Push and Shove: The Ghost Bird Series: #6 (The Academy) (47 page)

I shook my head. I didn’t want to impose any more than I already was.

He squinted his eyes at me for a moment and studied me. Was he trying to read my thoughts?

He reached out, gently lifting my hand up. He did it slowly as if testing me to make sure I was okay with it. He pulled my hand over closer to his face and opened it up. His fingertips traced along my palm.

“I suspect,” he said quietly, “you’re a bit nervous about staying here tonight.”

I nodded.

He continued to trace my palm, massaging the corners. “I hope you’ll like it. Because between you and me, I hope you’ll spend a bit more time over here.” His eyes lifted, meeting mine in a soothing gaze. “And not just because you’re grounded.”

My heart raced. Dr. Green was charming with his soft green eyes and his dazzling smile. Despite his tone and his effort, he was making me more nervous. I really liked him and didn’t want to disappoint.

He bent over the countertop, moving my hand up close to his face. “
Kimi ga ite shiawase.”

It was Japanese, I knew. He’d said this to me before. But now, from taking his class, I knew a couple words. “Happy?” I asked quietly. “You’re happy?”

His smile brightened. “At least someone is listening in class.” He bent is head, closed his eyes, puckered his lips and kissed my knuckles lightly.

My once rapid heartbeat stilled, as did my breathing and it felt like the rest of the world had paused with me. It was just Dr. Sean Green in that moment, his lips against my skin. Unexpected, and yet it seemed like this was a completion of something he’d started to do a while ago, only he couldn’t because we’d been in class and everyone was watching.

He tilted his head up, the corner of his mouth lifting on one side. “But this time, I’m afraid you get a C.”

My mouth popped open. “What?
Shiawase
means happy, doesn’t it?”

“Okay. A C+, but only because you’re cute.” He winked at me, still clutching my hand. “
Kimi
is you, not I.”

“I’m happy?”

He shook his head. “Most of the time, in Japanese,
me
is implied. They don’t often talk about themselves directly. Depending on the context, you may have to assume the person is talking about himself.”

I said the words to myself again. “
Kimi ga ite shiawase.
... You... make me happy.
”

His brilliant smile lit up until he was nearly glowing. He released my hand and then went to fill a pot up with water. “I’ll give you some bonus points. I’d bet you’ll get an A next time.”

I fiddled with the cuff of my sleeve, unable to think of a reply. He was such an incredible flirt, I was learning that. I was never sure how to take him seriously. “Where did you learn Japanese?”

“I grew up with it,” he said, setting the pot of water up to boil. He brushed his hands off on his shirt and then moved away from the pot to lean against the island, his arms folded over his chest. His lean strong muscles bunched up at the biceps and around his chest. “I’m pretty fluent.”

“Is that the language your mother ... your adopted mother knew? Did you ever go to Japan?” I asked. I didn’t get that impression. His accent was light, but it was pretty southern. His mannerisms were very American. He’d made it sound before like he grew up here.

“I was in Japan for a few summers,” he said. “And some holidays. Sometimes funerals. It depended on my parents.”

“They took you over there?”

He nodded. “I wriggle myself out of going these days. I tell my mother I’m busy with the internship and she lets me get away with not going. For now.”

It was hard to imagine him with Japanese parents. I thought he’d be more excited about visiting Japan since he seemed to really like Japanese things, but I guess if he’d done it for a long time, perhaps the excitement of the adventure had worn off. “What’s she like? Your mother?”

“She’s a force to be reckoned with,” he said. “God help us both whenever we get to that stage.”

“Stage of what?”

He laughed and shook his head. “There is an etiquette to this dating thing. Eventually you have to meet each other’s parents. I guess technically I’ve already met yours, so you jumped the gun.”

My lips parted and my breath escaped me in a huff. From his tone, he was serious! He really did consider us to be dating. My heart swelled at the idea. The more I learned about him, the more I wanted to know, and liked immensely.

“And if you ever meet my mother,” he continued, the glint in his eyes brightening, “I’m hoping it’s after you’ve decided to stay. I wouldn’t put you through that otherwise.”

“I...”

“But we’re little lost destiny babies,” he said. He took my hand again, drawing it toward his face as he leaned over the counter. He pressed my palm open, massaging my hand. “So you’re going to have to stay. You can’t mess with fate.”

