AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Aunt Nora,” I heard Casper say behind me.
I moved out of the way so they could hug. Noise from the kitchen drew me toward it—specifically dog nails on the hardwood floor.
Starry danced around Elic as he tried to take his dishes to the sink. He wasn’t getting very far with the way she was underfoot. My clothes hung on him, like I guessed they would, but they were clean and warm. His hair was mussed from sleep. He had gorgeous chestnut locks. It had a choppy cut and hung close to his eyes. But like this, relaxed with a smile on his face as Starry paraded around him, fuck, my heart beat a little faster.
I chastised myself. I would not look at him like that. He was hurt and had a hard life. He didn’t need me lusting after him when I shouldn’t. When was the last time I looked at anyone other than Casper? It had been years.
I snapped out of my stupor and went to take the plate and glass from Elic. “Let me before Starry knocks you over.”
Light blue eyes lifted to mine, stealing my breath with one look. “Thank you. She’s excited. I’m not sure when the last time she was in a house was. I kept having to pet her last night to get her to lie on the floor beside the bed.”
“She could have climbed up there with you. I don’t mind.”
“That’s very nice of you, but she’s filthy. I was tempted to take her into the shower with me but didn’t want to make a bigger mess than I already had.”
I took the dishes to the sink and put them inside before turning back to Elic. “My parents have a bathing room for the dogs. Wait until you see their pack. They’re going to love her. She’s not aggressive with other dogs, is she?”
Elic shook his head. “No. The only time I’ve heard her growl was when she was trying to defend me. She always stays nearby. I only had her on the rope because I don’t trust other people. For a while, I thought she was someone’s lost pet. I checked the flyers around the city, but her face wasn’t on them.” He shrugged. “She became mine.”
It took everything in me not to ask more about him, but I heard Casper and my aunt getting closer. My curiosity about Elic’s life could wait. His health was more important. “Why don’t we go into the living room so you can meet our aunt?”
“Are you sure she doesn’t mind coming here?”
“Not at all. She usually drives out once a week for a meal. Our family is big on getting together.” I led the way out of the kitchen, trying hard not to walk by Elic’s side to help him so he didn’t put weight on his foot. He’d been getting by on his own. Me trying to be underfoot like Starry might not be welcomed.
The moment I stepped into the living room; Casper’s eyes met mine. His were blue like Elic’s, but deeper like a dark ocean with secrets hidden in its depths, which was accurate. Casper kept everything locked up, especially from me.
I focused on Nora and Elic. Casper wasn’t here because he wanted to be with me. I wouldn’t kick him out. That didn’t mean I had to be overly nice to him. We could exist in the same space and not talk. Hell, we’d been doing it on and off for well over a decade.
At thirty-six years old, I was so fucking tired of the circle I existed in with Casper. This never-ending cycle of happiness when we were together, and hell when we weren’t.
God, what was it going to take for me to stop this loop?
“It’s not too bad,” I heard Elic say in a light voice that quickly turned into a hiss when my aunt touched his foot.
I was at his side without thinking, hoping to lend comfort in any way I could. I wanted to reach out and hold him but resisted. “How is he?”
“He’s got a deep laceration that’s going to need stitches. There’s a bag of supplies in my car.”
Elic shook his head. “It’s fine. I don’t need you to go to any trouble.”
“You plan on staying here for a bit, right? Working on the farm or at the restaurant?”
“If they allow me to, I’d very much appreciate it.”
“Then you’re going to need your foot better first. You can’t work when you can barely walk.”
Aunt Nora stood and turned to ask Casper to run out to her car.
A tickle on my palm made me jump. I glanced down in time to see Elic’s hand retreat.
“Elic,” I whispered. His hand was by his side, likely embarrassed, and thought I rejected him. I held my hand out to him, palm up. “Hold my hand, Elic. Whatever you need, I’m here.”
He didn’t look at me but did reach for me again. His hand was clammy in mine, probably from the pain of Nora examining his foot. This was also a completely new place for him, where he hardly knew anyone.
Casper didn’t miss a thing when he came into the house with the bag in his hand. His jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed. The mask quickly slid into place a few seconds later. God forbid anyone see Casper Ashford had emotions.
After numbing him and cleaning the wound, which I thought Elic was going to pass out from, he told us he had a fear of needles. Elic’s fingers tightened on mine as my aunt stitched him up. I held his hand firmly back, letting him know without words I was here and wasn’t leaving.
