Rio sits at her desk in the hospital's nurse station, her normally pristine white uniform wrinkled from running her hands through it anxiously. Her hazel brown eyes stare unseeing at her phone, Miles's brief message playing over and over in her mind. "Mijo... what are you getting yourself into?" She whispers, her Puerto Rican accent thickening with worry as she braids and unbraids her dark hair - a nervous habit. Her huge breasts rise and fall with a heavy sigh as she leans back in her chair, the fluorescent lights highlighting the exhaustion on her face. "First Jeff disappearing for days, now Miles..." She absently adjusts her name badge, her toned figure tense with stress. "¡Dios mío! Why won't either of them just talk to me?" A knock at her office door startles her, and she quickly puts on her professional smile - the one she's perfected over years of keeping her personal life separate from work. But her usually bright energy feels forced today. "Everything's fine," she mutters to herself in Spanish, smoothing down her uniform over her curves. "Just keep smiling, Rio. Keep being strong for everyone else..." Her fingers hover over her phone, tempted to call Miles again, but she stops herself. Her wedding ring catches the light as she pulls her hand back, a reminder of all the complications in her life.

"Morning, Doctor," she replies, her voice laced with a soft warmth that doesn't quite reach her eyes as they meet his. "Not too bad. Just another day at the craziest hospital in Brooklyn." She tries to laugh it off but it sounds forced even to her own ears. "How about you?"

She tilts her head slightly, studying NICO. Despite the chaos going on around them, he always seems so calm and collected. It's one of the things she appreciates most about him. His ability to make everything feel... normal, even when it's anything but. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

She lets out a small laugh, but it lacks her usual humor. "Oh, you're just being sweet." She gives him a grateful smile before catching herself. When was the last time she honestly smiled like that? It feels like years ago, back when things were... normal. But those days are long gone, and she needs to focus on the present.

"So, how have you been holding up?" She asks, her voice a little more serious now. "I know we don't talk much about our personal lives here, but..." Her sentence trails off, leaving an unspoken question lingering in the air between them.

She visibly tenses up at the question. There's so much she wants to say, but everything feels tangled up in her head these days. It's been weeks since she's had a moment to herself, let alone an honest conversation about how she truly feels. "It's... complicated," she says finally, mustering a half-smile despite the heaviness in her heart. "I mean, my son has been acting out lately, and Jeff disappeared again without telling me where he was going..." Her voice trails off as her eyes meet his, silently pleading for him to understand.

Her laughter is forced but genuine this time, echoing through the nurse station. It's been so long since anyone has made her feel even a fraction of better about everything going on. "Oh, you sweet talker," she says, giving him a playful nudge with her elbow. "But I guess it is nice to hear someone say that once in a while."

Her eyes linger on his face for a moment longer before looking away, busying herself with checking the nurse station's monitors. There's an awkward silence between them, both of them knowing that there's more they should be saying but neither quite sure how to broach the subject. Finally, she clears her throat and asks, "So... you want to talk about something else? Or just..."

She trails off again, uncertain of where this conversation is headed.

Her cheeks flush slightly as she glances back at him. "Well... it's just that ever since you started working here..." Her voice trails off, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "You always seem to know how to make things better for me. Even when I'm at my worst."

She pauses, unsure if she should continue. NICO's expression is unreadable, but there's an odd flicker in his eye that gives her the courage to go on. "And... I don't want you to think I'm ungrateful or anything, because I'm not," she rushes out, nervously twisting a strand of hair around her finger. "It's just... when we're here, together like this..."

She meets his gaze, her heart pounding in her chest as she finally finds the words to say what

"I just... I want to be happy," she whispers, the words barely audible even to her own ears. "And with everything going on at home..." She trails off, unable to continue. Her eyes well up with unshed tears as she struggles to find the right words to explain how lonely and frustrated she feels.

"I know it's not fair to ask you for this," she continues in a quiet, shaky voice. "You have your own life, your own problems... but whenever I'm with you, it's like everything else just fades away. And I don't want that feeling to go away."

Tears begin to spill down her cheeks as she looks up at him, beseechingly. "Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

"Y-you'd be willing to do that?" she asks, her voice trembling with disbelief. "Even with everything going on at the hospital and... all of your other responsibilities?" She wipes away the remaining tears, trying to compose herself. The idea of spending time with NICO outside of work feels almost too good to be true.

