Thomas J. Wolf

Not really. It’s… We are a couple yet but we are also individuals; she’s her own person, I am my own. I don’t force her to do anything and she doesn’t force anything on me, though she does have a way to convince me to drink tequila… but again I’m an adult and I make my own decisions, including that one. Also, Riley’s light is way too bright to ever be dulled by anything or anyone. She strong and stubborn and I don’t think she would ever let anyone or anything change who she is. And, if anything, she’s the one who makes me a bit more colorful, she brings out this side of me I didn’t had with anyone else before. So, no, I don’t think I have to worry about that.

No. I know we’ve both gone through trauma in our lives, it’s not hard to notice such things specially the more you get to spend time around your partner but I don’t think she’s hiding anything from me, she’s just waiting to feel ready to share it with me, if she ever feels to do so. She doesn’t owe anything to me, she’s her own person and however she wants to share or keep her past to herself I’m okay with that. I mean the only thing I think would make me want to end the relationship would be if she cheated or if she suddenly decided she doesn’t love me anymore, but I’m confident both of those things are highly unlikely to happen, if not impossible.

Her confidence. She’s unapologetically herself twenty-four hours, seven days per week; she’s vibrant and honesty to a point of being blunt; she speaks her mind and it’s not afraid to do so. She wasn’t afraid to make a move when we first met or two say the first thing that crossed her mind when she was making questions to try to get to know me, at the same time she’s been incredibly patient when it comes to me opening up about things in my past that make me feel vulnerable… not that she had to do much waiting I think; She has this light and magnetic pull that makes it truly impossible to get away from, not that you’ll want to the second she shows that damned grin of hers though. You meet her once and you just don’t want to not be around her ever again.

Five-year plan, not really. I don’t do much planning, I never had. I think since my parents passed away, I’ve always taken or plan short term as I see how things go but that’s always been regarding my own expectations of my studies and my career; everything else just happens at its right time. In five years though, I want to have this incredible special family that I came to find in Seattle, I hope that I’m a good uncle to Jo and Ben’s kids because I’m sure they’ll have a few by then, I hope I’m married to Riley because I want to attach myself in every way I can to that woman… of course if that’s what she wants. I want to have kids of my own someday whenever that happens. Uhm… I also hope to see my sister happy and finding the same joy I’ve found in the last year.I think that’s the most important things I could wish for.

Uhmm nothing really. I’m not really like an extrovert or someone who likes people knowing about my private life. I only open up to people who become my friends and get close to me, they know me and that’s all I care about really. Everyone also says that I’m really oblivious when it comes to noticing that people are talking about me so honestly, I wouldn’t know if there’s anything I would need to correct, not that I would care either way.

“You have no idea,” Thomas breathed, causing ripples of excitement to flow down Riley’s body. The tone of his voice…there was something there that the woman had never heard coloring his cadence. It was a warning, she realized, confirming that Thomas Wolf was not about to let Riley Cross have all the fun. She arched a dark eyebrow, suddenly seeing her boyfriend in a new light. He had always seemed okay with Riley taking the lead, being the more dominant of the two. In fact, it was what Riley was used to in all her relationships. But as Thomas cupped her face, kissing her with a hunger that matched her own, Riley knew she was in for the best night of her life.

Wrapping her legs around Thomas’s waist, the man carefully carried her upstairs with surprising strength. The feel of those steady hands, those long fingers pressing into her skin, was pure ecstasy. Had anyone ever made her feel this way? Riley was no stranger to intimacy, but there was something about Thomas that lit a fire inside the pit of her stomach.

As her body gently hit the softness of the Surgeon’s bed, she kicked off her shoes as Thomas positioned himself over her. The brunette had planned this moment for weeks, but she had assumed she would be the one calling the shots. Instead, Thomas began to kiss her fiercely, his teeth grasping her bottom lip, tugging gently enough that a gasp escaped from Riley’s mouth. His lips began to travel the length of her body, first down her jaw, then her neck, and then to her breasts. Warmth spread down her legs toward her center as she felt her boyfriend trace the line of her lace underwear.

A surprised moan escaped her lips. Had anyone ever taken the time to pleasure her first? Thomas’s fingers brushed gently against her clit, causing her back to arch at his touch. Leaning her head back, Riley could feel his blue eyes on her face, and she knew he was enjoying the moans filling the room, the expressions of pleasure crossing her face. The idea that he was watching her, studying her, was exciting in its own right. Unable to stop herself, Riley’s hips began to move against the pressure of Thomas’s fingers.

“Don’t stop,” Riley breathed, enjoying the slow build of tension that was building in her body. How did he know exactly where to touch? The brunette didn’t need to tell him where to place his fingers or move her body to get him to feel her properly. It was almost as if Riley’s body had been designed just for him. There was no awkwardness, no frustration; instead, Thomas played her like an instrument, his fingers dancing across her button in the perfect rhythm.

