Page 127 of Aftershock
His answer comes in within seconds.
Alaric:I will later. Tell me more.
My lips tug into a frown.
Me:I won’t. See, I’m worried my doctor is texting instead of feeding all those sexy muscles I’m growing attached to.
Minutes pass in silence as I mop the counters and pick up trash from the floor.
I’m so focused on my tasks that I yelp when my phone buzzes.
Alaric:Don’t be. I’m still full from biting, licking, and sucking on every delicious inch of my favorite patient’s body this morning. It made skipping lunch easy.
Flames climb up my neck. My breath hitches. This man is on a mission to drive me insane. It’s hard to think, let alone function, when he talks to me like that.
Me:You’re the worst. Go eat!
Alaric:If by eating you mean spreading your legs and burying my face in your cunt, then fine. I’ll take a break.
Me:Really?
Alaric:I fucking wish. Later, though, I promise.
A tap on my shoulder. “I see all’s well in Alaric-land.”
“Hope!” I hug my phone to my chest, gasping when I find her standing beside me with her apron already on.
“You two are adorable.” A laugh tumbles out of her as she grabs a disinfectant and a rag from behind the counter. “I didn’t even see what he was writing, so don’t freak out. But you had that look?—”
“The Alaric look.” Delany comes from behind me, her tone warm. As she heads to the kitchen, she adds, “Go on. Take a break. It’s an order.”
Being cared for might be nothing special to other people. Not me. After years of being judged and hated by Mom, I treasure moments like this one.
“I’ll be back soon,” I say, heading to trauma.
Since he’s busy, I won’t ask him to meet me outside. However, there’s no harm in stalking him and hoping for a glimpse of his gorgeous face.
On my way there, I text him back. Just so he won’t think I’m ignoring him.
Me:It’s okay, I can wait. Promise me you’ll at least eat the bar I gave you this morning.
Alaric:I’d rather wait to have your pussy later.
Me:Alaric! Get off your phone and eat.
Alaric:Patients rolling in. Later. Love you.
“Hey, Lilith, right?” I hear a woman, then see her and a taller man beside her wearing teal scrubs. “I’m Samantha, and this is Becket. So nice to finally meet you. Officially, that is.”
So that’s the Samantha whose name I heard on my first day here. And I recognize Becket. Over the past few days, Alaric never introduced me to the nurses or anyone, really. With so little time together, he preferred we spend it alone, and I wholeheartedly agreed with him on that one.
“Oh, hey.” I give the blonde woman and the bald guy a nervous wave. “I hear trauma is busy today.”
“Yup.” Becket steals a glance toward the corridor to his right. “They called us in early.”
“We do have a minute, though.” Samantha is all warmth. “To say that we’re happy. Truly happy about you and Lockwood.”
My cheeks heat. “Uh, thanks?”
