Page 97 of Body Check

“That simple.” I slide my hand down to the column of her neck, feeling her pulse flutter beneath my palm. “Sign that form, and we don’t have to hide. We can live our lives and be happy.”

“I want to be happy,” Amelia says softly. “I want to be happy with you.”

“We will be.” I know it in my bones. “You just have to give us a chance.”

She takes a step back, out of my grasp, and my heart stutters to a stop. She turns away, and I think my heart might actually break.

Fuck. I pushed her too far. It’s too soon. She’s not ready.

But then she goes to her desk, rummaging for a pen, and when she signs her name on the dotted line, I can finally breathe again.

“There,” she announces. “We’re official.”

Slapping the papers onto her desk, she strides across the small office to where I’m sitting. I don’t know who reaches for who first, but the next thing I know, she’s in my arms, and her mouth is on mine, and all is right with the world.

She’s mine, and I’m hers, and there’s nothing that can tear us apart.

There’s chatter in the hallway outside the office, and we break apart, but we don’t go far. Amelia rests her forehead on mine, breathing hard.

“I love you,” she whispers.

Happiness blooms deep in my chest, and I blink a few times to keep the moisture in my eyes at bay. “You do?”

“I was scared. So fucking scared.” She draws in a shuddery breath. “I was afraid I was into this more than you were. That it didn’t mean to you what it does to me.”

“I love you. I want a life with you.” Kissing her, her soft sigh makes my pulse throb. “Whatever it looks like for us, whether we’re traveling three quarters of the year or you want a change of pace, we can do it. I want bagel brunches with your friends and family dinners with your brothers. Nights out with the guys and quiet nights in. Whatever you want, we’ll do it together.”

She swallows. “Together,” she whispers. It’s a promise.

I wrap my hand around her throat again, needing to touch her skin. She covers my hand with hers, her eyes locked on mine.

“We need some ground rules,” she says. “We still can’t—not at work.”

“All our clothes will stay on,” I promise. “Can I kiss you? Hold your hand? Take you to lunch?”

Her eyes soften. “Yeah, Jase. You can.”

Ducking my head, I kiss her again, and again, and again, until we’re both breathless.

There’s a knock on the open door, and Amelia jumps, but I don’t let her go far. I raise my eyebrows at Derek, who stands in the doorway with a shit-eating grin on his face.

“Glad to see you worked your shit out,” he says. “Morning rounds start in five. Better get ready.”

He’s gone as quickly as he came.

I nod to the packet on her desk. “I better get the paperwork in to the office.”

Amelia’s cheeks go pink. “Will I see you later?”

“As soon as you’d like.” I kiss her quickly, and then hop down onto my good foot. She hands me my crutches and the folder. “I’m off to tell HR.”

She winces. “Good luck?”

“It’ll go great,” I tell her, cupping her cheek. “And if it doesn’t, we’ll get through it. Together.”

We can do anything together.

I head toward the office suite. Jacky, the head of HR, is at her desk, and as I knock on her open door, her eyes widen.