“Fuck,” she breathed as the pressure continued to build. “You’re unfair.”

Her backside began to press into the mattress, her head titled back, and then, like a rubber band snapping, Riley let out a moan of pleasure, her hips bucking as her first orgasm rocked her body. She was sure she had never finished that fast in her entire life, not even by herself.

“I think…we’re both overdressed,” Riley said, her hands moving toward Thomas as she pulled at his shirt.

There was a puzzling sensation about Riley that Thomas had a hard time explaining or exactly pinpointing what it was, ever since the two met they seemed from the very outside like complete opposites; Riley was vibrant, bold and unapologetically herself without hesitations while Thomas was reserved, quiet and for the most part hard to read to most people except for the few ones he truly let in which was a rare occasion. Usually letting people in past, the walls that kept everyone from truly knowing him took time, it took time for him to adjust and trust someone, it took time for him to finally decide to (reluctantly) let his guard down to let someone in but with Riley Cross things had been different from the get go.

She managed to get past his walls as if she had been there before, she didn’t even have to ask, the woman simply walked in like she had always owned his heart and Thomas Wolf truly felt like she did. There had never been  a second guess with anything that had to do with her; from dancing with her at the gala to ask her own on their first dates where they shared their first kiss… none of it had been difficult to decide as there was no awkwardness between the two, as if they easily guessed each other’s thoughts, wants and needs and that was reflected on the way her body moved instinctively the second he touched, as if no matter where he touched she was bound to react to what he did which only made him more curious of how differently she would move or react if he moved his fingers slightly to one side, or lowers between her labia.  “Don’t stop,” Riley moaned, letting out a shaky breath as he slowly continued to move his fingers against the little spot that caused her chest to rise as her back arched, switching up the direction in which his finger moved to keep her on her on the edge. Thomas couldn’t contain or hide the devilish smirk that spread across his lips as he heard his girlfriend whine and squirm underneath him before suddenly her hips pressed deeper into the mattress and her back began to arch while her head tilted back, the man new she was close and he wouldn’t take that away from her. Finally, as she snapped and moaned loudly, the man slowed down the way his fingers moved until he came to a stop and watched her for a moment with a small grin curling his lips.

“I think…we’re both overdressed,” His girlfriend said as she started tugging on his shirt.

“I know.” He said with a bigger grin before he leaned down and kissed her deeply for a moment moving on top of her and between her legs before he pulled back and sat up straight, grabbing her thighs and pulling her closer to him before placing her legs on top of his thighs as he remained on his knees looking down at her as he removed his jacked and tossed it on the ground before one hand moved towards the cuffs of his shirt and undid the button and then moved onto the other one. “Patience is key, my love.” He said with a devilish smile dancing on his lips as he undid his tie and removed it from around his neck before slowly working on unbuttoning his shirt, finally opening it fully and removing it from his shoulders and tossing it to the side as well. The plastic surgeon then leaned down again pressing his lips on hers for a moment, moving to her jawline and down her neck where he licked the skin before he nibbled on the skin while one of his hands moved down to feel one side of her body going from her delicate shoulder the over her breast and past her stomach until he made his way successfully to the back of her leg and wrapped it around his waist. “You can tell me, okay? If you don’t like something.” He said softly as he looked at her for a second, wanting her to know that she would always have a way out and could tell him if anything he did made her uncomfortable, as much as he wanted to have his way with her in the moment; mostly he wanted her to feel safe with him.

Thomas then moved to kiss her collarbone, slowly dragging his lips over the curvatures of her breasts that were still covered by the blue lacy fabric that kept him from having a complete view of the work of art that Riley Cross was. His lips moved to press against the bare skin of the top of her right breast, staying there for a little while before he used his fingers to pull the fabric down and reveal her nipple, swirling his tongue around it for a moment then gently grazing his teeth over the tender skin until finally covering the spot with his lips again, staying there for a moment before moving to her left breast to do the same thing but the lace that still covered part of her chest got in his way, “This needs to come off now.” He said as his index fingers hooked on each strap before pulling them down her shoulders, then his hands moved underneath her to her back and pulled her up on top of him as he sat up straight again so he could finally unclasp her bra and remove it from her torso.

“Are you and Jo on some kind of mission of getting me and Ben blackout drunk? I saw her handing Ben tequila shots earlier tonight, and I could see the physical pain in his face as he drank them,” Thomas said, grinning as he poured Riley a glass of the expensive brandy.

“Well, I can’t speak for Josephine,” Riley admitted, holding the glass of liquor in her hand. “But I’m trying to find that perfect balance of you incredibly wasted but still sober enough to have your way with me later.” The brunette winked as she brought the glass up to her lips, attempting to hide her annoyance at the fact that anyone would spend a million dollars on booze. Growing up in poverty had made the brunette entirely responsible when it came to her finances. She made quite a bit of money as an anesthesiologist, but Riley really never spent more than she had to. She allowed herself small extravagances, like her rainbow dress that she had purchased for the Rosewood Prom, but later she had donated it to a young woman unable to afford her own prom gown. Most of her money was spent making sure her brother, Tristain, was able to keep a roof over his head, and she donated quite a bit of it back to the community she had grown up in.

