Beautifully Awake

burner.

“Dodd was a little pissed I wanted to find out, but hell, now that I know I’m not regretting my decision for one second.” She gave her little bump a rub.

“Oh, good! Because this aunt is going to spoil her princess to pieces.” I raised my margarita in the air. Sierra followed suit and picked up the seltzer-filled wine glass I had waiting for her.

“To girls!” With matching perma-grins, we both took a sip.

“So it’s pretty obvious I interrupted pissed-off Lili. What’s going on? Insurance company deny your request for one of your gorked patients to get therapeutic mani-pedis at rehab?”

“There’s something seriously wrong with you.”

“I’m just kidding, you know I think it’s awesome what you do and how you fight for your patients.”

“Let’s not talk about me. I want to talk about your shower. My baby girl Pinterest page is overflowing ... I’ve been pinning since the day you peed on the stick.”

“Pinterest-freak, what if it was a boy?”

“It’s not my fault you’re Internet-challenged. Don’t worry. I have a boy one too ... we’ll save it for next time. Here, let me show you the app on my phone.” I grinned and reached for my phone. My irritation resurfaced when I remembered why I buried it at the bottom of my bag.

“What, where’s your phone?” She reacted to my not-so-subtle eye roll.

“Rotting in the bottom of my bag.” I fumbled around, eventually locating it and hoping not to find any more texts when I powered it up.

“What’s going on?”

“He texted me.” I shook my head and hesitated, uncrossing then crossing my legs. Just talking about him had me squirming in my seat. Damn my body.

“And ... what did he say?”

“Oh, he thinks we need to talk. Make sure I didn’t get the wrong idea, even though he had all week, but avoided me like the plague instead.” Sierra’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh, and let’s not forget the best part. He was worried I might be getting plastered and offered to make sure I got home safely.”

“He wanted to come get you?”

“No. Send a car.”

“So I guess we’re going with he’s a big dick, huh?”

“Yeah … guess so,” I mumbled, taking a large sip of my margarita.

“Well, that was definitely not convincing ... you want to see him, don’t you!”

“Give me a good reason I should want to see him. He kisses me and then pretends it didn’t happen. No, I’m pissed. Pissed at him for being such a jackass, but even more pissed at myself for letting it get to this point. What was I thinking?” Saying the words out loud just refueled my anger. I sipped from my glass, but instead of being soothing, it constricted my chest and added to the burn.

An hour later, Rosa’s filled up with its usual Friday night crowd. The rest of our girls crew filed in and helped polish off a table full of delicious Mexican appetizers. I lost count somewhere after the sixth pitcher of margaritas. Not that I participated in drinking any of them. It seemed Dr. Jack Ass not only set my thong on fire but also gave me raging reflux to boot. So, I joined Sierra with a matching wine glass instead.

Most of the girls from work were single and mingling at the bar when Guy strolled in.

“Hey doll. What are we drinking?” He grinned and bent down to plant a friendly kiss on the top of my head.

“Margaritas seem to be the crowd favorite. Guy, you remember my friend, Sierra?”

“Of course, great seeing you again. I must say, pregnancy agrees with you, you look awesome.”

A subtle blush crossed Sierra’s cheeks at his suave words. Sierra didn’t blush. Ever. The power of Guy’s charm was endless.

“How was your work dinner?” Relief rushed over me that he showed up alone.

“Boring as shit. Weird too. Usually it’s just a pharmaceutical rep or two giving their spiel trying to sell their product, but the damn CEO of the company was there, totally kissing Colton’s ass. It’s a fucking clamp. Looks just like one of the fifty we already use, but I thought the guy was going to suck Colton off when he said he would give it a try ... crazy ... but who am I to pass up a free steak at Capitol Grill?” Residents lived for free meals.

Sierra watched me. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat again at Guy’s mention of Chase. It didn’t help he used the words suck off and Colton in the same sentence. Then Sierra did what she does.

“So Guy, Lil tells me you’re from California. Miss it?” Sierra poured a margarita into a clean glass and handed it to Guy.

“Only in the winter. Philly is a fun town, but dude, I don’t know how you people get used to the cold.” He shook his head and drained his glass

“Oh. That’s easy. Not all of us are blessed with a body like that.” She waved her hand up and down the length of Guy. “God’s doing the rest of us a favor by limiting bathing suit season.”

Guy coughed on his margarita and the three of us laughed.

“Touche ... and thanks for the compliment—I think.” He looked right at me. “But from where I’m looking, I think he’s doing a serious disservice to the male population keeping the two of you lovely ladies covered up five months of the year.” He flashed those adorable dimples.

“You’re a keeper! I like you. You’re welcome at ladies’ night any time, dude,” Sierra added.

I was glad she was getting a taste of the fun, flirty banter I had told her about. Suddenly, Sierra’s eyes shifted above my head. Her mouth dropped open like she was going to catch a fly at any moment.

“Lili, can I have a word with you?” The deep gravelly voice was unmistakable. Goosebumps rose over the flesh of my arms, and a shiver ran down my spine. His voice alone had my body completely under command. A command that was not familiar. I slowly turned my head to look over my shoulder.

“So you must be Dr. Colton?” Sierra wasted no time.

“Yes. And you must be the best friend I’ve heard so much about.” He answered Sierra, but his stormy gaze never wavered from his target. Me.

My stomach fell into my lap and heat began to pool from my core. Suddenly, the two emotions that had been completely consuming me since I met this man were waiting for a puck to drop to face off, anger vs. desire. Emotions I steered clear of for the past three years.

My mind silently supported the well-deserved anger, while my traitorous body succumbed to desire. What did this man want from me? And why the hell was he standing in this bar?

Maybe his medical groupies fell over themselves to kiss his brilliant ass, but that was not me. Would never be me. It did not matter how riddled with unfulfilled desire I was, I would never willingly hand anyone that power.

Unlike our previous interactions, the tension was glaringly obvious; a dense fog smothered our table. It was choking. Guy’s eyes pinballed between his boss and me, while Sierra sat cross armed, studying Chase. This was the moment that life decided to push pause.

I had no control of my physical reaction to this man, but I had the power to push play.

“Um. Chase. This is Sierra Baldwin. Sierra, meet Dr. Chase Colton.”

Chase barely broke his gaze. He silently shook Sierra’s outstretched hand. Sierra played it well. Her body language read calm and cool, but my best friend’s eyes screamed what-the-fuck. I explained the “intensity” factor to her pretty well, but I had a gut feeling we would revisit that topic again in the very near future.

“Lili. A moment.” He motioned with one hand toward the door, his unapologetic eyes bolted on me.

“Ohhkaay.”

“Excuse us.” Chase pulled my chair out, making room for my exit. Presumptuous much?

“Hey Chase. The lady is off the clock. Can’t whatever it is wait until Monday? Why don’t you pull up a chair and have a drink?” Guy leaned back and waited for Chase’s response. He didn’t respond, at all.

“Um … it’s okay, Guy. It’s fine. I’m sure he just needs to go over a few things. Um, we’ll be right back.”

Guy and Sierra exchanged inquisitive glances.

“Why are you here, Chase?” I pushed through the front door into the humid night air, looking up at the