“That would be nice, right?”

“It’s the best.” I polish my plate clean and stick it in the dishwasher when I’m finished.

“Oh, you have an appointment today at one. Is that okay?”

My brow furrows because I’m lost. What kind of an appointment?

“Remember? Birth control?”

“Oh, damn. Face palm. I forgot. Yes, that’s great. Thanks for pulling the strings for me. Do you know who I’ll be seeing?”

“Not really. She’s a friend of a friend.”

“Nice. So, what’s our agenda today?”

“Other than your appointment and the game, we’re open. Anything you want to do?”

I waggle my brows and he chuckles.

“Yeah, why don’t we wait for round two until after your appointment? They’ll most likely do a gynecological exam on you.”

Oh. This is weird. It’s not something I would normally discuss with my date, or with a guy for that matter. My cheeks heat up.

“Cate, I know you feel awkward about this, but you don’t have to. It’s not something I … I guess what I’m trying to say is dealing with this type of thing isn’t uncomfortable for me so I don’t want you to be uneasy about it. I know I take this all for granted and it may be asking a bit too much of you.”

Damned right it is. This is freaking weird. Can I stick my head under the sofa right now?

“I can tell I’m making matters worse. I’ll just shut up.”

Good idea. “I think I’ll shower,” I say. So I can wash all remaining traces and evidence of you away now. Jeez. Why did I consent to this? What the hell was I thinking? Ok, Forbes, get it together. This is a hell of a lot better than a baby, right?

When I turn to walk to the bathroom, a pair of arms snatches me and I find I’m caught against what feels like a concrete wall. Drew’s head drops down next to my ear, and he murmurs, “Please don’t be shy about this. It’s all normal stuff. Your body is beautiful to me, all the tiny pieces of it.” Then he nuzzles me with his nose before releasing me. He’s right. This is silly. He’s seen all the tiny pieces of me, too. There isn’t any reason for me to be shy now.

Turning in his arms, I loop my hands behind his neck and smile. “It’s going to take some getting used to is all. I’ve never openly discussed this stuff.”

“I get it. Now go shower and we’ll figure out what to do today.”

While I shower, I decide I want to see Drew’s hospital. I’m interested in what he does every day. So he gives me a tour and then he takes me to the clinic early so he can show me around because he sees patients here, too. “You really like it here, at this hospital and all, don’t you?” I ask.

“Yeah, it’s worked out great for me.”

“And you never considered going back to Charleston for school or residency?”

“You know, I did for a time. But then I had an awesome relationship with my professors in med school here and everything was sort of set up for me, so I thought why ruin a great thing?”

Mulling this over I have to ask him. “So how will this work for your fellowship? You say you want to do oncology, right?”

“Exactly. Maybe then I’ll go back to Charleston. They have a great oncology program and then it might be time to spread my wings. With oncology nowadays, all the major cancer centers are linked one way or another so it’s not like it used to be.”

“That makes it better for greater opportunity then.”

“Yes!” he answers.

By now, we’re getting close to my appointment time so I suggest we head to that department. When I’m finished, Drew is waiting for me.

“How’d it go?”

“Great. I have a prescription for the pill. The doctor said it was the best option for me. Can you drop me by a pharmacy where I can also get refills back at school?”

“Sure.”

He takes me to one of those chain pharmacies and as soon as we verify it won’t be a problem, I get my birth control.

We leave and on the way to the car, Drew pulls me into his side. “So, when can you start on these?”

“I’m supposed to wait until after my next period.”

“When’s that due?”

“This week.”

I am awarded with a beaming smile that makes me melt. Right then, my stomach growls.

“Hmm. Someone’s hungry.”

Damn stomach. “Yeah, I guess so.”

“Let’s eat. I’ll need some food and we won’t eat dinner until after the game.”

He takes me to a cute little pub downtown. The hostess seats us and makes doe eyes at Drew the whole time. During lunch, Drew’s phone rings, and when he checks it, he doesn’t answer. But he also doesn’t say who it is. I wonder why. I want to ask him but I don’t want to be nosy, either. Then our waitress keeps stopping by and the only way she could be any more obvious about her attraction toward him would be if she actually drooled at our table. I want to say something clever, but I don’t want him to think I’m jealous. It’s times like these I wish Jenna were in my hip pocket.

He must finally notice that I’m sort of pouting because he asks, “Is all okay over there?”

“Fine.” My clipped tone indicates otherwise.

He sets his fork down and looks at me. “Did I do something, Cate? And don’t make me try to be one of those mind readers, please.”

Shit, he’s right. I can’t very well blame him for the way others treat him. Smiling, I say, “No, I’m fine. Truly.”

“You’re sure? Because a minute ago you looked like your beer had kerosene in it.”

“I’m sure.”

He lifts my hand and brushes his lips over my knuckles. It happens at exactly the time our mooning waitress shows up. She shoots me a dirty look and in turn, I fire off a smug one at her. Then I lay my hand over his and say loud enough so she can hear, “I think we should have dessert at home.”

“Is there anything else I can get you or will a check be all?” the waitress asks as she glares at me.

“Oh, I think we’re quite finished here,” I say sweetly. “Aren’t we, honey?”

“Yeah.” Drew puts some cash on the table and he stands.

“You aren’t going to wait for the check?”

“This is more than enough. Let’s go!”

Eyes as blue as the sky on a crisp fall day stare at me and he’s completely erased all of my insecurities about him with that single, encompassing look. A hand extends out to me and I take hold of it. It takes everything I have not to throw myself at him and kiss him.

We walk arm in arm to his car and by the time we get home, my hand is in his pants and we act like two teenagers making out in the car. “Cate, I ah,” and that’s all he says before he sinks his hands in my hair and kisses me. We both pant and claw at each other and I think it’s me who suggests going inside.

“Good idea.” He gets out and rushes to my door, where he helps me out as well. Then he all but drags me to the front door. I stop and think about a quote I read somewhere, sometime about it not being the journey but what you did along the way. And being with Drew reminds me of that. I want to remember every single second of the time we spend together because being with him is that fabulous. I want to inhale his touch, his embrace, his kiss, his beauty, every tiny thing about him. I want to engrave them into my brain so every minute detail is committed to memory, because one day, when I’m old and senile, I want to be able to rely on those memories and pull them forth and with a smile, be happy they were all mine.

His mouth is against mine when he asks, “Whatever put that satisfied look on your face?”

“Thinking about you.”

Without moving his mouth, he says, “Well, let me add to it then.”

“Be mine and Louise’s guest.”

He doesn’t refuse my offer.

A couple of hours later, we sit in the parking lot of the ice rink. He turns to me and smiles, but then his face becomes serious. “Jesus, Cate, don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you’d give me the world with your body right here and now.”

I wasn’t aware I was staring at him like that. But it’s true. I would do exactly what he said, without compunction or hesitation, if I could. And I never imagined any guy would ever make me feel like this. Whatever we have going on between us is getting deeper. On the one hand I love it, but on the other, it scares me to death.