We’re pulled out of our bubble by a horn of a passing-by car, followed by some idiots honking and yelling, “Get a room!”
We laugh in unison, holding hands. “Let’s go home,” I say. Anna nods keenly, making me want to grab her again and kiss the hell out of her.
“I missed you,” I say to Anna’s lips which I suppose are a little raw by now, just like mine. We made it exactly one step into my new home before accosting each other.
“I missed you too,” she says and it’s enough for me to swipe her off into another heavy kissing session. I wouldn’t be surprised if we’ve been going at it, here at the threshold to my home, for the greater part of an hour. Just kissing, just holding one another. Just what I want. Okay, yeah, I want much more than that. I want her in my bed, desperately, but I’m not going to be the one leading us there. There are still things to be said, and I want her to take me seriously. I want her to know that this is not just a cheap ploy to get her into bed. I want her here and I want her to stay, indefinitely. I want her to know, to believe, that I meant what I said. That I’m a hundred percent in this time.
What the hell was I thinking, cutting her out of my life? One of, if not my most terrible decisions ever.
Sensing Anna fidget a little through our kissing, I ease back a little. “All good?”
She gives me a cheeky-sheepish mix of a smile. “I really need to pee.”
I chuckle lightly. “Love it when you talk dirty to me.”
She pushes my shoulder with a little eye roll and leaves me en route to the hall. Not a step in, she turns back in surprise. “Wait a minute, this is the –” she says startled. “I didn’t even notice this is your new place.”
I grin at her. “All that wine you cozily guzzled down with your new best friend, Little Shit. And let’s be honest, you were too occupied dry humping me to notice anything.”
She rolls her eyes again and does a shit job of hiding her smile. “When did you even manage to move your stuff in?”
“Stuff,” I look around at the barren space. “That’s a bit of a stretch.” Then, “I didn’t. I hired a moving service while I was away and Casey helped. She made sure everything was taken care of.”
Anna gives the half-empty space a cursory glance. The place is rather bare, but a sofa, a TV, a bed, and only a few essential, towels, dishes, and crap.
“I need to stock up, get it furnished.” My lips tip at the side. “We need to get it furnished.”
Anna shakes her head in a “you’re relentless and ridiculous” sort of way, and points at the hall, tilting her head in question.
“Second door to the right,” I say and watch her till she disappears behind the closed bathroom door. I take the opportunity to quickly change into my well-worn UWSON tee. I toss the shirt I just took off on the bed and leave the bedroom. From the sound of it, Anna is in the kitchen now. As I make my way in said direction, I can hear the fridge close and then a couple of cupboards open and close, and then something shattering followed by a shriek that makes me sprint the distance between us.
Blood is not something I get bothered by, well, not since that one time when I fainted in the O.R. in my early days as a youngling resident, but the sight of Anna’s bloody arm makes my breath catch. Assessing the damage is second nature.
Paler than the wall, Anna looks at me terrified, holding her excessively bleeding hand with the other. “We need to go to the hospital.”
I cock my head holding myself from letting, “Really? And do what, have a doctor look at it?” to slip out of my lips. “Let me have a look,” I calmly say instead. “What happened?” I take Anna’s hand in mine and slowly direct her to the sink as she tells me that one of the glasses fell and she cut herself picking up the shards. With a gentle stream, I clean the wound for better visibility. I feign concern and tell Anna in a grave voice, “We’ll have to amputate.”
She gasps in response, looking even more freaked out.
I chuckle. “You don’t even need stitches.” I kiss her forehead. “Keep your hand elevated, I’m going to fetch the first aid kit. Be right back.” Just because she looks so damn irresistibly cute standing before me thinking these are her last breaths, I give her another kiss and go get the kit.
Anna is quiet when I return and remains silent as I clean the wound with antibacterial liquid soap, pat it dry, and rub some antibiotic ointment on it. The cut isn’t big but it’s deep enough to bandage. Anna watches me attentively as I secure the bandage with a clamp. “I believe you’ll make it through,” I say and wink at her.
Anna grins at me, “Thank you for saving my life, Doctor Brody.”
I inch closer to her, placing my leg between hers, and dip in for a kiss. “Now that I nursed you back to life, you’re beholden to me.”
She laughs in dismissal.
“Now, can we continue our conversation from earlier?” I ask, shifting gears.
“Which one?” she asks, her eyes zeroed in on my lips.
I press mine to hers, sending my hands to her waist. “The one where you were about to agree to move in with me.”
She jerks back, frowning. “You were serious?”
“Very much so.”
Anna cocks her head, gauging me. “Okay, this is not a conversation to be had in a ready-set-jump each other’s bones position,” she says and I briefly laugh in response.
“You have a point.” I take her hand in mine and lead us to the living room. I wait for Anna to sit and take a seat next to her, leaving an appropriate “serious conversation” gap between us.
“So,” Anna raises a brow. “This insanity you’re suggesting—” She lets it hang between us.
I grin at her, the little smart ass sitting here beside me, carelessly sexy in a natural, unconscious way. “You once told me you wanted me with no inhibition. Remember? Doing what I really want to do. You said it would be perfect.”
She slowly moves her lips from side to side, giving it a thought. “That’s a full 180, give a girl a second to think.” My lips quirk. She squints at me, “Are you really being serious?”
“Absolutely,” I nod.
Anna deflates back onto the sofa, looking at me. “Oh, wow. That’s a lot. I need to process this and you, and a whole lot of things. Can I get back to you on this?” She then frowns and adds, “Where? Yours? I mean it’s close to the hospital and big, and nice, and the yard. The yard is . . . I’m guessing, it has great potential.”
Grinning silently, I watch her having a whole conversation with herself.
“Mine?” she goes on. “Mine is walking distance from the studio and let’s face it, the most amazing place.”
My grin grows.
“But it’s perfect for one and, well, poky for two.” She frowns to herself. “Wait a minute, maybe we could do a 50/50 thing, some days here some days mine?”
“Your thought process is phenomenal,” I murmur under my breath, utterly amused. Damn lucky bastard that I am, she’s really considering it.
She perks up suddenly. “Wait a minute, why are we sitting here talking logistics when I haven’t said yes or no to this bananas thing?”