uro

et. "I've been waiting for you."I sigh

what are yo

oes it l

ike you're t

chuc

the word

nd placed Ethan's me

again, save your energy.

n't fli

and look

Oh

o return y

it in a gift b

med my mind more than getting lost in a good romance novel. That was exactly why I'd lent Ryan

bli

Ry

, he picked up the Nov

ase d

't even hea

n't ne

ove with y

eath c

vely took a

l the back of my knees

nowhere e

yan

you're

s conversation shou

e you deserves to be appr

fro

and appre

smiled

pe he

y handsome. His sharp jawline, warm hazel eyes, and athletic build made him one of the

for him, I wasn

e back t

el above his head

and g

ared

this isn

I reached for the book, b

ed a littl

ed against the

Aa

ground, Ryan instincti

e pulled

anded again

brief s

fr

s were in

he

ce door b

rse

urse Vera stopp

rew as wide

m Ryan's arm ar

s pressed agai

my Go

ly stepp

what it l

n't see a

voice

ome back

, wa

ready rushed ou

my face wit

s is

n si

go ex

only make

gossip would spread

orrow m

obably think I was

furious and asked Rya

med to skip faster than usual. I couldn'

en my ph

lis

red imme

y, M

Bu

t believe what

lau

's up

thing because why

*****

gonna be tonight

s...

ng of stopping

y face faded ev

ome re

ion felt..

me almost the same

e over," I said. "J

al

lissa said almo

fro

ound ex

ed nervous

s yo

call

but for reasons I couldn't explain, an

imply...

ut my work schedule mo

reading too

my best

o.

more th

ants had taken me into their home. Uncle Richard and Aunt Sophia never tre

rything in common so she was just more than a bestie, she was more like a sister.We told

life, she was one of the fir

the way she'd laughe

xactly m

laugh

he's alr

ply smiled a

re would come a day when that me

ook m

ong with me?

ould never

Jas

the afterno

us on my patients, my mind kept dr

ft was almost over,

d over t

Je

rom the files sh

Ye

, but... would you mind cove

nked in

king for

ghed s

. It's u

you

. I'm just..

me for a moment

cover f

washed

ank

ook like you've been carrying the

it were

nlocked the front d

ce gre

n the console table an

n?" I

an

ed at th

-thi

have been

, my phone

lis

me you're alr

o sorry

sounded a

hing ca

able to mak

Oh

ent flickere

's o

I'll come

old you

I love yo

smi

kn

I set my phone on t

es later, it

s ti

son Ca

, ho

ince

ce instantly

y, but I have to

Oh

's o

ome as soon

verwork y

chuc

be tellin

love

ve you

call

een for a long moment bef

ddenly felt much

o q

it, I wrapped my

time in a ver

y own home didn't

hat time most times I am at the hospi

, un dressed and headed to t

leave work early had alread

did I

tely hoping I wouldn