Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake (A Brush with Love, #2)(10)
“Are you … You aren’t leaving, are you?” Rake was embarrassed at how needy his own voice sounded.
Lizzie tilted her head, giving him a funny smile. “Did you expect me to … stay?” The words weren’t mean, just filled with a genuine curiosity that made Rake feel like a fool.
“No, sorry. Of course not.” Her leaving was the best thing that could happen. This was a one-off. Something he needed to get out of his system.
Her eyes lingered on him for a moment longer, catlike and focused, studying him with a soft smile at the corners. The power of those beautiful eyes was the only explanation for what he said next. “Can I get your number?”
Her eyes shot wide. As they should. She’d made this clear it was a one-night stand, and Rake similarly wasn’t interested in anything more. And he was heading back home to Australia in a few days. He couldn’t use her number. Wouldn’t use it, even if she gave it.
Definitely wouldn’t call.
Probably.
“Uh, sure. Um.” Her eyebrows pinched together as she riffled through her large bag. She pulled out a green marker and stared at it then looked around, bewildered. Her eyes landing on Rake, she closed the distance and grabbed his wrist, scribbling her number on the back of his hand.
“I could have just given you my phone,” Rake said, unable to hide the smile in his voice.
“Huh? Oh.” She blushed, illuminating the dusting of freckles on her cheeks. “Yeah, that would have made more sense. Sorry.” She capped the marker and tossed it back in her bag, taking a step away from him.
“Do you always carry markers?”
She dropped her chin to her chest and let out a quiet, almost sad laugh, one that sounded like defeat. “Yeah, keep them right next to the condoms,” she said, looking back up at him and winking. “This bag’s a mess. I probably have half my life in here. Pulled out some old cheese sticks just this morning.”
Rake scrunched his nose. “Delicious.”
An awkward silence fell between them, and Lizzie fidgeted, looking toward the door.
“I’ll get dressed.”
“I’ll see myself out.”
They spoke at the same time, both cringing.
“I can walk you out,” Rake said, scanning the floor for his underwear, feeling ridiculously modest all of a sudden.
“Don’t worry about it. I know the way,” Lizzie said, backing toward the door.
“Just give me a minute. I don’t mind.” He stretched out his arm, trying to reach the crumpled trunks.
“Seriously, it’s cool,” Lizzie said, shooting him little finger guns before she backed up into the wall with an oof.
“Oh my God, would you just wait a second.” Rake’s finger hooked the fabric, and he pulled it toward him, trying to hurry.
“Thanks for the, er … sex,” she rushed out, turning and getting to the door just as he pulled on his boxers and leaped out of bed.
“I really enjoyed—” The door clicked shut behind her before he could get the words out. “Meeting you,” he whispered to his empty hotel room.
Chapter 5
LIZZIE woke up the next morning and stumbled out of her room and straight to the kitchen for the coffeepot.
Indira was lying across the couch, a book in one hand and coffee in the other. “Morning, sun—”
Lizzie made a noise somewhere between a shush and a grunt, waving away her friend’s perky voice as she reached the pot. She grabbed her favorite mug from the shelf, the words WORLD’S SEXIEST GRANDPA printed on it in large block letters, and filled it to the brim. After taking three long sips, she plastered a smile on her face and turned to Indira.
“Good morning, you sweet gorgeous angel with a face like a delicate orchid. How did you sleep?”
Indira snorted and moved her legs off the end of their couch, making room for Lizzie to sit. “You’re ridiculous,” she said. “And an addict,” she added, pointing at the mug.
“We all have our fatal flaws. What do you have planned today?”
“Errands,” Indira said with a wave. “Gonna try to get lunch with my brother too, but I’m on call tonight so I’ll be bumming around here after that. Fabulous life of a resident.”
Indira was wading her way through her psychiatric residency, focusing on pediatrics and regularly wowing Lizzie with her compassion and hard work. Lizzie was so proud of her friend, it felt like her heart would burst from her chest every time Indira talked about it.
“Can I be you when I grow up?” Lizzie asked, taking another sip of her coffee. “Like, seriously. You’re gorgeous and a certified boss ass bitch? Incredible.”
Indira giggled, pressing a kiss to the top of Lizzie’s head. “You’re a boss bitch too, ya know.”
Lizzie almost choked on her sip of coffee. She’d lost countless jobs, was on thin ice with her current one, and still ate instant ramen over the sink like a raccoon foraging from a trash can on a regular basis. There wasn’t really a comparison.
Indira’s phone trilled from the coffee table, and she grabbed it. “Harper’s FaceTiming us,” she said, swiping open the call.
Lizzie and Indira smushed their faces together to fit in the screen, both screaming in excitement as their best friend, Harper, popped up. Harper’s gorgeous, gangly boyfriend, Dan, hovered in the background, smiling as he rested his chin on Harper’s shoulder.