asleep on the sofa.” I huff, slightly annoyed, but also struggling with the sight of her on her hands and knees.

I hold out my hand. “Come on, let’s get you inside.”

She drops her head and feels around on the ground. “I can’t, I’m looking for my keys. I was trying to open the door when they dropped. Probably all those shots.”

I chuckle, knowing how shots get you from zero to one hundred in a matter of hours.

I drop to my hands and knees and help her look.

“What are you doing?” she asks. Her words are slurry.

I peer around for her keys. I pad the area with my hands, trying to locate them.

“Helping you find the keys.”

“Oh.”

I smile, spotting them near her. “There they are. Just reach over to your left.”

When she swipes them up, we stand, but she drops them again. Both of us squat down to pick them up. Our faces are inches apart and her eyes bore into mine. The alcohol brightens up her irises, which I didn’t think was possible. Her gaze roams over me leisurely, and she doesn’t look away embarrassed. Drunk Tahlia is bolder.

She inches closer, her breath tickling my lips. Her lips are already parted and her eyes heavy, gaze flicking between my eyes and mouth. I’m frozen. I should stand.

“Here are your keys.” I look down and watch as she opens her hand and I lay them in her palm. She closes her fingers over them. I run my eyes over the skin on her shoulder and up over her shiny blonde curls, and then over her pouty parted lips and cute dainty nose.

“Kiss me,” she breathes.

The beg in her voice kills my restraint, and I can’t deny I want it. I run my hand along the side of her face, brushing the hair away. Bringing my lips close to hers, our breaths mingle. Her warm, short pants hit my lips, and when she licks them, I pull back before I cave.

“Ahhh. What are you doing?”

“Going inside, it’s freezing out here,” I say.

“No. Stay here and tell me what—”

“Come on. Let’s get you a drink of water and then let you sleep.”

She mumbles, “Sleep sounds good.”

I help her stand by grabbing her around her waist, but she sags against me. She’s drunk so I pick her up and carry her instead. She doesn’t fight me. Instead, she lets out a loud sigh. When I hold her like this, I enjoy the feeling of her luscious curves under my hand. She grabs around my neck and lays her head against my shoulder. I stop to grab a bottle of water from the fridge. Then I walk her upstairs and into her bedroom. Moving beside her bed, I pull back the covers, and lay her down gently. She immediately settles her head into the pillow and curls up on her side. Her eyes close, but as I go to move a step back, I hear her mumble, “Stay.”

I shake my head. Telling myself to not even think about it. I lean forward, hovering over her, then kiss her temple and watch her drift into a deep sleep. “I wish,” I whisper. After I pull the covers up over her, I walk out, returning to the safety of my bedroom.

Chapter 22

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