Riley took a small sip of the brandy, knowing that if she drank all it in one swallow, she wouldn’t be enjoying the taste of it. Of course, it took all of her willpower to do just that. As she let the alcohol sit on her tongue, she watched as Thomas poured himself a shot of the cheapest vodka in the stocked-in bar. A slight grin turned the corner of her lips as she once again took in his outfit for the night: tight black slacks, a long-sleeved cotton shirt with the sleeves rolled up enough for her to see his surprisingly toned forearms. The shirt was unbuttoned just enough for Riley to see a bit of his chest hair, and it took everything in her not to sit down the glass of brandy and bury her face into that hair.

Thomas knocked back his first shot like a pro, though as he shook his head, unable to hide the disgust, Riley began to laugh.

“Yeah, I still don’t get how you guys do it,” Thomas said as he prepared himself another drink.

“Practice makes perfect,” Riley quipped, taking another sip of brandy.

“So, what do you think? What does a million-dollar brandy taste like? Don’t spit it out; you’ll waste thousands of dollars in that one sip.”

“Coconut,” Riley said with a laugh, “It tastes like coconut. And…” the brunette tilted her head as she reached out for her boyfriend, wrapping her arms around his neck. “And pretentiousness….” A large grinned split her lips, showing off her pearly white teeth. “But it’s not bad. I mean…for a coconut brandy.” Riley winked at Thomas before snuggling into his chest, her arms dropping down by his waist.

“Do you want to hear the tea?” Riley said as she pulled back, finishing off the glass of brandy. “But it’s secret tea, so you can’t tell anyone.” Turning her face to the side, she watched as Ben led Josephine off the dance floor and toward the beach. Earlier, she had watched as Phillip Nash and Esmeralda Whitlock had escaped back to the resort. “Ben is proposing to Josephine tonight, which is why he isn’t going to get blackout drunk. So…we’ll have a wedding to attend. Also, Phillip Nash and Esmeralda are back in their hotel room. Hopefully, they’re admitting their feelings, or honestly, I’m locking them in there until they do. Even I’m getting tired of watching them play hard-to-get.”

“Coconut,” Riley said with a assertive tone before she let one of her delightful laughs, making him laugh along with her before she gave more details about what she thought of the obscenely expensive coconut brandy that Sterling Ides had brought to the party. “It tastes like coconut. And… And pretentiousness….” She said with a grin wide enough that showed off that precious smile of hers as she wrapped her arms around his neck, immediately one of his hands moved to her waist feeling himself get lost in warm chocolate eyes that looked back at his with nothing but pure contentment, “But it’s not bad. I mean…for a coconut brandy.” She added.

“I mean, you’re not wrong. It’s not bad but then again…” He said with a slight shrug of his shoulders before smiling, “However, the man did go through a shit ton of trouble to get this probably. So I hope we all finish it.” He said looking towards the dancefloor spotting Sterling dancing with Luna Delgado, “Well, I guess he’s not going to care either way.” He said softly before letting out a light laugh and finally turning his attention back to his girlfriend as she dropped her hands down to his waist and then spoke again.  

“Do you want to hear the tea?” She asked and he couldn’t help but grin at the sound of that phrase. Often at night or at some point of the evening, the couple would be getting ready for bed or making dinner, moving around the kitchen as they worked together before Riley started talking to him about all the news and rumors, she had heard going around Rosewood General; even when the man was quite reserved to anyone but his friends and girlfriend, he couldn’t help but enjoy that little routine of theirs that they had developed the more Riley stayed over at his home.

“Yup, spill.” He said, leaning down to press his lips against the top of her head before taking a glass, some ice and serving Riley a drink before getting himself some whiskey. Just as she began to speak, Thomas looked back at her handing her the glass before his eyes followed the direction she was looking at and there he spotted their friends walking towards the beach, his eyes widened a bit as he immediately knew what was happening.

“Is he-“ He started to ask but the anesthesiologist beat him to it as she confirmed his suspicions that, finally, Ben was proposing to Josephine. He couldn’t help but smile a bit more as he looked back at them but only saw their shadow disappearing as they walked further away. And then, Riley moved on to a topic that had everyone talking and trying to guess what was happening ever since the shooting happening: Esmeralda and Phillip.

“Hopefully, they’re admitting their feelings, or honestly, I’m locking them in there until they do. Even I’m getting tired of watching them play hard-to-get.” She said, again Thomas laughed and shook his head a bit.

