Page 63 of The Temporary Fiancée
Olivia thinks for a moment, then says, “Reed told me he explained the situation over the phone. If that’s the case, then you know that we can’t—that my family can’t?—”
I hold out a hand to stop her in her tracks. She meets my gaze, and I shake my head.
“Reed, I?—”
“You don’t have to worry about the cost,” I tell her quietly. Turning back to Dr. Greene, I add, “Money is no object here. Spare no expense.”
Dr. Greene gives me a nod. “Okay. Would you like to hear our proposed treatment plan?”
Olivia still seems taken aback, but she’s clearly so pleased and excited about the prospect of helping her mom that she’s able to overcome her shock. “Yes, please,” she says eagerly.
The clinic director gives us the rundown. For the most part, treatment would take place at-home, though Mrs. Quinn would have to come in for a few procedures, especially in the beginning. She would be given a new physician and a home-care nurse to try and give her some more independence.
As Dr. Greene explains the treatment plan to Olivia, she’s focused, leaning forward and listening with rapt attention. She starts to write things down, pulling a little pad of sticky notes out of her pocket and snagging a pen from Dr. Greene’s desk.
She has a few dozen questions, which Dr. Greene is more than happy to answer, and she seems to have an encyclopedic knowledge of her mother’s medical history; she interjects every few minutes to fill Dr. Greene in on the details of Maura’s condition.
Her family matters so much to her, and I can see why when we visited the Quinns for dinner: they clearly love her. The closeness between all of them isn’t a family dynamic I’m really familiar with, but I find myself drawn to it.
At the end of the meeting, Olivia is practically vibrating with excitement. She stands up to shake Dr. Greene’s hand vigorously, beaming.
“Thank you so much,” she says.
He smiles. “Don’t thank me—thank this young man here.” Dr. Greene gestures to me. “I’m looking forward to meeting your mother. I’m sure we’re going to see some great results.”
As we leave the office, there’s a spring in Olivia’s step. She holds my hand as we walk back to the car.
Before I can climb in the driver’s seat, Olivia grabs me by the wrist. “Wait,” she says. “I didn’t get a chance to thank you in there.”
I grin, amused. “Are you kidding? You must have said ‘thank you’ like a dozen times.”
Olivia’s cheeks flush, and she says, “I meant—I wanted toreallythank you. Not just in passing.”
“What do you—” Before I can finish my sentence, Olivia takes me by surprise. She leans in and hugs me, her face pressed against my chest.
“Thank you,” she says quietly. “Thank you so, so much.”
I wrap my arms around her waist, letting my hands rest at the small of her back. After a moment, she draws back a little, looking up to meet my gaze.
Something builds between us—heat, and passion, strong enough to leave me breathless. With her cheeks flushed, her eyes bright—I can’t resist her. Not after last night. Not after the past few weeks.
Some part of my mind is doing its best to hold me back, but it’s a futile effort. I’m going to break a rule.
Just before I can kiss her, she surges up to meet my lips.
There,I think with a fierce satisfaction.Not my fault, after all.
Our kiss builds. It begins slow and deep, but quickly, the heat between us grows, until it’s scorching. Her hands wander up my back, exploring beneath my shirt. My tongue snakes between her teeth, seeking every inch of her.
All of the tension that has sizzled between us since we first hooked up—it explodes all over again. It’s difficult to even catch my breath. I press Olivia up against the side of the car, practically lifting her off the ground. Her touch is rough and desperate.
We’ve been pent up for too long.
The thought passes through my mind again, like a final warning siren—this is a mistake. You’re making a mistake.
With a huge amount of effort, I break away from her. Gently but firmly, I put her back down and step back. Both of us breathe heavily for a few seconds before I regain the ability to speak.
“We were hurtling toward a breach of contract there,” I say lightly, between breaths.
