State of Grace by Delia Foster

maybe Nolan had a point. When was the last time you got laid, Gracie?"
    She felt color rising and knew it stained her cheeks. Memories of Sean, memories she fought to suppress every single day, invaded her mind at Leah’s unwitting comment. "None of your business, and my name is Grace, not Gracie," she gritted.
    Leah had perfected the art of an arched brow and simultaneous smirk as a teenager shortly after she’d decided she was interested in boys. Out of habit, she pulled the same expression on Grace now. "All I'm suggesting is that a little stress relief, endorphins, and some dopamine might go a long way every now and then.” She twisted her lips ruefully. “In that respect, Nolan does have a good reputation. He might be a first class asshole, but word on the street says he sure knows how to use what God gave him."
    Grace listened as the tiny whirlwind chattered on, wondering, not for the first time, if she tumbled down the rabbit hole and into wonderland.
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    She shut the door to her apartment, leaning against it in exhaustion. She had a very limited set of friends and even then, she preferred to spend most of her time working. Going into her field, dealing with people was unavoidable, but managing relationships outside of her patients wasn't something she was particularly good at.
    Truth be told, nothing would have really prepared her for the bizarre environment at the hospital she'd suddenly found herself thrust into. First Nolan, then Leah ...
    Shaking her head, she pulled off her sneakers, placing them in her hallway closet before wandering into her kitchen.
    The kitchen was a room she loved, but truth be told, she adored every room in the apartment. Despite the stainless steel appliances and dark walnut finish, the room possessed warmth and an airy feel that instantly felt homey. It had an open layout, only separated from the living room by a breakfast bar. A bottle of her favorite Malbec sat already opened on the granite countertop. She poured herself a glass of the red wine before settling in the living room. She sank into an overstuffed armchair and turned the television on with every intention to unwind and relax, but the images on the screen did little to hold her attention, and her mind wandered.
    She hadn’t seen him since the wedding. She only dropped by Lucas and Sophie’s when she knew they were alone, and she constantly made excuses to avoid going to gatherings where she knew he would be … but it had been impossible to forget her reaction to him and worse, his reaction to her. Sean trying to make her miserable was nothing new, but everything had been different that day. For the first time, he’d looked at her like he was really seeing her.
    Like she was a woman instead of someone he was forced to put up with.
    Truthfully, that day had only worsened the ache that had long since become familiar. Normally, she was able to keep her cool and give back as good as she got it when they argued, but when he’d looked at her with warm eyes and handled her with even the slightest of touches, it left her feeling disoriented and wanting.
    Their last encounter had thrown her for a loop, but it also made her realize that she didn’t mind the attention, and to some extent, she’d wanted more.
    And now she was stuck forever remembering it.
    She’d woken up the morning after, afraid to even breathe for fear of waking him up. As her mind screamed at her to get away as quickly as possible, she slipped out of the bed, stopping by her suitcase to grab underwear, a t-shirt, and yoga pants. In the shower, her mind raced with all the ways she could escape the room, but as she glared at the tiny bathroom window, she’d realized there was no way out but the front door.
    She had nearly screamed when he stuck his head behind the shower curtain and grinned.
    “Want company?” he’d asked, his voice still husky from sleep.
    Immediately her hands flew to cover herself, one arm banding over