“I know it’s a bit… well, we all know or at least have a good idea of what happening with them. I mean, it’s a bit too obvious for the way they look at each other and how Ezzy avoid the topic at all costs. But… I think… I don’t know, love. Maybe something happened to them and now they are terrified of relationships and that’s what’s happening. They’ll get there… if he proves he deserves it and Esmeralda actually realizes how he looks at her but… we just have to be patient.” He said taking a sip of his drink before setting the drink down. “You’ll be proud of me; I have tea of my own.” He said with a small grin before letting out a laugh. “Apparently, Sterling is going to die this week because he’s just walking off with Luna Delgado and Dr. Sarmiento looks like he’s going to murder him soon.” He said with a small laugh as he looked towards their direction.

“I think we’ll get more of this as the week goes on. I have a feeling we’ll get a lot of… hook ups, new friendships and funny stories to talk about.” He said laughing. “Now I saw you dancing with Jo and Esmeralda even the girls from the other Villa but not me… you owe me a dance, Doctor Cross.” He said with a grin.

Riley smiled as Thomas led her to his dark grey Porsche. There was a slight fluttering in her stomach that she couldn’t ignore, as it seemed the Surgeon knew precisely what Riley was hinting at when she promised to make their departure worth it.  He opened the door for her, and as Riley slide into the passenger seat, she was greeted with the familiar smell of patchouli, black pepper, amber, and vanilla. Slender fingers moved to buckle her seat belt, but before she could even place it over her chest, Thomas was pulling out of the parking lot, causing a small chuckle to escape from Riley’s lips.

The idea that he couldn’t wait to get her back to his apartment, where they could be alone, caused heat to bloom inside the pit of her stomach and move down her legs.

The Escala Building where Thomas lived was only a short drive from Rosewood, and yet he somehow managed to make a drive that typically took six minutes, take three. In a matter of seconds, the couple was out of the car and moving toward the towering skyscraper. Dark brown eyes looked up toward Thomas’s penthouse, shaking her head slightly. Despite being together for a handful of months, the Anesthesiologist had never been to Thomas’s apartment, as most of the time, they either met at her place or went out. Seeing the extravagant building was a reminder that the two were very different on paper, but Riley knew that outward appearances meant nothing. Despite seeming contrary, she and Thomas were made from the same clay.

Inside the elevator, Riley moved closer to Thomas, smiling as he held her hand. “I’ve been slowly creating a collection of tequila for you since it’s one of the drinks you like the most; I wanted to have it around for you.” A shy smile turned the corner of his lips. The woman’s heart continued to thud against her ribs. In all of her years, Riley had never been in a relationship with someone who was so incredibly thoughtful. The Surgeon continually put Riley and her wants and needs first, surprising her every day.

At last, they made it to Thomas’s floor. Stepping inside the penthouse, Riley’s eyes fell over the living room, smiling as she took in the décor. Yet, before she could even comment, Thomas was standing in front of her, eyes blue eyes burning with lust as they looked into hers. For a moment, he looked conflicted, as if he was waiting for Riley to make a move, but then, he muttered something so low that the brunette couldn’t make sense of it. Nor did Thomas give her time; suddenly, his long fingers cupped her face as his lips came crashing down on hers.

Their lips moved with synchrony, their hands roaming over each other’s clothes, holding each other close. Riley’s heart was beating so loudly that she could hear it echo in her ears. Her body tingled in anticipation, curling around Thomas. Then, breathlessly, they parted.

“I promised I would make it worth it,” Riley said, taking a step back with a playful grin. Hands moved to her neck where the tie of her dress laid. Undoing the knot, the dress fell from her body, revealing the lacy blue bra and matching underwear she had picked especially for the night. Still, in her high heels, Riley stepped out of the dress and moved back toward Thomas, her trademark grin curling her lips as she pulled him back in for another kiss.

“I hope you got plenty of sleep last night,” she said as her lips moved down his jaw as her hands began to undo his tie. “Because you’re not getting any tonight.”

A fire erupted from Thomas’s chest and spread quickly across the rest of his torso reaching every single extremity and corner of his body, his brain suddenly shut off focus only on the way Riley’s curves felt under his hands as he dragged them down her back feeling the deep curve as he reached her waist before he felt the curves of her hips; one of his hands gripping on her flesh a little harder than he intended to, but the way her lips moved against his and her hands desperately moved around his body kept him from regain full control of his own body, his other hand however moved up her side until it reached the side of her have and gently cupped it before she pulled back and left the tall man breathless while his eyes followed her when she took a step back.

“I promised I would make it worth it.” Riley said.

His usually bright blue eyes suddenly turned darker with lust as the woman grinned at him, her delicate hands moving up her torso and towards the back of her neck. Casually placing his hands in his pockets, Thomas took a few steps back and leaned back against a pilar that was behind him while his head tilted to the side as he kept his eyes on her. With one swift motion, the rainbow dress that covered her up fell on the ground revealing the beauty of his girlfriend’s body; blue lacy fabric still clinging to her figure, covering only specific spots to leave very little to the imagination and make him want to rip off the lingerie right there and then.

