Page 64 of The Doctor's Irreplaceable Love

“You’re not judging me—I don’t think—you’re remembering things she did that were difficult for you and waiting to see if I’m going to act the same way.”

“Yeah, I guess I am.And that’s pretty cowardly of me.”

“I’d say that’s smart, not cowardly.”

He dropped a kiss on her lips.“Now who’s the sweet talker?”he asked with a smile.

She didn’t smile back.“Not me.I’m deadly serious.I think you’re wise to protect yourself.Obviously, I didn’t know Katrina, but from what you’ve told me—and I’ll be honest, Libby told me a little, too—it sounds like she did a number on you, and I don’t like her very much.”

“Thanks, Shelley, honey.”

“There’s nothing to thank me for.I’m just telling you how I see things.I get it—you’re going to be wary of me, and youshouldbe.You can’t know for sure until we know each other better.”

He was so tempted to ask if she was planning to stick around so he could get to know her better.Tempted to tell her that he wanted to know everything there was to know about her—and to let her get to know him just as well.But that might feel like pressure to her, so instead, he lowered his head and claimed her mouth in a kiss that he hoped could say more than he otherwise dared to.

~ ~ ~

It had been a quieter day at the clinic on Monday, and Shelley was thrilled when Trip had popped his head out of his office a few minutes ago and suggested that she start packing up so they could get out of there on time for once.

She’d shut down her computer and made sure the reception area was tidy, ready for Joan to come in later.Now she was sitting back at her desk with her purse on her lap, waiting to go.Trip was in his office, making his usual end-of-day call to Dawn over at the hospital.

She loved that he did that.He didn’t need to — Dawn and the rest of the staff at the hospital would call him if they needed him — but he checked in anyway.Shelley suspected that he did it partly for his own peace of mind, but also so that the nurses didn’t have to make a judgment call.She knew they all liked and respected him as a person and wouldn’t want to disturb him unless it was necessary.By being the one to make the call, he took the onus of responsibility off them.They didn’t need to decide if something was worth bothering him with, because he called to ask if there was anything at all he needed to know.

As the minutes ticked by, she started to suspect that perhaps this evening therewassomething he needed to know about.

When he came out of his office a few moments later, the look on his face answered the question for her before he even spoke.

“I’m sorry, Shelley, honey.I’m going to have to head over there.”

She forced a bright smile.Of course he had to go — and she hoped he wouldn’t notice how disappointed she felt.It was just how things went.And how they would always go between them.He was a doctor, after all.

It wasn’t that she minded in general.Far from it.She respected the hell out of what he did — and the way he showed up for the people who needed him.It was just that tonight was going to be their last night together before Harper arrived tomorrow.She’d been looking forward to another cozy evening together.

“That’s okay,” she told him.“Can I be of any help?”

“No.Thanks, but there’s nothing you can do.”

“Want me to lock up so you can just go?”

He shook his head with a frown.“No.Come on, we can leave together.”

When they reached the front door, she rested her hand in the middle of his chest and reached up to press a peck to his lips.

“Go.I don’t want to hold you up.You should get moving.I’ll head home and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Instead of turning to open the door, he wrapped his arms around her waist and crushed her to his chest.“No.”

She raised her eyebrows.“No?”

“I mean — yes, of course I’ll see you tomorrow.But I still want to see you tonight.How would you feel about heading over to my place like we planned?”

She pursed her lips.“You don’t know how long you’ll need to be at the hospital.”

His shoulders sagged.“Yeah, sorry.You’re right.I shouldn’t ask you to hang out there by yourself all evening and maybe half the night.”

“I’m not objecting on my own behalf.I just don’t want you worrying about me — not when you’ll have much more important things to deal with at the hospital.”

As they were talking, they stepped outside, and Trip locked the door behind them.