Cursive

by Phoebe Lane

  Aislynn had made it incredibly difficult for him to stay away. He couldn't get her out of his mind. He had thought about her when he flipped channels and saw a baseball game on; he had thought about her when he walked by the Victoria's Secret storefront; he had even thought about her when one of his clients mentioned an upcoming trip to England.

  Scotland is to the north of England. That's where the Loch Ness Monster lives. Didn't Aislynn say something about—

  Damn.

  Jace had even tried to call her once while he was away, but the call had gone straight to voicemail. Hearing her voice in the message had not only done unimaginable things to his body, but it made him realize he had missed her much more than he felt comfortable admitting at this point.

  When Evan mentioned he was meeting up with Ellie at the club that night, he immediately invited himself to come along. Following his best friend’s not so subtle advice, Jace finally decided it was time to stop messing around with women and give it a go with Aislynn.

  She feels different.

  He watched Aislynn as she walked toward him and admired her breathtaking beauty. "Come on, darling," he said, mocking Ellie’s pet name for Evan. "It's time to dance."

  Aislynn hadn't felt that hot in a long time. And she meant hot, as in her body temperature was way above the normal 98.6 degrees; and hot, as in she felt all hot and bothered.

  It was very difficult not to feed off the energy of those dancing around them—some people were just shy of sexing it up right there on the dance floor—but it was damn almost impossible not to feed off Jace's energy. The man was making dormant parts of her body wake up in full alert.

  The beat of the music thumped in Aislynn's chest. As Cristina Aguilera and Adam Levine sang to each other about kissing until they were drunk, taking control of her body, rubbing it right, and moving like Jagger, Aislynn and Jace dangerously crossed over the line of proper and civilized dancing behavior.

  His hands snaked around her waist and pulled her closer, making her one with his body.

  His lips softly trailed along the line between her neck and her hair.

  His mouth ghosted over her throat and breathed in her delicious scent.

  Her hands grabbed his neck and gently pulled at his soft hair.

  Their hips met and she almost lost all self-control.

  Aislynn hadn't felt that alive in a very long time. As the music transitioned to a different song, she found herself lost in a sea of want. He involuntarily licked his bottom lip and exhaled softly, his eyes sending her a very clear message.

  "I need to say something to you," Aislynn rushed out, while pulling a little harder on the hair on his neck. "Just remember I don't usually drink a lot, and I've had three martinis tonight."

  He smiled and lifted his hand to caress her cheek. "Blaming it on the alcohol already, huh? Now I'm really curious about what you're going to say."

  "Okay, well, I know this is traditionally the part where the guy asks the girl if she wants to go home to…to…" Aislynn stuttered.

  "To fuck all night?"

  Aislynn felt her whole body respond to his comeback—her heart took off racing, her stomach dropped, and she suddenly became very aware of how wet she was. "I've had a few drinks too, so I'm not gonna pretend I'm sorry for saying that," he added with a smirk.

  "Okay, I appreciate your bluntness," Aislynn somehow managed to respond. "But don't you think hooking up now, under these circumstances, while we're both sort of drunk, is too predictable?"

  "I guess you're right," Jace said, and pulled her unexplainable closer to his body. "Then allow me be somewhat unpredictable for a moment."

  "Okay?"

  "Let me take you out. No more 'non-date' bullshit. A proper date. Just us."

  Aislynn thought for a moment, before a huge smile spread across her face. "I can't wait."

  Oh my God. What did I just do?

  Aislynn forced herself to drink plenty of water before going to bed that night. If med school taught her nothing else, she had learned that rehydration was the best way to prevent a hangover. It was still quite early when she woke up the next morning, but she didn't feel like getting up from bed. What made her decide to call her mother, not even she could figure out. Every conversation with Pam had the potential for some form of drama.

  "Good morning."

  "Hi, sweetheart. You're calling early," Pam said.

  "I know. I figured you would be up. It's two hours later there, right?"

