“Before I forget,” Evan stops me before I can get into my car. I finally got it back after getting it fixed. That asshole cost me fifteen hundred dollars.

“Yes?”

He cages me against the door with his hands on both sides of me. “My sister, Courtney, and her husband are coming down next weekend for the triplets’ first birthday, and we’re throwing a party. They’re bringing all their friends, and their kids and my entire family will be there.”

“So you want me to scram, is that what you’re saying?”

He tickles my side, making me wiggle closer to him. “No, I want you to come with me. Introduce you to everyone.”

“I’ve already met most of your family,” I remind him.

“Yeah, but now I want to introduce you as my girlfriend.”

My eyes widen as my smile spreads, threatening to split my face in two. “Girlfriend, really?”

“I mean, girlfriend sounds so juvenile, but I don’t think I can get away with kissing you and calling you my friend around my family. If I don’t set boundaries from the start, they’ll start planning our wedding and future kids’ names.”

“Well, if that isn’t enough to induce an anxiety attack,” I tease because I already adore his family. They’re so different from mine that I don’t even mind their antics.

“Plus, I’d love for you to meet Courtney. She has her hands full with the triplets most of the time, but they’ll be captured by Mama and the family once they’re here, so we can actually sit and chat with my sister.”

“Okay, sounds fun. I’ll have to brush up on my interview skills, but I think I can handle it.”

He laughs and kisses my forehead. “She’ll love you; don’t worry. They all will.”

Evan opens my door for me and waits for me to get in and settled before shutting it. We’re driving separately to the hospital to continuing playing the part. I reminded him in the shower that he can’t act differently at work, but even I know that’s going to be hard. Pretending to bicker back and forth will have to be something I remind myself or perhaps I’ll just give him something to get angry about so neither of us cracks.

The thought makes me laugh as I follow him down the road. Irritated and annoyed Evan is actually really hot, so I usually don’t mind when he gets that way. Needing to purge my brain, I call Kiera so I can tell her everything.

“It’s about time! I’ve been pacing anxiously to hear about your date!” she says as soon as she picks up the phone. “So tell me everything.”

“Everything everything?” I tease.

“Oh God, yes please.”

“You’re such a freak.” I laugh. “It was an amazing date,” I start, ready to gush about it all. I tell her about dinner and his surprise outing under the stars. I explain all about the constellations and planets he showed me and how gorgeous it was.

“Damn, who knew Evan Bishop had a romantic bone in his body? Damn!” she whistles, pretending to pant. “So did you do it under the stars then?”

I chuckle, rolling my eyes at her ability to have no boundaries whatsoever. “No, but he did stay the night.”

“Ooohhhh…”

“And you’ll be happy to know we’re…together. I guess.”

“Together?” she asks with a hint of amusement.

“Yes, like together-together.”

She releases a breath. “Well, it’s about fucking time.”

I groan at her tone. “Yeah, yeah. Well, anyway, it was perfect. The perfect night with dinner, stargazing, and lots of mind-blowing sex.”

“I’ll make sure the MC adds that to Evan’s bachelor auction card next year.” She laughs.

“I better bring extra cash just in case April returns with a vengence.” I chuckle. Sorry, April. Evan’s mine.

We chat the entire drive to the hospital. When I look in my rearview mirror, I notice the same car has been behind me almost since I left my house. Feeling more paranoid than normal, I try to relax, so I don’t have another panic attack.

“What is it?” Kiera notices my sudden mood change.

“A car’s been following me, but I was so distracted I didn’t really realize it at first, but now I remember it’s been behind me for a long time now.”

“Do you think it’s Richard?”

“It’s not the same car, but that doesn’t mean anything. He could’ve rented one after smashing into mine.”

“Keep me on the phone until you’re in the hospital.”

“Evan’s driving in front of me, so I’ll park next to him.”

“Okay, good.”

“I’m pulling into the parking lot now.” I look up and see the car turning. Squinting, I get a better look at the driver. Exhaling, I release a relieved breath. “It’s a woman,” I tell her. “False alarm.”

“Thank goodness.”

