She shook herself out of the memories as she finished up with the patient and went back into the hallway. She was free of that now. Free of treating sex like a duty that she dreaded. Which was why she’d been shocked at the tingling she’d felt sitting behind Brad on the bike. You’d think she’d never respond to another man again. Especially not this soon.
Maybe it was just her hormones urging her to procreate. But she’d never felt the need to have kids with Travis. And he’d never pressed that issue either. Another thing to be glad of.
But she did want children eventually, which meant, unless she wanted to embark on that particular journey alone, she’d have to wade into the dating pool again, the sooner the better.
Only this time she wasn’t committing until she was sure she wasn’t going to wind right back up where she’d been for the last six years. She wanted someone she shared common ground with. Maybe even someone in the medical field.
Brad’s image came to mind, and she pushed it back down. No. He wasn’t a better choice than Travis had been. He skipped from woman to woman without a care in the world. Only where Travis had merely broken her pride, if she was honest with herself, Brad could break something much deeper.
No, she needed someone steady and even-tempered. Someone who wasn’t cocky or arrogant. Someone who didn’t spin out on his motorcycle and nearly kill himself.
Someone... She wrinkled her nose when the word “boring” twirled around in her skull, dancing out of reach every time she tried to grab it and kick it to the curb.
Cade wasn’t boring. But he also wasn’t someone she could see herself being seriously interested in. It had been fun to try to kid around with him, at least until Brad had made her feel like an idiot.
Why did he even care?
The elevator doors swished open and the man himself exited. Her legs tensed, ready to pivot and hurry away in the other direction. Then their eyes met and it was too late. He made his way over to her.
“How’s your day going?”
“Pretty well. I just finished checking on Melanie Roberts. She asked whether the pain meds could affect the baby.”
“Did you ask Dr. Coleman about it?”
Strange, the way he always referred to the surgeon by his last name. Almost as if he didn’t like the man. “I haven’t seen him today. But if I do, I will.” She bit her lip. “Would you mind talking to her in the meantime? I think it would put her mind at ease.”
“Sure.” He glanced at the nurses’ desk and then back at her.
“Did you stay in last night?”
She decided to play dumb, as if she hadn’t noticed he’d stayed out half the night. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Did you eat dinner?”
Jerking her eyes away from his, she lifted her chin. “I did. I went out.”
She had technically gone round the corner to grab a burger, but she knew her words could be easily misconstrued. Knew she’d phrased them that way on purpose. But something about the way he’d left her alone had stung, and she was desperate for him not to find out how much. He hadn’t been home, so there’s no way he’d know she’d eaten by herself. Just like she had in the later stages of her marriage.
“Oh?” His fingers scrubbed the side of his jaw. “Have a good time?”
“I did.” She decided to do a little probing of her own. “How about you? Do anything interesting?”
“Not really. Took a ride. Saw the city lights.”
Sure he had. She noticed he didn’t mention whether he’d taken that ride alone or not. “I’m sure they were pretty.” She could only hope the sarcastic edge she’d given her words had been lost on him.
“They were. I’d have invited you to come along, but I know my bike makes you nervous. Didn’t think I should push my luck by asking you to do it again.”
Was that why he’d sent her home in a cab? He thought she was chicken? She was, but not for the reasons he thought.
“I think you might be surprised.”
One of his brows went up. The left one. Why had Chloe never noticed those permanent little lines above it that came from repeating the gesture over the years?
“So you’ve decided you like motorcycles now?”
Definitely not. But she’d felt safe tucked up against his back. Among other things. But that was something she was never going to admit.
“Let’s just say it was tolerable.”
“Just what every man wants to hear.”
The smile that had started to form on her lips slunk away. No, it probably wasn’t what men wanted to hear. Even if it was true.
She had to remind herself that Brad wasn’t Travis. “Sorry.”
“I think you’d like it better if we weren’t in traffic. Riding down an open highway is like nothing in this world.” He reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear, the way he’d done when she’d been a teenager—after he’d tugged it playfully, that was. Heat swept over her. Her body hadn’t forgotten the sensation, even if her mind had. His fingers scraped deliciously across her cheek as they withdrew, only to pause before retracing their steps.
He murmured, “I’ll have to take you some time.”
“Take me?” Chloe swallowed, her insides tightening in response to his touch.
“On my bike.”
Her face went red hot. Oh, Lord. Why was she suddenly ascribing all kinds of motives to his words?
Because she could still remember what it was like to have her arms around his waist, hear his low, gruff voice piped directly in her ear, feel the vibrations from the engine rumbling through her entire body...
Yeah, she’d be up for that again, despite all her lectures to herself to the contrary. “I’d like that.”
“Would you?” Was it her imagination or had his eyes darkened? “How about one day this weekend?”
“I work Saturday, but I’m off on Sunday.” She couldn’t believe she was actually considering going. A thought hit her. “You weren’t thinking of going home to Connecticut, were you?” That was the last place she wanted to be right now.
“No. I was thinking about heading upstate and spending the day.”
“At your parents’ house?” The last she’d heard, they’d moved away to somewhere in New York State. The relationship between him and his parents had always been strained, to say the least, but maybe that had changed over the years.
His hand dropped back to his side. “No.”
That one word told her the way nothing else could that she’d been wrong. Brad’s feelings towards them hadn’t changed. Although from what Jason had told her about them, she couldn’t blame him.
“So what’s upstate, then?”
“Nothing. It’s just not the city.” He paused for a minute. “It feels good to get away sometimes.”
That was surprising as well. Not that he needed to get away but that he wanted her to go with him. She was sure he had plenty of women clamoring for the chance to be his traveling companion. Yet he’d chosen her.
She gave an internal eye roll. This was getting ridiculous.
First you think he’s saying he wants to have sex with you on his bike—which is probably physically impossible. Then you delude yourself into thinking he wants to spend time with you in a romantic setting. Grow up, Chloe!