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How is it working out for you so far?

This is why I should have left town when I had the chance.

“Go before I change my mind,” I demand.

Gilli offers a smile. “You’re not going to change your mind, though. Are you?”

“Making it a challenge won’t help,” I say, shaking my head. “Now go home.”

She pauses for a brief moment before nodding and stumbling a little as she gets down from the counter.

“You’re still weak from not eating.”

How could I not have seen it? I can’t let her drive home like this.

Stepping up and ignoring the throbbing of my erection, I help her stand straight.

“Let me grab some water and I’ll manage,” she assures me. “If you keep touching me, we’re going to have a repeat and you’ll go back on your word.”

“You’re so sure of that, are you?”

“Oh, yes.” But there’s a little bit of skepticism in her voice and her smile cracks. “There’s something between us whether you want to acknowledge it or not.”

I blink at the natural way she offers up the statement. She’s…not wrong. There’s been a connection from the first moment I met her days ago.

Crap, has it only been days? It feels longer. My life stretches out into eternity with me struggling to keep up. Or maybe I’m being pulled along and doing my best to dodge the crap as it comes.

“I’ll drive you home,” I say at the last minute. “I’m not going to have you faint and slide off the road.”

“You’re a gentleman.”

This time I laugh out loud, letting go of her only to grab my coat off the hook and make sure my keys are in the pocket. “That’s not true.”

“No?” Her eyes glint. “Now I’m intrigued.”

I take her by the arm and help her out to the car, a little surprised she isn’t arguing with me about the offer. Little Miss Independent, even if it’s to her detriment.

“Let’s just say I have a great reputation in town, but there are some things about me that people aren’t privy to. Certain proclivities I keep to myself.”

The easy banter is much more tolerable than the anchor of desire.

I help her into the passenger seat of my car, parked in the private space behind the clinic, and gesture to the seatbelt. “Strap in.”

Her smile widens, wild at the edges, and she bats her eyelashes at me. “I’m so weak, would you do it for me?”

It’s a tantalizing offer to reach over and glide my hand across her breasts before the click sounds. But I can’t take the risk. I’m struggling to get air into my lungs as it is, my body overheated.

“Nice try. Just let me make sure the place is locked up for the night. Stay here. I’ll be right back.”

She’ll do it, too, because she’s interested. She wants to figure out what makes me tick the same way I’m interested in her.

I head back inside and quickly recheck the front door and turn out the lights. As I’m leaving, I glance once more at the counter where things almost went too far.

What is it about Gilli?

Am I only going for herbecauseshe’s off limits? Because Soren is distracted enough by her to enlist our help to get her out of town? Or is it something else?

I drop into the driver’s seat once the clinic is shuttered up tightly for the night. Gilli’s right where I left her, and she grins at me as I start the car. “You’re seriously going to drive me home?” she clarifies.