He helped her out of the car, once again distracted by her vanilla scent. He quickly pulled her crutches out of the back seat and handed them to her. “Ready?” he asked.
“Of course,” she said, swinging into a crutch walk like a pro.
He grabbed a basket and followed her to the produce section. “Oooh, the tomatoes look delicious,” she gushed.
He grimaced. “If you like tomatoes.”
Her jaw dropped in mock horror. “You don’t like tomatoes? How is that possible? Everyone likes tomatoes!”
“I don’t,” he said with a wry grin. “But help yourself. Do you like cucumbers?”
“Of course, what’s not to like?”
“What about salad dressing?” he asked when they’d filled the basket with veggies. “I have ranch dressing at home, but if you want something else, that’s fine.”
“I love ranch dressing, so I’m good.”
Ridiculous to be pleased that they had some tastes in common. They made their way over to the checkout lines, and he I ignored the surprised glances in his direction as he paid for the groceries. It was a little late now to be worried about the gossip mill, considering he’d already attended church with Larissa.
After the way Rebecca had ruined his reputation at Madison, he’d tried to avoid attracting attention here in Crystal Lake. He hadn’t been seen with a woman before now.
But there was no denying that he’d been living a lonely existence. And what was the harm of picking up veggies for dinner with Larissa? He didn’t care what people said about him outside the hospital. As long as his reputation within the Emergency Department remained untarnished, he was fine.
The drive back to his house didn’t take long. Once inside, Larissa took over the kitchen. “I’ll make the salads,” she said, running the veggies under water to clean them. “You can grill the steaks.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he teased as he pulled the steaks out of the fridge, where he’d been marinating them all afternoon. The fact that he’d planned on having dinner with Larissa all along made him pause for a moment.
Was he really considering breaking his cardinal rule against dating co-workers?
No, he wasn’t. He couldn’t afford to do anything that might jeopardize his career. They were friends, that’s all. And friends could certainly share dinner on occasion. Not a big deal.
He glanced up from the grill when Larissa came out through the patio doors, his breath catching in his throat at the pretty sight she made with her flowery skirt, her pink top and the soft smile that tugged at her mouth as she dropped into one of the deck chairs. “Salads are ready whenever you are,” she announced. “And don’t worry, nary a tomato to be found in yours. Mine, of course, is loaded with them.”
His response was strangled in his throat, and he had to pull himself together with an effort. “Sounds great,” he finally managed. “And how do you like your steak?” he asked, trying to find his balance even as his thoughts raced. How had this suddenly turned into a date?
“Medium-rare,” she said. “And let me guess, you’re the kind of guy who likes your meat to moo at you.”
He couldn’t help but laugh. “Not me, I like my steaks medium-rare, too.”
They ate out on his deck, overlooking the lake, and he couldn’t remember ever enjoying a meal more. When the sun set over the horizon and the mosquitoes came out, they reluctantly went inside. Since Larissa was on crutches, he brought all the dirty dishes in and set them on the counter. She tried to start the dishes, but he shooed her away. “I have a dishwashing machine, there’s no reason for you to do them.”
“All right,” she agreed. “It’s time for me to head home, anyway. Thanks for dinner, Gabe.”
“You’re very welcome,” he said huskily. As much as he didn’t want her to leave, he knew that it would be best for him if she did. He was already far too aware of her. And far too comfortable around her. “Do you need help getting out to the car?”
“Hey, I’m a pro with these things by now,” she said, propping the crutches beneath her arms. “Although you were right about the fact that crutch walking isn’t as easy as it looks. My arms are already tired and sore from one measly day.”
He knew exactly what she meant. “You’ll get used to it after a few days.”
“I hope so.”
He held the door open for her so she could make her way outside. The ride back to her apartment didn’t take long, another novelty of living in Crystal Lake compared to Madison. All the streets in Madison led to the capitol, which made traffic a total nightmare every day.
“Are you working tomorrow?” Larissa asked, breaking into his thoughts.
“Yes, are you?”
“No, I’m off one more day.” Was that a flash of disappointment in her features? It was difficult to tell in the dim light. For a moment, he considered asking one of his colleagues to cover for him so they could spend another day together.
Bad idea, he told himself. Really bad idea. Besides, he’d see her the following night.
He tried to find a neutral topic. “If your ankle isn’t better, get in to see your doctor. I still think you might need that MRI.”
“I will,” she promised.
He pulled into the parking lot of her apartment building and shut off the car so he could help her out. Of course, being Larissa, she was already trying to get out on her own.
Trying not to roll his eyes, he hurried around to assist. She attempted to pivot on one foot and teetered to the side.
“I’ve got you,” he said, catching her before she could fall against the door. Her small frame fit into his arms perfectly, and suddenly, he didn’t want to let her go.
“Thanks,” she said breathlessly, her face buried against his chest.
He stood, fighting against the desire to wrap his arms around her, drawing her even closer. But then she pulled back a bit and tipped her head to look up at him. And he couldn’t seem to help himself.
He lowered his mouth to capture hers in a tender kiss.
Chapter Five