  "Yes, but I've been up for a while. I had a nightmare last night that a box was chasing after me."

  "That's right. I forgot the move was a few days ago. How did it go?"

  "It was hectic, as expected. I'm unpacking the kitchen stuff now and you'll never guess what I just found," she said excitedly. "Remember that book of family recipes you asked me to make for you when you were about sixteen?"

  I was eleven, Mom. "Wow, that's still around? Did you ever get to finish it?" Aislynn asked with forced enthusiasm.

  "Not really. Maybe I'll work on it soon."

  "Hey, does it have the recipe for that mushroom and spinach quiche you used to make?" Aislynn asked, now a bit more excited.

  "Let me check…Yes, it's here."

  "Great! Can you take a picture of it with your phone and text it to me? I want to make it for breakfast." Aislynn only heard silence coming from the other end of the line. "Would you like me to explain to you how?"

  She spent the next ten minutes walking Pam through the steps. The quiche was worth the exasperation of teaching the task to someone who didn't even realize her phone had a camera in it.

  Aislynn dressed and headed to the farmers market to pick up fresh produce. There were few people out so early in the morning, and the trip turned out to be very relaxing for her. She tried to make the least amount of noise while prepping the quiche, knowing Ellie was still asleep in her room. After it finished baking, Aislynn set it on the kitchen island to rest and cool down.

  "Ellie," Aislynn whispered while knocking gently on her door. "I'm making breakfast. You want some coffee?"

  Ellie hurried out of her room in her silk robe and quickly closed it after herself. "Oh my God, is that quiche I smell, or did I die last night and go straight to delicious egg and cheese heaven?"

  "It's my mom's recipe."

  "I was hoping you'd say that," she said, following Aislynn into the kitchen and sitting at the breakfast bar. "Thank for forcing me to drink all that water last night. I can't believe I didn't get a hangover."

  "You're welcome. Coffee?" Aislynn offered, pouring her a cup. "By the way, when are you going to convince your boss to furnish these apartments with decent coffee machines? I mean, it doesn't have to be a La Marzocco, but this damn drip-coffee piece of crap is just not cutting it."

  "Isn't that espresso machine like twelve thousand dollars?" Ellie asked, and Aislynn looked at her like she was missing the point. "In any case, not everyone is a coffee snob like you, Aislynn. Some people deal just fine with the stuff from the grocery store."

  "Some people don't know any better and live very sad, pathetic coffee lives," Aislynn answered before sneaking her head into the hallway and in the direction of Ellie's room. "Evan, coffee?" she yelled, making Ellie choke on her coffee and spray it all over the granite countertop.

  "Damn it! How the hell do you do that? How did you know he was here?"

  "Oh, please. You're transparent," Aislynn said as Evan walked into the kitchen looking like hell. "Good morning, sunshine. Uh oh, you didn't drink water last night, did you?"

  "No. Please kill me?" he asked, sitting next to Ellie.

  "No coffee for you," she said and turned to grab two bottles of water from the fridge. "Drink these, or no quiche."

  After breakfast, Aislynn went swimming at the gym, shopping for groceries, and stopped at the library to look up some references for her novel. When she got back home several hours later, she found Ellie working on a sketch at the dining room table.

  "Hey!" Elli
e hollered. "I'm working on the design for Jace's house. Want to take a look?"

  Reality hit Aislynn at that moment with unsurpassable clarity. She realized she had busied herself all day long in an unconscious attempt to avoid freaking out about her date with Jace.

  I even called my Mom. Voluntarily!

  "I have a date with Jace Quinn tonight," Aislynn mumbled, looking absolutely shell-shocked.

  "I know. About time it sunk in," Ellie said, putting down her drawing pad.

  "Let me start over. I have a date. Maybe I should freak out about that part first," Aislynn thought out loud while Ellie guided her to the sofa and sat down next to her.

  "Tell me what you're thinking," Ellie prompted.

