Fifteen
Alexis
“Turn right here,” I instructed.
Zion turned into the parking lot of my apartment complex. Seeing that we were home, Apple stood in the backseat, poked her head out the window, and began wagging her tail.
“Thank you so much,” I said, unfastening my seatbelt.
“Not a problem,” Zion said.
We stared at each other for a moment. I wanted nothing more than to invite him inside, but I didn’t want to seem too forward and needy. He had already done enough for me. And for Apple too.
I opened the passenger’s side door, climbed out, and then opened the backseat door to let Apple hop out.
I looked up in surprise when I heard the driver’s side door open and close. Zion stood, watching me retrieve Apple. He stuffed his hands into his pockets. “Don’t mind if I walk you ladies inside, do you?” he asked.
“No. No, not at all.”
Zion followed us up to our apartment. As we stood outside the door with Apple panting beside us, I pulled out my keys and desperately tried to remember the condition I had left things in before I left that morning. I hoped the place wasn’t too much of a mess.
I pushed the door open and breathed a sigh of relief seeing that at least the front of my apartment didn’t look too bad.
I tossed my keys onto the table and closed the door behind us. “I really appreciate this, Zion. Take a seat. Make yourself at home.”
Zion cleared his throat and headed to the couch, where he sat down and looked around at the surroundings I called home.
I headed to the kitchen to get Apple some fresh water. “Would you like anything?” I called out to Zion.
“Uh…sure. I’ll take some water too.”
I returned with a cup of cold water. “Let me change and give you your uniform back.”
Zion smirked. “There’s no rush. It looks good on you.”
“Ha ha.” I held my arms up, showing how long the sleeves were. “I’m going to get lost in this thing.”
He chuckled and took a sip of water, right as Apple trotted back towards us. She sat at his feet and he began to scratch her behind the ears.
“Be right back,” I said.
I hurried off to my bedroom, which was far less tidy than the rest of the apartment. Hastily, I shoved my piles of dirty clothes into the hamper and closet—wherever they would fit. And then I searched my drawer for something to put on, quickly realizing I was putting far too much thought into it. So finally, I settled for a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. Something casual.
I neatly folded Zion’s uniform and returned to the living room, where he waited. “Here you go.”
He took the uniform and set it in front of him on the table. I sat down beside him. For a moment, we locked eyes again. A tingle went up my spine and I looked away. I so badly wanted to touch him…
So I settled for touching Apple instead. She rested her head on my knee.
“Beautiful dog,” Zion said.
“Thank you.”
An awkward silence stretched between us. As I stared down at Apple, I could feel Zion staring at me.
“How are you holding up?” he asked after a while.
I shrugged my shoulders. “Fine, I guess.”
“Have you ever had a patient die?”
I swallowed. “No—not on my watch. I’ve seen it from afar, but…”
“Never as close as what almost happened today.”
I nodded.
“Well, you can take comfort in knowing that she’s going to be fine. Your quick thinking saved her life. That’s something to be proud of.” He rubbed my back in what initially started off as a comforting gesture before he began to trail his fingers along my spine. I fought not to arch my back at his touch. He lightly brushed my hair, and then returned his hands to his own lap. “Well…I just wanted to make sure you made it in safely, and that you were all right.”
I felt a panic rising inside of me. There was a tone of finality in his voice, but I didn’t want him to leave yet. Apple too, must have noticed his tone, she got up and retreated to the back of the apartment, where her bed was located, ready for a nap after the day’s excitement.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Zion motioning to get up. I placed my hand on his knee and he paused.
“Are you in a hurry?” I asked.
It took him a moment to answer, but when he did, he shook his head. “No. I just don’t want to overstay my welcome.”
“Let me be the judge of that then,” I said with a shaky smile. My emotions were a rollercoaster, and the one thing I knew for certain was that I didn’t want to be alone.
I also couldn’t seem to remove my hand from Zion’s knee. He covered it with his own hand, and if I didn’t know any better, I would have thought I felt a spark of electricity.
He was just too handsome for his own good…
With my other hand, I brushed through his hair. He leaned in at my touch, and kissed my forehead. And then my nose…
And then he stopped, his mouth just inches away from mine.
I rested my head on his shoulders, breathing in the scent at the crook of his neck. And then I kissed his neck, unable to stop myself. A low groan sounded from Zion’s throat.
“Alexis,” he whispered.
But I couldn’t resist him. I couldn’t keep my hands off him. Whatever he had to say would have to wait, for I hungrily cut off his words with a kiss, pleased to see that he had no objections about returning it.