Chapter 11
CHAPTER 11
L exi wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. Geez, it was hotter than Hades in here. The afternoon sun beat down, turning the clinic into a sweltering furnace. She looked around in dismay. Where to begin? The place was a mess.
Broken glass crunched underfoot as she moved around the room, picking up the pieces. Furniture was overturned, the medicine cabinet had been looted, and papers from her desk were scattered everywhere.
A hole in the wall that had once been a window let in streams of sunlight, but it did little to brighten her heavy mood. Patrick was in the recovery room, trying to straighten that out, so at least they had one area that was operational.
Anger simmered just beneath the surface. Why did they have to destroy the clinic? She knew the rebels didn’t care, that their motives were rooted in poverty and desperation, but it still felt personal. The clinic had been her sanctuary as much as it was for the animals. Now it was barely usable, and she couldn’t shake the thought that no matter how much they rebuilt, it could all be taken away again in an instant.
They worked for most of the morning, and by lunchtime, she was a hot, sweaty mess. The clinic was in better shape, however, and the floors clear of glass, the office back to working order, the recovery room usable again—and that cheered her. She was just washing her hands when Hawk stepped in.
“Good job,” he said, glancing around. “Much better.”
“Well, it’s usable,” she said, reaching for a hand towel.
He held up two cans of lemonade. “Figured you could use a cold drink.”
“That sounds great.” They sat in her office, the ceiling fan whirring quietly above them, moving hot air around the room. Still, it was better than being outside where the sun was at its pinnacle and dangerously hot.
Hawk sat opposite her, placing the two cans and a leather-bound notebook on the desk. “What’s that?” She nodded toward it.
“Those are my plans for the reconstruction,” he said. “I wanted to talk to you about your ideas.”
“My ideas?”
“Yeah, for the clinic. You know this place better than anyone. Walk me through it—tell me what you need, what would make your job easier. I’ll take notes and put together a plan.”
She opened the can of lemonade with a soft hiss and took a long sip. Damn, that tasted good.
Hawk was watching her, a smile on his face.
“Alright,” she said, setting it back down. “But it would be easier if I showed you.”
He nodded. “Let’s do it.”
They started in the main surgery room, where the smashed windows let in hot gusts of air. She pointed out the lack of space for equipment, the outdated tools, the poor lighting. Hawk listened intently, jotting down notes in his notebook, occasionally asking thoughtful questions.
She led him to the recovery ward, “We need more cots in here. And better ones. The frames we have now are rusted, and the mattresses are ancient. Also, more storage for medical supplies. The cabinets we had barely held anything, and half of them are broken now anyway.”
“Got it.” Hawk scribbled something down. “What about a play area for the infants? Somewhere they can recover under supervision, before they go back to the enclosure?”
Lexi blinked. “That would be amazing. Are you sure you can afford all this?”
He gave a soft snort. “Yeah. Don’t worry about that.”
As they moved through the clinic, the tension that had knotted her shoulders all morning began to ease. Hawk’s calm, practical approach was reassuring, and she found herself opening up about her vision for the space. By the time they reached the storage room—what was left of it—she was talking animatedly about staff lounges, isolation wards for sick animals, and proper workstations for the carers.
“You’ve clearly thought about this,” Hawk remarked, his expression thoughtful as he flipped through his notes.
“Of course I have,” she said. “This place is my life.”
As they made their way back to the office, Hawk said, “I’ll draft up a blueprint and run it by Robert. We’ll make this place better than it’s ever been.”
Lexi looked at him, his earnest expression, the sincerity in his voice. It was so different to how he’d been when he’d first arrived. It was like he was a different man.
“Why are you doing all this?” she asked softly.
He frowned slightly. “You know why.”
“I know you want to change the world, but you don’t have to stay here to do it. This place is dangerous, and you’ve got responsibilities back in New York. A whole company to run. So why risk your life to be here?”
Hawk was silent for a long moment. “Maybe I just want to help while I can,” he said finally.
“Well, whatever the reason, we appreciate it. I just hope it’s not all in vain.”
Hawk’s eyes lingered on hers, the warmth in his gaze making her breath hitch. “You haven’t shown me the staff quarters yet.”
“You want to see where I live?”
“Yeah, I heard there was some damage, and since we’re remodeling, we may as well include those.”
“Er, sure. Follow me.” She led him out of the clinic and around the back to where two long, squat buildings stood, partially covered by the encroaching jungle. This was where the veterinarians, the carers, and the catering staff lived. Twenty units in total, but many had double bunks in them. As a woman, she’d gotten a room to herself.
“This is me.”
He stood back while she unlocked the door, then followed her inside. Lexi cringed as she took in the state of her room. It had been messed up by the rebels, but nothing had been taken. She didn’t have anything of value to take.
When she’d arrived here, it had been with one suitcase containing the bare minimum, along with her passport and some spending money. Both of those were in the safe up at the Lodge, on Robert’s insistence. She hadn’t even brought her engagement ring, preferring to leave it on the dresser in her bedroom. Her mother had probably returned it to Charles by now. Maybe he’d even given it to Charlotte when he’d proposed.
She watched as his gaze roamed around the room, taking everything in. The broken shelf containing some personal items, the medical books piled on the floor, the chair over which she’d flung the green dress from last night and … oh God. Her underwear.
Shit, she’d forgotten about that.
