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The need to stride over to Oz’s cabin and beat Russell Hastings to a pulp was like a living thing beneath my skin. What were the couple doing at this exact moment? Was Russ pressing his weight down on Oz’s lithe body? Was he exploring the miles and miles of soft, perfect skin? Were Oz’s gorgeous lips wrapped around his dick? Were his striking eyes holding Russ’s as he sucked him to the back of his throat?
“Fuck,” I muttered as I realized I was already halfway to Oz’s cabin before I caught myself. My hands were fisted at my sides.
“Came here to work, my ass,” I spit out as I turned around and stalked back to my car. Between all the time Oz had spent at the clinic in the past few days and the nights fucking Russ’s brains out, I doubted whatever designing he’d come here to do was even on his mind anymore. I cursed myself for falling for his whole woe is me act three nights earlier. He’d probably made all that shit up about the designer stealing from him just so I’d feel sorry for him.
But even before I finished the thought, I was shaking my head. Oz hadn’t been faking. Not even the best of actors could have injected that kind of despair into their voice. And the way he’d clung to me, like he was afraid to really let go…
No, you couldn’t fake that shit.
And how had I responded?
By dumping him on his ass and then practically chasing him out of my cabin with my surly attitude. In truth, I’d been in full-on panic mode at being discovered by Xander.
Mostly because I knew if he figured out how attracted I was to Oz, he’d be like a dog with a bone and I’d never hear the end of it. And it wasn’t like I could tell Xander why I couldn’t pursue something with Oz, or anyone for that matter.
Couldn’t, not wouldn’t.
As it was, I’d been in damage control mode as soon as Oz had stalked out. He’d inadvertently outed my profession to Xander, though I doubted he’d done it intentionally. He’d probably assumed my friend knew.
Although Xander had suspected I had more medical training than I let on, I’d never actually confirmed it. As soon as Oz had left and Xander had finished ripping me a new one for being such a dick to my neighbor, he’d started in on the questions about what the hell I was doing working as a wilderness guide if I was a doctor. I’d called in every chip I had with my friend when I’d practically begged him not only to not ask me those questions, but to not tell anyone else about me either. He’d agreed, but after he’d left, I’d realized it didn’t matter because I’d already stayed in Haven too long.
The little town was supposed to have been a temporary refuge, one in a long line of many, but I’d made the mistake of getting too comfortable. I’d started to fall in love with the town, the people, and the lifestyle. I’d reveled in having friends again. But my biggest mistake had been taking up Doc Sharma on his offer to have me volunteer at the clinic. I’d thought I was only doing it for him and that it would only be for a couple of weeks until he found someone else. Somehow, without me even realizing it, the clinic had become one more thing tying me to Haven and making me wish even more that I could go back to the way my life had been.
And now I had the additional complication of my sweet, kind, sexy new neighbor…
I practically ripped the door off when I reached my car. But I couldn’t force myself to get in. I hung there, fighting the urge to go kick Oz’s door down and ask him what the hell he was thinking, being with a loser like Russ. He should be with someone like…
Like who?
Me?
I laughed out loud at that.
“Jesus, Jake,” I whispered.
I forced myself to get in the car and start it. I glanced at Oz’s cabin again, and in that instant, I knew it was time to move on again.
Only this time, it wasn’t because I was afraid the past had once again caught up to me.
No, I was running for one reason and one reason only.
Because if I didn’t do it now, I probably never would. And that would mean it wasn’t just my life I was risking anymore.
I couldn’t do that to the people who’d become the family I’d had to give up, who’d given me a place to call home.
I wouldn’t.
Not again.
After checking on a couple of the rental cabins I looked after to make sure they were prepared for the storm ahead, I headed back to my cabin to change for Thanksgiving at the lodge. Normally I’d wear my green shirt, but when it came time to take it off the pillow Oz had made me, I found myself striding to my closet to find a different shirt instead.
