Christmas is next week and I’ve yet to buy Lauren’s gift. Truth is I have no fucking clue what to get her. We haven’t discussed the fact that everyone thinks we’re engaged and now we’ve embarked on a real relationship. How the heck do you unengage the girl you’re dating so that one day you can ask her again…probably, maybe? None of these thoughts occurred to me when I fell down on bended knee the first time.

As I sit in the ER for the fourth time today, thankful that my partner is handling the paperwork, my vision shifts to Lauren’s Physical therapy office which I can spot through the windows. She’s in there and I wish I was, too. I think back to weeks ago and how I thought she was a safe bet because she’d never want to actually date me. And here I am literally convincing myself not to walk over there and kiss her in the middle of her session with a patient. How did I get here?

My head falls into my hands.

“You’re thinking hard over here,” a woman’s voice pulls me from my mini-anxiety attack.

Sitting up, I notice Keri. We didn’t just bring in her patient in did we? Damn, my mind is only on that spunky brunette nowadays.

“Hey, Keri.” I lean back, glancing over to Keith to see how far along he is with the paperwork.

“I stopped by your mom’s room that night, but the lights were off and only an older gentleman was there.”

She appears disappointed, but there’s nothing between Keri and I that wasn’t professional.

“Probably my dad. They have to do another ablation in a few months.”

Her hand touches my thigh. I stare down at her manicured pink nails. Her fingers are longer than Lauren’s, her palm bigger.

“I’m so sorry. I don’t know much about that other than people can live with A-fib.”

“Yeah, she’s in good spirits and the doctor is hopeful.”

My eyes won’t stop staring at her hand on my leg. Why is it still there?

I shift in my seat, but she still doesn’t move her hand.

I’ve had plenty of women touch me in more private areas than my leg, but nothing has ever felt this wrong. If anything, I welcomed the casual affection. Now, her hand feels like it’s burning a hole through my uniform, but I have no idea how to get her to remove it. My vision shoots over to Keith once more, but he’s busy chatting up the new young nurse.

“That’s great. So, I was thinking…” Her hand slides farther up my thigh.

Fuck, do something idiot.

You’d think I swallowed acid the way my throat is burning as I watch her, but still, I sit there working out the puzzle in my head. Am I really ready for one woman to be the only one to touch me? My short time with Lauren flies through my mind like I’m flipping channels on the television. Us in the shower this morning, last night on the couch, two days ago when we were laughing so hard we ended up on the stairs. Her dark hair that lay like a veil over my face when we kiss. The slight squirm she does when I kiss the inside of her thigh right before I go down on her. It’s not even all the sex, it’s the Hallmark movie day when I fed her cookie dough well before I had a chance to taste the chocolate from her tongue. Her jumping in the end zone at a spontaneous game of touch football with my family. My mom showing her how to form tortellini.

A cool breeze from the sliding doors pulls me from my trip down memory lane of my short time with Lauren Hunt. My hand covers Keri’s with one intent—to set her straight.

“Listen, Keri, I’m—”

“Luca?”

I twist my head in the direction of my voice and find Lauren standing there, her eyes not on my face and when I follow her line of vision, I know what she sees.

Fuck.

“Nope.” I stand leaving Keri’s hand to fall off my leg. “It’s not what this looks like.”

Lauren surprises me by staying in place and not fleeing. I would’ve been long gone and not waited for an explanation.

“Then tell me what this is.” She crosses her arms.

“Let’s go outside.”

“Is she joining us?” She looks past me to Keri.

Circling back around, Keri’s perfectly styled eyebrows are raised so high you might think she just got Botox. “Sorry, Keri, that’s what I was about to tell you. I have a girlfriend.”

“Fiancée actually.” Lauren raises her hand and the overhead lights glint off her diamond.

I bite my bottom lip praying like hell I don't smile over her staking her claim. Jealousy means she likes me. Jealousy means this isn’t some fling to her. Jealousy means she’s invested in a future with me. That thought alone elates me.

“Oh, I didn’t know…” Color flushes Keri’s cheeks and she shifts her weight from one high heel to another. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you.” Lauren lowers her hand.

“See you around, Keri,” I say, but she’s already turned around and disappearing down the hallway.

“I’ll be outside, Keith,” I holler.

He gives me a quick wave, never turning around because he could give a shit about me until we’re back in the truck.

“You’re with me.” I link hands with Lauren and take her outside, but it’s fucking freezing. Like snot in your nose dries immediately cold. Shrugging out of my jacket, I put it over Lauren’s shoulders.

“So…” She shrugs, putting her arms through my jacket.

I pull out my phone and snap a picture.

“What are you doing?”

“I really wanted a picture of you with my jacket on.”

“Like it’s high school?”

“Well, you wore Cody’s jacket all the fucking time.”

She steps forward, her fingers digging under my belt loop. “Stop talking about Cody. I’m with you and if you want to dig up your letterman jacket, I’ll gladly wear it.” She rises on her tiptoes and kisses my jaw. A whimpering moan falling from her lips.

“So, what are you doing here?” I ask.

“Besides beating away all your admirers?” She raises a brow, but I don’t respond. “I’m on lunch and I took a chance that you might be here.”

“Can’t get enough of me.” Before she can protest, I slip my arms around her, capturing her mouth and sliding my tongue inside. Suddenly it’s not so cold outside.

Stopping the kiss, she pulls back, staring up at me. “Is there anyone else I need to remind you’re taken?”

“Nope but you can’t expect me to put a sign around my neck that says I belong to Lauren Hunt.”

“I don’t know, I think I could.”

Pulling her closer, I kiss the top of her head.

“So…” Her voice is muffled in my chest, but I know what’s she’s getting at just from the tone of her voice.

“I guess when you’re the girl I’m with it’s pretty fucking easy to say no to another woman’s advance.”

She lightly punches me in the stomach. “Still have all those worries about being a horrible boyfriend?” She stares back at me again.

I place my hands on either side of her face, our eyes only on one another. “I can’t speak for all my faults, but I feel pretty damn confident right now.”

She laughs rising on her toes one more time, pressing her lips to mine.

“Want to go make out in my truck?” I ask.

Taking my hand, she leads me to the open rig. “I have twenty minutes until my lunch is up.”

“What about food?”

“I think there’s a big meat sandwich that will fill me up at least until I get home tonight.” She winks and rounds the rear of our truck, climbing up the bumper and into the bench seat.

“You really are the perfect girl.”

I shut the truck doors, and her fingers fiddle with my pants. “Come on Romeo, let your Juliet give you one hell of a lunch break.”

She takes me out and as I watch my cock disappear between her lips. I want to hammer down a gavel and yell SOLD! because I’m praying I’ll never be on the market again.