Rather than answer Sheila, or acknowledge the surgical tech, who looked amazed that Justin had been with her, Riley shrugged and went about preparing the patient to be rolled to the recovery room.
What could she say?
Why, yes, that was me, all cozied up with Justin. And guess what? The man is pure genius between the sheets!
Yeah, that wasn’t happening.
Nor would she tell them that she’d left before he’d awakened and had the opportunity to tell her to leave.
Sheila was right, though. Justin had been particularly subdued. Normally he would have made chitchat, and most definitely would have said something directly to her. He’d have made small talk, teased her about Daisy and how she needed to get a real dog, or he would have lingered after surgery to chat for a few minutes.
He’d done none of those things.
As much as she hated to admit it, the fact that their Saturday night escapade had created this rift in their work relationship, leaving things awkward, stung.
Justin was used to one-night stands, so what had happened shouldn’t be a big deal. But the others were right. He hadn’t behaved normally. He’d been as tense as she had.
Was it because she’d been the one to leave? Or could she have misjudged how casually he saw sex and Saturday night hadn’t been quite as run-of-the mill for him as she’d thought?
CHAPTER THREE
IT HAD BEEN a long day, but Riley had made it through her first day at work after “that night,” as she’d dubbed Saturday.
She wasn’t sure what she’d expected, but she shouldn’t have worried. Except for that lingering look after he’d finished the surgery Justin had ignored her. That would hopefully put to rest the rumors flying around that they were an item after being seen together at Cheyenne’s party.
More than one person had questioned her about her relationship with Justin. The fact that people actually believed they might be an item floored Riley. Couldn’t they see she was nothing like the women he dated? She wasn’t tall, thin, bordering on perfect.
She’d be a sitting duck, just asking to be dumped again, if she got involved with Justin.
Grabbing her bag from the locker, she headed out of the nurses’ changing area and down the long hallway toward the elevator bank.
Just as she got into an open car Justin stepped inside—then realized who she was, and paused midway to pressing his floor number. His jaw tightened, and for a moment she thought he was going to either wait for the next elevator or take the stairs.
Riley bit into her lower lip, telling herself to let him leave, but then heard herself saying, “It would be silly for you to get out.”
He faced her. “You’re sure?”
She nodded.
The elevator was empty other than the two of them, and it was with reluctance that Riley watched the door close behind Justin.
“You did a great job on the hip replacements today,” she rushed out, feeling the need to fill the silence.
“Seriously? One minute you’re sneaking out of my condo and the next you want to make small talk?”
“Fine...” she breathed, knowing she deserved his question. But how could she explain that she’d missed their usual camaraderie when she’d been the one to leave? “I won’t say another word and we’ll ride the elevator in complete awkward silence.”
Her insides trembled. So did her lower lip. She felt Justin’s shoulders sag more than saw them as she refused to look up.
“I’m sorry.”
She didn’t respond, just willed herself to be strong. But how could she hold tough when just being near him was setting her nerve-endings on edge? Setting her memories ablaze? When the taste of him lingered on her lips and in her mind? When she craved his mouth against hers?
Ugh.
She would not put herself through this. She just wouldn’t.
“Hell, Riley...” He sounded as upset as she felt. “This isn’t easy for me, you know.”