“I don’t think I’m going anywhere,” I said, fully meaning it. My heart raced at admitting it, though. I wanted to stay, with him, with all of them. Maybe he was right.

His hand drifted out, capturing my chin and drawing my heated face to meet his eyes. “How about a tour of the condo?”

I perked up at this, but as soon as I started nodding, the sound of the front door opening caught up to us. Dr. Green released me and took a step back.

Mr. Blackbourne appeared in the kitchen door a moment later. He was back in his dark gray suit, with a crisp white shirt and red tie. He first looked at Dr. Green and then at me.

I sat up straighter, with my shoulders rolled back.

A smooth eyebrow lifted slowly on his face. “Miss Sorenson,” he said in a polite greeting.

“Mr. Blackbourne,” I said softly. I was almost disappointed, though I wasn’t sure why. I suspected it was because we’d shared an adventure together, and he was still calling me by my last name. Even looking at his perfect face, there wasn’t an inkling of familiarity any more than there had been this morning. I wanted a wink. Or that millimeter smile. He was completely unreadable.

He clutched my book bag in his hand, and held it out to me. “Mr. Lee prepared this for you.”

I nodded, sliding off the bar stool. I wobbled on the wedge heels as I landed, but quickly corrected myself.

Mr. Blackbourne squinted at me. “Is everything all right?”

I nodded and tried to hide embarrassed shaking at doing something so awkwardly in front of him. I moved forward to take the bag.

“Come on, Sang,” Dr. Green said. He stirred the spaghetti sauce once more before putting the spoon aside and wiping his hands on a towel. “I’ll show you to the bedroom.”

I followed Dr. Green, skirting around Mr. Blackbourne who took up stirring the sauce and then started opening kitchen cabinets.

Dr. Green led the way to a set of stairs, his bare feet plodding against the carpet. The second story had a narrow hallway with four doors. He went on to the last door at the end.

It was a big bedroom, with a queen-sized mattress stacked on top of a short dark wood pallet, and a very low headboard. There were tatami mats across the floor. The far wall consisted of several sliding closet doors. Low side tables next to the bed contained vases with green bamboo inside. Along the other walls were tiny paintings of cherry trees in full bloom clustered together without frames. A wide window looked out onto the front lawn. I imagined during the day, you could see the rose garden.

Dr. Green motioned to the bed. “Try it out. If you don’t like it, there’s a regular spring mattress in the spare room.”

I sat on the bed, feeling my body sink a little. It was one of those space foam beds I’d seen advertised somewhere. I splayed my hand across the deep purple comforter, pushing at the resistance of the surface. “This isn’t the spare room?”

“This is my room,” he said.

The air stilled and I stared at a bamboo vase, my nerves jumping under my skin. My nose tickled from the ginger and citrus that was from him, but I didn’t get the same scent from the room. He really hadn’t been home a lot. I tried to imagine him in this space. The image was hard to conjure up. Perhaps because I was used to him at the hospital or at school only.

“Do you not like it?” he asked quietly.

“It’s nice,” I said, unable to help myself from asking, “You’ll be staying in here?”

“Did I mention I have a spare room?”

There was some relief, but only a smidgen. That still wasn’t right. “I can’t take your bedroom.”

“You just did.”

I wasn’t just invading his space. I was taking it over. “You don’t have to...” I had a terrified thought of being alone in this bedroom. The other boys were gone. I wasn’t afraid to sleep alone, but to sleep alone in a new space like this made me positive I wouldn’t sleep at all.

He bent forward at the waist and lowered his head to level his with mine. I caught the light hazel specks in his green eyes near the pupils. “Kota mentioned you didn’t like sleeping by yourself.”

My lips parted and my pulse quickened. It wasn’t what I’d meant, but now that he mentioned it, I wasn’t often in a bedroom alone any more. Even if the guys had to leave, they stayed with me until I fell asleep, unless there was an Academy emergency. It was usually only for a short time. Someone else was usually on the way back for me.

I wanted to offer to sleep in the spare room, but I sensed there would be a fight about it, and I wasn’t likely to win. Then I realized we’d shared a bed before. I don’t know why, but I wanted to play it off as a joke just in case he wanted to reject the idea. “Yours is bigger than a hospital bed. I think I can keep my hands to myself.” I wasn’t going to be comfortable no matter what, so might as well let him have his own bed.