Flushing, she said, “Sorry about the mess.”
“Not a problem.” Hawk moved further into the room, the corner of his mouth twitching. “Your bed is broken.”
One of the legs had broken causing it to slant like a lopsided playground slide.
“Yeah, I slept on the floor last night.”
He turned to her, his tone chastising. “You should have told me.”
“Yesterday was a long day. I wasn’t really worried about where I slept. Besides, the mattress is fine, it’s just the frame.”
His expression softened. “I’ll come and fix it this afternoon.”
“Oh, there’s no need.” She brushed it off. “I’m sure there are more urgent things to work on.”
“It won’t take long.”
“Okay, well, if you’re sure.”
“I am.” The look in his eye caused her stomach to flip. It was filled with an intensity that took her breath away. She felt herself flushing, her hands turning clammy, and it had nothing to do with the heat or the humidity.
It was all him. Hawk affected her like nobody else she’d ever known. He seemed to draw her in with his very presence. Command her attention. Now he’d lost that superior attitude and the arrogance that went with it, she was powerless to resist.
He took a step toward her, his gaze fixed on her face. “You know I’d do anything to help you.”
“But why?” she whispered. “What do you care? You’ll be leaving soon.”
“I still I care about what happens to you.”
Oh, God. That magnetic force was pulling her in. He brushed a damp strand of hair out of her face, his fingers grazing her skin. She felt like she was being singed.
“Does Robert know who you are?” he asked.
“He knows my name, but not who my father is,” she whispered, glancing down at her hands, wishing they weren’t trembling. “Even if he did, it wouldn’t matter. He needed a vet, and I applied for the job.”
“You were very brave coming out here,” he murmured.
“I was desperate to get away.”
“Was he so bad, your ex?”
“Not really. He was just… well, power hungry, ambitious, political. You know the type.”
“I do. I’m surprised you went for someone like that.” He cocked his head to the side, so close she could almost feel his breath on her cheek.
“It was… expected,” she murmured. “I didn’t really have much say.”
“You always have a say,” he retorted.
“I know that now. That’s why I left, because nobody would listen to me.”
He snaked an arm around her waist and drew her to him. “Well, I for one am very glad that you did run out on him, and that you ended up here.”
She smiled, unable to help herself, despite the effect his proximity was having on her quivering insides. “So am I.”
Before she could think another thought, he bent his head, and his lips crushed down on hers. Hard, rough, with just the fight amount of pressure to make her splay her hands over his chest for support.
His rock-solid chest.
Oh, help, she thought, powerless to do anything but acquiesce as his mouth forced hers open and his tongue delved inside. Lexi went weak at the knees, and clung to him, her head spinning. What was she doing?
This was Hawk Anderson, for goodness sake. The sanctuary benefactor, the man who’d waltzed in here, taken over, saved her life during the raid, and would leave once his work here was done—if not before.
And she was kissing him.
She pushed against his chest until he let her go. “What is it?”
“Hawk, we shouldn’t be doing this.”
He frowned, his gaze still smoldering. “Why not?”
“You know why not. It doesn’t make any sense. You’re leaving soon, and I’m staying here. Besides, Robert would kill me if he found out. You’re the park’s benefactor. We’re all supposed to be nice to you.”
“I think we’re beyond nice, don’t you?” His gaze was teasing.
“I’m serious. We need you to sponsor the renovations, to support our work here. You’ve seen how important it is. I can’t risk all that.”
“How are you risking that by kissing me?”
She bit her tongue. “I just don’t want any bad feelings between us.”
“There won’t be. Not from my side, anyway.”
She sighed, and moved further away, putting some space between them. “I’m sorry, Hawk. I think it’s best if we remain friends.”
He gave a reluctant nod. “Okay, if that’s what you want.”
Her voice was firm. “It is.”
“In that case, I’m going to go and work on these plans. Once I’ve got something concrete, we can go over them together.” He raised an eyebrow. “That okay with you?”
“Of course.”
His gaze lingered, still burning with a heat that turned her insides to mush. “See you later, then.”
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
The rest of the day passed in a blur of cleaning and repairs. With Patrick and the others helping, they managed to get the clinic fully functional, but by the time evening fell, Lexi was exhausted.
Hawk had said he’d stop by and fix her bed, but he didn’t. She told herself it didn’t matter—he was probably still working on his plans—but she couldn’t deny a small flicker of disappointment.
It wasn’t until she opened the door to her room that she noticed the difference.
Her bed was fixed .
Lexi stepped closer, bending to take a look. She ran her fingers along the sturdy frame. He’d been here after all. Quietly, without fanfare, he’d kept his promise.
Her lips curved into a tired smile as she sank onto the bed, too drained to even change out of her clothes. The mattress cradled her aching body, and for the first time in days, she felt a semblance of security.
As her head hit the pillow, her thoughts weren’t on the repairs or even the chaos of the clinic.
They were on Hawk.
On the way his eyes had burned when he’d looked at her, and the sudden passion with which he’d kissed her, sending her into a spin.
Her heart fluttered as she remembered how he’d tasted, how he’d felt. The hardness of his chest, the gentleness of his fingers brushing against her skin, the strength with which he’d held her.
She gave a soft moan and closed her eyes, letting the memories float over her as the sounds of the jungle fill the room. How was it that he had the ability to make her feel both completely grounded and hopelessly untethered all at once.