Mateo’s heart threatened to beat right out of his chest. He could cut a man open without blinking an eye. He could sew the tiny veins of the stomach lining back together in his sleep. But waiting for Abigail Palacio to tell him whether she would leave her fiancé and come to him was the most nerve-wracking thing he had ever done.
Abigail held his heart in the palm of her hands and if she so chose, she could crush it in one fell swoop. Did she know how much power she had over him? Did she know just how tightly he was wrapped around her little finger?
If she told him to go, he would leave. If she told him to stay, he would hold on and never let go. He’d learned his lesson. Time had kept them apart once, but Mateo planned to leave such little space between them that nothing could pry him from her again. All she had to say was…
“Yes.”
“What?” He blinked and leaned closer. His imagination could have taken over just then. He had to be sure. “What did you say?”
“That night, I told you I’d consider it if you came in at least third,” she tilted her head and the ponytail swung with her, “but I was really open to the top ten—”
Mateo didn’t need to hear the rest of her explanation. Abigail was trying to be coy, but all he wanted was for her to be his. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her off the couch so that she tumbled into his lap. She was so stunning and so, so soft. He buried his face in her neck and rocked them gently.
“Mateo…”
He grinned, nearly reeling with giddiness at hearing his name on her lips. “Say that again?”
She raised her hand, her fingertips dancing across his cheeks as tenderly as a pianist to the keys. “Mattie.”
He pressed closer to her touch and closed his eyes. A surging tide of warmth that came with receiving a gift he really didn’t deserve washed over his soul. Abigail was choosing him. She would have to face her fiancé, her father, and her friends, but at the end, she was willing to accept their judgments and come to him.
Moved by the woman in his arms, he bent her head back and kissed her, softly at first, savoring her lips and the feel of her skin beneath his thumb, and then… not so softly. Abigail clung to him, digging her fingers into the fabric of his shirt as if the world was spinning out of control and he was the only thing keeping her upright.
He parted her mouth and she trembled, sending shockwaves through his nerves and awakening sensations that shook him to the core. She was kissing him back and sticking to him like adhesive to a scrape and he really couldn’t resist pressing her closer.
She drew back and he nipped her bottom lip teasingly before letting go and straightening. Abigail looked at him through half-hooded eyes. A streak of male pride zipped down his spine at her dazed expression.
“I should probably go,” he said.
“You should,” she agreed.
Neither of them moved.
“I missed you,” Abigail said, a small smile curving her lips. “I used to pretend that you had a wife and kids. I wanted you to be happy.” “And I was over here feeling miserable and alone, pining after you.”
“Yeah, right,” Abigail flicked him with her fingers. “What about Moira, Hannah, Susanne, Lacey, Tracey, Stacey—” “How do you know about that?”
“Ida may have mentioned her matchmaking plans earlier today. From what I understand, you didn’t say no.”
“Is that jealousy I hear?”
“Jealous? Me? Never!”
Mateo grinned, recognizing Abigail’s rising pitch and narrowed gaze. “They were very nice.”
“So I was told.”
“They were beautiful too.”
“I heard about that.”
“They had everything going for them.”
“Wow, Mattie. Is there a point to this or are you just trying to irritate me?”
He laughed and hugged her tight. “None of them were you and that was one flaw not even Mom could fix.”
“Better.” She snuggled into his chest. “You should probably go.”
“We’ve been over this.”
“Ida will kill us both if she finds out you stayed the night.”
“I could sleep in the car.”
“You might as well sleep on the couch.”
“That’s tempting.” He kissed her forehead and then eased her off him. Mateo shook his legs out, feeling the antsy sensation that descended when his legs fell asleep. Abigail stood and offered a hand to him. He accepted it and swooped in for a quick kiss. She smiled when he backed away. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“I have a break in the afternoon. You wanted to do something?”
“I was thinking of heading to Paul’s house.”
Mateo frowned. “Do you want me to come with you? I can explain everything.”
“No, I’ve already ended things with him.”
Surprised, he glanced down to where her finger was, indeed, bare. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t do it for you,” she said, tilting her head. “I broke up with him for me. This just happened right on the heels.”
“Okay…”
“My clothes are still at the house and my mother’s easel is there too. I don’t know what state of mind Paul will be in. I was hoping you could be my backup.”
“I would be honored.”
“Silent backup,” Abigail stressed. “I don’t want to provoke him.”
“Come on. When have I ever provoked anyone unfairly?”
“Mateo…”
“Alright. I’ll behave. What time should I slip away?”
“Whenever you can. I have my sketchbook so I can work until you come.”
“Alright,” Mateo nodded and headed for the door. He turned the knob, but at the last moment, let the door handle go and rushed back
to Abby. She looked around as if searching for whatever he’d forgotten. “What are you do—?”
He answered her question with a kiss. Satisfied, Mateo chucked her chin and left before he no longer had the strength or the will to.
THE NEXT MORNING, HE WOKE up feeling like a million bucks and got ready in record time. The morning traffic was light and it felt like all the vehicles were clearing out of the way so that he could hit the green lights.
Mateo breezed into the doctor’s lounge and deposited the carton of coffees that he’d picked up from Gladys on the middle of the table. The other residents rubbed the sleep from their eyes and glared at him.
“Why are you so happy?” Josiah grumbled, reaching for a cup of coffee without saying thanks. “It’s Friday.”
“Exactly,” Mateo grinned, handing Shanya a cup, “to the rest of the world, Fridays are something worth celebrating.”
“The rest of the world don’t have to work weekend shifts, taking care of drunk people who act like jerks.”
Mateo shaded his mouth with a hand and whispered to Josiah. “Is it that time of the month already?” “I’m going to hurl this piping hot coffee at your face, Hernandez,” Shanya threatened.
Mateo laughed. “I’m sorry, Shan.”
“Your mood is seriously ticking me off.”
“It’s just such a great day!” Mateo flung his coat on and the fabric fluttered in the wind before coming to rest on the backs of his thighs.
Shanya and Josiah exchanged glances.
“What’s up with him?” Shanya asked.
Josiah shrugged in reply.
“Did something happen with that girl?”
“What girl?”
“The one that you were going to steal away from her fiancé.”
Mateo narrowed his eyes at his friend. “I didn’t ‘steal her away’.”
“Whoa.” Josiah sipped his coffee. “That’s against the bro-code, man. I didn’t think you were the type to make a move on a married woman.”
“She’s not married, she’s engaged. Well, she was. Not anymore!”
“Congratulations. I hope you don’t mess this up like you did with all the other girls your mom brought for you to meet.” “You know what? You— don’t speak.”
Shanya waved her arms and sipped her coffee in reply. Mateo’s phone rang and he fished the device out of his pocket. It was Nick.
“Hello?”
“Mateo,” Nick said over the line, “you need to get in here.”
“Sure.”
“Who was that?” Shanya asked.
“The new girl?” Josiah wiggled his eyebrows.
“That was Doctor Lee.”
“Uh-oh.” Shanya smacked his shoulder. “Good luck.”
“I’ll be fine.” Mateo winked and whistled all the way to the office. When he pushed open the door, he saw Nick and the president of the hospital standing near the windows. Their grim expressions indicated that this would not be a pleasant conversation.
“Good morning,” he said.
“Sit,” the president indicated a chair. Mateo sank slowly into the seat and faced the man who had the power to fire him and the kind of expression that said he would.
What on earth was going on?