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Page 23

Jessie yawned and Wes picked her up. “Let’s get you to bed.” He caught Braden’s eyes. “Sorry I’m late. I—”
“Get her to sleep. I’ll hang around and we can talk when you’re done.”
Wes nodded and disappeared down the hall. Damn, he respected the hell out of the man for everything he did. And he wished there was more he could do to help. It hadn’t started this way, but he really did consider Wes a friend. He enjoyed his company, and for the first time in his life, outside of work, he was doing more than just going out to get laid or have fun. He felt like what he did mattered, even if it was just to a curly-haired little girl and her uncle, who Braden liked to see smile.
***
After Wes got Jessie into bed, he went to his room and changed out of his scrubs and into a pair of sweatpants and a shirt. His stomach growled and his bed called his name, but he knew that if he lay down, he wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway. His mind didn’t want to shut down lately, picking night to run wild.
When he made it back to the living room, Braden sat at the table in front of three pizza boxes. “Hungry?” he asked.
“Jessie wanted cheese. I didn’t know what you liked, so I figured I’d be safe with pepperoni. And then I needed mine, too.”
Wes opened one of the boxes and set a few pieces on a plate. “You didn’t have to get a whole cheese pizza for her, or a whole one for me. Let me know how much it was and I’ll pay you back.”
“Nah. It’s not a big deal.”
Wes sighed. “Yes, it is.”
“Then I guess you’ll have to buy next time.”
Wes wasn’t in the mood to argue, so he went over and sat on the couch.
“I was told we aren’t allowed to eat dinner in the living room. I might have to tell on you.”
A laugh sat on the sidelines but he didn’t have the energy to get it out. “Don’t go getting me in trouble.”
They were mostly quiet while Wes ate. He wondered why Braden stayed, but then realized he didn’t mind the company and didn’t mention it. When he finished eating he set the plate down and tossed a crust to Jock, who caught it. “I am so fucking tired.” He dropped his head back and closed his eyes. “We lost the patient. It was a MVA. I always...” He sighed, knowing he wouldn’t finish that statement. Motor vehicle accidents were tough for him, especially when they lost the patient. He always pictured his mom.
“Anyway, I ran a few minutes late from that, and then someone needed a ride home and they were a little out of the way. Sorry again for being late. I owe you one.” He owed him more than that if he would admit it.
“Do you want me to go so you can get some sleep?”
Wes opened his eyes, rolling his head to the side so he could still lean back against the couch but could see Braden, too. He had his leg pulled up, his ankle resting on a knee. He had on a long-sleeved shirt, but like most of what he wore, it was pulled taut across the hard planes of his body. His dark hair looked like he’d run his hand through it over and over; Wes realized it pretty much always looked like that. He hadn’t had his hands in that hair enough the night they spent together.
“I’m tired as hell but can’t seem to relax enough to go to sleep. I toss and turn half the night.” He shut up there and hoped Braden wouldn’t ask why. Wouldn’t pry into things Wes would rather not talk about.
And thankfully, Braden didn’t ask. He just looked at Wes with an expression in his eyes that Wes didn’t understand. No, that was a lie. He knew what it was. Lust.
Braden stood, walked over, and sat on the coffee table in front of him. Arguments and words teased his tongue but he didn’t let any of them out, just continued to lean against the couch and look at Braden.
“When was the last time you’ve done anything for yourself? The last time someone has done something for you?” Braden didn’t move closer as he waited for Wes to answer.
“Why? What does that have to do with anything?”
“You work extra hours when you’re exhausted to help someone else out. You give someone a ride when we both know you just wanted to be home. And that’s just what I know about from today. What do you do for you? What do you let someone else do for you?”
Plenty of people in his life had made sacrifices for him—Chelle, Lydia, his mom. “Don’t try and make a hero out of me. And you watched my niece for me tonight. You watch her every week, so I could say the same thing to you. You do something for me every week.”
Braden shook his head. “Nah. I don’t do that for you. Jessie’s cool to hang out with and you’re nice to look at. I’m here for me.”