It was probably illegal, what I was doing. Finding out someone's address and showing up there uninvited. Demanding she honor our agreement.
Some might call it stalking.
I called it collecting on a bet.
I drove up to her house and parked my convertible. I'd trashed my bike, but I still had this thing and a beat up old SUV for taking the dogs to the beach. I rolled my shoulder. It was still hard to believe the cast was finally off.
That's when I noticed her.
Or, actually, I noticed 'it.'
Lexi was bent over, a handkerchief covering her hair as she dug into the flowerbeds in front of her house. Her ass was high in the air for all to see. I knew she had no idea how fucking tasty she looked. It might be wrong, but I could not take my eyes off her perfect fucking ass.
High cut little denim shorts. A button down shirt tied around her waist. A bright green bandana on her head.
She looked good enough to eat.
I grinned, slamming the car door behind me.
She jumped, turning around. For a split second she looked happy to see me. Then she scowled.
"Well, you are persistent aren't you?"
"Oh, you have no idea."
She frowned at me, getting to her feet.
"Are you cleared to drive? How is your shoulder?"
I grinned, circling it for her. I loved how she was worried about my shoulder, even when she was mad at me. She was a good person. It's just who she was.
"I have two hands now. Can you imagine what that means?"
She turned pink immediately, two bright circles of embarrassment on her gorgeous cheeks. I wondered if the rest of her was blushing too. I'd sure as shit like to find out.
"I'm glad you are feeling better Trent but you really shouldn't have come all this way."
She turned around and got back on her knees again, reaching for her garden tools.
"I quit."
She stopped what she was doing and looked at me with disbelief.
"Quit?"
"Retired. From the business"
"Oh."
She went back to weeding around the pitiful looking flowers by the stoop. But her body language was different. Softer. She was definitely listening to me now.
"Don't tell me you did that for me."
"No. I did it for me."
She looked up at me. I held her gaze, refusing to let her look away.
"But you played a big part in that."
Her mouth opened.
"You see, you made me realize how dirty I felt. Because it wasn't like that with you. With you, I felt clean."
Now her eyes were wide. She believed me. I stepped forward, pulling her into my arms.
Two arms this time. Never in my life had I been so grateful to have all my limbs intact. All five of them.
Jesus, she felt good.
I lowered my head, delving my tongue into her mouth. She hesitated for a moment. And then she started kissing me back.
Thank you, Jesus. She was kissing me back.
With a groan I yanked her against me. Our chests collided and I could feel her for the first time without the damn cast in the way. My whole body stood up and cheered.
She felt like heaven. Literal, actual, heaven.
I have no idea how long we stood there, kissing like teenagers. I forgot we were on the street. I forgot everything except the feel of her. Finally, I lifted my head, staring down at her.
She looked soft and so sweet.
"Do you want to come inside for some iced tea?"
I grinned at her. I did want to come inside. But I also did not want to jinx this.
"Actually, I came to schedule our date."
"Oh. Alright."
"What's your next few days like? Can I see?"
She handed me her phone with the calendar app open. I wanted the earliest possible time, but also a time she didn't work for a few days after. I had big ideas for our date.
I was surprised as fuck that I was willing to wait. But I knew she was worth waiting for.
"Okay, dinner on Friday. I will pick you up at 5."
"Isn't that early?
I just smiled at her.
"Just be ready at 5. Sexy Lexi,"
Lexi
I was humming as I made my rounds. Even as I headed towards to room 408. The patient was a cantankerous old man who refused to cooperate during even the most routine examination.
He refused to take his meds, or keep himself clean. He refused to sleep, or wake up at any particular time. He even refused water, but only if you were asking him to drink it.
The second you left, he'd drink or eat anything.
He was a righteous pain in the ass.
Never mind handling his catheter. For some reason, he'd pulled it out several times. That was extremely painful, even for someone whose senses were diminished by age and illness.
With no catheter, he peed all over the place.
If he pulled it out again though, it was diaper city for him. I had had enough. And yet, I was smiling as I entered his room.
Because of Trent.
Everything he'd said to me, even the way he'd shown up at my house out of the blue. He'd refused to give up on me. It made me feel... special.
Like I meant something to him.
Like I hadn't been a complete idiot to feel all the things I'd been feeling.