#Chapter 61: Manufactured Thrill

Ardal My heart begins to race. Jack meets my eyes, swallowing nervously. “And I’ve been missing you,” he says. His affection is a balm for my pain. The heat I’m feeling between us is an escape from my fears. The longing to feel something - anything - but the stark reality of my child sitting a few doors down hooked to a dialysis machine, makes me want to fling myself into his arms. He is the superhero in a white coat saving us. Heart pounding, I raise my head, tilting my lips up to his. He leans in to kiss me, but before I can lose myself in him, we’re interrupted by the sound of footsteps outside of the partially opened door. He yanks apart from me just as a nurse walks by. “Maybe you should head off upstairs,” he says, voice heavy with a mixture of lust and frustration. A sly smile tugs at my lips. I reach my arm out, clicking the door shut. His eyes widen in surprise. Then, without wasting a moment, he pulls me towards him, crushing my lips agai