The door opens and I look down at Tessa, her green eyes doubling in size the moment she trains them on me. She’s still wearing my T-shirt, but she has on these tight black pants that I know hug her ass in a way that has me reaching down to adjust my slowly hardening cock. One of her hands is clutching a small container of ice cream, and the spoon she has shoved in her mouth nearly falls out as she reacts to my presence, clearly not expecting me.

“Mmm mmm,” she says around the spoon with a shake of her head before slamming the door closed. A lock clicks.

“What the hell?” I bang on the door, turning the knob and scowling when it won’t budge. “Tessa, what the fuck? Let me in.”

“No, no, no, no, NO. You are not coming in here.”

“Why the hell not?”

“Because if I let you in, I’ll have sex with you.”

My brow pinches together. “Why is that a problem?”

I hear her breathy pause. “It just… it just fucking is. Okay?”

“No, it’s not okay. ‘It just fucking is’ isn’t a reason, and if you’re keeping me out ’cause you’re worried I’ll have sex with you as soon as I get in there, don’t be.”

“Oh really?” she asks through a laugh. “You mean to tell me if I open this door right now, you wouldn’t try sticking it in, immediately? I call bullshit.”

I smile, dropping my head against the door. “Immediately? No, because I can still fucking taste you, Tessa, and I want more of that before I do anything else. When you open this door—not if—the first thing that’s going to be sliding into you will be my tongue. Then my fingers. Then my cock. In that order.”

I hear a soft, purring sound, followed by a grunt. “Goddamn it. Why do you have to talk to me like that?”

I palm my now fully hard cock. “‘Cause you like it. Now let me in.”

“No.”

I jar the knob again. “You know I can break down doors. You’ve seen me do it.”

“Then you’ll be buying me another one.”

I shut my eyes. “Look, I’ve had a shitty night. A really fucking shitty night, and I just want to be with you. Let me in so I can do that.”

“Did this shitty night have anything to do with Ray? Or Sara?” I don’t respond and I hear more locks clicking. “You wanna come in?” she asks, her voice dropping the certainty it just had seconds ago.

I nod as if she can see me, feeling my desperation for her coursing through my blood.

“There are five locks on this door, four too many in my opinion, and if you want in, you need to answer all five of my questions.”

I stare blankly at the door. “Don’t do this right now.”

“Question number one,” she starts as I run both hands down my face. “Who is Ray?”

Easy. I can answer that.

“He’s a bartender I’ve known for a couple years. He owns Lucky’s Tavern.”

A lock clicks. “See, that’s wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“Is that your next question?”

I hear her irritated sigh. “No, it’s not, smartass. Who is Sara?”

I crack my knuckles as I begin to pace back and forth in front of the door. “Tessa, I fucking answered one of your questions. That should be enough.”

“Don’t be pissy with me because you bought a door with five locks. You know the rules of this game.”

A game; that’s exactly what this is. A fucking game.

I stop in front of the door. “I want to be with you. You fucking settle me, okay, and I need that right now. Stop this shit and just let me in.”

Silence lingers between us as I step closer, flattening my hand against the door.

“Tessa.” I nearly plead, not giving a shit if she hears how weak I am when it comes to her. She’s controlling this, and the helpless feeling that started off as a minor discomfort weighing on my chest has intensified, making it difficult for my lungs to fully expand.

I can hear her breathing through the door as she makes me wait, and it’s funny how that doesn’t crank up my anxiety. Waiting for Tessa to make her decision doesn’t make me uneasy. It’s the fear of not seeing her right now that does.

“No, Luke,” she finally says, her voice unwavering and sure. “I can’t have you keep me out like that. It sucks for me, especially when I get moments with you where I think you’re letting me in, but you’re not. It’s not fucking fair. If you don’t want to tell me who Sara is, then leave, because you’re not coming in here.”

My chest gets tighter, like she’s just added another weight by keeping me out. “Fine,” I reply through gritted teeth, turning and heading for my truck.

I’m not going to fucking beg to see her, and I don’t need this shit right now. Not after the night I just had. She’s probably just pissed I left her the way I did earlier and after a day or two, she’ll get over it. Tessa can’t deny she wants to be with me. What we had last summer was damn near perfect, and we will have that again.

Just as I’m about to pull away from her apartment, my phone rings. Fuck yes. I pull it out of the pocket of my shorts just as I cut the engine, but it’s not Tessa calling me. It’s a number I don’t recognize.

“Yeah?” I answer, pissed off that I’m starting up my truck again.

“Hi, I’m trying to reach Luke Evans. This is Dr. Cohen calling from St. Joseph’s Hospital.”