Page 212 of The Night Shift

She stands, brushing off her dress like I’m not still sitting at her feet in awe. Half-turned away, she pauses and glances back at me. Her hand extends toward mine.

I stare at it. Then up at her.

“Don’t worry. I won’t bite. Well. Not unless you ask me to.”

“Are you trying to flirt with me, Dr. Moore?” I take her hand and let her pull me up. Her strength is sharp and wiry, and not at all gentle. My hand finds her waist almost automatically. “Because if so, I’m obligated to inform you I’m already in a highly toxic relationship with a highly deranged woman. She’s got severe jealousy issues. Violent ones.”

Holly gasps, offended. “I donothave jealousy issues!”

I raise an eyebrow.

“And we are not in a relationship of any kind.”

I nod once, eyes still locked to hers, doing nothing to move my hand.

She doesn’t move either. Her expression falters for a second — lips parting, brow twitching — but instead of saying whatever it is that’s clearly bothering her, she just glances down. “When do we leave for home?” she asks. “I need to pack.”

“Two hours.”

Eyes still down, Holly nods.

A few more seconds pass. She looks up again. Her chest rises as she takes in a deep breath, opening her mouth to say something —

I beat her to it. “Would you like to have dinner with me tomorrow?”

“What?”

“Strictly professional, of course. To go over the texts again, see if we come up with something more. Something concrete. That sort of thing.”

“You want to have dinner with me?”

“Your shift ends at six, I can pick you up at eight —”

“No.”

My heart falls. “No?”

She doesn’t explain. Doesn’t offer an excuse. Just steps back, eyes unreadable and grabs her heels off the table, her fingers curling tight around the straps like she needs an anchor. She turns to leave.

My chest caves a little and just as I’m about to turn back around, she looks back over her shoulder. “By dinner, do you mean we go out or stay in?”

“Anything you want.” Always.

“Good.” A faint smirk tugs at her mouth. “Because I can’t stand your cooking.”

Chapter 40

Holly

The next evening

Eden General Hospital

Blood surges up like a geyser, hitting my face shield in a thick red arc.

“Suction now!” Dr. Corbin orders. “We’re losing visibility!”

I plunge the suction tip into the deep pool collecting in the retroperitoneum.