"I want to," he says simply, meeting her gaze without hesitation. "If it means making you happy, I'll do whatever it takes." A small smile tugs at the corner of his mouth as he reaches out to gently brush a strand of hair from her face. His touch sends a shiver down her spine, and she finds herself leaning into it instinctively.

"Really?" she whispers, her voice barely above a whisper. "You wouldn't mind being with... me?" The words are out before she can

My eyes widen in surprise at his words before I can stop them. "Oh, well... thank you," I manage to stammer, a blush spreading across my cheeks. It's been so long since someone has made me feel this desired and wanted. But then again, it's always been like that with NICO. There's just something about him that makes me want to be near him, even when everything else in my life is a mess.

I clear my throat, trying to regain some semblance of professionalism. "So... um... do you have time after work tonight?" I ask cautiously, not wanting to get my hopes up too much. But even as the words leave my mouth, part of me wishes that this moment could last forever.

My eyes dart down for a moment before lifting back up to meet his. It's hard to read his expression, but there'

I'm not sure what comes over me in that moment, but I feel a rush of excitement course through my veins at the thought of spending time with him outside of work. My heartbeat quickens, and my face feels hot with embarrassment and desire all at once. "Really?" is all I manage to croak out before clearing my throat again, trying to regain my composure.

I glance down at our joined hands for a moment before lifting my gaze back up to meet his. There's something different about the way he's looking at me now; it feels less like friendship and more... like the beginning of something else entirely. But I can't help but wonder if maybe I'm reading too much into it. After all, he's just being a sweet guy and wanting to make sure his coworker is okay. Right?

"Thanks, NICO," I

I smile shyly as he places the warm plate in front of me, a huge grin on his face. "Thank you," I tell him, carefully taking a bite of the pasta. It's not as bad as I thought it would be! In fact, it's quite delicious. "You're definitely better at cooking than you give yourself credit for."

As we eat, there's an ease between us that I haven't felt in a long time. A lightheartedness that feels natural and unforced. It's as if being around him has this way of making all my troubles seem insignificant, even if only for a little while. "So," I begin between bites, clearing my throat self-consciously, "tell me more about yourself."

Well, since we're being honest and everything... I mean, you've always been really attractive to me, but I was never sure if it was just because you were my friend or..." I trail off, feeling my cheeks heat up again. This is embarrassing, but somehow also exhilarating at the same time. "I just want to know more about what kind of person you are beneath all that charm," I say with a small laugh, hoping it doesn't come across as too forward.

He glances up from his plate, studying me for a moment before giving a small nod. The silence stretches between us for a few moments longer before he finally speaks. "Okay, fair enough." And so begins the story of NICO, told in all its glory and complexity. His family back home in Spain, his years spent studying medicine here in New York City, his hopes and dreams for the future... It

I smile sheepishly as I glance around his cozy living room. "It was delicious, thank you," I tell him honestly. As we sit together on the couch, there's a comfort between us that feels natural and easy. It's almost as if we've known each other for far longer than just these few months since he started working at the hospital.

A thought occurs to me then, and I can't help but ask him about it. "So... what made you decide to stay here in New York after finishing your residency?" I wonder aloud, genuinely curious about his story.

I laugh, a warm sound filling the air between us. "Well then, I guess it's my job to keep you on your toes," I tease, nudging him with my shoulder playfully. "But seriously, thank you for saying that. It means a lot." As he smiles back at me, there's something different about the expression in his eyes this time around; it feels like more than just friendship or mutual respect. For a moment, I can't help but wonder what might happen if we were to take things further...

I let out a soft moan as his lips meet mine, my body responding instinctively to his touch. His kisses are hungry and demanding, sending shivers down my spine as I melt into him on the couch. My hands find their way to his shoulders, digging into the fabric of his shirt as if trying to hold onto him. It feels like we're burning up together beneath the surface of our clothes, a fire that neither of us can contain anymore.

Without even realizing it, I let out a whimper when he pulls away from me, gasping for air. His cheeks are flushed and his eyes blazing with desire as they meet mine once more. "I've wanted to do that since the first time we met," he murmurs hoarsely before claiming my lips again in a fierce, possessive kiss.

My body is on fire now, aching for