  "It's happening," Aislynn said softly, and Ellie nodded. "I'm starting to move on from Christopher." Ellie nodded again. "I'm scared…How the hell am I supposed to do this?"

  "Listen, Aislynn. This past year has been so incredibly hard for you, but you're finally looking healthy again. You have life back in your eyes, you're laughing, and you're talking about the future," she said as tears quickly filled Aislynn’s eyes. "You were so sick, so depressed. I was so scared about you those first few months, but you just wouldn't let me help you."

  "I know," Aislynn whispered so softly that it hardly came out.

  "Now that I think about it, you doctors really make the worst patients."

  Aislynn chuckled, a tear threatening to spill over. "I still struggle, you know? I'm still not all better," she said, thinking about Christopher and how much seeing him at the hotel had affected her. She really wished she had better control of herself and her emotions whenever he was near.

  "You're the only one who expects that from yourself. A lot happened, and it's going to take time to heal." Ellie hugged her tightly. "Are you gonna let yourself get excited about the date?"

  "I already am," Aislynn said with a smile and then gasped. "What the hell am I going to wear?" she asked in a panic.

  "You're lucky I didn't get enough dolls when I was growing up. Come on, Freud. I'll help you."

  "I'm not sleeping with him on the first date, Ellie," Aislynn said while staring at the lingerie Ellie had chosen for her to wear.

  "First of all, you never know. Anything can happen. Second, lingerie is not just for the audience. It's for the performer. It will make you feel confident and sexy to know you’re wearing killer underwear under that dress. It's a mental thing. You're supposed to be the shrink. Must I teach you everything?"

  After caving in and getting dressed, Aislynn looked at herself in the mirror for a long while. Her dress was light pink, almost nude, in color. It had a deep V-neck and lots of soft ruffles in the skirt, making her look delicate and sophisticated. Underneath, the soft white lace of her bra and panties made her feel bold. Damn it, she’s right.

  "Okay, you're right. Now, hair," Aislynn said.

  "Up or down?" Ellie asked with hesitation.

  The decision carried immense significance for Aislynn. She hadn't worn her hair down much in months. It was like a defense mechanism for her. There was truth to the saying that "letting your hair down" was an expression of freedom.

  "Down. I'm wearing it down," Aislynn said with a soft smile and contemplative eyes.

  "Best. Decision. Ever."

  "It's not prom. Go away!" Aislynn wailed as Ellie tried to take a picture of her with her phone once they were done.

  "If you end up dating Jace seriously, you will want a memory from your first date in the future," Ellie argued.

  "You and your happily ever after fairytale crap," Aislynn shot back.

  Ellie left the apartment with a laugh, and Aislynn became eerily calm. This was her first date since Christopher, and she felt at ease as she reminded herself that she was taking a step in the right direction.

  "Damn, he looks gorgeous in all black," Aislynn murmured after opening the door and taking her first look at Jace, who was dressed in slacks and a button down dress shirt, no tie.

  "Thanks, you look amazing too," Jace said with a huge grin.

  "You're bluffing. I did not just say anything out loud."

  "Guess you'll never know," he quipped and then stopped to take a really long look at her.

  Wow. She’s radiant.

  "Jace?" Aislynn asked after a few seconds, trying to call for his attention.

  "Uh…um…sorry. It's just that you just went all Rapunzel on me, and I got a bit distracted," he said, reaching for a waist-length strand of wavy golden brown hair that softly framed her face. "You really do look beautiful. Please, don't ever wear your hair up again."

  "I can't promise that, but your request will be seriously considered," she said with a smile.

  "Can you humor me with something else then?" Jace said, and Aislynn nodded. "Let's have a reverse date."

  "A reverse date? Please, enlighten me."

  "In a reverse date, we start with a good night kiss," he said, wrapping his arm around her waist and bringing his face close to hers. "Then we have coffee and dessert, and then we go to dinner."

  "I can see you don’t believe in delayed gratification," Aislynn said, her voice wavering.

