I pushed myself up to catch her as she fell against me. Our breathing slowed and synced up. Holding her like this, feeling the sweat on her skin and smelling our mingled scents, was important enough to me that I was able to ignore the sharp pain in my ribs from supporting myself like this.

I kissed her shoulder. Running my hand up the curve of her spine, it was a wonder to me that I had ever not known her. Once I had her in my arms it was as clear as muscle memory that she was the girl I’d been dreaming about all this time. “Baby,” I breathed.

She knew at once what I was about to say. “Lie down,” she ordered.

I grinned. “Yes, nurse.”

She nodded and slid off the bed and yanked on her clothes. “Be right back.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” I reminded her.

She disappeared from the room and returned with a wet cloth. “Hygiene is an important part of the healing process,” she intoned with a cute little smirk on her face.

I rolled my eyes. “It’s a good thing you’re my nurse, because I wouldn’t let anyone else in the world do this.”

Her eyes widened as she watched me clean myself. “It is a good thing I’m your nurse,” she agreed, moving to kiss me. Then she stopped with a stricken look on her face. “Oh my god.” She buried her face in her hands.

I shook my head and gently tugged them away. “None of that.” I leaned up, searching her face. “You’re freaking out. Why are you freaking out?”

“I’m going to lose this job,” she said.

I wanted to laugh and tell her it didn’t matter, but I knew how much it mattered to her. How much she needed the money. I stifled my laugh and was about to protest that I’d make sure she was taken care of when something flickered across her face. Her chin jutted stubbornly. “Right. I’m done with it.”

“What?”

“This job. I slept with my patient. That’s completely unprofessional. I’m definitely fired.” She looked almost relieved.

“Does that mean you’re not coming over anymore?” I slid my hands between her legs.

She arched into it. “Don’t know why I would,” she said, but there was something I loved about the way her lip twitched in glee. 

“Hmm, you don’t know why?” I flicked my tongue out. “Maybe I can persuade you to stop by once in a while?”

“Not as your nurse,” she said firmly. “I officially quit.”

I grinned. I knew how important this was to her, that she stay professional on the job. So of course it would make sense that she wouldn’t want the job any more. “Yup, you don’t even have to give your two-weeks notice. But maybe you could come over as my girl?”

Her face lit up like she had the sun shining from inside of her. “As your girl?” Her grin grew crafty. “Yeah. I suppose I could do that.” She leaned over and kissed me. “I should go now, though,” she whispered.

It broke my heart that she couldn’t stay. I wanted to lie next to her and listen to her breathing deepen as she fell asleep and press the curve of her body against mine. “This fucking hospital bed,” I growled. “It’s too tiny.”

She pulled her shirt over her head and leaned over to kiss my nose. “But I told you I was coming back.”

I nodded firmly. “As my girl.”

“As your girl.” She kissed my lips.

“Good night, Everly.”

“Sleep well, Gabe.”

“I will. You wore me right out.”

She blushed and ducked her head as she scurried out the door, but I took a perverse sense of pride in seeing she was walking a little bowlegged.

I was still feeling blissed out and sated when I mindlessly reached out to my phone to check what time it was.

“Fuck,” I whispered when I saw the missed call notification. I recognized the area code. I knew who it had to be, but part of me didn’t dare hope.

I pressed the play button and my producer’s voice boomed out of the speaker. “Gabriel! Listen, sorry to be calling so late. I know you’re probably asleep or something, but I wanted to get ahold of you with the good news as soon as I got it. We’re renewed!” I heard him slap his palm on his thigh and could picture him sitting there in the corner office late at night, his feet up on his huge oaken desk.

Kit Lomber was the producer of King of Pain. Me taking giant risks on camera had pretty much paid for that ritzy corner office. “Call me as soon as you get this and we can talk scheduling,” he went on. “I know we need to work around your recovery and all, but I know you’re gonna be back on your feet and jumping off buildings again real soon, buddy.” He paused like he was about to hang up, then repeated his plea with a note of desperation in his voice. “Call me.”

I looked at the screen, my finger already hovering over the call back button. Getting back to the show had been all I wanted these past few frustrating months. Getting paid to do stupid, thrilling shit? Hell, I’d fucking do it for free. I couldn’t wait to get back.

Except.

I glanced at the door. Everly’s scent still hung in the room, clinging to my skin and filling my lungs. She’d said she’d come over as my girl, but would she still want to be my girl if I told her I was leaving? Was I leaving?

If you’d asked me last week if I planned on staying in Crown Creek once I healed, I would have laughed at you. But now?

Now I wasn’t laughing at all.