Unbreak My Heart (Rough Riders Legacy #1)(35)

“Why?”

“I’m in training. Once they’ve worked with me a few times, they’ll have a better idea where to utilize me. I do have some…limitations.”

“Such as?”

“Such as, I choose not to be a charge nurse. There’s more paperwork. I don’t do med carts for the same reason. I’m great at the heavy lifting. I end up being the go-to guy for IVs since I’ve done so many. I’d rather be on the floor taking care of my patients than dealing with staffing issues so I’ll skip the management track.”

Sierra smiled at me and f*ck if I didn’t just eat it up.

“What?”

“I love to hear you say ‘my patients.’ It is obvious you love what you do, Boone. Any hospital is lucky to have you.”

I felt my neck heat. “Thanks.”

“Although, you did jam that needle in my ass a little harder than you needed to.”

“Bull. You were feverish. Everything is more amplified, including pain.”

“No.” She tapped her chin as if deep in thought. “I clearly remember you offering to kiss it and make it better.”

“Now I know you were delusional. I’d never even joke about that. It’d be highly unprofessional.”

“Maybe you’re right. Maybe that’d been wishful thinking on my part…me telling you to kiss my ass.”

I hooked my arm around her neck and ruffled her hair until she squealed. Christ. When had I reverted to a twelve-year-old boy?

But she didn’t look like she’d minded. In fact, she wore the cutest smile. One I’d seen a lot during our “friend” days.

I smoothed her hair back in place as an excuse to touch her. “In all seriousness, can we find some time to see each other?” I traced the edge of her jawline with the backs of my fingers. “Maybe toward the end of the week?”

“I liked our one-on-one time tonight.” She wrinkled her nose. “Except for the actual basketball-playing part.”

“So a sports date is out?”

“Sports date. Like we go to a sporting event?”

“No. Like we play racquetball or golf. Maybe go rock climbing or to a batting cage to hit baseballs.”

“Boone. Those are horrible ideas for dates.”

I laughed.

She grabbed the plate of brownies. “You have my number, West.”

That was better than I’d hoped for. “See you around, McKay.”

After she left I sliced off a chunk of brownie—a huge chunk, Mase could suck it since Sierra spoiled him with this all the damn time—and poured myself a glass of milk.

My thoughts wandered to Sierra’s earlier comments about rules. Specifically the “unspoken” rules that had existed between us. Rules I’d set, but she’d abided by without question.

Total dick move.

Yet we’d ended up better friends for it. Sierra was the first girl I’d had a real friendship with. I’d loved every minute of how she’d been able to give me shit and take it without getting all weepy and girly. Or throwing herself at me.

I remembered too, the last day things had been easy like that between us; the week of prom. A prom that I hadn’t asked her to, for a number of reasons, so I’d been avoiding her. But I’d seen her across the football field after school, her hair shining in the sun almost as brightly as her smile, that goddamn laugh of hers drifting to me on the spring breeze and once again, I couldn’t resist the pull of her…


I waited, oh, three minutes after her good buddy Marin took off before I strolled over to where Sierra sat in the grass. My heart sped up like it did every time I saw her.

Sierra gave me a droll stare.

I flopped beside her, stretching out on my back and groaning, “Man, I’m so f*cking whupped.”

“No, Hi, Sierra, how are you today? No, I’ve been ditching your calls because I pulled a muscle in my phone-dialing finger? Just I’m so f*cking whupped?”

“Touchy today, aren’t we?” I filled both hands with grass and showered her with it.

“Hey! That’s it. I’m leaving.”

She looked so damn cute when she pretended to be mad at me.

Then Sierra started to stand, so I grabbed her around the waist, tackled her to the ground and rolled her in the grass, ignoring her yelps.

I kept my hand on her stomach, holding her in place, and I leaned over her. “Hey. If it isn’t sexy Sierra McKay. You’re looking damn fine today. Is that a new shirt? It does amazing things for your…eyes.” I aimed a quick grin at her. “Did you do something different with your hair? The chocolate-colored tresses are so silky and shiny in this sunlight.”

“You’re a dickhead. And I’m still mad at you.”

“No, you’re not.” You’re as crazy about me as I am about you and that sucks.

“Yes, I am.”

“Then how come you’re still here?”

Sierra pointedly glared at my hand pressing into her stomach, my fingers spread out like a starfish so I could touch as much of her skin as possible. But the heat created some kind of suction with my palm and I felt her belly ripple from my touch. No freakin’ way was I moving my hand now.

Those striking whiskey-colored eyes met mine.

I wanted to know what she was thinking as she gazed up at me. Did she see the same longing in my eyes that I saw in hers?