Page 23 of Irresistibly Risky

Instantly, I know I’m a dead man.

Her long, dark hair is down in silky, bouncy waves. Her makeup is minimal except for blood-red lips that make my cock jerk reflexively. She’s wearing a black dress, something fitted without being too tight and a little flirty as the flared-out hem plays with the pale skin just above her knee.

My jaw hits the floor, and my tongue lags out of my mouth, rolling along the floor like it’s a red carpet just for her.

“Good luck with fucking that out of your system,” he deadpans and gives my back a shove, pushing me in her direction. “She already owns your balls; you might as well stick them in her purse and hope she plays with them later.”

“If only.”

“Then why are you still standing here with me? Go get her, man, before someone else does.”

I falter, casting him a quick glance before turning back to her. “And when she hates me after I tell her the truth?”

“No woman has ever hated you.”

“You’re looking at the first.” I toss back the rest of my drink, hand him my empty glass, and do as the man says; I go get her, a moth to her flame.

Before I can reach her, Fallon swoops in and steals her full attention, hugging her and laughing like two sorority sisters reunited. Only I already know—since I made Fallon tell me everything she knew about her—that they’re both math and science geeks and had very limited social lives in college. Can’t say I’m disappointed by that.

Wynter looks like she’s in seventh heaven talking to Fallon. They’re gabbing on, probably about how excited they are that Wynter is now in town and how cool it is that they’re not only working in the same hospital together, but, blah, blah, blah, who cares?

“Sorry, Fall. I have to steal your date.”

Because I need to tell her, yes, but I also want to be alone with her, and as Cal said, I don’t want anyone else to get her before I can.

“Asher? What are you doing here?”

I grab her hand and drag her away from Fallon, who is giving me a Cheshire grin. “So, funny thing,” I say over my shoulder as I lead her down the hall, debating where to take her. “This is actually my place.”

“What?” She tries to yank her hand free, but that’s not going to happen. I pull her into one of the powder rooms I have because bathrooms seem to be our thing. “No, Fallon invited me to a work thing. “I’m here to meet people I work with.”

“You’re not actually.” I spin her inside the room, shut and lock the door behind us, pick her up by her hips, and drop her on the counter beside the sink.

“What the hell is going on?” she yells, her hands flying, and then jutting out to ward me off. “How do you know Fallon, and why is this your place, and what are you doing with a houseful of doctors I work with?”

“All really good questions. I love how smart you are. Keeps me on my toes.” I shove her hands out of the way and stand directly in front of her. “I know all of these doctors because I’m sort of friends with them. My best friend Callan works in the emergency department of your hospital and is with Layla Fritz, whose entire family is in medicine, and half of them work at your hospital as well. Fallon works with Oliver Fritz, who is Layla’s brother-in-law, and Fallon is also engaged to my best friend, Greyson Monroe. It’s a lot, and I’m likely confusing you, but that’s the best explanation I’ve got. I also attend all kinds of charity events with the Fritz family, so your doctor people are also my people. If that makes sense. To answer your other question, you’re here for me because I planned this party for you, so I can talk to you. You ran out on me yesterday, and I needed to tell you something in person before Monday and work and Coach and surgery got in the way.”

She stares at me like I have three heads, none of which she finds appealing. “You planned an entire party just so you could talk to me?”

I hesitate, shifting in front of her. “Yes. And when you put it that way with the tone you’re using, it sounds a little crazy and desperate, but both of those accurately sum me up right now.”

Her eyes hold mine. “Why would you do all that? What is it you have to say that couldn’t wait? I barely know you and this seems a little… much.”

“I get that. Just bear with me, okay?”

“Fine. Talk.”

I cup her jaw in my hand, no longer able to hold back. “I have to tell you something important, and I didn’t want to do it at the stadium or in the hospital. Especially not before you were about to take a scalpel to my shoulder.”

She swallows hard. “Okay. Tell me already.”

My heart starts to pound out a merciless rhythm in my chest, like a hammer striking at my ribs, making me winded. “We met before Thursday. About a year and a half ago. In a bathroom. Of a club.” My hand drops to the counter beside her legs, and I hold still, standing close but still giving her space.

She blinks at me, staring harder and deeper than she ever has before. Then she gasps, loud and resonating, her hand clapping over her mouth. “I told myself I was crazy.”

“You’re not.”

“No.” She shakes her head violently. “It’s not possible. It can’t be. Not you. Not now. Not this.”

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