She felt her heart crack right up the center. No matter what she needed, he was there for her, sometimes even before she knew what that might be. Yes, he was obstinate, way too sure of himself, couldn’t put real words to an emotion to save his life, and yet . . . and yet he had her back in a way no one ever had before. “I really wanted to train someone for you.”
“I’m not replacing you, Jade. No one could.”
“Dell—”
“I’m going to be fine. Don’t worry about me.” And then he was gone, the door to his office shutting quietly.
Okay. Good. He was going to be fine. And if he wasn’t . . . well, no one would ever know because that’s how he operated.
That’s how they both operated.
On Jade’s last day, Belle Haven had a record number of patients. This was due more to people wanting to see Jade before she left than any of Dell’s skills, and he knew it.
But he couldn’t blame anyone. He felt the same. He wanted as many last looks at her as he could get.
They met at Crystal’s that night, he, Adam, Brady, Lilah.
And Jade.
They shared two pitchers of beer and stories. Lilah brought a cake. “Not homemade,” she said. “Because we all know I can’t cook worth shit.” She hugged Jade hard. “Dammit, I’m testing this waterproof mascara tonight.” She sniffed. “I’m really going to miss watching you keep Dell off balance.”
Dell would have argued, but it was hard to argue the truth. Jade had been keeping him on his toes since the day she’d walked into his life.
They all walked out to the parking lot together and Lilah hugged her again. And then again, until Brady pried her loose. “She’s coming back to visit,” he assured Lilah, and looked at Jade. “Right?”
Jade, eyes shimmering brilliantly with unshed tears, nodded. Brady pulled her in close, whispered something Dell couldn’t catch, and when he pulled back, Adam moved in. He didn’t speak, just hugged her, then tugged lightly on her hair, his eyes solemn but affectionate.
Dell waited until everyone pulled out and it was just him and Jade in the parking lot.
“It’s late,” she said, voice thick. “And I want to leave before dawn.”
He nodded. She didn’t want him to follow her home. Message received. “Jade—”
“I don’t know how to do this,” she whispered. “I don’t know how to say good-bye to you.”
“So don’t.”
“Dell—”
He put a finger to her lips. “I just mean that I’ll come see you.”
She closed her eyes, then nodded. Then she stepped into him and hugged him hard, eyes fierce. “Make sure that you do.”
He stood in the lot and watched her drive away. He got into his truck and turned toward home.
Except he went right instead of left, and let his heart steer him to where it thought home was.
Jade’s.
She opened the door, eyes and nose red. “This is a bad idea,” she said shakily.
“Spectacularly,” he agreed, and shut the door behind him. Then he found himself pushed up against it and she kissed him, all hot, confusing desperation, which unleashed his own.
“We shouldn’t do this,” she said against his mouth when they came up for air.
“No.” Look at him, all agreeable, as if his heart weren’t breaking in fucking two. Her body heat was seeping into him, warming the core of him with the very essence of her. Then she made a sound in the back of her throat and cuddled in, soft and pliant and willing. God, so willing.
They dove at each other. Apparently, they were doing this.
Lacing his fingers into her hair, Dell took her mouth in a drugging kiss, holding her face in one hand, sliding his other down her back to cup her ass, squeezing until she moaned. He worked his way down her body, divesting her of clothing as he went. She moaned again when he flicked his tongue over her puckered nipple and arched into him with a gasp when he dropped to his knees, pinned her hips to the door and kissed his way lower. By the time he made his way to her center she was writhing beneath his hands, the little whimpers coming from her the sexiest sounds he’d ever heard.
“Dell,” she panted. “Now. God, please. Now.”
Her face was upturned, lips parted, her eyes closed, her fingers digging into his shoulders. He’d never seen anything hotter. “Come first,” he said. “I love to watch you come.”
“Oh God. I . . . Don’t stop. Don’t ever stop.”
She came on his fingers, and then on his tongue, and then again when he surged upright, magically produced a condom and entered her right there, taking her against the door.