Bring Me Back

He rights himself and drapes an arm over the back of the couch. “Blaire,” he says with the same infliction I used for his name. He leans over and kisses me. I’m slow to return the gesture, but he soon coaxes one from me.

My hand rests on his shoulder and I duck my head. His lips move to my forehead. “Blaire?” He questions, his hands sliding up my back. “Talk to me.”

“I’m scared.”

He knows immediately what I’m talking about. “It’s only two tests Blaire. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“We have sex all th

e time,” I counter. “With that much sex it seems unlikely that we wouldn’t get pregnant.”

He chuckles and takes my face between his large hands. “True,” he agrees, “but we’re also both stressed with our jobs and stress is known to affect fertility, and now you’re stressing about this…” he trails off, letting me fill in the blanks.

I take a deep breath. He’s right. He’s always right. But it doesn’t dissuade the nagging thoughts in my mind.

“You’re overthinking this, B.” He taps my forehead and blinks earnest blue eyes at me. “I’m a doctor, remember?” He cracks a smile, and when I laugh, he continues, “If I really thought something was wrong I’d tell you. I know on TV shows and movies, and even those romance books you love to read, men look at women and boom they’re pregnant.” He snaps his fingers for emphasis. “But that’s not the real world, babe.”

I nod and he cradles the back of my neck. I cuddle into his side and tuck my head into the crook of his neck. He rubs his fingers through my hair, murmuring sweet words under his breath until he has to get up and get ready.

He drives us over to the café and the other girls are already there.

Casey waves us over from the regular table—as if we didn’t know which one it was already. Hannah and Chloe sit on one side of the table with Casey at the head of one end. Ben takes the other head, his usual spot, and I sit beside him.

“What do you want to eat?” he asks me.

I eye him.

He sighs. “Of course. I’ll be right back. Nice to see you, ladies.” He nods his head at the girls before heading over to the counter.

Chloe sighs dreamily and leans forward, propping her head in her hand and biting her lip. “Would you look at the way his jeans hug his ass? Mmm.”

“Hey, he’s practically my husband,” I scold her.

“I know, but you did good, girl. Man, I wish he had a single brother. If only dreams came true.”

“You’re a mess. You’ll find someone when the time is right.” I wrinkle my nose. “On that note, you need to start dating the right guys. Stop going for the bad boys.”

“But they’re so delicious in their dark jeans, sunglasses, and leather jackets. It’s even better when they have tattoos and spank me.”

I snort.

“Who’s getting spanked?”

Chloe lets out a squeak at the sound of Ben’s voice.

“Apparently Chloe,” Casey says with a smile, twisting a piece of blond hair around her finger.

“I hate you guys,” Chloe pouts.

Ben slides my sandwich and coffee over and sits down with his own.

I take a bite and it’s like heaven in my mouth.

“I don’t know why you’d hate us,” Hannah chimes in. “No one made you say it.”

Chloe purses her lips and mutters, “Well … ”

Casey laughs and brushes crumbs from her muffin off the table. “So the wedding’s soon, are you getting cold feet?” Casey asks Ben.