Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 41634 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 208(@200wpm)___ 167(@250wpm)___ 139(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 41634 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 208(@200wpm)___ 167(@250wpm)___ 139(@300wpm)
I know all about his road trip. I heard about it from my brother. "I can’t do Monday." I run my schedule through my mind as my stomach does a strange little flip that has nothing to do with my five-mile run. “In fact, I picked up shifts, so I work five nights in a row next week. Can you do the Sunday after next?”
"That’s a long time to wait, but I can do that," he says, stepping back to give me space, though his gaze never wavers. "You won’t regret giving me a chance."
I watch him for a moment, the way the morning light catches the sharp lines of his face. He’s a dangerous man, Jaxson Thorne. Not because of his reputation or his rivalry with my brother, but because he makes me want to break every rule I’ve ever made for myself. He makes the 'no athlete' policy feel like a silly rule.
"We’ll see about that. I’m giving you one shot, Jaxson. Don’t waste it," I say, reaching into the small zip pocket of my leggings to pull out my phone. "We should probably exchange information. Just in case something comes up."
Jaxson pulls his own phone from an armband, his fingers moving quickly over the screen. He looks so domestic doing it, so normal, that it’s almost more jarring than seeing him in full pads. We stand there by the fountain, the mist dampening our hair as we exchange phone numbers, marking a change in our relationship.
CHAPTER NINE
HARPER
Working five night shifts in a row is absolutely brutal. Five times twelve hours, a sixty-hour marathon with barely time to breathe. Every hour gets devoured by the madness of the ER; patients pouring in, chaos around every corner, and no two emergencies are ever the same. Honestly? I eat it up. I crave the unpredictability, the way the entire world flips on its head at any moment. The pressure’s relentless and the pace borderline insane, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. I freaking love my job.
Except on night two, at one a.m., when my feet are screaming, and my brain is fried, and I’ve been battle-axing through the worst shift of the week. The second I step away from the ER, the exhaustion hits me like a damn bus. I just want to get to the break room and die in peace for twenty minutes. That’s when I see him.
Jaxson Thorne, in the middle of my sacred at-work sanctuary.
The big jerk is leaning against the counter like he belongs here. Black T-shirt, dark jeans, damp hair, and the smoking hot body that does things to my nerves I’m too tired to handle right this moment. There’s a cardboard tray in his hands, two steaming cups of espresso, and a paper bag that probably holds carbs and regret. Of course, he brought food. I stand there gaping like a goldfish while he holds up the tray like a peace offering.
“You look like you could use this,” he murmurs, eyes raking over me. The way he watches me isn’t subtle. It burns me from the inside out.
I grab one of the espressos, ignoring his smirk. I don’t mess around when it comes to caffeine. “You stalking me again?”
He shrugs, all cool and unbothered. “I’m taking care of you.”
He hands me the paper bag, and I open it up and inhale deeply. Blueberry. My favorite.
“How did you know blueberry is my favorite?” I demand, squinting up at him over my coffee.
He grins, slow and smug, like he’s just made a game-winning save. “Little birdie told me.”
I squint at him as I take a big bite out of the muffin. Holy hell. Perfection in a paper wrapper. I don’t know if it’s the sugar rush or his cocky-as-hell grin, but my insides do a weird, happy flip. “Little birdie, huh?”
Jaxson’s eyes gleam. “The main desk receptionist was very helpful. I appreciate her dedication to the cause.”
God, he’s infuriating. And sweet. And standing way too close in my sacred break room. “What, exactly, is the cause, Thorne?” My voice goes raspy. Sexy even. I blame the exhaustion.
He doesn’t hesitate. “You.” He leans in so close I can feel the heat rolling off him, and my heart tries to stage-dive out of my chest. “And making sure you’re taken care of.”
“You’re ridiculous,” I mutter against the lid of my cup, pretending I’m not two seconds from climbing him like a damn tree. “You can’t just show up at my job with snacks and expect me to swoon.”
Jaxson’s mouth twitches. “Not expecting swooning. But I’ll settle for a smile.”
I actually smile. What can I say? Seeing him makes my night.
I can’t stop thinking about him for the rest of my shift. Not in the way you might obsess after an especially hot date, or in the way a single woman would fixate on a pro athlete’s ass, but in the way a raw nerve can’t stop screaming after you’ve stubbed your toe.