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He was hot as hell, with a short beard and muscles that filled out his flannel shirt and coat deliciously. I’d always had a thing for older guys, and with his dark hair and eyes that could practically see right through me, I couldn’t help but imagine him wanting to do more than just nurse me back to health.
Then again, I almost felt the same way about Bruce in the beginning. Almost. At first, I thought Bruce was kind of cute. He didn’t give off the sexy Daddy vibe like Harris, but he was good-looking enough that I wasn’t immediately afraid of him. When he offered me a place to stay, I believed he was just a good guy, too. That lasted all of about two nights. And then things went from bad to worse.
When he was sober, he would apologize and tell me he loved me and he’d beg me to stay. And as stupid as it sounded, I always did.
I couldn’t be that gullible ever again.
I wouldn’t survive it.
But Harris was different. I did have something to hold over his head, so if he treated me badly, I could go to the police. I knew I wouldn’t, but I could. So, as long as Harris was being kind, I didn’t really have much choice other than to accept his generosity and hope for the best.
Besides, anybody with a dog this sweet had to be a decent human.
As if she could sense me staring down at her, Luna stood up, circled her giant body around my lap, and then flopped back down in a ginormous lump. “She obviously thinks she’s a lapdog.”
Harrris chuckled. “Yeah, she’s not the brightest dog ever, but she sure seems to like you.”
I leaned forward so she could lick my face. “Bright or not, at least she’s warm.”
7
HARRIS
“Tony, wake up.”
One of my best friends was a great general practitioner, but he wasn’t a morning person. “Hmm…”
He picked up the phone but clearly wasn’t fully awake because I immediately heard heavy breathing on the line, like he was already asleep again. “Tony!”
“Yeah, I’m up.” He yawned loudly and cleared his throat. “Harris?”
“Yeah, sorry to call so early, but I need you to see someone for me. Can we meet at your clinic?”
“Now?” There was a scratching sound from his end, and he inhaled deeply. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”
At least he was awake now. “I’m fine, but a friend of mine might need some stitches. And he was caught in the storm last night. Can you just do a quick exam to make sure all his fingers and toes look good?”
He was quiet for a moment, probably choosing his next words carefully. “Of course. I just need a few minutes to get dressed, and then I’ll meet you down there. How far out are you?”
“About ten minutes.” Tony lived in a condo above his clinic. Well, twelve stories above his clinic. It was a large building with retail and office space on the first floor. A convenient set-up for his small practice and great for emergency situations like this. “Thanks, man.”
“The door will be open, so just come on in when you get here.”
I’d barely hit the End button on my phone when Jesse started to freak out. “Are you sure this is a good idea? What am I supposed to say? He’s gonna think I’m suicidal for being out in that weather. He could commit me for a psychiatric hold or something.”
I placed my hand on his forearm, choosing a spot that seemed to have minimal damage. When he didn’t flinch, I gave him a gentle squeeze. “He isn’t going to commit you. I promise.” I pulled my hand away and rested it on Luna’s flank. “Were you? Suicidal, I mean.”
His eyes got glossy, and he shrugged. “Not really. I left because I didn’t want Bruce to kill me. But I guess I did consider the fact that I might not survive the weather. But now, I’m not. Promise.”
“I believe you.” At least, I wanted to. “Tony’s a good guy. He’ll take care of you.”
“Okay.” His voice was still soft, but he wasn’t quite as terrified as he seemed earlier. “If you say so.”
He trusted me.
An unexpected wave of…something…washed through me. I couldn’t name it because I couldn’t remember ever feeling it before, but I knew it was a good thing. At least, I hoped it was.
Without any other discussion, I parked in front of Tony’s clinic and killed the engine. “We’re here.”
