Colin followed Brad Lipski up the stairs, unable to steady the frantic rhythm of his heart.
He had promised himself he would keep his desires in check, that he wouldn't let himself be swayed by his own body. But he hadn't realized how hard it would be.
One look from Lipski and something inside him trembled, shaking the carefully built walls of his self-control.
When their shoulders brushed at the turn of the stairs, he swallowed hard, pretending it was nothing. But his skin still pulsed at the point of contact, as if Brad had left a lingering burn.
If Lipski took him once, properly… if he pushed him against the wall, forced him to surrender to these wild cravings—maybe that would help.
Maybe it would ease the tension that had been burning in Colin's body ever since their first meeting, simmering like molten metal.
Maybe if Brad didn't just look at him with that intense gaze but actually took it a step further…
Colin blinked rapidly and forced himself to take a deep breath.
Damn it.
A little more, and he'd really start considering scenarios he shouldn't.
He tried to break it down into simple mechanisms. He knew it wasn't Lipski himself that pulled him in—it was everything that had happened between them.
Adrenaline was a powerful aphrodisiac, and in their case, it had been the backdrop from the very beginning—since that night, since the fight, since the moment Brad shielded him with his own body.
No wonder his brain interpreted it this way.
Adrenaline sometimes led to fleeting passions, to short-lived affairs, to accidental nights that left nothing behind but a lingering heat.
In another world, under different circumstances—would there really be anything wrong with that scenario?
If he let the tension find its release, if he allowed himself to give in and…
Colin clenched his hands into fists. No, this was absurd. New city, new beginning. He had no intention of getting into trouble.
And yet, when Lipski glanced at him over his shoulder, when his lips curled into that half-smile—as if he knew exactly what was going through Colin's mind—Stone felt his body betraying him all over again.
Brad Lipski had a beautifully sculpted body, shaped by physical activity. Remembering the family photo standing in the Lipskis' living room, Colin figured that physical beauty must have been in his genes as well. Probably none of the Lipskis needed to spend hours at the gym to look like young gods. A noble face with a sharply defined jawline and keen eyes, reminiscent of a predator, only enhanced his—no, their—striking appearance. They must have been immensely popular among women… and men.
So, all things considered, it was a bit strange that Brad hadn't yet found a woman to share the burden of raising his nieces. But maybe, despite his attractiveness, no woman wanted to tie herself to a man weighed down by family responsibilities?
Well, if Colin were trying to win Lipski's heart, he wouldn't mind the fact that the guy was taking care of the girls. On the contrary, he found his dedication to his nieces quite endearing. It wasn't like he'd have to learn how to change diapers. The twins were practically grown and incredibly self-sufficient. They posed no real obstacle to landing a man as hot as Brad.
Unless… apart from the girls, there was something else. Something the whole town knew, except him. A dark secret.
Something that kept even someone like Brad Lipski alone.
Like Lipski's interaction with that man outside the supermarket.
Or the way everyone at the bar was too afraid to confront him.
Or how the police had him in their sights as potential trouble.
Or maybe all of the above.
With each new thought, Colin's heart pounded harder. With each step bringing him closer to Lipski's room, his mouth grew drier.
Calm down, get a grip, he told himself. It's just chemistry. Animal instinct drawing you to a mysterious, dangerously hot man with a body worth every sin. You'll touch his body, but you'll touch him as a doctor. You're a professional, aren't you?
He was. He was a doctor who had treated dozens, maybe even thousands of wounds. A patient was always just a patient—never an object of desire.
But this time, it seemed the object of his desire had become his patient.
It didn't matter. A patient was a patient. And Brad was probably involved with that bartender, Lisa. They weren't officially together, because, well… she was a bartender. Maybe an official relationship with her would complicate his custody rights over the girls. Or maybe they just weren't ready to label their relationship yet. But there was definitely something between them. The way they looked at each other, with such tenderness and care—it couldn't be just a coincidence. Or mere friendship.
Something pricked at Colin's heart. It was such a faint sensation that he immediately pushed it out of his mind.
The lives of people in this town, Brad Lipski's life—none of it was his business.
"Sorry for dragging you upstairs, but you can think of it as a house call," Brad offered in a light tone, then quickly added, "I'm serious. Bill me."
"Sure," Colin agreed. "As long as you bill me for the meals."
"Hey, that's part of the package," Brad said, pushing open the door to his room. "Having a doctor under the same roof is, too."
Colin stepped inside and froze.