Page 22 of Dr. Baby Daddy
He chuckles and grabs a shirt that’s draped over the back of his couch. “What are you really doing here, Izzy? Wasn’t the show at the hospital the other day enough? You can’t possibly be here wanting another.”
I pat his chest as I walk back and perch myself on the arm of his couch. “First, I don’t think I could ever get enough of your playing. You’re really good. Second, I was wondering if you wanted to go out tonight. I want to go see Times Square at night, and since this is the only night I have off for the next couple days, I thought you might want to join me.”
If I was being honest, I wanted him to join me. I’ve barely seen him in the last couple days, and I’ve been missing him. As much as I didn’t think I would, I’ve gotten the tiniest bit attached to my grumpy neighbor.
Especially when he’s looking at me like he’s considering a repeat of the last night we spent together.
“Izzy, you should be out having fun with friends your own age.”
I roll my eyes and get up, grabbing his wallet from the kitchen counter and tossing it to him. “You’re making it sound like you’re decades older than me. I know for a fact you have today and tomorrow off, which means that you are more than capable of coming out to explore with me.”
“What about your other friend?” Even as he says the words, he tucks the wallet into his back pocket and grabs his leather jacket from the hall closet.
“She’s working tonight.” I lead the way into the hall after he has his shoes on. “And you know that you love spending time with me.”
He grunts and follows me outside, his hands stuffed deep into his pockets. I lead the way to the subway station, humming some of the songs from rehearsal earlier.
People pass us in a hurry, never slowing down for anything.
If there’s one thing I miss, it’s the ability to slow down and take a breather. Since moving to New York, it feels like I always have to be doing something.
The days spent exploring with Oliver are different, though. Even though he’s lived in the city his entire life, he has no problem slowing down and taking his time with me.
“How is that coming?” Oliver stands beside me on the platform as we wait for the subway.
My eyebrows pull together. “How’s what coming?”
“That song is from that show you’re the pianist for, isn’t it? I swear I hear you playing it more than any other song when I’m trying to sleep.”
I smirk and elbow him as the subway comes to a screeching halt in front of us. “It’s only because I know you like that song more than all the others. But yes, it’s from the show. The director wanted me to rewrite it. I must have redone it seven times by now.”
“I like the version you were just humming.”
We step onto the subway and find a place to stand. Oliver holds onto one of the handles above us, his hand on my bare lower back as I hold onto the pole beside him. Sparks fly everywhere he touches me.
If he keeps the casual touches going throughout the night, then I’m not going to make it. I’m going to be begging him to take me back home and remind me how skilled he is with his tongue and his fingers.
I should have worn an actual shirt instead of a cropped bustier.
Though the burgundy bustier makes my boobs look amazing, it’s not the shirt I want to be wearing when I’m trying to resist Oliver’s touches.
The subway comes to a stop a few minutes later, and we step off into the station. Music flows through the open space from a man sitting on the ground with a saxophone.
I grab a couple dollars out of my pocket and drop it in the man’s hat, standing to listen to his mournful song. Oliver stands beside me, hovering close as people pass by and almost bump into me.
The man finishes his song and smiles at us before he starts another. I wave before taking Oliver by the hand and pulling him through the station and up the stairs.
My heart hammers in my chest as we reach the street level and I get my first glimpse of Times Square. The breath is stolen from my lungs as hundreds of people gather to look up at the bright signs.
People rush in and out of stores, bags dangling from their arms. Bright yellow taxis line the streets. Bodies filter in and out of them before they zip through traffic again.
“This is unreal.” I tilt my head back and look up at the massive billboards. “There’s no way that this is an actual thing.”
Oliver grins, taking me by the hand and leading me through Times Square. We take our time stepping into several of the shops, and he snaps a few pictures of me. I send the pictures to my family before we head back down to the subway.
“Where are we going now?” I hold onto the pole as the subway zips around underground.
Oliver shuffles a little closer to me as someone bumps into him with their bags. He gives them a cold glare before turning his attention back to me. “There’s a little bar I like to go to near the Brooklyn Bridge. It’s got a great view of the bridge, but few tourists know about it so it’s normally pretty quiet.”