Hello my Lubies,
I know this is pretty different from Pop Tart, but I hope you will stick with me to see where it all goes. And as always, thanks for the positive reviews!!
Chap 4.
Luka shoved his hands into the pockets of his black slacks and continued his quick stroll down the street. Up ahead, he found the place he was looking for, pulled the door open and stepped inside. He slid into a chair at the bar and the bartender greeted him by name and asked if he wanted the usual. Luka nodded and rapidly ran his hands across his fatigued eyes. It had been another long day, but as usual, even though he was tired, his exhaustion was mixed with exhilaration. The six months he’d been at County had taken him back to the days when he first became a doctor. He felt like he was really helping people in need, providing some ray of hope to those who maybe had felt helpless for moment.
And then he found his thoughts turning to Abby, as they often did. He liked her. A lot. They had become pretty good friends since he’d been at County, sometimes grabbing a quick coffee, finding themselves taking the El together or winding up on the roof during a grueling shift to escape for a few moments. She was tremendously talented, smart and had a real gift. Her quirky sense of humor matched his own, and he always found himself smiling whenever she was around. And then there was her smile. Her laughter. It took over her whole face, from the corners of her eyes to the tip of her lip. She was never more beautiful than when she laughed.
Of course, she was off-limits. The funny thing to Luka was that it didn’t seem like Carter made her happy. He would never pry, but he watched them when they didn’t know he was looking. She didn’t seem comfortable around him, almost like she was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
The bartender set a grilled chicken sandwich and a beer in front of Luka. He was just about to bite into the sandwich, when he saw Abby wander in tentatively. He felt his own smile spread across his face and he signaled to her. She looked relieved to see a familiar face and gave him an embarrassed smile.
“Hi,” she said, tugging her hair behind her ears.
“Hi yourself,” Luka responded.
“We have to stop meeting like this.”
He chuckled. “I don’t mind.”
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
He gestured behind him.
“Oh, I uh, live in the hotel. I’m kind of like the doctor on call. I get free room and board for it.”
“You live in a hotel?” she asked incredulously, all while trying to stifle her laughter.
“What? It’s good. Fresh towels everyday.”
“Oh, well in that case…”
“What about you?”
“Oh, I love this band that’s playing and Carter hates them and Susan was supposed to come with me, but then she bailed and well,” she looked around. “I just decided to come by myself.”
“I’m glad you came.”
Abby nodded. “Me too.”
“Here, come, sit,” Luka said as he pulled a bar stool closer to where he was sitting. He waved to the bartender, who came over and took Abby’s order for a cheese steak and iced tea.
“This must be a pretty good band,” Luka said as he took a swig of his beer. “Seems like there are quite a few people here.”
“Yea. They’ve got a kind of cult following. They’re pretty low key, kinda mellow. I’ve been a fan for years.”
“So you can guarantee I’ll like them.”
Abby was about to answer when the lead singer came up and introduced the first song.
“If you don’t like them, I’ll do all your disimpactions for a month.”
Luka laughed. “You’re on.”
Abby and Luka sat watching the band for the next hour, chatting intermittently during the set. At one point, her knee brushed up against his and he had to fight the urge to take her hand, caress her cheek…kiss her. Sometimes she sang along, and he watched her silently out of the corner of his eye, enjoying the way she rocked slightly on the bar stool in time to the music and how she drummed her fingers against her thigh along with the drummer.
The lights came up when the show was over and Abby leaned back against the bar and shook her head in awe.
“Just when I think they can’t get any better, they do,” she said. She turned to him. “What’d you think?”
Luka finished the last of his second beer. “I hate to say, because I was looking forward to you doing all my disimpactions…but you were right, they were great.”
Abby clicked her tongue against her teeth and grinned.
“Yea, I had a feeling I’d win that bet.”
Luka playfully rolled his eyes and Abby looked at her watch and let out a big sigh.
“I should get going. I’m on at 11. What about you?”
“I’m off. I plan to sleep in.”
Abby stood up and stretched her sleepy limps. “Wish I could do the same.”
Luka suddenly had a flash of Abby laying next to him while he looked down into those chocolate brown eyes of hers and held her close. His heart pounded against his chest at the thought of waking up next to her in the morning. He swallowed and cleared his throat.
“Need a ride home?” he asked, hoping she hadn’t noticed how nervous he’d gotten.
“Oh, no, I’ve got my car.”
“Let me walk you out. It’s late.”
Abby nodded and slung her purse over her shoulder. “Ok.”
They made their way outside and over to Abby’s dusty red Jeep.
“Well,” she said as she pulled her keys out of her purse. “This is me.” She looked up at Luka and for a moment, they simply looked into each other’s eyes, indeed almost like they were looking into the other person’s soul. The crackle in the air between them was too powerful to deny. They never touched, but it was as if they were somehow intertwined. For those few, brief moments, Abby felt something she’d never felt for any man and Luka was reminded of sensations he didn’t think he’d ever feel again after his wife. It was unspoken, this charge between them and they both knew it. Yet they both knew they couldn’t cross that line and wordlessly, they stepped back from each other, both shaken by the encounter.
“Goodnight, Luka,” Abby mumbled awkwardly as she shoved the car key into the lock.
“Yea, uh, goodnight,” Luka practically whispered.
Abby hurriedly jumped into her car, her fingers trembling as she started the engine. It was now Luka’s turn to stare as she drove away, his desire for her greater than ever.
To be continued…