“I have to say,” He said, his voice calm and low as he peeled himself from the wall behind him and walked back to Riley, “I like this better than the dress.” He said his eyes looking down at the marvel her body was, a fingertip gently reaching out and tracing a line from her shoulder down and towards her stomach before she pulled him back to her as her lips collided with his again.

“I hope you got plenty of sleep last night, because you’re not getting any tonight.” She said as he allowed her to move to his jawline while she worked on undoing his tie, her words made the grin on his face turn wicker before letting out a low chuckle.

“You have no idea.” He said laughing softly before moving his hands to her face as he searched for her lips and kissed her again, the plastic surgeon’s skillful hands then moved down her neck, brushing the sides of her breasts until they rested firmly on her waist before he pulled back just a bit to look at her and smiled as he lifted her up allowing her legs to wrap around his waist then moving his hands to her backside to support her while he walked upstairs, down the hall and finally got to his bedroom where he set Riley down on the bed; his body hovering over hers as his lips hungrily moved against Riley’s before gently grasping her bottom lip between his teeth as he pulled back. His blue eyes melted with brown eyes while grinning, he winked at her once and moved to kiss her neck as one of his hand gently cupped her face and moved it to the side to give him better access before it slid down her throat and chest, enjoying how the soft skin of her full breasts felt under his hand before he felt the lace and then the skin of her stomach, letting him know that he was close to where he wanted to be. Returning to kiss her lips, Thomas index finger traced a line above the edge of her underwear right above her stomach, fingers teased as they gently and slowly got under the blue fabric until they found themselves between her legs before he started rubbing her clit slowly, almost at an excruciating way as he was barely touching her but he wanted her to beg for him; he wanted to hear the gasps and the whining asking him to give her more.

The last month had been exhausting for Riley Cross. The shooting at Rosewood General had brought back too many memories for the Anesthesiologist, who had to come to the terms that perhaps she wasn’t as fully healed from her past trauma as she would like to admit. There were nightmares, ones in which she came home from work to find both her parents, Esmeralda, Joe, Ben, and Thomas, dying from gunshot wounds in her living room, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t save them. After a few weeks of that, Riley began finding reasons to stay at Thomas’s Penthouse. When she would wake from a dead sleep, a cold sweat dripping down the back of her neck, Riley would roll over and gently press her hand over his Thoma’s heart, just to feel it beating under his palm. Watching the Surgeon’s chest rise and fall, listening to air enter and exit through his nose softly, Riley could eventually force herself back to sleep.

She had already been thinking about a vacation when Dubois announced he was sending the staff of Rosewood General on a week-long vacation to Tulum, Mexico. It seemed like fate when Riley and all her friends were selected to be part of the first group to visit the resort. The Anesthesiologist began packing almost immediately, fully immersing herself in vacation planning. Tulum was much more than sandy white beaches; there was an art installation, Myan Ruins, ziplining, snorkeling, and nightclubs. Nothing sounded better than a week with her friends- and despite having to basically guilt trip Esmeralda Whitlock into attending, Riley and her friends left Sea-Tac Airport with her other co-workers on the seventh of May.

Riley fully expected Tulum to be a tropical paradise- what she did not expect was the party thrown together by Calliope Jackson and Sterling Ides. The Anesthesiologist thought everyone would retire to their own cliques, but it seemed that Calliope and Sterling had other ideas. Everyone was forced to take a tequila shot and then head to the common area that had been turned into a Night Club of their own.

With a large grin, Riley pulled Josephine and Esmeralda onto the dance floor. Shots were passed around, groups began to mix, and eventually, everyone was starting to show signs of being a little too intoxicated. After breaking away from dancing with Josephine and Jamie Kwon, Riley headed toward the bar, where she spotted her boyfriend.

With a large, slightly tipsy grin, she wrapped her arms around him as he began to go on about the expensive brandy he was drinking.

“Mmmmm,” Riley said, moving in front of him, her hands sliding over his shoulders. “That was probably Sterling. Besides you, he’s probably the wealthiest guy here,” the Anesthesiologist said with a smile as she grabbed an empty shot glass. “And yes, I would love some Rich Guy Booze, but only if you drink some Poor Girl Tequila with me afterward.”

Thomas felt Riley’s arms wrapped around his waist and he couldn’t help but chuckle a bit as he looked down at her and noticed the tipsy grin taking over her lips. For the past month, the man had been wanting to see the signature glow that his girlfriend carried around whenever she went but the aftermath of the shooting had taken that away from them for a little while. As much as she tried, the plastic surgeon noticed the exhaustion take over the anesthesiologist face; every morning he noticed how the skin under her eyes darkened some days when she had difficulty sleeping, many nights he had woken up to find her gripping at his shirt or keeping her hand glued to her chest as if she was afraid, he would suddenly stop breathing.