  "I can wait for a lot of things, but I don't want to wait to kiss you."

  Aislynn put her hands around his neck as he searched for her lips. The kiss was soft at first, then it turned urgent, and then it slowed. It was perfect. They lingered there, holding each other, Jace caressing the softness of her cheek with the tip of his nose.

  God, I want more of her. I want all of her.

  "I like the way you think, Mr. Quinn." For a split second, he wondered if she'd read his mind, but then she continued. "In the wise words of our friend Ellie, I think a reverse date is the 'Best. Decision. Ever.'"

  "Glad you think so, Dr. Currington," he said, stepping back and reaching for her hand to guide her out the door. "Can I call you Doc from now on?"

  "Not if you expect me to answer," she said in singsong. "Although I have to say it beats 'babydoll.'"

  "Okay, how about 'babydoc'?" Aislynn laughed in response, closing the door behind her.

  "So I did my research. This place uses coffee beans from a roaster in Austin, Texas, and their barista just won one of the international competitions," Jace said as they walked into the coffee shop.

  "You sure know how to impress a girl."

  "Just you. I only want to impress you."

  "Well, it's working." Her attention suddenly shifted to an item on the dessert display. "Is that buttermilk pie? Oh my God, this is like coffee shop porn," Aislynn said, closing her eyes in delight.

  "I'll take two slices for here, and whole pie to go, please," Jace said to the server after clearing his throat.

  They had their espressos and pie and then headed to the restaurant. It was located in a back alley that housed several small bistros, some of them with patio tables. The restaurant was small, limiting seating to fifteen tables at the most.

  "This place is beautiful. But where are the menus?" she whispered.

  "There are none. The chef prepares a new menu daily, using only local produce and ingredients that are in season. There're usually two main entrees you can pick from. I've been here several times, and I've loved every single thing he's made. I really think you'll enjoy it."

  "That sounds great," Aislynn said as the waiter approached their table and described the available entrées.

  Dinner was fantastic. They talked all night, up until their waiter politely reminded them the kitchen was closing. The conversation seamlessly continued as they walked hand in hand out of the restaurant.

  "Why did you stop practicing medicine?" he asked, once they were inside his car and on their way back home.

  "That's a simple question with a very complicated answer," she said, giving herself some time to think of her explanation. "I graduated two years early because my mom let me skip first grade, and I was a total nerd in high school—what?" she asked when he started laughing.

  "I’m sorry. I just can't pict
ure you as a nerd."

  "Oh, I still am. Anyway, I started college when I was sixteen. I finished premed when I was nineteen, med school at twenty-three, and residency at twenty-seven. I've been in school my whole life without a break."

  "Damn, that's eleven years," he said in amazement and she nodded.

  "When I finished my residency, one of the attending physicians who used to supervise me offered me a position in his group practice. He wanted to cut down his hours at the office to do more hospital work, and I had always wanted to go into private practice. I immersed myself in the job and really enjoyed it in the beginning, but later realized I was really exhausted from going nonstop for so long."

  Aislynn took a deep breath before continuing. "During my residency, I was also in a long-term relationship, and that ended a little over a year after I joined the group. I just felt like it was the perfect opportunity for me to take a break and try something new…somewhere else."

  Jace’s curiosity was immediately spiked. How long is long-term? What happened? Who ended it? This girl sure knows how to be vague.

  "What about your family? I remember you said your dad passed away."

  "Yeah. He was my biggest supporter," Aislynn said, and paused. "My mom is a bit harder to deal with and incredibly difficult to please. She's not happy I left home, but I needed to do what was right for me at the time."

  "Well, I’m glad you ended up here," he said with a smile and a squeeze of her hand.

  "What about your family?" she asked.

  "They're all crazy. You would have a field day with them," he said, loving the way her laugh echoed inside the car. "Just kidding. Let's see, you already know about my dad. My younger brother, Alex, is his CFO. My mom used to be a teacher, but she retired a few years ago to start a charity organization with my sister-in-law."