“He's not interested.”
Nina snorted. “Oh honey, he's interested.”
“No.” She shook her head with a breathy laugh, pushing away from the railing. “He's just a nice guy.”
“So, you don't mind if I go on a date with him? His grandma gave me his number.”
Aditi's smile dropped. “Delete it.”
Nina gasped, mischievously cackling as she watched Aditi grow flustered at her own reaction.
“You have a girlfriend. What are you doing even taking his number?” Aditi asked, spinning away to begin walking towards the wing that housed her patients. She heard the click of heels, knowing that Nina had hurried to catch up.
“I play for both teams. She’s not my girlfriend, and I’m keeping my options open.”
“He's not interested in a relationship.”
“But you still like him,” Nina guessed in a sing-songy voice. Aditi knew there was no hiding it from her. She was a tenacious woman and would needle her until she spilled the truth.
“Okay, yes,” Aditi admitted, stopping to turn and look at her friend. “He's hot, and really sweet under all the grump and silence. And I'm attracted to him. That’s all. I’ll get over it soon.”
Nina's eyes narrowed, as if gauging her truthfulness.
“Best way to get over it is to get under him,” she said after a moment.
“Nina!” Aditi’s mouth dropped open. “I just told you he doesn't want a relationship.”
“So? Have a fling.” She pulled her notepad out and began flipping through the patient charts. “No strings attached.”
Oh.
Aditi quietened for several seconds as she signed release orders.
“I've neverdone that.”
“Doesn't mean you can't, dollface,” Nina didn’t bother to look at her, busy with her own forms.
A casual fling with Rian? Seemed inconceivable.
“No.” Aditi wiped her clammy palms on her white lab coat. But the thought had taken root regardless.
Maybe Nina heard the indecision in her friend’s voice because she finally glanced up from her paperwork. Checking to see that the nurses weren’t eavesdropping, she beckoned Aditi closer.
“Adi, ten years from now when you’re herding your two and a half kids from school and a million extracurricular activities, the most anticipated thing of your day being uninterrupted sleep, at least you will have the memory of that sinfully gorgeous man doing incredibly naughty things to you to keep your mind occupied while you have missionary sex that feels as exciting as brushing teeth with with your family-approved, straight-laced, mommy-loving husband.”
Aditi blinked at the bored, matter-of-fact tone in which Nina had delivered that monologue.
“Wow,” she croaked. “Way to paint a bleak picture for my future. Kill my imaginary dog too while you’re at it.”
Nina laughed, tapping her temple and pointing towards Aditi. “You’re thinking about this casual sex thing with your head.”
“And you suggest that I think with my heart?”
“Hell no.” She grinned before making a circle in the air with one long nail pointed below Aditi’s waist.
“With your libido.”
9