“Do you want to grab a quick shower?” Dani stood by the door, looking as relaxed naked as she did fully clothed. Was she clueless as to how amazing she looked, or was this some subtle form of torture Ren needed to learn about?
Although torture wasn’t the right word. Temptation. Definitely temptation.
“Yes.” Ren looked away and gathered her clothes into her arms. “That’ll save some time, and I can just change into scrubs when I get to the hospital.”
“I’ve got a bunch of clean scrubs here.”
“Even better.” Ren joined her and valiantly kept her gaze above shoulder level.
Dani held out her hand and pulled Ren’s attention into the danger zone again. “Come on, let’s go.”
Ren hesitated. “Together?”
Dani grinned. “I’ve already seen you naked. In fact, you’re still naked.”
“Yes. Well.” Ren could feel the flush flow halfway down her body. Not embarrassment. Most definitely not that. “Okay. Why not?”
She took Dani’s hand and followed her out into the hall, quickly scanning up and down to see if they really were alone. Silence greeted her, but she had a sense the house wasn’t empty.
The bathroom was bigger than she expected, with the walk-in shower where a tub had obviously once been, now brightly done in white subway tiles. Dani had the water going, and in a couple of seconds, steam filled the rest of the room and clouded the mirror above the sink. Dani slid the glass door open and stepped in, her hair instantly wet and sleeked around her face in dark tendrils. She brushed water out of her eyes. “You coming in?”
Ren started. “Oh. Yes.”
She dropped her pile of tangled garments on the floor and slipped into the shower. Her breasts glanced across Dani’s chest as she found her footing, Dani’s arm came around her waist, and Dani kissed her. Kissing Dani was as natural as it had been since the first time, although the spray of warm water enclosing them turned these kisses into something new. Soft and velvety, gentle, and tender.
“I wish we had more time,” Dani murmured against her mouth, their bodies, warm and slippery, pressed together.
“I’m not sure there’s enough room in here for what you’re thinking,” Ren said.
“We’d probably find a way.” Dani slid her hands down to Ren’s hips and eased her back an inch, breaking their contact. Her eyes beneath misty lashes held Ren’s. “But you need to get to the hospital. We both do.”
“I wish we didn’t have to,” Ren said, surprised by the truth of it.
Dani nodded. “Me too.”
“I think that’s a first time for me. You’re…distracting.”
Dani grinned. “I remember Raven mentioning that.”
Ren smiled. “I recall. Can you try not to be quite so much for a little while?”
“I’m on my best behavior.”
The way Dani said it, her voice low and husky, did little to relieve the tension pulling Ren’s mind from what she had to do, but true to her word, Dani made no move to continue the kisses. Ren pushed aside the pang of disappointment and hurried to finish her shower.
She circled Dani in the falling spray, washing quickly. Dani stepped out, and she followed, watching as Dani leaned down to dry her legs and then her abdomen and chest. Muscles rippled that Ren hadn’t seen in the near darkness of their hours of lovemaking. She toweled off automatically, absorbed, until Dani said, “I feel like you’re touching me all over and you’re just looking at me.”
“You’re beautiful,” Ren said. “I love your body.”
“You’re not helping us get out of here,” Dani whispered and leaned forward to kiss her. This was not the slow, warm, tender kiss they’d shared in the shower. This one was hard and demanding and possessive in a way Dani hadn’t kissed her before.
Ren backed up a step, pulling Dani with her, until her back touched the closed bathroom door. Dani pressed hard against her, and everywhere she touched, Ren’s body flared. She put both palms flat against Dani’s chest but didn’t push her away. “Unless you can make me come in thirty seconds, you need to stop kissing me.”
“Can you come in thirty seconds?” Dani asked hoarsely. She didn’t even wait for an answer but slid her hand between Ren’s legs and stroked her.
Ren leaned her head back and closed her eyes, the orgasm so close already she could only let it take her. Dani pressed her face into the curve of Ren’s shoulder, holding her as she came. Ren gasped. “You do things to me I can’t even describe.”
“Only seems fair, since you make my brain melt.” Dani backed away and wrapped a towel around her torso. “I’ll get those scrubs.”
Ren rested her hips against the vanity and caught her breath. She barely recognized the reflection in the mirror, her face flushed and her pupils still wide with the rush of her orgasm. She smiled, satisfied not just physically, but in some primal place that nearly purred with contentment. How very odd. And wonderful.
The door opened, and Dani came in, already dressed in scrubs, and handed her a set. “These are mediums, so probably be a little bit big, but…okay?”
“Yes. Fine.” Ren took the scrubs. “They’ll do. Thanks.”
Dani lingered in the doorway for a second, desire plain in her eyes.
“Do not come in any farther,” Ren said.
Dani grinned. “It’s not my fault you make me crazy.”
“I’m not complaining.” Ren flicked a hand. “Just…out.”
Laughing, Dani closed the door, calling, “I’ll be downstairs in the kitchen. Come get coffee.”
Ren dressed quickly, folded her clothes into a neat bundle, tucked it under her arm, and stepped into her sandals.
Zoey sat at the kitchen table and looked up when Ren walked in.
“Morning,” Zoey said, as if Ren’s presence before dawn was a normal occurrence.
