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But she could feel his presence constantly. Every rumble of his rough voice felt like it was touching exposed nerves, tickling them for the sheer hell of it and leaving her an uncomfortable mess. His can-do attitude and constant smile irked her whilst she also found comfort in having company. She was a cluster of opposing feelings.
As a teenager she’d loved having friends and being around others. But a jealous and controlling husband brought a life of isolation, and her social skills weren’t what they used to be.Post-MarcusRebelle wasn’t quite used topeopleyet.Especially men who were as intimidating as Will was.
Rebelle still found the sight of Will’s bare chest, his muscled and inked skin, his piercings unnerving as well as intriguing. She couldn’t seem to stop her eyes from their journey across his skin, taking in the designs and she found herself wanting to ask about them. Did they have a meaning, or did he just get themfor the sheer hell of it? There were so many colorful patterns and intricate designs, and she couldn’t seem to stop staring at the collection of roses across his chest.
She shook her head and turned her attention to her rose that had flourished in the soil. She sniffed the white flowers, inhaling their soft scent. She stroked the silky petals and for a moment, felt closer to her absent sibling before turning her attention back to the land around her. Time to indulge her little fantasy.
She lifted her arms, creating a frame with her fingers and she spun slowly, picturing each section of land and what she hoped to do with it. In one space, the cattery she envisioned, then in another, a place with huge hutches and a run for rabbits and guinea pigs. In another the small paddock she already had but fenced off so horses and donkeys could graze there.
She wanted to take in all the wayward animals and rehome them. For a while, she had planned on opening up to the public, intending to advertise in town inviting people toadopt, don’t shopandtake a chance on a new friend. But she was too busy to entertain members of the public as well, at least that’s what she told herself. Maybe now with Will helping out she would be able to do it.
She was starting to see what she could achieve with him being here and suddenly felt a wave of gratitude towards him. That feeling lingered and when he found her later, needing something to do, she agreed to let him come with her to the vet to collect an animal and more medicine. Will was so pleased that she agreed, he bounced around like a big kid.
They drove the entire way in silence, and it might have been comfortable for Will but Rebelle was increasingly uncomfortable in the tight, confined space. The rattle of the engine filled the cab of the truck, making it impossible to talk which Rebelle was grateful for but as she glanced around all she could see were the faults of her beat up old truck. His car, which she assumed was arental, was so fancy she was scared to even look at it. It probably cost more than Rebelle could even imagine.
Will appeared perfectly relaxed through the journey, his big body folded up, his long legs spread wide and she was thankful for the space between them so that he wouldn’t have his large thigh pressed up against hers. He was close enough that his scent drifted into her nostrils, salt and sandalwood and annoying. His palm rested on one broad thigh, fingers tapping happily to an imaginary beat and her eyes kept dropping down to look at the pale skin dusted with freckles and fingers free from tattoos. He was in dress pants again and a shirt that she noticed was the same shade of blue as his left eye.
She bit her cheek, she needed to stop noticing details about him.
Relief swept through her when the vet’s office came into view. She pulled up outside the door and hopped out of the truck too quickly and dizziness swamped her. She was only a few days away from getting her paycheck from the bar so food was limited. She’d had a protein bar last night and eaten it so slowly, savoring every mouthful and went to bed feeling somewhat satisfied.
Will was hot on her heels as she went inside and greeted Darlene at reception whose eyes nearly bugged out of her head when she spotted Will.
“Oh my God, it’s you, isn’t it?” Darlene said.
“Probably, yeah,” Will replied, and unleashed that wide smile of his that Rebelle sometimes found herself staring at.
“Rebelle, thanks for coming,” Dr. Jae-Seung Park called, distracting her from Will’s interaction. She turned and faced him, his small smile greeting her as usual. He couldn’t be more than thirty and had a shock of black hair, his dark eyes were always friendly, and he was trying to grow a beard, the stubble dotted along his jawline was a little patchy.
“What have you got for me today?” Rebelle asked, noticing how Dr. Park’s eyes lingered on Will who was standing too close to Rebelle. She sidestepped to put space between them.
“I’ve got a tabby cat who’s been through a rough time. Follow me,” he said and Rebelle trailed after him into a consultation room.
Dr. Park went to get the tabby and Rebelle glanced around the room; the rubber top of the table streaked with claw marks from unhappy visitors. The room had that clinical disinfectant smell, and the walls were painted white but had a cloth wall hanging of a tiger with Hangul script, vintage Korean street posters lined another wall as well a stunning travel print of Seoul.
He reappeared lugging a cat box behind him and Rebelle could already hear the unhappy grumble emanating from the box.
“I think he’s been hit by a car. He’s not chipped so no idea who he belongs to, but no one has come forward to claim him and I haven’t got room to keep him here. He’s lost the tip of his ear and has a sore paw which I’ve bandaged so my gift to you comes with medication, but you’re used to that now. Unless your apprentice here is going to take over for you?” Dr. Park’s lips lifted in a smile as he nodded towards Will.
Rebelle’s frown slipped into place as she glanced at Will who had anaw shucksexpression on his face. She couldn’t understand why everyone seemed so fascinated by the man.
“Thanks, I’ll bring him back next week for a check-up,” she said, taking the grumbling bundle from the doctor and pivoting on her heel, bumping right into Will. She mumbled her apology, but he wasn’t moving so she looked up at him, her eyes lingering on his lips.
“Give me the cat, he looks heavy,” Will said.
“I can carry him,” she hissed.
Will leaned forward and she had no room to step back so his breath brushed her ear in an all too pleasant way. “You look like you can barely stand right now. Give me the cat, Rebelle.”
How did he know she was struggling? She hated that it was so obvious. She pushed past him and out the door, humiliated that Dr. Park witnessed the exchange.
She was in the truck and starting the engine before Will jogged out from the office and she had half a mind to leave him there, her earlier gratitude towards him gone.
On the way back to the shelter, he seemed perfectly content to sit in silence again, tapping his damn fingers on his knee like he hadn’t a care in the world.
“Why does everyone know you?” She raised her voice over the sound of the engine. She kept her eyes on the road but felt his flit to her.
“You really don’t know who I am?”