He wanted so bad to fix it, feeling a bit responsible as it was his injures that brought back memories that hadn’t haunted her for a long time. It was when the two women suggested going on a vacation to forget about Seattle for a couple of days that Thomas started to make calls and get suggestions of different locations and itineraries to escape with Riley but before anything was set in stone, Dubois announced the plan Rosewood’s board had approved which consisted on sending the staff on a paid vacation to help them forget about the shooting and the scars they had all been left with… for a little while at least.

“That was probably Sterling. Besides you, he’s probably the wealthiest guy here,” The Anesthesiologist said, Thomas glanced back at the man who was currently dancing with Luna Delgado before bringing his attention back to Riley glancing down at her hand that already had a glass making him chuckle a bit as he shook his head. “And yes, I would love some Rich Guy Booze, but only if you drink some Poor Girl Tequila with me afterward.” She said with that damning grin on her face, causing peace to settle in his heart and spread across his chest as he finally saw the joy back in girlfriend’s face.

“Are you and Jo in some mission of getting me and Ben black out drunk? I saw her handing Ben tequila shots earlier tonight and I could see the physical pain in his face as he drank them.” He said with a small laugh as he filled up her glass with the expensive brandy before he took two more shot glass and grabbed the cheapest bottle of tequila to fill the glasses. “I’ll tell you something, I’ll take two. While you drink that, I’ll drink… this.” He said lifting the glass up before taking a small breath as he tossed the drink back and shook his head while feeling the liquid burn his throat. “Yeah, I still don’t get how you guys do it.” He said before filling up his glass again and waited for Riley to take her time and really enjoy the brandy.

“So, what do you think? What does a million-dollar brandy taste like? Don’t spit it out, you’ll waste thousands of dollars in that one sip.” He said with a laugh.

Thomas had never been a heavy drinker, in fact; he could count with one hand the times he got so drunk he woke up with a hangover the following days and he would still have fingers to spare. His drinking had been amped up slightly after he started dating Riley however, he liked to follow along on nights where she felt like gathering the group and drink one too many bottles of wine still the woman had yet to see him drunk. As the announcement of the trip to Tulum was made, Thomas Wolf knew there was no way he would get away with keeping the score of his rare drunken nights at the same number, but if he had to be honest; he was actually looking forward to it.

Life had already shaken him up the moment he met Riley Cross, that precious creature that now existed in his life made him appreciate every single day more intensely because she made his days brighter and colorful. After the shooting, another wakes up call hit the surgeon like a tidal wave washing everything and forcing him to understand things about his past and present that he had been avoiding for so long. Most of his life Thomas had been too busy to truly enjoy every stage of his life, as a kid he had been too concerned with his sister’s well being and getting her through her scars and the loss of their parents that he even forgot he too was just a child playing to be an adult in order to care for Ella. As a teen, he was too focused on getting through his studies to go to college as well as trying to help his sister through the awkward stages of puberty while people at school stared at her or treated her differently because of the scars that covered her body. College wasn’t much of a different and once he started working, suddenly he got too caught up on work that he stopped noticing things around him.

He wouldn’t do that again… not anymore.

At the party, the tall walked around with a drink in hand; thanks to Sterling and Calliope he had four shots in his system and probably more to come the moment his girlfriend had enough of dancing with her friends and worked her convincing skills to get him to take another shot with her. Moving through the people, Thomas reached the bar looking around at the different sorts of booze for a moment before finally grabbing a bottle of brandy that he had heard rumors about. The man poured some in his glass and brought it up to his nose, taking in the coconut like smell for a moment before arching his eyebrow and then taking a sip.

“Holy shit, that’s good.” He said with both eyebrows arched this time as he looked back at the bottle before realizing just how expensive the bottle was. “Who bought this? Do you know how much this cost?” He asked as he noticed a familiar face next to him, “Want some?” He asked grinning a bit before taking another sip.

“If you’re involved, this will definitely be the best night of my life,” Thomas said with a grin, making Riley chuckle slightly. That was the thing about the Surgeon. He was incredibly charming, but it wasn’t in an ostentatious way. Everything about Thomas felt natural, from the words that fell from his lips, from the way his hand reached for hers, spinning her slightly before pulling Riley back to his chest. “Watch out; you’ll keep setting the bar too high,” the Surgeon said, laughing.

“I tend to be very good at that,” Riley said with a wink.

“By the way, my mother taught me how to dance,” Thomas said, as he continued to move with Riley, leading her through a very graceful and classic slow dance.

Surprise colored her eyes as she titled her head. Despite dating for a few months now, neither Thomas nor Riley had really mentioned their parents. Thomas had never clearly stated that his parents were deceased, but the man had left enough pieces to the puzzle for the Anesthesiologist to come up with a solid picture. Riley knew just how hard it was for her to talk about her own parents, and so she smiled softly as he turned her once more.

