Max didnโt contact me again after his initial texts. I was
the one whoโd ignored him first, but his silence festered until I was a mess of anxiety by the time I boarded my flight back to D.C.
Iโd used my period as an excuse for why I ran out of lunch so suddenly, and no one questioned it, though Joshโs skepticism had been so thick it was tangible. Iโd ignored it; I had bigger issues to worry about than whatever he thought of me.
I tapped my pen against my desk and stared at the screen before me. I was finally working on LHACโs main floor after my desk arrived yesterday, and I could hear the shu๏ฌing of papers from Ellieโs desk behind me, the faint flush of the toilet from the bathroom down the hall, and the jangle of the bells above the front door every time it opened. It was more chaotic than working alone in the kitchen, but I thrived with background noise.
Unless, of course, I was distracted by other things.
My eyes strayed to my phone. It sat dark and silent next to my mug of pens, but that didnโt stop me from holding my breath like it was going to light up with a new message from Max any minute.
I should just call him and get it over with, but I couldnโt bring myself to leave my cycle of half miserable, half
blissful ignorance.
Focus.
I took a deep breath and straightened my shoulders. Iโd just started typing again when Ellie squealed behind me.
โJosh! I didnโt know you were coming in today.โ
โHey, El.โ Joshโs deep, flirtatious drawl raised my hackles. โNew haircut?โ
Surprised flattery filled her giggle. โYep. I canโt believe you noticed.โ
My grimace reflected back at me from my computer screen. Ellie was sweet, but her crush on Josh was so obvious it was painful.
โIt looks good,โ Josh said. โShort hair suits you.โ โThank you.โ Another giggle.
I typed faster, theย click-clackย of my keyboard adopting a furious tempo as the sound of footsteps neared. They stopped next to me.
Clack. Clack. Clackโ
โJules.โ
I waited several beats before I lifted my head to meet Joshโs eyes. The first thing I noticed were his scrubs. It was my first time seeing him in his doctorโs clothes, since he usually changed out of them before arriving at the clinic. The blue uniform was too shapeless to be objectively flattering, and yetโฆ
Something in my chest stumbled.
Oh no. Oh no, no, no.
My stomach knotted with horror. I couldnโt possibly feelโฆattraction toward Josh Chen. Not here, in D.C. I could chalk up my momentary loss of good judgment in Vermont to the mountain air, but here I had no excuse.
Any butterflies, flutters, and skipped heartbeats were unacceptable. Unthinkable. Downright disgusting.
โI see your desk has arrived.โ Joshโs gaze flitted from my face to my favorite fluffy pink pen. A hint of a smile filled
the corners of his mouth. โLooks like weโre neighbors. Lucky you.โ
He angled his head toward the desk across the aisle from mine. Iโd wondered who it belonged to, since its sparse decorations provided no clue as to its ownerโs identity.
โIโm thrilled,โ I said flatly. I leaned back in my chair and narrowed my eyes. โI didnโt realize volunteers had their own desks.โ
โThey donโt. Only I do.โ His voice took on a familiar cocky lilt. โIโm beloved around here, Red.โ
Sadly, it was true. The rest of the clinic staff fawned over him like he was the second coming of the messiah. It was enough to make a girl want to hurl.
โI canโt imagine why.โย Keep to the truce.ย โWell, as lovely as this conversation is, I have to get back to work. Lots to do,โ I chirped with false pep.
Joshโs eyes glinted with amusement. โOf course.โ
He settled in at his desk, and we didnโt speak again for the rest of the afternoon.
By the time the clock ticked toward five, I was bleary- eyed from staring at the screen so long, and my wrists ached from typing. I mightโve been aย littleย aggressive with my keyboard, but it was a good release for my pent-up tension.
โWhat a day.โ Ellie yawned. โI could use a drink. Anyone else down? The Black Fox has a great happy hour special.โ
The Black Fox was the bar across the street and a popular watering hole for hospital staff.