“Okay, well, I’m at work now, so I’ll text you later when I get a break.” We say goodbye, and I hang up just as Evan appears at my door.

“You can’t be opening my door for me and being all sweet. People are going to get suspicious before we even walk inside.” He takes my hand and helps me stand.

“I said I’d be careful at work. I didn’t say anything about the parking lot.” He winks, leaning in to kiss me, but I put a finger against his lips and stop him.

“Technicalities, Dr. Bishop.” He narrows his eyes in disapproval. “Someone could still see us out here, so unless you’re okay with everyone and their mamas knowing about us, I suggest you control yourself.”

He grunts, lowering a hand to his groin to adjust himself. I chuckle at the pained look on his face before grabbing my bag and locking my car.

“That’s more like it,” I tease, licking my lips. “Remember to act annoyed and moody. Shouldn’t be too hard, though.” I wink, looking down at the bulge below his waist, then pat him on the cheek.

“You’re playing with fire, woman,” he warns, his voice low and gravelly, the very combination that soaks my panties anytime he speaks like that. He smacks my ass before walking toward the employee entrance.

“Guess I better stock up on burn cream,” I mock, walking ahead of him, so we don’t walk in together.

Once I’m at my locker, I grab a couple of pieces of licorice out of my bag and stuff the rest of my things inside. Evan went to report to Dr. Umbridge and get a briefing on what’s been happening since we had yesterday off. Butterflies swarm in my stomach as I think about how the past twenty-four hours have been, how things have changed, and where things between Evan and I are heading. Admittedly, I’m nervous, considering the last time I dated a co-worker and how that ended, but I know deep down that Evan is different. He’s not dating me to get to my father or to advance his own career. He’s only ever been interested in me and only me.

As soon as I walk to the nurses’ station and see Evan standing with Dr. Umbridge, I slap on my game face. He probably won’t notice anything, considering he’s been gone since I first arrived, but the other doctors and nurses will if we don’t keep up the façade.

“Dr. Bell, it’s lovely to see you again.” Dr. Umbridge greets me.

“Dr. Umbridge, it’s been a few weeks. How was your vacation?” I offer him my hand, and when he takes it, then covers his other hand over it, sandwiching me in an affectionate greeting, I glance over at Evan whose jaw is ready to snap off. I laugh internally at the possessive look he’s giving Dr. Umbridge behind his back, so just for fun, I see just how much I can get away with.

“Let’s just say it was a much-needed vacation.” He laughs. I lean into him and laugh, pressing my free hand against his chest.

“Well, good for you. Honestly. I’m sure your wife enjoyed having you all to herself for a bit.”

“Nah, no wife. Most women don’t understand the demands of the job and can’t handle the long hours.” He releases my hand, and I cross my arms over my chest.

“I totally get that,” I say. “I’ve never had much luck in that department either.”

Before he can respond, Dr. Umbridge’s pager goes off, and when he glances down to read it, Evan shoots me death glares.

“I’ll have to excuse myself…”

Evan cuts off his words and grabs my arm before he can finish. “No problem. We have a situation we need to deal with anyway.”

I wave over my shoulder as Evan drags me down the hallway back to our lockers. Fortunately, it’s empty, but as soon as he shuts the door, I burst out laughing.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” His stance is hard as he places his hands on his hips. “You think that was funny?”

“Are you serious right now?” I take a step toward him. “I was testing you, and I’m sorry, but you failed miserably.”

“Testing me for what? I’m not going to play these little games with you, Emily—”

“Okay, I’m sorry!” I hold my hand up to stop him. “I was just testing your reaction because when we’re at work, you’re supposed to act indifferent, not like you might murder the next guy who smiles at me.”

“I would’ve been just fine had you not gone out of your way trying to seduce him,” he badgers.

“Oh please…Dr. Umbridge is old enough to be my father, so now you’re blowing things way out of proportion.”

“So you weren’t purposely trying to make me jealous?”

“Not jealous,” I argue. “We agreed to keep things the same at work, so if we’re going to do that, we have to bicker like we always have.”

“Right so…” He stops when it finally clicks in his head. “So you gave me a reason to be pissed off. Is that what you’re saying?”