“She did an amazing job,” Riley added, looking up at Thomas.

His heart was so gentle, she thought to herself. When they had first met, the Anesthesiologist had expected someone more like Dr. Nash. Cold and distant due to maliciousness, but now she realized it was because he was a guarded man. He wasn’t exactly shy, but it was clear that Thomas didn’t just let everyone into his life. His circle was small, full of people who understood that he would open up when given the time. Perhaps Riley had knocked loudly on the door to his heart, almost forcing her way in, like she typically did, but most importantly, Thomas had let her stay.

“You’re an amazing man, Thomas James Wolf,” Riley said, still looking up at him as the music began to morph into something louder. “You wouldn’t…maybe want to get out of here, would you? Maybe start that after-party a little early?” The woman’s heart was pounding loudly in her chest as she leaned in and pressed her lips against Thomas’s before pulling back once more, arching her brow. “I promise I’ll make it worth it.”

“You’re an amazing man, Thomas James Wolf,” She said, making Thomas smile back at her proudly showing his grin as they slowed down their dancing while the beat of the music changed. Then, Riley looked back at him, there was a shift in her warm eyes which caused the surgeon to lightly arch an eyebrow as he placed his hands on her waist. “You wouldn’t…maybe want to get out of here, would you? Maybe start that after-party a little early?” His girlfriend said, her words sending a rush from the bottom of his feet up to his head and the feeling of her full lips pressing against his only made his heart beat harder against his ribcage before she pulled back leaving the man breathless as he looked back at her.

“I promise I’ll make it worth it.” She said, sparking a roaring fire inside the man’s chest as he grinned back at her. The plastic surgeon couldn’t help it as he moved his hands to her face and cupped it gently before kissing her, a little deeper than before; he waited for a moment before slowly pulling back, his eyes roaming every feature of her face as he grinned again.

“Let’s get out of here, gorgeous.” He said with a wink before he stood up straight and took his girlfriend’s hand and started walking away from the dancefloor and towards the entrance and then headed towards the parking lot to where his car was. Knowing that Riley was most likely going to be wearing high heels the man had parked as close as possible to the building where they knew the Prom would take place, so It only took them a couple of minutes to reach his dark grey Porsche. Thomas led Riley to the passenger’s seat and opened the door for her before he helped her into his car and then closed the door carefully. Once in his car, Thomas adjusted his seatbelt and started his car driving off to his apartment building. It didn’t take long before the couple saw the enormous Escala building in front of them and once the man parked his car in his usual spot; he walked over to the other side of his car to open the door for her, offering his hand to help her get out of the Porsche before finally locking his car and walking towards the elevator.

“Good evening, Mr. Wolf.” The security guard said, nodding his head.

“Have a good night, Martin.” Thomas said with a light smile as he looked at the man before turning his attention to his girlfriend who was looking back at him with that beaming smile of hers. “Wine, beer or tequila?” He asked keeping a small grin on his lips as he looked down at her, trying to play it cool. He wasn’t going to rush through the night, he wanted her to tell him what she wanted, when she wanted it; if she allowed him to, Thomas was going to spend the rest of the night unraveling and discovering the work of art that Riley Cross was.

Once in the Elevator, the man pressed the button for his floor before entering his key and then moved back, leaning against the wall of the metal box while his hand still held onto Riley’s, “I’ve been slowly creating a collection of tequila for you, since it’s one of the drinks you like the most; I wanted to have it around for you.” He said with a smile. The tall man’s heart continued to beat loudly in his chest, his rhythm getting faster as he looked up at the number of the floor, they still had a couple of floors to go as his was the very last.

“Play it cool. Let her lead.” He thought to himself but just as he repeated that mantra in his own mind, his eyes moved to look at Riley again; dark curls, full soft lips, that signature grin of hers, the dress that revealed some skin only making his mind picture what the rest of the woman’s frame looked like. “Fuck it.” He mumbled before cupping her face in his hand and pressing his lips against hers, allowing the fire in his chest to spread across his torso until it reached every single extremity of his.

I’m flying up there.

The message from her baby brother sat in her inbox as Riley tried to come up with reasons for Tristian Cross to stay in LA. There really was no cause for him to visit. Physically, Riley was fine. She was one of the lucky ones. Thirteen people had been pronounced dead, including six staff members and seven patients. Biting her lip, the Anesthesiologist tried not to think about Gwen. The guilt that was settling in her bones felt uncomfortable, causing Riley to physically shift in her chair. At least her baby survived, Riley, tried to tell herself. Yet, the brunette knew what living without a mother was like. At least she had got to know her mother, Gwen’s baby would never have that chance.

Please stay. I’m fine, Riley sent back to Tristain, who immediately responded with two eye-rolling emoji’s.

