grown up yet. He didn’t need to. “She dropped them off at my place this morning.”
Sarah stood. “Thank your mom for us. And thanks for keeping me company.”
“My pleasure.” Bill looked at Cullen. “Your wife is quite the card shark. She kicked my butt at Texas hold ’em. A good thing we weren’t playing strip poker, or I’d have been buck naked in no time.”
A confused expression formed on Cullen’s face.
Bill didn’t seem to care. Or maybe he didn’t notice, since he was looking at her. “See you at the brewpub. If Doc changes his mind about going, give me a call.”
With that, Bill left.
Cullen stood next to the breakfast bar. His lips narrowed. “Please tell me you know better than to get involved with a guy like Paulson.”
Defensiveness rose. “Get involved? What are you talking about?”
“A lot of women like him.”
Sarah didn’t like Cullen’s tone. “Bill’s a nice guy.”
“He’s a total player who will never grow up.”
She saw that. She didn’t need Cullen pointing it out. “You’re jealous.”
“No, I’m not,” he said with a dismissive air.
“Then why did you storm into the house like a bull from the streets of Pamplona looking for a fight?”
He took a deep breath and another, as if reining himself in yet again. “I was worried.”
“Worried.”
“I like Paulson,” Cullen admitted. “But he’ll hit on any female with a pretty smile.”
“You thought he would hit on me.”
He clenched his teeth. “You deserve better.”
Sarah had deserved better from him, too. She raised her chin. “Yes, I do. Bill is a big flirt, but it was innocent, all in fun.”
“He didn’t—”
“He was a perfect gentleman.”
Cullen’s brow furrowed. “Gentleman and Paulson don’t belong in the same sentence.”
“Maybe you don’t know him as well as you think you do,” she said. “Bill made me laugh and feel better than I’ve felt in a while. Since long before the accident.” Cullen opened his mouth to speak, but she continued. “But even if I swallowed a ‘stupid’ pill and threw caution to the wind, I would never get involved with Bill…with any man…because you and I are still married.”
Relief washed over Cullen’s face. “Good.”
His response angered and confused her. Why would he care, if he wanted a divorce? “That’s all you have to say?”
“What more do you want?”
“An apology,” she said. “You charged in here assuming the worst without considering that Bill is your friend and I’m your wife.”
“I haven’t been thinking straight. I’ve…been working a lot.”
“What’s new?” She didn’t need to explain, but she didn’t want him thinking the worst of her. “Just so you know. I have been good. Very good. Doing everything you and Dr. Marshall told me to do. Which is more than I can say for you.”
Lines creased Cullen’s forehead. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“You told me you had shifts to make up, but you haven’t been here at all. Heaven only knows where you’ve been spending your nights.”
A devilish grin lit up his face. “You’re the jealous one.”
“Am not.” Okay, maybe a little. But no way would she admit that to him. “I was…worried.”
“Worried.”
More than she wanted to admit. More than he would ever know. “Yes.”
His eyes softened. He grinned sheepishly. “The way I was worried about you and Bill.”
Busted. Darn it. She nodded once, feeling stupid and petty and pathetic.
His gaze met hers. “No need for you to worry. I stayed at a friend’s place near the hospital so I could sleep more between shifts.”
“Makes sense to stay with a friend.”
But she didn’t know if his “friend” was male or a buxom blonde named Bambi. And she wanted to know. Badly.
Cullen strode toward the couch. “I’m learning how important it is to have friends. I realize I’ve been taking them for granted.”
The way he’d taken her for granted. But he’d never considered her a friend. Her throat tightened.
She should say something, but she hadn’t a clue what. “You shouldn’t get a pet if you’re gone so much.”
His eyes widened. “I don’t always work this many shifts. A cat might work. As you said, they’re independent.”
“Even cats need to feel wanted and loved.”
Not that he wanted and loved her, but once he had. At least, that was what he’d told her.
Cullen stood next to her.
Sarah’s pulse skittered. Tension simmered between them. She shouldn’t want him to kiss her. But she did. Badly.
Look away. Move away. But she couldn’t—okay, didn’t want to. Instead she was mesmerized by his blue eyes and full lips.
Once again she was reminded of magma rising. Only this time moving closer to the surface, where the gas pressure increased, accelerating faster and faster until erupting.
She wet her lips.
“In case you’re still worried, the friend I stayed with—he’s an anesthesiologist from the hospital,” he said.
The surge of relief did nothing to douse the flame building inside her, threatening to explode. “Thanks.”
The blue of his eyes deepened. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“This.” Cullen lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her. Hard.
Heaven. His kiss made Sarah feel like she had died and gone to heaven. Best to enjoy every second, every minute if she was that lucky. She had a feeling this might be as close as she ever got to the pearly gates while her heart still beat. And beating it was.
In triple time.
His
