She shook her head. “That’s not what I meant, either.”

Her hair had fallen in her face and he tucked the strand behind her ear. “Having a rough day?”

His voice was soft and comforting and she was being a bitch.

Her shitty day was not his fault. “It’s been busy.”

“I can go. Why don’t you call me when you get off work?”

He turned to walk away but she grabbed his wrist. “No. It’s okay. I’d like you to stay. I have a patient I have to deal with first, but . . . stay.”

His gaze melted her, made her wish they were anywhere but here right now.

“Okay. I’ll just hang out here.”

“No. Come back with me. There’s a lounge you can wait in.”

He smiled. “Sure.”

She walked him back to the doctors’ lounge. No one was in there—of course—because it was just that kind of day.

“There’s a vending machine. It has soda and water and snacks. And a TV with a sports channel.”

“I’m good for now.”

She looked up at him. “I’ll just check on that patient and be right back. If I’m not—”

He put his hands on her arms. “Aubry. I’m a big boy. I can take care of myself. If you get busy, don’t worry about me, okay?”

“Okay.”

He brushed his lips against hers. “I’ll either see you soon or I’ll talk to you later.”

She nodded, then hurried off. She ran into Max on her way to the patient’s room.

“CT scan is ordered. I was just going to arrange to have the patient taken in.”

“All right. Let me know when we have the results.”

After Max walked off, she finished charting her patients’ records, then went back to check on incoming.

Those were all handled, so she headed back to the lounge.

Tucker was in there playing a game on his phone.

“You’re still here.”

He stood and slid his phone in his pocket. “You weren’t gone long.”

“I’m waiting on test results for a patient.”

“How long will that take?”

“Maybe an hour.”

He looked around. “Got a broom closet we can fool around in?”

She laughed. “That stuff only happens on those television shows.”

“What? You’ve never gotten it on in the hospital?”

“Uh, no.”

He took her hand and led her out of the lounge. “You’re doing it all wrong, then, Dr. Ross.”

“What are you doing?”

“Finding us a closet or one of those—what do you call them—on-call rooms?”

She tugged at his hand, horrified that he’d even consider the notion. “Tucker. We cannot do this.”

He didn’t stop, until they ran into Katie.

“Hey, where are you two headed? And I’m Katie, by the way,” she said to Tucker.

“Tucker. Nice to meet you, Katie.”

“Back to the lounge,” Aubry said.

“Actually, we’re looking for some privacy,” Tucker said.

Katie’s eyes widened, then she grinned. “How fun for the two of you. I’d suggest room thirty-four at the end of hallway two. Unless we’re slammed, they never place patients that far away. It’s very private, and no one will come looking for you there.”

“And how do you know that?” Aubry asked.

Katie just gave her a crooked smile, then retrieved a granola bar from her pocket. “You two have fun.”

“Thanks,” Tucker said. “Now where’s this hallway and room thirty-four?”

Aubry shook her head. “No way.”

“Fine. I’ll just ask for directions, but then it won’t be so private.”

“Are you serious about this?”

He let go of her wrist. “Clock’s ticking, Doc. And we can just kiss a little if you’re afraid about being caught. Nothing has to happen that you don’t want to happen.”

She could definitely use a few minutes of kissing. Tucker always managed to relax her, and her day had been frenetic at best. “Fine.”

She took his hand and led him around several corners and down a long hallway until they got to the last room on the right, room thirty-four.

“Jesus. This is far away. Do you really have this many patients?”

“Sometimes. Especially in the winter, during flu season. We get jammed then. But right now? No.”

“Good.” He closed the door, then pushed her against it and laid his mouth on hers in a deep, passionate kiss that made her forget all about her lousy day. All she thought about was Tucker’s hands on her hips, his fingertips squeezing into her flesh as his kiss made her feel boneless. She sagged against him and he drew her scrubs up, placing those awesome hands of his over her skin. And when he dipped his hand inside her pants, sliding his fingers into her underwear to cup her sex, she had a fleeting thought to object.