“Why would you ask me that?”
“I saw you at the Christmas party,” Karen pointed out. “I’d been looking for you because I knew you didn’t know many people yet and I was going to have you join the group I was with. I didn’t spot you until you were all cozied up with the only cardiologist on staff who makes women’s hearts beat faster with just a flash of his smile.”
Trinity’s heart was beating pretty fast without the benefit of one of his smiles. “We just danced. It wasn’t a big deal.”
“And sang together,” Karen reminded her. “Plus, I hear you arrived at work with him yesterday morning when you both got called in. You rode home with him yesterday at the end of your shift. Despite many females’ valiant efforts, I don’t know of him ever dating anyone who works here. This all sounds like a big deal to me. So, are you two an item or what?”
Inwardly, Trinity cringed. The hospital gossip mill had sure been busy. How did She answer a question she didn’t know the answer to? Because saying he liked her just sounded a bit second grade to her. She didn’t really know what they were other than that she liked him too.
“Did you also hear that she’s going to eat with me after work tonight?”
Both women turned at the newcomer to their conversation.
“Dr. Williams.” Karen’s cheeks flushed almost as bright as Trinity imagined hers were.
“Riley,” she gasped, her eyes devouring the man before her, searching his eyes for some trace of the man who’d spent hours on the phone with her the night before. Hours and hours. He’d blown her away. They’d talked long into the night without awkwardness or long bouts of weird silence. The man was way too easy to talk to. “Anyone ever tell you it isn’t polite to eavesdrop?”
She almost called him “snowflake” but caught herself just in time. Yeah, that would have had some tongues wagging all over the cardiac unit.
“Never. Most people like having conversations with me.” He waggled his brows, his eyes not leaving Trinity’s. The twinkle there said everything. That he knew what she was thinking, was thinking the same thing himself. “Good morning, ladies.”
Trinity mumbled a good morning, glancing away because all she could think was that this was the man with whom she’d fallen asleep while on the phone with him the night before.
He’d stayed on the phone with her because he’d said he really did want to get to know her without the physical getting in the way. Honestly, she just didn’t know what to think about him. He was unlike any many she’d ever met.
Chase sure hadn’t worried about the physical getting in the way.
Sex had gotten in the way of their relationship.
Big time.
Not because they’d rushed into a physical relationship. They hadn’t, despite Chase’s constant pressure to do so. Perhaps she should have held out longer. When she’d finally given in, it had been the beginning of the end. She’d flopped in bed.
Chase had had no qualms announcing that juicy little tidbit to the world.
So a man who put emphasis on getting to know her rather than on her bedroom performance was good. Raised her odds of success, right? Or just set up her expectations to where her failure would sting all the more?
“Trinity?” Riley interrupted her thoughts. “We are going to eat after work today?”
She blinked, thinking him too good looking for his own good. He was so used to getting his own way that she almost said no just to be difficult. But that wasn’t any way to start a relationship. Or to maintain one.
A relationship. Was that what they were doing? What she wanted?
“Yes,” she agreed, knowing she wasn’t going to deprive herself of spending the evening with him, even if she still didn’t
trust him. “Just as long as we don’t do anything Christmassy.”
For answer, he just grinned. “Would I ever ask you to do that?”
“Never.” Trinity couldn’t keep a smile from curving her lips. She tried. Really, she did. After all, she had sworn off men, but there was something about Riley that couldn’t be ignored. Okay, so everything about him refused to be ignored.
Karen stared back and forth between them. “So the gossip is true?”
Trinity blushed.
Riley grinned. “If they’re saying that I’m pursuing the hottest nurse at Pensacola Memorial then, yeah, it’s true.”
Had he really just said that? Trinity’s face caught fire and her mouth dropped. Chase had always been so private, not wanting anyone to know how much he cared about her, saying that with them both working for the hospital they should keep their relationship on the quiet. Ha, he’d sure blown that at the end.