“Morning,” Ren said with what she hoped was equal nonchalance.
“We don’t have anything to eat,” Zoey went on. “We never do, not unless you’re good with toast and peanut butter or, God forbid, Cap’n Crunch.”
Dani held out a box designed to capture the attention of a five-year-old, and Ren made a face. “Is that even food?”
“Dani’s major form of sustenance,” Zoey said.
“Toast and peanut butter sounds fabulous.” Since Zoey sat with only a cup of coffee in front of her, Ren added, “Can I make you some?”
“I’ll love you forever.” Zoey smiled up at her from beneath her blond fall of curls.
“Hey,” Dani protested.
Zoey smirked. “Ooh, possessive.”
Ren looked back and forth between the two of them and laughed. “Wishful thinking.”
“Ha.” Zoey pointed a finger at Ren. “I knew you had a sense of humor hidden somewhere beneath all of that seriousness.”
“It’s a newly acquired talent.” Ren took the quarter loaf of bread that Dani held out to her. “Thanks. Are you really going to eat that stuff for breakfast? I can make you toast too.”
“Too late to change my habits.” Dani hopped onto the counter, dug into the box, and swallowed a handful of cereal.
Grimacing, Ren slid the toast into the toaster and, when it was done, added the peanut butter and passed a piece to Zoey along with half a piece of paper towel to use as a napkin. She leaned against Dani’s hip and bit into the toast. Dani dropped a hand onto her shoulder. She’d never enjoyed breakfast more.
“We’re heading over to the hospital,” Dani said once the toast had disappeared.
Zoey stood and stretched. “I still have to shower. I’ll catch up with you at rounds, Ren.”
“See you later,” Ren said.
The predawn light turned the sky from pale gray to blue as they walked the few blocks to the hospital. Just as they approached the entrance, Dani grasped Ren’s hand to slow her. “Last night was great. This morning was amazing.”
“I know,” Ren said. “The peanut butter and toast was incredible.”
Dani laughed and kissed her quickly. “I’ll catch you later.”
“For sure.”
* * *
Ren ran into Zoey in the stairwell twenty minutes before rounds were due to start.
“Did you finish seeing everybody?” Zoey asked.
“Yes, but I want to stop and see Leo before I head down.”
“I’ll go with you,” Zoey said, “if you don’t mind.”
“Sure.” Ren started up to the next floor and said, “Is this where you do the best friend talk?”
“Huh?” Zoey asked.
“You know, aren’t you supposed to say something about how great Dani is and how you hope I’m not going to break her heart or something?”
Zoey laughed. “And here I thought you didn’t know anything about girlfriends.”
“I didn’t actually have girlfriends, but I did live with a lot of girls in college and was always hearing them talk. I never needed to pay that much attention. It didn’t apply until now.”
Zoey stopped and leaned against the wall. Ren faced her on the same stair.
“Well,” Zoey said, “since you are both friends of mine, I’d have to give the talk to both of you, and that’s too much trouble. Dani is a big girl, and so are you. Plus, I happen to think the two of you look really cute together, and it’s about time you both figured that out.”
“That’s a very accurate assessment,” Ren said. “I mean, the part about it’s time we both figured it out. We’re working on it.”
“In the meantime, my suggestion is to have a lot of great sex and enjoy each other and whatever happens, happens.” Zoey dusted her hands, shrugged, and started back up the stairs.
Whatever happens, happens, Ren thought as she followed Zoey up to Leo’s floor. Maybe she could learn to live without a plan. That might even be a plan in itself.
* * *
Leo was sitting up in bed when they arrived, looking more energetic than Ren had seen him since the day he’d come in critically ill. His face brightened even more when he saw them. “Dr. Ren! Hi! Hi, Dr. Zoey.”
“Hi, Leo,” Ren said.
“Hey, kiddo,” Zoey said, joining Ren at the bedside.
“So, Leo,” Ren said, “I hear a rumor that you’re going to go down to the regular pediatric floor today.”
He bounced in the bed. “I’m ready. It’s very boring up here with just grown-ups. I’m really ready to be around kids.”
“I can’t say as I blame you a bit.” Ren smothered a smile.
“How do my numbers look today?” he asked.
Ren held up the tablet and scanned his latest labs. “Absolutely excellent. Your white count is normal, and your renal function looks great.”
“That’s really good,” he said in all seriousness. “My dads are really worried. Can you tell them to stop now?”
Ren squeezed his hand. “I will. We have to get to work now, but I’ll come see you again later today or tomorrow.”
“Can you tell them I want to go home soon too?” he called as they reached the door.
“I’ll pass that along,” Ren called back.
Out in the hall, Zoey said, “You’re really good with him.”
“He’s a really smart little boy,” Ren said. “And a very brave one.”
“Ever thought about kids?”
Ren stared. “No. Why would I?”
Zoey laughed. “Just wondering. People often do.”
“Do you?”
“I do, actually. Hopefully, one day.”
Ren shook her head. “I’m just trying to figure out how to have a relationship.”
Zoey gave her a friendly squeeze. “Good luck with that.”
Luck. She’d never counted on luck, but maybe that was just part of the plan too.