Free Nurse Lovette by Paisley Smith Page A

Nowhere to go. I just don’t want to,” Darby told her.
    “But we were so good together.”
    Darby shook her head. “I’m sorry, Marissa. I don’t want to get involved with you again.” She couldn’t believe the words spilling from her lips.
    Marissa shot to her feet. “I don’t know why I came back here. You always were such a fucking pussy.”
    “That’s it. Leave.” Darby couldn’t believe she wasn’t even angry. The hurt had miraculously vanished, and whether she and Avery had a chance for a future relationship seemed beside the point. Darby didn’t want what Marissa had to offer, nor was Darby willing to settle for less than she deserved.
    Marissa snatched her purse and stormed out. Only then did Darby release the breath she’d been holding. A sense of relief and inner strength inundated her as she closed and locked the door.
    The past was just that. The past.
    And she’d just let hers go.
    * * * * *
     
    “Marissa?” Avery asked as she passed Darby a glass of wine. Fear struck that their relationship had ended before it even had a chance to begin. “She just came to your house?” Terror that Darby was here to let her down easy swamped Avery.
    Darby nodded and sipped her wine. “I told her to leave.”
    The tension in Avery’s shoulders relaxed as she poured her own full glass.
    “I realized something…last night when we were together,” Darby said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen between us but I’m open to exploring it. I want to explore it. But have you considered everything entailed with being involved with a woman? I mean, you have a job where being a lesbian might cause trouble for you.”
    “I’ve been tenured for a while now,” Avery joked. “And yes, I’ve considered how my family and friends will react but this is worth it to me. You’re worth it.”
    Darby smiled. “I think we could really have something together, Avery. When Marissa came in today, I realized what she and I had was never real. She never loved me . She loved how I made her look and feel about herself.”
    “I totally get that. One of my husbands was like that. He’d even lay out which jewelry I was supposed to wear to places like his high school reunion or his office Christmas party.”
    “I guess that makes us a couple of trophies.”
    Avery laughed, Julia Roberts-style. Darby loved the genuine sound of it. She laced her fingers with Avery’s. “I’m ready for something real.”
    “Me too,” Avery said wistfully.
    Darby blinked against the surprising tears that rimmed her eyes. “I thought my need to be a…nurse…was real. I thought it defined me—until you came along and I discovered it was just a part of many things that define who I am.”
    “I thought the same thing about my fantasies. I thought something was wrong with me and I thought if I could just get to the bottom of it, discover where it came from, I could get over it and live a normal life with a normal man,” Avery admitted.
    “Guess I sort of derailed that plan,” Darby said.
    “I’ll say. But it’s a good thing. A really good thing. And I’m looking forward to getting to know you—both in the examination room and out of it.”
    Darby searched Avery’s hazel eyes, discovering hope and desire in their depths. “Me too,” she whispered, and brushed her lips across Avery’s. Tasting, discovering, slipping past that shadowed part of herself she’d hidden in a closet to cast a light on a future where they might both find a happily ever after.

About the Author
     
    Paisley Smith is a full time freelance writer and can usually be found in front of her computer writing, chatting, promoting or plotting.
    A true southern belle, Paisley enjoys all things feminine, such as the perfect shade of lipstick, a pair of killer heels and a sexy, confident woman.
    Sneak a peek at Paisley’s site to see what she’s up to.
     
     
    Paisley welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author