“Do you really think you could’ve kept up the act otherwise? The second I walked over, you were undressing me with your eyes.”

He brushes a hand through his hair, making it messier than before. “To be fair, I had just seen you naked, so it was still fresh in my mind.”

I swat his chest, but he catches my hand and pulls me forward until our bodies come together. “I doubt we’d be the first office romance in this hospital, especially since it’s a small town.”

“Yes, but unless they’re trying to prove themselves and gain respect based on their hard work ethic, they don’t have much to worry about,” I remind him. He knows how important it is for me to make a name for myself on my own merit. “I want to be labeled as a professional before being labeled as the new doctor who’s sleeping with the hot doctor.”

“You are a professional, and you have killer work ethic—no one doubts that.” He presses a soft kiss to my nose. “But I understand. Though once my family all knows, it’ll only be days before rumors start spreading around. Everyone knows everyone even if they’re an hour away. Especially Mama. She’s the gossip headquarter’s queen.”

I laugh, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling his lips to mine. “Guess that means I still have a week to show everyone what I’m made of.”

The morning goes by smoothly with only a few patients. Deciding to take my lunch early, I head to the cafeteria and grab some food. I call Kiera, but she doesn’t answer. A few minutes later, she sends me a text.

I hit send, and thirty seconds later, my phone rings and a picture of us pops on the screen.

“Crisis mode 101,” I answer with a laugh.

“Tell me why you’re freaking out.”

“I’m not. I mean, not really. Just nervous, maybe anxious. I want them all to like me. He only has one sister, and it’d be nice if we got along, ya know?”

“Like I’ve told you before, Courtney is the most easygoing person you’ll ever meet. She approved of River without question, and that woman basically showed up on Alex’s doorstep telling him she was pregnant, so unless you’re a pathological liar, she’s going to love you.”

“Even though I stole his clothes after our one-night stand because I thought Evan was Drew?”

“Oh, right. Okay, well maybe don’t bring that up.”

I chuckle, grabbing my food wrappers and tossing them before heading back to the elevator. “I’ll make sure to steer clear of that topic.”

“Plus, Trent and I will be there, so we can intervene if you need us to,” she tells me matter-of-factly.

“Speaking of which, you and Trent having noon hookups, huh? Things must be getting serious.”

She snorts. “I’m just gonna be blunt and say it. He’s really good in bed.”

“Oh my God,” I respond, laughing as I step into the elevator. “You mean he knows how to work his gearshift.”

I lean over to press the button to my floor, and when I look up, I gasp. The doors are sliding closed, but I see his face down the hallway. The phone slips out of my hand and falls to the floor. Once the doors close and the elevator starts moving, I suck in a long breath. I can hear Kiera talking, but I’m too stunned to move.

The moment I looked up and saw Richard’s face, I completely panicked.

Finally reaching down for my phone, I pick it up and bring it to my ear, hoping Kiera’s voice will soothe me enough so I don’t have a panic attack.

“Sorry,” I finally say.

“What the hell? Did you drop your phone?”

“Y-yeah. I-I…”

“What is it?” she asks rushed.

“I don’t know. Maybe I’m seeing things, but I could’ve sworn I saw Richard.”

“What? In the hospital?”

“Yeah, down the hallway just when the elevator doors were closing. He wasn’t close, but I recognized his features.”

The elevator stops on the ER floor, and when the doors open, I step out and walk right toward the lockers. I need to settle my nerves before I get back to work.

“This is starting to freak me out, Em. You better tell Evan and call that cop. What if he was following you this morning and disguised himself as a woman?”

I hadn’t thought of that, and now that I am, I’m creeped the hell out. “Oh my God,” I mutter, putting the pieces together. “The pictures on my mantle.”

“What about them?”

“Last night before our date I was showing them to Evan, then when we got back, we basically ripped each other’s clothes off and ended up in my bedroom all night, so I hadn’t noticed anything. However, this morning when I walked into my living room, all the picture frames were facing down.”

“Holy fuck, Em.” She gasps. “That’s freaky as hell. You think he was inside your place?”