The curve of his smile broadening did a number on my heart. “Relax,” he said. “And scoot over.”

I leaned back, dragging myself to where there was a pillow and laying down. He crossed around the foot of the bed and crawled up. He sprawled out next to me on his side, his head propped up on his hand. I turned on my side, facing him, with my head against the pillow.

His eyes settled on my face. “I suppose this will do. The view is nicer.”

I cupped my palm around my cheek, pressing the other to the pillow to hide my blushing. “Dr...”

“Sean,” he said.

“Sean...” His first name still felt foreign to my tongue. “Dr. Sean.”

His smile lifted. “Just don’t start calling me Doc.”

“Why not?”

“Because it makes me think I’m a dwarf. And don’t do it just to get under my skin because I’ll start calling you something weird. Like Tweedle Dumpling or Pookie.” His green eyes lit up. “Wait. I take that back. I like Pookie.”

I sunk my face into the pillow, covering my eyes with my fingers. The nickname made me want to squeal for some reason. I think it was just that he was a good looking guy, and he was saying something so cute. Strong and smart Dr. Sean Green didn’t match with voicing the word
Pookie
.

I reveled in the name and him saying it. I started giggling.

Fingertips brushed at the back of my hand. “No, don’t you start that giggling.”

I tried to smother the urge, but it was like an infection spreading. The more I tried to suppress it, the more it bubbled just under the surface.

“You think Pookie is funny?” he asked.

I peeked out from between my fingers, hiding my goofy grin with my palms. “Maybe.”

“You’re doomed now, Pookie,” he said.

I snickered. “Doc.”

“Don’t start.” He reached out for my forearm, tugging it. When I relinquished my hand, he took it, drawing it close to his chest, grasping at my palm. “And don’t hide your face.”

The giggling bubbles stilled, soothed by his touch and gentle expression.

His smile remained and he started to scoot closer, until he was sharing my pillow with me. There was barely an inch of space between us.

His eyes traced over my face. But his lips betrayed him, and the curve of his smile tightened so much that it was clear he was holding back.

The face he was making was too much. My lips split open and I started giggling.

He let a couple of giggles spill out but caught himself. “Sang,” he said in a warning tone. He squeezed my hand in his.

It was the craziest moment. He wasn’t even saying anything now, but no matter what, I couldn’t escape his face and the giggles that wanted to come out. I was nervous, and the only way to soothe it was by laughing.

He breathed in deeply, letting it all out slowly but then he studied my face and the end of it caught in a laugh. “Sang,” he said sharper, louder.

“You started it.”

“I only showed you my bedroom. You started the giggling.”

“You called me Pookie.”

“And you like Pookie.”

I rolled away on my back a little, laughing.

His hands tugged me until I was facing him again. His shoulders shook and his eyes glistened and giggles erupted at every other word. “We need to stop.”

“You don’t have surgery, do you?”

“No, but if we’re going to be eating dinner with Owen, he’ll throw a fit if we’re sniggering at the table.” He swallowed, took in a breath and let it out in a laugh. He groaned. “Oh, god, Sang. Stop. I can’t.”

I tried holding my breath, but I made the mistake of looking at him and the moment our eyes met, we nearly spit on each other as we cracked with laughter. He rolled into me, and I snuggled back into him.

Dr. Green sucked in a breath and pulled his head back a bit. I lifted mine and then our noses were an inch away from each other. It made me want to start giggling.

“You know,” he said in a quiet voice. “There’s only one cure for giggle fits.”

My lips trembled with holding back another laugh. “What’s that?”

One side of his mouth lifted higher than the other. His eyes drifted from mine down my face and toward my mouth.

There was a pause, and somehow I was sure he was going to make a joke. My lips parted, ready for another laugh at whatever it was.

As he leaned his head in, I thought he was teasing.

It all slipped away the moment his lips touched mine.

It took a long moment before I realized this was a kiss. My eyes closed on their own. His lips moved against mine in ways I wasn’t expecting. I felt a little out of place as I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do. He captured my lower lip between his. He pressed our lips together tightly and then slowly pulled back.