3. Duke
THREE
DUKE
He’s on his way.
T hat was Wyatt’s message this morning, and I hadn’t been able to focus since. I didn’t know anything about the guy. Who was he supposed to be? What was he supposed to do here? How was he supposed to help?
The worst part was that as soon as I got the message, waiting for this savior guy to come to me, it became more real by the minute. Wyatt had tried to reassure me it could all be nothing, but he certainly was treating it as if it was something, so…
How could I not be stressed?
“Earth to idiot. Earth to idiot.” Penny waved her hand in front of my face, and I blinked.
“Huh? Sorry, what was that?”
She looked down at the cat, and I shook my head to clear it.
“Will you please hold her down?” She held out the syringe, and I nodded.
“Right. Yes. Sorry.”
I focused back on my patient and watched Penny as she injected her. As soon as the needle touched her skin, she hissed.
“I know, silly girl. But if you don’t want to die, I have to!” Penny comforted her.
The cat’s hiss turned into a yowl.
“Excuse you, Ms. Tinkerbell! Language,” I said, scratching Tinkerbell’s neck.
Penny disposed of the syringe, and Tinkerbell rubbed against my hand, purring like a motorbike.
“Yeah, that’s right, princess. Needles suck, but so does diabetes. Yeah. Good girl.” Penny glared at us for a few moments before sighing and washing her hands.
“I swear you got the whisperer gene, and I got the shit one,” she said.
I laughed and straightened up.
“No, Tinkerbell is just a fussy girlie. Aren’t you?” Tinkerbell replied by stretching her legs and rubbing her cheeks on me.
“Pfft, freaking ginger cats.”
“Patience, young Padawan. You’ll get there.”
“Bitch, I’m already there. Don’t give me that crap.”
“Did you just call your boss a bitch?” I raised an eyebrow.
“No. I called my brother one.”
“That’s the same thing in this case.”
Penny scoffed and petted Tinkerbell, who, in the absence of a needle, was all too happy to return the favor with a purr.
“Anyway, why are you so distracted today?”
I shrugged and sat in my chair to update Tinkerbell’s record before returning her to the cattery.
“I’m not.”
“Oh, please. All day today, you’ve been staring into space or barely listening when I ask you something.”
I saved the record and turned to Penny, smiling.
“It’s nothing. I’m just…anxious. I’ve got a…volunteer coming to stay here and help for a few weeks.”
Penny took the cat in her arms and massaged her neck, staring at me.
“So what? Why is that anxiety-inducing?”
I couldn’t possibly tell Penny what was going on. No siree. For starters, I didn’t really need another person to look down on me and tell me what an idiot I was for signing half my business over to a guy I’d never met. But also, what if there was something shady going on? What if, by telling her, I put her in even more danger?
“It’s not. I’m just being stupid. I haven’t had guests…ever, I think, so I don’t know what to expect.”
“Is that all? This place is ginormous. You probably won’t even have to see them unless you want to. But why are you having a volunteer stay here?”
I bit the inside of my cheek. Time to lie some more, baby .
“Because they have nowhere to stay and they’re offering me their free time. It’s the least I could do.”
Wait a damn second. That wasn’t really a lie. Maybe by omission, since he was also staying here to keep an eye on me and keep me safe like the pathetic little princess I was.
“I’d be more concerned about having someone you don’t know around the house. It’s not safe.”
“He came recommended.”
“What is he? A toothpaste?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. I ain’t seen their birth certificate.”
Penny snorted.
“You’re hilarious.”
“Aren’t I? Sometimes I make myself pee because I’m so funny.”
“Then I’ll order you diapers. Can’t have you leaking around here. Someone might mistake you for an incontinent dog.”
“I’m too small and ugly to be mistaken for a dog.”
“No comment. Right, I’m putting missy here back, and then I’m off for the rest of the week. I’m only doing two shifts at the Grill, though, so if you need anything?—”
“Yeah, yeah. I know. I’ll call you. I’ll be fine though. I’ll have help.”
She paused at the door and glared at me.
“Please call me if he tries to murder you.”
I rolled my eyes.
“If he tries to murder me, I’ll be busy dying.”
“You’re not funny.”
“That’s not what Dad says.”