“He’s been following me, so I really wouldn’t put it past him, but it didn’t look like anyone had broken in. I figured the photos fell when we were stumbling down the hall last night. We tipped a plant over so—”

“Okay, but what if it’s exactly what it sounds like, and the creeper is not only following you but also stalking you outside your house, probably with binoculars and night vision goggles, and saw you showing Evan those pictures? He would’ve seen you two leave together and could’ve easily gotten in through an open window or something. Then it’s no coincidence you were followed to work the next day, and now he’s at the hospital.”

“I think I’m going to be sick.” He’s been in my home. He’s watched me for who knows how long, and there’s no telling what he’s seen. It’s been three weeks since he nearly chased me off the road and got away.

God, I feel so violated. Stalking me, watching me, obsessing about me. It sends shivers down my spine, and my skin breaks out in goose bumps. I’m so creeped out.

“Em, you need to tell Evan right away. Call that officer and don’t go home by yourself.”

“I don’t understand what he wants!” I shout, feeling frustrated. “Does he really think hurting me will bring his wife back?”

“He’s crazy, Em. Losing her made him lose it, and he needs help, but that isn’t on you.”

“But he thinks it is.”

“Who cares what he thinks. He’s psycho.”

That’s an understatement.

“Okay, I’m going to find Evan.”

“Good idea. Please call me after, okay?”

“I will,” I promise before we hang up.

I still have hours of my shift left, but I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to focus after that. Constantly looking over my shoulder, worried he’ll pop out of nowhere and show up. My foot taps nonstop as I dig around my locker for the rest of my licorice. The bag is almost empty, and I make a mental note to restock next time I’m at the store. I start making a list of other things I should probably get while I’m there to, and I let my mind wander for a few minutes when I feel someone behind me. My hands get clammy. My heart races with fear, paranoia sets over me, my chest tightens and it’s like the car chase all over again.

Instinctively, I jerk my elbow back and hear an “umpf” when I nail him. Spinning around the bench I’m sitting on, my eyes widen when I see Evan hunched over in pain.

“Oh my God,” I screech, rushing over to him when his body hits the floor. “Are you okay?” He’s in the fetal position, and when I look down, I notice his hand cupping his groin. “Oh, shit. I nailed you in the balls, didn’t I?”

He nods, and I feel even more awful when I see tears forming in his eyes. “Fuck. I’m so sorry. Do you want me to get you an ice pack or anything?”

“No…” he breathes out. “Just gimme a minute.”

After he recoups, I help him stand and can’t stop apologizing. I hadn’t meant to junk punch him, and I feel even worse knowing what I need to tell him.

“Okay, I think they’ve fallen back down now,” he says with a small grin.

“Why were you sneaking up on me?” I ask when we both take a seat at one of the round tables.

“I wasn’t,” he defends. “I called your name twice before, and you didn’t even flinch.”

“You did?” Fuck. “I’m sorry…I was two seconds away from having a panic attack, so it’s probably good you came in when you did—”

“Why? What’s wrong?” His panicked tone keeps my heart racing hard, and when I tell him the entire story, he looks like he’s about to murder someone.

“I’ve fucking had it with that motherfucker,” he spits out. “He wants to keep this shit up, I’m done letting the police handle it. He’s had a warrant out for his arrest, and he’s just been out there following and stalking you.”

“I’ll call the cop and let him know. Maybe they can bring an extra guard to the hospital until they catch him or something. Or they’ll work a little harder to find him if I tell him all this new shit he’s been doing,” I say.

“I should’ve figured something was about to happen. It’s been too quiet these past couple of weeks. Probably got a new car too.”

Once Evan calms down, he stays with me as I call the officer who wrote up the police report and tell him everything. He reassures me his guys are on it and will be checking Richard’s home again and any other properties he owns. They’ve been running his credit and debit cards, but no new charges have been placed. He’s living off the grid just enough not to get caught.

