The crowded banquet hall buzzed with laughter and conversation, the sound alone unnerving enough for Ethan. Add to that the countless doctors who vied for his attention and Ethan felt the need to escape at once.
In fact, he was desperate enough to do the unthinkable.
With the conviction of a suffocating man, he pulled out his phone and started to text.
Are you coming, Rookie?
It took him less than a second to realize the double entendre and to picture the tantalizing reply she would undoubtedly send. In a rush, he tried to send a second text to clarify. He was, of course, too late because a blip announced her reply.
I love it when you talk dirty to me, Dr. Ramsey.
She attached an emoji, as was customary, one that looked as though it was smirking in the same way she would have done if she was standing before him. Regardless, his throat went dry at the implication.
This is why I don't text, he returned, hoping to sound unaffected. He knew better than to expect her to buy that.
"Dr. Ramsey!" An older doctor approached him. "Enjoying the conference?"
"God, no," he replied truthfully, which only prompted a belly laugh from his companion.
"Ramsey, you haven't changed a bit! Don't think I didn't notice you haven't missed one since Miami," he pointed out with amusement. "Surely, they can't be that awful."
Ethan took a swig of his drink, dispassionately watching their surroundings. Every year, he found himself convinced to attend, for old times sake, as Lilac liked to tell him. Despite the indifferent and irritated front he put up, Ethan enjoyed them.
He enjoyed them with her.
Inevitably, his mind traveled to that legendary Miami conference and to his favorite memory of her. The reminder of her full lips, moving against his for the first time and coaxing a yearning he hadn't felt until that point, made him restless to have her at his side. Without much pretense, he excused himself from the presence of the jolly older doctor and found a semblance of peace by the dessert table. He glanced at his phone, where her reply awaited.
Liar. I bet you're smiling right now.
A broad grin spread across his face despite his best efforts.
Are you ready to join me? I can't stand another minute being alone with these vultures.
Ethan could picture her in the hotel room upstairs, rolling her eyes upon reading his dramatic reply.
Almost ready... You can't rush art.
It was Ethan's turn to roll his eyes at that, though not without a smile. His poor, unprepared brain had only just begun to picture how tantalizing stunning she would look, when his phone pinged with an incoming photo from her.
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