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“You don’t have to do this,” Sammy said trying to look as dignified as possible, while trembling from the cold. He could practically feel his clothes stiffen on his back. His head throbbed still, even if the initial pain had somewhat subsided.
The man was standing close enough for Sammy to really take him in. They were practically the same height, just about six feet. He looked worried and tired, and Sammy suddenly considered that perhaps the stranger was just as concerned about his own safety as Sammy was. He didn’t imagine himself to look threatening but still, he couldn’t dismiss the possibility.
Finally, the man said in a rush, “I live five minutes down the hill. You can come with me.” When Sammy hesitated, he hastily added, “I don’t like strangers either. I just…” Then he side-eyed the dog, that was standing next to him. “He won’t let me go home if we don’t bring you with.”
“What?” Sammy laughed. Now his teeth were chattering in earnest, but he ignored his own discomfort, and looked at the big dog with renewed curiosity. The animal was back by his side, sniffing him and nuzzling the cold palm of his hand, as if to lend him his warmth, encouraging him to walk forward where his owner stood.
“He’s my service dog, but he used to do search and recovery for the local police department. He’s too playful, so he had to be retrained and I got him last year as a part of a support animal program. He’s an excellent service dog. However, Morpheus is damn stubborn once he gets an idea in his head.” He shot him a look, and the dog barked and wagged his tail.
Sammy gave in. He nodded slowly as the man looked pained and relieved at the same time and then turned around to lead the way to his home.
CHAPTERTHREE
Logan
Logan’s heart was beating frantically, and his hands were shaking badly. He honestly considered he might be having a heart attack. Seeing the car tipped over in the ditch had freaked him out, immediately bringing him back to his own terrible experience. His mind flooded with vivid memories of the horrific car crash he had survived. He wasn’t sure he could handle assisting adequately if the passenger of the vehicle was truly hurt. He had cursed himself for not taking his phone with him. What if he had needed to call an ambulance?
He chanced a look over his shoulder, feeling somewhat guilty for snapping at the guy earlier. Luckily, the man seemed to be alright and was now following him back to his home. This whole night seemed absolutely bizarre in comparison to his usually quiet routine.
Morpheus nuzzled his hand, and that took away a bit of the stress, but not nearly enough. If the stranger had not been there, he would have sat down smack dab in the middle of the road to hold Morpheus closer until his panic subsided. He couldn’t afford to do this now, as the man following him was soaked to the bone and Logan knew he had to quickly take him to his home and get him to warm up. He had no choice and pressed on, walking at a brisk pace.
The sight of his home was a small relief before he remembered no one had been in the house in a very long time – certainly, no stranger. He frantically tried to remember if the living room was clean and then cursed himself for giving a shit and feeling embarrassed that some rando might judge the state of his home.
When he reached the front door, his hands were trembling. He paused and looked over his shoulder. The man was standing in his front yard with his back to Logan, violently trembling, teeth chattering, but instead of rushing to get inside the warm house, he was looking at the lake. He had this look of pure delight on his face, that made Logan pause. Yeah, it was fucking beautiful showered in the moonlight and all that, but this guy must be a total idiot with zero self-preservation skills. No wonder he had rolled his expensive car in the ditch.
“Come,” he called to the man and walked in without waiting. He felt a little guilty, that he hadn’t offered to help him with his bags once he could hear him dragging the heavy case up the stairs and through the porch. It was too late to say anything now and besides, he was letting him in his home, that should be enough. Right?
The man stopped at the threshold and carefully leaned in placing his bags inside, then hesitated and took his muddy jacket off and slipped off his shoes carefully, looking hesitant to enter.
“What are you doing?” Logan blurted.
“I don’t want to drag mud over the floor. I feel bad enough for imposing.”
“Don’t be stupid. Get inside. The house is getting chilly.”
The man rolled his eyes but complied, bundling his shoes in his jacket, and carefully stepping in. Logan stood there for a moment unsure at what he was meant to do. This wasn’t really the effect of the medication, but the simple fact he had lived as a recluse for so long, he had no idea what he was supposed to do or say. At some point in his lonely existence, all social convention had gone out the window. Most days he only had himself and Morpheus to consider.
The man gave him a sheepish smile and stretched out his hand. Logan was too slow to reciprocate the gesture and felt horribly embarrassed when the other man couldn’t hide his discomfort. However, he quickly recovered, bobbed his head and smiled shyly, awkwardly tucking his hand into his pocket. “I’m Sammy. Thank you for letting me crash in your home...?”
A small bit of the knot in Logan’s chest loosened. He tried his best for a smile and said, “Logan.” He cocked his head toward the large bullmastiff relaxing by the fireplace. “And you know by now that’s Morpheus.”
Sammy chuckled. “Fan of theMatrix?”
Logan smiled. “Yeah, you can say that I guess. He reminds me to take my meds.”
Sammy didn’t react in any of the usual ways people did. He didn’t question him about his condition, he didn’t look at him like he was some weirdo, or made him feel uncomfortable, like he had to defend himself. He just nodded and said, “I used to live with someone who had a service dog. I’m sorry for petting him without asking for permission first. I hope I didn’t mess up your routine too much.”
Logan waved him off. “I think you can already tell that this guy has a mind of his own. He wanted to come get some love, and that’s exactly what he did.”
Sammy chuckled and before they could descend in another awkward pause, Logan pointed to a door at the end of the long hall, near the staircase.
“Guest bathroom is just over there. Last door on the right, if you want to get cleaned up. Just give the water a minute to get warm enough. I’ll call Triple-A and try and get someone to come get the car out of the ditch.”
Sammy just said, “Okay.” He reached for his luggage and Logan could clearly see Sammy’s face twist in a painful grimace.
“Are you alright?” He asked him, feeling worried he had neglected to actually check.
“It’s okay, just a bruise.” Sammy mumbled.