The officer tells me to come in and file another report of him breaking the restraining order, stalking me, and for breaking and entering. Though I can’t prove any of those events, keeping a paper trail is the only thing I can do right now. The more paperwork I have to show he’s a threat to me, the better chances of him being charged once he’s caught. They could easily bring him in for suspicious activity, and once they get the video footage from that floor, I’ll be able to prove he was here.

We continue working our shift, but Evan could tell I was distracted. I didn’t want to leave the ER short staffed, so he stayed by my side the entire time. So much for going under the radar as a couple. He was pissed I left the ER without telling him, but I was so hungry, and I didn’t think going to the cafeteria would put me in danger. Now, I know Richard has no boundaries, and considering I have no idea what he’s actually capable of, I’m freaked out even more.

“If we’re going to make it to the station on time, we better get going,” Evan reminds me as I shuffle through my locker again.

“Okay,” I tell him, grabbing my duffel bag and throwing it over my shoulder. He’s going to follow me to the station before following me home.

We walk out of the employees only door, and it’s already dark out, but the parking lot lamps light our pathway. As soon as I see my car, I know something’s wrong.

“Oh my God.”

Evan rushes past me and kneels by my tires. “Fucking slashed.” He runs a hand over the rubber, shaking his head and locking his jaw. “Motherfucker.”

“I just got my damn car fixed!” I shout, my bag falling off my shoulder and landing on the pavement.

“Let’s go.” He stands up, grabbing my bag with one hand and taking my hand in the other. If I thought Evan was pissed before, he’s boiling now. I’ve never seen his face so red and tense, and I’d be willing to bet he’d be releasing that anger if I wasn’t here right now.

Evan drives us to the station, and we report everything, including the tire slashing. The officer tells us there’s a guy staking out Richard’s house right now and will keep someone there until he’s caught. They’re keeping an eye on as much as they possibly can.

“We can put an officer outside of your condo as well. Make sure he doesn’t break in again and keep an eye on you when you’re home.”

“She won’t be home,” Evan interrupts. I turn to look at him and see his jaw clench. Squeezing his hand to get his attention, he doesn’t budge. “She’ll be staying with me until this asshole is behind bars. She’s not safe there.”

I wouldn’t feel safe either, but I don’t say that aloud.

“That’s probably for the best,” the officer says, honestly. “Write down the address and an alternate phone number, just in case.”

Once we’re done at the station, Evan drives me back to my house so I can pack a bag. I have no idea how long I’ll be staying with him, so I pack a little of everything. The ride to his house is quiet and tense, neither of us knowing what to say. Things were going so great, and now I feel like I’ve brought him onto this crazy train ride with me.

By the time we get to his house and I unpack my things, I can’t stand the silence between us anymore. I find him in the living room in one of the chairs that sits in the corner. The room is dark except for one small lamp that’s lit nearby.

“I’m sorry,” I say, kneeling between his legs. “This isn’t what you signed up for, and I wouldn’t blame you—”

He snaps his head toward me, then reaches down and grabs my arms before pulling me up onto his lap. My arms instinctively wrap around his neck as my legs straddle him. His hands cup the back of my neck as he brings my mouth down to his, kissing me so sweet and soft that I melt into his hard body.

“Evan…” I whisper his name—a quiet plead against his lips. I need to know what he’s thinking, what this means for us, and how we’re going to get through this.

“All in, baby. Remember?” It’s as if he knows what I needed to hear, and my eyes swell with tears at the realization that this man isn’t running away. He’s going to fight this battle with me no matter what.

“All in,” I confirm with a grateful smile.

“Never doubt that for a second. Got it?”

I nod as our mouths magnetize together in a heated kiss. His tongue slides between my lips, creating a hot desire low in my stomach as he arches his pelvis and urges me to reciprocate. I grind my hips against him, feeling the friction build between us, and when he releases a loud groan, I know he’s seconds away from tearing off our clothes.

“Wait…” I say as he brings his hands to the hem of my shirt. “Aren’t you going to give me a tour?” I grin as his erection pushes against my leg.

“Of course.” He flashes a devious smirk before sliding his hands under my ass and lifting me up as he stands. “Let’s start with the bedroom, shall we?” He smacks my ass, and I laugh all the way to his bed.