When Love Breaks by Kate Squires

dismiss the notion.

6
    LOGAN
    S he bursts through the doorway like a gale force wind, pausing only slightly to close the door behind her. I instantly notice that she’s not wearing her usual scrub uniform. Instead, she’s wearing a figure flattering, fitted t-shirt and a pair of snug, blue jeans. I’ve never been able to study her shape before, since the work clothes she wears are anything but tight, but I take this opportunity to do just that. She’s perfect.
    “We’re going out!” she announces, then she continues farther into the house.
    “Excuse me, what?” I say, trying to comprehend what just passed between her lips.
    “You heard me, and I won’t take no for an answer.” She nods satisfactorily with her hands on her hips, as if it’s a done deal.
    “Elora…” I whine a bit; I’ll admit it.
    “Logan, you have to get out. You’ve been cooped up here for way too long. You need to feel the sun on your face, the wind in your hair, and hear the birds chirping in the trees. You need this,” she says, with her hands tucked into her back pockets.
    “I don’t go out.”
    “Why not?”
    “You know why not.”
    “No. I know that you tell me you don’t like it, but you’ve never said why. So, give me one good reason I should let you stay at home.” She crosses her arms and taps her foot awaiting my reply. I smirk then grin at the sight before me. She looks like a petulant child who’s trying to convince her parents to give in to her demands. I snort and roll my eyes.
    “You know, you don’t fight fair.”
    “I fight very fair. You’re just mad because you know I’m right.”
    I roll my eyes again.
    “How’s this going to work? I’ve never practiced getting in and out of a car.”
    “Well, you’ve mastered all the other transfers, chair to car and back again, so it shouldn’t be that much different. Besides, I can help you.”
    “No,” I simply say.
    “No?”
    I shake my head.
    “You’re saying no to what? No helping you, or no car ride at all?”
    I stay silent for a moment, letting her twist in the wind. Her brow furrows as she pouts, and I can’t hold out anymore.
    “No helping me.” She squeals and claps rapidly while hopping up and down, in realization of my agreement to go out with her. “I’ll go on your little outing, but you’re not helping me at all. If I fall onto the ground, it’ll be my responsibility to hoist myself back up. Capiche?”
    She nods excitedly, and before I know it, her arms are around me. I’m stunned at first, but my arms automatically reciprocate. Her hair smells good—almost flowery. Her cheek brushes against mine, and I can’t help but notice how soft it is. I’m not sure if this was planned, or if it was out of instinct, but here we are, hugging. I close my eyes and savor this moment, however brief it might be. She stills slightly, in realization I guess, then pulls back slowly. No. I don’t want it to end. We stare at each other, our arms still touching. We’re both speechless. I watch, seemingly in slow motion, as she licks her bottom lip, then pulls at it with her teeth. I’ve seen her do this a thousand times but somehow, this time is different. My breath hitches, and her eyes sink to my mouth. Is she thinking about…
    Then, she suddenly seems to recover herself and looks anywhere but at me. Smoothing a strand of hair that had escaped from her ponytail, she straightens.
    “S—so, I think we should get, um…going then.” Her awkward stutter makes me wonder. Did she feel something? Is her heart beating as fast as mine? Can she tell how attracted I am to her? I do a quick mental check to make sure my desire isn’t outwardly obvious. It’s difficult to talk, but I manage.
    “Um, sure. I could use the fresh air—I mean because it’s hot in here—not because I’m hot, or you’re hot, but because it’s a nice day out, and the furnace is still on, and…”
    Ugh! Shut the fuck up!
    She smiles shyly.
    “I know what you mean,” she