“Look. Old people. Do you think they’re going to start making out?” That kid made kissing sounds, and his buddy made gagging noises in return.
Ten more kids got out of the back of another pickup truck, and not a grown-up in sight. A pre-teen got out from behind the wheel. Rural life, farm drivers.
Jasher grabbed Sage’s waist. “Have you had enough of being a spectacle?”
Not nearly. “Maybe we should go.”
He took her back to his apartment, where her car waited, and put his truck in park.
“Now you’ve experienced the sluice.” He didn’t move to come around and get her door yet. “For better or for worse.”
Was the wedding ceremony phrase intentional? “For better.” She might have been blushing. Her face was definitely hot. Some did like it hot, apparently including Sage. “I was in good hands.” And arms. So protective, so strong. And so tempting, holding her tightly. A soft sigh escaped her.
Nope. No. She had a mission to accomplish—and it didn’t involve acting out the rest of her little continuation-kiss-fantasy. Not right now. Probably not ever, unless there was a way to kiss him and not want the relationship to progress. That was too risky for him—and for hands with as many skills as his possessed. In the operating room! Not … uh, you know.
So. How was she going to approach the subject of his staying? Part of her wanted to invite Jasher over. She hadn’t spent enough time with him yet to make a case to get him to stay. But maybe this was a slower process than one or two conversations—or dates—could hope to accomplish.
The longer she sat in his truck, the wetter the towel got, and the more she realized she smelled like decaying alfalfa and some kind of unwelcome fertilizer. She needed a shower. She reached up. There was a piece of straw in her hair. Ooh, and a willow branch. Nice. What might be in her teeth? Gross.
“I’d better go clean up. I guess I’ll see you at the hospital. We’re both scheduled for Monday.” Maybe she shouldn’t admit she’d become Dave McGreeley and was stalking work schedules now. She reached for the door handle. “Two surgeries scheduled for next week.”
“Sage.” Jasher touched her shoulder. “I—want to see you again.”
He did? She turned back toward him. “Well, we have the surgeries.”
“I mean outside the hospital.”
“Don’t forget, I bought five dates with you.”
“Yeah.” His gaze swept over her once before meeting her eyes again. “How’s Saturday? It’s my next scheduled-off day.”
“I’m free then, too. What’s date two?”
“You honestly didn’t check it.” He shook his head. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“Then you’ll just have to prepare to be amazed. Because it might even be more impressive than the sluice.”
“That’ll be a tall order.” Sage only partially joked because she was feeling all kinds of amazement after spending the afternoon in Jasher’s competent hands.
Which she had better not mess up with her curse.