“Paper plates are perfect,” she said, and it actually sounded like it was. Man, could he have been so wrong about her when she’d first arrived? It certainly seemed like he’d been too quick to judge. What had come across as arrogance was actually something a little more endearing—a socially awkward bluntness he was starting to understand.

All trace of the stuck-up doctor had vanished that day on the mountains. Or maybe he was just seeing beyond the self-preservation facade.

He dished up the pizza and scanned the space. They had few options for eating. “Desk or lap?”

“Lap is fine,” she said, sitting on the cot. She shook her head and laughed as she tapped the hard mattress. “Wow, this is about as comfortable as the one in my office.”

He nodded as he sat next to her and handed her a plate. “If it was too comfortable, we’d sleep through calls.” He laughed. “No worries about that on this thing.” The cot was an old one they’d been gifted from the fire station, and the IKEA mattress was maybe three inches thick.

“I get it.”

“You work all kinds of shifts at the hospital?”

“I work every shift,” she said, taking a bite of the pizza. A small drop of tomato sauce appeared on the corner of her mouth and she licked it away.

His eyes were glued to the lips he’d kissed ever so briefly hours before, and the grumbling in his stomach was momentarily forgotten. He couldn’t wait for another taste of her. He wasn’t even going to try to pretend that it wouldn’t happen again. His “just dinner” line was a lie. And they both knew it.

“I don’t have to, of course, but things are extra busy right now,” she continued, and something in her tone helped to check his hormones for the moment.

“I’m guessing this time off wasn’t your idea?”

She swallowed her bite of pizza and shook her head. “Forced vacation... Or as the letter stated, recommended vacation.”

He wondered if his sister knew that Erika’s out-of-the-blue appearance hadn’t just been a desire to reconnect... He pushed it aside. They’d gotten off to a rocky start, but it hadn’t taken long for Cassie and Erika to pick up where they’d left off, so he wouldn’t mention this new info to his sister. “Are you enjoying your time off at least?”

“Thanks to Cassie...and you,” she said, her gaze meeting his and holding.

Forget food. There was only one hunger he needed satisfied.

Taking her plate and his and setting them aside, he pulled her to her feet and into his arms. “I need to kiss you again,” he said, his voice hoarse as his arms tightened around her waist.

“I’m okay with that,” she said, her gaze flitting frantically between his eyes and his lips. “Now?” she asked when he hesitated.