โI am.โ Marshall was the picture of eagerness. Like Ellie, he was a full-time research associate, and if Ellieโs interest in Josh was a flashing neon sign, Marshallโs interest in Ellie was a full-blown billboard complete with floodlights and ten-foot-high letters spelling out I LOVE ELLIE. โI mean, Iโll go with you.โ
โGreat,โ Ellie said. โJosh?โ
โSure. Iโll never turn down a cheap drink.โ His dimple made a quick appearance. โYou in, Red?โ
I hesitated. I had to study for finals and pack for my upcoming move, but Iย couldย use a de-stresser. โSure, why not?โ
No one else at the clinic could join us, so half an hour later, it was just the four of us who crowded around a table at The Black Fox, nursing watered down but insanely cheap drinks.
โI propose we play a game.โ Ellie was technically speaking to the whole table, but her eyes were fixed on Josh.
His lips quirked. โWhat kind of game?โ
He sat beside me, one arm draped over the back of the chair next to him while his other hand held a half-empty glass of Coke and whiskey. Heโd changed out of his scrubs, and his pose, combined with his tousled dark hair and new outfitโnavy blue cashmere sweater with the sleeves pushed up, watch glinting on his wristโmade him look like he was posing for a menโs fashion magazine.
I drained the rest of my drink in an attempt to douse the heat blooming in my stomach.
โTruth or Dare,โ Ellie decided.
โEl, I donโt know if thatโs a good idea.โ Marshall shifted in his seat. โWe work together. Itโs inappropriate.โ
I suppressed a wince. Marshall was only a few years older than Ellie, but lecturing someone on propriety in the middle of happy hour wasnโt the best way to spark a girlโs interest.
โItโs just us. Itโs not like Lisaโs here.โ Ellie waved a dismissive hand in the air. โSo? What do you think?โ
Josh lifted his glass to his lips, his eyes dancing with amusement. โLetโs do it.โ
โGreat.โ She beamed and turned to me. โJules?โ
โSure.โ In normal times, I wouldโve been the one who suggested a game first, but all my worrying over the past
week had drained me of energy and the best I could do was go with the flow.
โMarshall?โ Ellie nudged him, causing his cheeks to flush red.
โOkay.โ He sounded resigned.
To no oneโs surprise, Ellie chose Josh for the first round. โTruth or Dare?โ she asked.
โTruth.โ
Huh.ย I tamped down my surprise. Iโd expected him to choose Dare.
Ellie leaned forward so he had an unimpeded view of her cleavage. Sheโd tossed her blazer long ago, and her breasts practically spilled out of her tank top.
I glanced at Josh, whose gaze remained fixed on Ellieโs face. His expression didnโt so much as flicker.
The same couldnโt be said for Marshall, who looked like he was about to burst into flames.
โAre you interested in anyone at the clinic?โ Ellie asked.
Subtle.
Joshโs eyebrows winged upward. โA volunteer or staff member?โ
I shifted in my seat, and the vinyl released an embarrassing squeak when my thighs unstuck from the material. Josh flicked his eyes in my direction, his amusement visibly deepening. I lifted my chin defiantly in reply.
โEither or,โ Ellie said, bringing his attention back to her. โBut letโs say itโs a staff member.โ
โIโm interested in everyone at the clinic,โ Josh said. โYouโre all great.โ
She deflated, obviously realizing she shouldโve been more specific.
โJules.โ Josh shifted his gaze to me, and I straightened in anticipation. โTruth or Dare?โ
โDare.โ I answered without hesitation.
A slow smile spread across his face. โI dare you to kiss someone at this table for thirty seconds.โ
I recognized the satisfied gleam in his eyes; he expected me to back down.
Too bad for him, Iโd never backed down from a dare in my life.
I kept my gaze fixed on his as I leaned forward, closing the distance between us inch by agonizing inch until his smile slipped and heat flared in his eyes.
I waited until our faces were only inches apart before I swerved abruptly and kissed a startled Marshall instead.
โMmmphng,โ he squeaked.
โYou okay with this?โ I whispered against his lips.
โMmmphng,โ he repeated, higher pitched this time. He didnโt move away, so I took that as a yes.
I guided him through the kiss and let it linger for the requisite thirty seconds before I pulled back. A self-satisfied smile bloomed on my mouth at the reactions around me. Ellieโs jaw grazed the table while Josh stared at me, his amusement from earlier locked away behind a stone-faced mask. Marshall, meanwhile, sat frozen in his chair with glassy eyes and his mouth agape.
