“Here we are.” East turned and led the way up the front walk to my building.
I lagged behind.
“East.”
My voice was faint, but he turned immediately, concern already lining his rugged face.
“What’s wrong?”
He was at my side instantly. Another point in his favor. And another reason this was a bad idea.
I nodded to the window already lit above us. “Looks like Rudy’s home. I don’t think tonight’s the best night for this. Unless we want an audience.”
He smiled. “Plan B. We’ll go to my room at Nicole’s.”
“Also an audience,” I pointed out. “Those walls are paper thin.”
He eyed me knowingly. “You don’t want this.”
I hesitated then forced my gaze to his, knowing full well he could hear my erratic heartbeat. “When your injury is healed, will you leave again?”
He hesitated. “My life isn’t here anymore, Cat.”
I nodded, my throat tightening. “Exactly.”
I pushed past him to the door.
“Cat.”
“I’ll see you at your next appointment.”
I slipped into my building before he could answer, closing the door on something that had ended long ago anyway.
Monday was a shitshow. I spilled coffee on my favorite sweater, ran out of creamer, and was confronted by an angry patient—all before nine a.m. Basically, it was an outward reflection of my shitty mood.
East had wanted to take me to bed, and I’d said no.
To Easton Raines.
The guy who’d stolen my heart ten years ago and never given it back.
I was an idiot. And just in case I wasn’t sure about that fact, Rudy had told me so the moment I walked in and explained why I was crying.
He’d hugged me as he said it. But that didn’t make the words any less true.
I’d spent Sunday eating my feelings.
Ice cream. Wine. Greasy pizza.
Rudy had threatened to unplug the fridge if I didn’t stop.
Today, I was paying for my choices.
Snapping back at the jerkwad wanting a walk-in on our busiest day made me feel marginally better.
By lunch, I was stewing. Angry with myself, I realized.
Why couldn’t I be one of those girls who could have no-strings sex?
God, I needed to get laid.
And hadn’t I always wondered what East was like in bed?
At one, I walked a patient back to the lobby in time to see a delivery man leave a long, narrow box with Leslie at reception.
Any other day, I might have ventured out to see what sort of presents she’d gotten from her disgustingly devoted husband. Today, I couldn’t bear it.
I attempted to retreat to my office, but Leslie called out, stopping me.
“Cat? Something came for you.”
“Me?” I frowned and slipped around the corner and into her space. “What is it?”
She shrugged. “The shape of the box suggests flowers.” She turned in her chair and handed me the white box. “Open it.”
I ripped through the seal and flipped the lid open. My eyes widened. Blood-red roses lay against white tissue paper. They were beautiful.
“Oh, those are gorgeous,” Leslie gushed. She pointed to a small card nestled among the thorny stems. “An admirer?”
I took the card, careful to avoid the thorns, and set the box aside.
Roses are red. Violets are blue. No one gets in the way of me and you.
-T
My chest tightened.
Well, if that wasn’t creepy as hell.
I dropped the card into the garbage and then did the same with the box of roses.
“What are you doing?” Leslie asked.
“Get rid of these.”
“Seriously? If you don’t want them, I can display them up front.”
“I don’t want them in the office,” I snapped, my breaths coming in shallow gasps.
Leslie nodded, eyes wide.
I spun on my heel and escaped back to my office before she could press for more.
Alone, I tried to tell myself red roses and bad poetry didn’t mean Travis was a complete psycho. Unfortunately, that combined with the violent outburst meant he was unpredictable. Unease worked its way into anxiety.
I needed to do something about him.
Except, I had no idea what. So far, ignoring him wasn’t working. And neither was a direct order to stay the hell away from me.
For now, I had work to do. Maybe a few hours of mind-numbing paperwork would ease my mood.
Just after three, my direct line rang. I snatched it up. “Cat Bequette.”
“Whoa, killer,” Rudy teased. “Save the venom for the snakes.”
I sighed. “Sorry. A serious case of the Mondays over here.”
“What you call Monday I call sexually frustrated. Tomato, potato.”
I scowled. “Can I help you with something?”
“Your man stopped by.”
I dropped my pen. “Who?”
“Easton the Beast—Uh, I mean Mr. Raines, obviously.”
I sagged in relief. For a moment, I’d thought he meant Travis.
“What did he say?”
And why stop by my apartment when he knew I was here?
“We chatted about the new theater program.” He paused and then added, “He asked what time you get off. Said he was pretty sure you were going to play a big ‘ol game of avoidance for some silly reason, but he wanted to ask for one more date.”
My jaw dropped. “I can’t believe he went around me and came to you. Like he’s asking for your blessing. What is this, the eighteenth century?”
“Well, he’s not an idiot,” Rudy said, defending East so completely that I rolled my eyes. “And if he wants my blessing, he’s got it. Have you seen those gluteus maximus muscles?”
“Rudy. Is there a point to this call?”
“Yes. I told him you’d meet him after work tonight.”
“You what? Why would you do that?”
“Because he needs someone, Cat.” Rudy’s voice softened. “And so do you.”
“I get to decide who and what I need.”
“Look, I’m locking the front door, including the keyless deadbolt. And I’m not opening it again until after ten.”
My jaw fell open. “This is coercion.”
“Damn right it is. And an ultimatum: if you don’t go out with him, I’ll make sure the water heater runs cold as ice for the next six months.”
“You’re evil.”
“You’re lonely.”
I bit my lip. Rudy was right. I was lonely. And way too hung upon East to refuse. And after those roses and that note, the least
