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With a single finger, Dog lifted her chin. “Can’t let obligations make your decisions, even obligations to those you love. It’ll suck the life right out of you.”
Her jaw clenched. She slipped from his hold and set her glass on the table, then grabbed Dog’s, placing it there too. She put a knee on the couch beside his hip, hands on his shoulders, and swung her other leg over his lap. She settled down, the best part of her snugged up to the hardest part of him.
Dog gazed into her eyes but kept his hands to himself. “What’re you doing? The doctor said rest.”
She placed her warm, soft hands on his cheeks. “I don’t want to rest.”
She stroked his face, and it felt too good. She looked at his mouth with longing, and he knew what was coming.
But the wail of a siren rang out in the quiet. She jumped, jerking on his lap, and her eyes went wild.
“It’s just the fire station down the road,” Dog said, but he had lost her. He rested his hand on her jaw to still her movements, and two of his fingers pressed gently against her neck. Her pulse raced, and, much as he wanted to believe it was from desire, he knew it wasn’t.
Every instinct in Dog screamed to protect this woman. Something had her terrified, and he needed to know what it was.
“What’s got you spooked, sweetheart?” he said in a soft voice.
She didn’t break eye contact, just shook her head, but her chest still heaved. “Nothing. I’m good.”
She leaned in, but her tremble confirmed the lie.
Dog held her still. “You’re not good. That siren did something to you. Tell me what’s up so I can help.”
She squeezed her eyes shut and pulled away, but he caught her around the waist, keeping her close.“No way. Tell me what it is.”
She looked at him with tears in her eyes.“I don’t want…I can’t…please, just kiss me already.”
Dog had never seen her like this. She was always in control. He had to knowwhat had her so torn up.
Dog wrapped a hand behind her head, pressed her cheek to his shoulder, and held her tight.“Can’t. Not with you like this.”
Her shoulders shook, and with a sob, she said,“Everything has just gone to crap.”
Even this upset, the woman didn’t use profanity. She was all class. So out of his league but he wasn’t going anywhere.
He tipped her head back a little. “Look at me.” Her gaze met his, and he held it. “Spill.”
Her eyebrows scrunched, and she looked like she might protest yet again, but her shoulders sagged.“Oh, god, it was awful. Strapped down, unable to move.”
Dog nodded, urging her on. The ambulance. Now they were getting somewhere. “You remember that? I thought you were out.”
“I had moments of consciousness before it would go dark again. It’s horrible to feel so trapped.” She took a deep breath. “Dr. Niles called it a ‘TIA.’ He said it was a warning of what could come.”
He stroked her cheek. “What’s a TIA?”
“Transient Ischemic Attack. A baby stroke. Only it didn’t feel small to me.” Her green eyes were filled with pain. “I felt so out of control. I’ve never been out of control, Dog, not once. I haven’t been drunk other than when Daddy died, and even that I did safe at home. I don’t do drugs, jump out of planes, drive erratically, or engage in any risky behavior. I’m careful. I make plans. My friends say I even plan to make plans. And everything goes according to them. I’m the reliable one, the dependable one. But nothing about this fits any of my plans.”
“And that scared you.”
“I thought I was going to die.”
There it was. That thought would fuck a person up.
“But you didn’t. You’re okay now.”
She shook her head. “When they got me to the emergency room, my blood pressure was out of control. They did all sorts of things to me I can’t remember. Dr. Niles said I have to change my lifestyle. Eat better, exercise, manage my stress. Meditate. Can you imagine? But if I don’t, I could have a debilitating stroke. I’m thirty-seven years old.”
She released a curt laugh. “And the beauty of a TIA? No lasting damage.” Some of the tension eased in her body, and she nestled close to him again. “Well, if there’s no damage, I want to start living.”
