Jace laughed to himself as if he were remembering fond times. “I do. Now, how do you feel about pasta?”
“I love it.”
Stella enjoyed listening to stories about all the property owners they drove by on the way to Jace’s home. He drove down the small alley next to the practice and circled around back of Main Street in what looked to be a private parking area.
“I’m living on the third floor for now,” Jace told her as he pointed up to the top floor of his office building. She followed him to the back door, and once inside, they walked up a back staircase that looked as if it were as old as the building. It was still in good condition, though. There were thick wooden stairs and banisters, only the banisters were much shorter than more modern versions.
“How old is this building?” Stella asked as Jace unlocked his apartment door and held it open for her. There was a mudroom area to hang coats and leave boots that blocked off everything except for an arched entryway. Going through the arch, she found herself in a narrow hallway with several archways to the left and doors to the right.
“It was built in 1825. The first floor has had the most remodeling, but the second and third floors have quite a few original details still in them. The first door on your right is a guest room. This one is a bathroom. Then my room is in the front right corner.”
Along the front wall were three enormous rectangular windows with half circles on the top. The windows started about a foot from the floor and looked to be almost ten feet tall.
Stella immediately went to them and looked out over Main Street. “I love this view.”
“That’s why I put the seating area there instead of a large dining room. I like to sit there at night and read,” Jace told her, and she could picture him doing just that.
“Oh, and your kitchen. I like how they didn’t cover the third window.” Stella walked into the kitchen and ran her hand over the marble countertop. To the left of the window was a wet bar and to the right was the beginning of the countertop.
Jace opened the built-in wine refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of red wine. “Is this good?”
“Yes, it’s wonderful.” Wine would help her nerves. She wasn’t nervous because she was afraid. She was almost bouncing with excitement. If she didn’t calm down, she was pretty sure she’d jump Jace, especially after him promising a goodnight kiss. It was nighttime now, right? Why wait?
Jace poured a glass and handed it to her. “Take a seat and relax. I’m going to jump in the shower and then we can get to dinner.” Well, that wasn’t going to help her lust-filled nerves.
Jace headed into his bedroom and Stella took a seat by the windows overlooking downtown Keeneston. However, her mind was not on the people walking down the street, the shops closing, or the cars slowly driving by. Even the Hummer with a gigantic grill couldn’t take her mind from the imagery of Jace in the shower. “Oh, for heaven’s sake. What am I, fifteen?”
Stella finished her wine and took a deep breath. She was a grown woman who had dated plenty in her life. She could remain calm, cool, and collected. That was the plan until Jace walked out in jeans and a tight black T-shirt with his wet hair finger-combed back from his face that was still rough with a five-o’clock shadow. Lust easily won out.
10
The date had been perfect. Stella was funny, witty, and kind. Jace was more interested than he’d ever been in any other woman. His family had always said that “when you know, you know.” What Jace knew was that he did not want the date to end.
Dinner had been relaxed as they got to know each other better. There was an ease between them that was so natural, even when they weren’t talking, the silence was companionable and not awkward.
Jace placed his arm along the back of the couch as the movie started and got that feeling that was a combination of exhilaration, pride, and satisfaction when Stella moved to snuggle against his side. She curled her feet to the side on the couch and rested her head on the curve of his chest where it met his shoulder before he moved his hand to rest on her shoulder.
They didn’t speak much as the movie played. Instead they let their hands talk for them. He traced his fingers down the vertebrae in her neck. She placed her hand on his thigh and squeezed. Jace pulled her nearer. Stella moved her hand to his chest as she snuggled closer.
Jace looked down at her face. Her eyes were dark with anticipation and his heart beat wildly as he lowered his lips toward her. The phone rang and Stella jerked back in surprise to the sudden interruption.
“I’m sorry,” Jace said, leaning forward to grab his phone. “It’s an emergency call.” His clinic had an after-hours answering service that would take messages and send them to Sarah’s email. If it were a true emergency, they’d forward it to Jace’s cell phone. He had a special ring tone for that and knew whatever the problem was, tonight’s date was most likely over.
“This is Dr. Davies,” he said, answering the phone.
“You weren’t answering your cell,” Colton yelled into the phone. Jace heard sirens in the background as well as shouting.
“What’s going on?” Jace asked. Stella could hear Colton yelling and leaned away to give him privacy.
“Bonfire gone wrong. The idiots used gasoline to start it. They tossed a match on it and sent up a fireball that burned several people. I have a helicopter coming for the one in critical condition. Flint and Conley are driving another one into Lexington right now, but I have six less critical patients here that need more treatment that I can give them.”
“Okay, bring them in.”
“Jack and I are loading them up now. See you in ten.”
Jace hung up the phone and cursed to himself. “I’m sorry. I have six emergencies coming in.”
“How can I help?” Stella asked as she stood up and slipped her shoes back on.
Jace sent a text to Molly and Sarah to see if they could come in and then looked up. “Do you mind?”
“Of course not. What can I do?”
“There are six burn victims. I need to get supplies from the second floor to the exam rooms. Let me change and I’ll show you.”
Jace rushed from the room and called for Stella.
“Yes?” she asked, peering around into his room.
“They might be big, but put them on.” He tossed her a pair of his scrubs. “I didn’t want any loose fibers getting into burn wounds.”
“Got it,” Stella said, all business as she vanished from view. Jace didn’t bother shutting the door. He didn’t have time as he stripped and pulled on the scrubs. By the time he made it back to the living room, Stella was pulling her hair back into a tight bun.
“I’m all ready. Show me what you need.”
Jace grabbed his keys and together they jogged down to the second floor. He unlocked the multiple locks protecting the medications, supplies, and files on the floor. He then had to enter a code on a steel door to get into the medications room. “I need six tubes of this. Can you put two in each exam room?” he asked, pointing to the ointments. “Here’s the key for the first floor. Then come back up.”
Stella grabbed six tubes, snagged his key, and ran off as he made his way to pain relievers and counted them out.