Letting out a sigh, the Anesthesiologist shoved her phone in her pocket. The last ten hours had been exhausting. Not only had she been through an incredibly traumatic incident because she was unharmed, but she was also requested to administer anesthesia for a handful of surgeries, including her boyfriends.  Each second that had ticked by, she was sure she would lose him, and in the second, there was a moment in which he actually flat-lined. It had been nearly impossible to keep her composure while the doctors attempted to bring him back to life.

Ignoring the vibration of her iPhone, she looked around the little recovery room to Esmeralda Whitlock’s sleeping form. The brunette would have been fine sitting there all night, but each time she moved her head to look out toward the hallway, the sight of a tall, slender man with worried blue eyes caught her attention. Phillip Nash had been standing there all night. Against her better judgment, Riley made sure that there was a glass of water next to Esmeralda’s bed before leaving the room, giving Phillip a stiff nod as she left. Neither one of them needed to say a word. Riley was giving him permission to sit with Esmeralda. 

Thomas’s room was right next to Esmeralda’s, so she didn’t have to walk far, but the moment she heard the sound of Thomas’s voice, Riley stopped. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest as a smile turned the corner of her lips. As much as she wanted to give Ella and Thomas time together, the brunette could not stop herself from turning the doorknob and walking in. Every atom in her body pulled her toward Thomas. 

As the two siblings noticed Riley, Ella quickly stood, wiping tears from her face. “Oh god. I’m sorry, I’m being the overbearing sister now,” the dark-haired woman said. Riley held up her hands a bit, trying to brush Ella’s worries off, but she insisted that she was hungry and was going to grab something to eat. The moment the door closed behind her, Riley’s eyes moved back to Thomas, who was lying in his hospital bed. 

“I can’t explain how good it is to see your face again." 

Riley had not sure how she would react to seeing Thomas again, but she did not expect the sudden amount of tears that cascaded from her eyes and down her cheeks. Full sobs broke from her chest as she quickly closed the distance between herself and her boyfriend. Closing the distance between herself and Thomas, Riley picked up his hand and brought it to her lips before carefully cupping his face and looking into his eyes. 

"You almost died,” she said, her voice shaky as she tried and failed to get her tears under control. “I almost lost you." 

The moment Ella stepped out of the room and the room was closed, Riley looked back at him, she stood there frozen for a couple of seconds just staring back at him before finally, the woman broke down; tears streamed down her face like vast waterfalls causing Thomas’s heart to sink in his chest to see the woman he loved, the woman who was usually all bright and shiny now sob with full force that made her frame shake as she stood closer to him and took his hand kissing it before she cupped his face. "You almost died,” She said, her voice breaking and barely making it out of her lips, “I almost lost you.” She said as she tried her best to keep her tears inside.

“Hey…” He said softly his hand reaching up to cup one side of her face, “I didn’t. I’m here… you saved me. You guys saved me.” He said wanting to sit up but the sharp pain in his stomach as he attempted to do so reminded him that he needed to be careful. Groaning, Thomas did his best to move a bit to make space for his girlfriend before taking her hand and helping her lay down right next to him as he pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her and placing her hand against his chest. “Shh… I’m here. I’m sorry…” He said keeping his voice down as his hand gently brushed her hair, “I’m sorry I scared you, Riley… I’m not going anywhere… never.” He whispered as he continued to rub her back gently, wanting her to cry and let out every single feeling and worry he knew she had kept buried for hours. Thomas and Riley had yet to talk about in full extent about how they lost their parents; neither him or Riley had gone into details of just how painful that was but the man could truly imagine and relate to her as they both knew, in one way or the other, what it felt like to lose someone you love.

Then Thomas tried to put himself, if she had been the one hurt and he had to watch her fighting for her life; No, the surgeon knew he couldn’t survive that, he couldn’t bare losing her. Not her.

“You’re never going to lose me,” He said as kissed her head and moved his head to look at her, “For as long as you want me, Riley, I’ll be with you. I love you; I’m never going to leave you, you hear me? Never.” He spoke. Thomas knew that there was no way he could promise her to never die because that was both the curse and the beauty of human life, at some point everyone passed away, but in that moment; Thomas vowed in silence to never leave her side for as long as she wanted him with her. If she allowed him, he would spend the rest of his life hoping they would die one day far away when they were both grey and old and knowing that they had done anything they wanted in life… together.

The rest of his life; he could promise that.

“Forever, Riley. If you want me to, I’ll stay with you forever.” He said softly as she looked at him, he offered a small smile before leaning down and kissing her gently, then pressing his forehead against hers. After Riley’s sob eased and her body stopped shaking, the plastic surgeon gave her a long moment before he spoke again as flashbacks of what it felt like a dream hit him, “Esmeralda…” He whispered, blurting out their friend’s name with widened eyes. 

“Is Esmeralda, okay? She didn’t… right?” He asked feeling his heart pounding in his chest the more he remembered.