โSorry for springing that on you,โ I said. โBut youโre a great kisser. A-plus.โ
โN-n-no problem,โ he stuttered. โI, um, Iโฆโ His eyes darted toward Ellie, who eyed him with a smidge more interest than before.
I hid a smile. The best way to spark a womanโs interest was to introduce a little competition. โI believe that was thirty seconds?โ
I directed my question at Josh, who responded with a cool, โMore than thirty. You mustโve been really into it.โ
โLike I saidโฆโ I toyed with my now-empty glass. โMarshallโs a great kisser.โ
โIโll take your word for it.โ He flicked his eyes toward Marshall. โMarshall, my man. Your turn.โ
We played another three rounds before Ellie reluctantly excused herself, citing an early flight tomorrow. Apparently, it was her grandmotherโs eighty-fifth birthday, so she was flying home to Milwaukee for the celebration.
She eyed Josh like she wanted him to leave with her, but he merely wished her a good night and a safe flight home. Marshall, of course, offered to split an Uber with her since they had to go in the same direction.
And then there were two.
โEllie has a crush on you,โ I said after our coworkers left. I stole the last fry from the basket and popped it in my mouth. I wasnโt breaking girl code because I was one hundred percent sure Josh knew. Hell, he was so arrogant he probably thought every straight woman crushed on him even when they didnโt.
His lips curved. โIโm aware.โ โYou interested?โ
โYou care?โ
I chewed slowly and swallowed before I responded with a deliberate, โNot even a little bit.โ
Animosity crackled between us, masking something else beneath the surface.
โOf course you donโt,โ Josh said softly. He finished his drink without taking his eyes off me. โNice show you put on with Marshall earlier.โ
โI have no idea what youโre talking about.โ โDonโt play dumb. Itโs unbecoming.โ
โIโm not. You think I wouldnโt have kissed Marshall of my own accord, just because he doesnโt have a perfect face and six-pack abs?โ I shot Josh a pointed stare. โLooks arenโt everything. At least Marshall is sweet.โ
His smile took on a hard slant. โYou donโt want or need sweet, Red. It would bore you to death.โ
โOh, really?โ My voice dripped with poisonous honey. โThen please, pray tell, what do I want and need? Since you know me so well.โ
Josh leaned forward until his mouth hovered near my ear, and it was all I could do not to pull back. My heart rumbled so loud in my chest I wouldโve missed his reply had his voice not poured into me like dark silk, dangerous yet seductive.
โYouย wantย someone who can challenge you. Excite you. Keep you on your toes. And as for what you needโฆโ His whiskey-scented breath gusted across my skin, peppering it with a thousand goosebumps. โYouย needย someone to bend you over and fuck that attitude right out of you.โ
My reaction was instantaneous.
My nipples pebbled into hard, painful points, and a rush of hot moisture soaked my panties. Every gust of air against my sensitized skin added to the need pulsing low in my belly.
โYou think Marshall can do that?โ Joshโs voice wrapped around me like a velvet embrace. โFuck you the way you need?โ
โAnd you can?โ I managed.ย Oxygen.ย I needed oxygen. โKeep dreaming.โ
โI wasnโt offering.โ Joshโs hand grazed my knee for a millisecond, just long enough to set my body aflame. โBut itโs nice to know thatโs where your mind went.โ
I was saved from having to formulate a witty response in my current lightheaded state when someone cut into our conversation.
โJules?โ
The unfamiliar voice had the same effect as a bucket of cold water.
I jerked back, heart pounding, while Josh took his time resettling in his seat with a dark, satisfied smile.
That fucking bastard.
After our interloper left, I would pay him back.
Somehow.
In the meantime, I had someone else to deal with.
My eyes fell on the preppy, somewhat familiar-looking guy whoโd interrupted us. He wore the unofficial D.C. menโs uniform of a blue-and-white gingham shirt and khakis, and heโd slicked back his hair in a way that did nothing for his features.
He fixed me with an expectant stare, which I returned with a blank one of my own until my memory pieces slotted into place and recognition dawned.
It was Toddโฆthe guy whoโd stood me up weeks ago.