“Yeah, because you’re his carbon copy.”
I grimaced. “We look nothing alike.”
Penny pointed at her chest, and Tinkerbell tried to paw at her finger as she did.
“Inside, idiot.”
“Goodbye, sister!”
“Goodbye, brother!”
“Don’t miss me too much while you’re gone.”
“Believe me, I won’t!” She opened the door, but before she closed it behind her, she ducked her head in and blew me a kiss. “Love you. See ya.”
I sighed.
That’s my crazy sister, everyone.
And yeah, I can see you shaking your head. I know. If she’s crazy, I’m crazier. You’re right. I am. I mean…only a crazy guy would sign half his business away to a stranger and then go to another stranger for help, right ?
Right.
I checked my records and then walked out into the backyard, straight for the dog kennels to get my next patient. A little Japanese Chin who was due for his check-up.
The electronic bell rang just as I was finishing up. And I made my way upstairs with the dog in tow. I told Clover to go to one of the many beds in the living room-slash-waiting area and approached the door, belly rumbling.
I should probably eat something before I pass out from hunger.
I opened the door and almost choked on my own drool.
“You must be Duke,” said the guy, the personification of all that was sexy and fine as fuck, standing at my door, backpack in hand and a guitar case on his back like some rock star in a Hallmark movie.
“Fuck me!” I exhaled and tried to pump oxygen into my lungs, but I couldn’t. He’d stolen it all.
“Excuse me?” he asked.
No. No, sir. You’re not excused. You need to get in here, shove me down, and show me what you can do with those gorgeous, smooth lips.
Before I could apologize or, honest to God, ask him to fuck me at the door, Clover jumped from his bed and bolted straight for the world outside.
“Shit!”
I tried to catch him, but he slipped my hands. Instead of making a run for it as he was notorious for doing, he circled the man, barking his head off, wagging that fluffy tail, and panting with his tongue out like a maniac.
Can’t say I blame you, dude. Get it. Go get it because I can’t.
“Now, who’s…” the man started when Clover stopped running circles, propped his leg, and peed—on my guy.
Erm, the guy. He’s not my guy. Where did that come from? Shut up.
When he was done, he looked up as if he expected a reward.
“Little rascal!” I grumbled.
The guy laughed and surprised me by going down—not on me, unfortunately—on the floor to pet Clover.
Lucky by name, lucky by nature. Couldn’t he, like, pet me instead?
“I’m so sorry,” I managed to say when I found some civility and picked up Clover before he remembered the world out there.
“It’s okay,” he laughed, and boy, oh boy, that smile could kill a man.
Like, straight away, right in the heart. Bullseye. Dead. Death by pearly whites.
“What’s his name?”
The man scratched Clover’s head, and I did my best not to lick his hand myself. I left the job for the dog.
“Clover,” I said.
“Charming.”
Oh my God, I’m going to drop dead if he doesn’t stop looking at me with those gorgeously dark-brown eyes like I’m his entire world, and if he doesn’t stop smiling like I’m the best thing he’s discovered since pizza.
“Um, yeah, not really. His owner died on her way to pick him up, so not that charming.”
Oh yeah. Keep up the sexy talk, Duke. Great job.
“Oh shit. I’m sorry.”
I glanced at the dog— which was a chore when in the presence of a god, let me tell you —and scratched his neck.
“Yeah. He didn’t take it well. Little bastard has been trying to run back home since.”
The guy cooed.
Oh no, dear boy. Don’t coo. I don’t think my heart can take it.
“Awww, he misses his momma.”
“Yeah, if only I could make him understand it’s been five years.”
He winced.
“Five years? And no one has adopted him? He’s freaking adorable.”
So are you. Want me to adopt you?
“Yeah. I know. To be honest, though, he’s never on his best behavior when people come by. So they see a little terror and are put off.”
“Terror? What’s terrorizing about you?” He cooed again.
9-1-1? There’s an emergency. My heart just stopped, and I’m in desperate need of resuscitation.
“That’s because he’s head-over-heels for you.”
So am I, by the way, but let’s leave that out. This encounter is already embarrassing enough.
“He doesn’t even know me.” He chuckled.
“Love at first sight. That’s why he marked you,” I said.
Now, how do we go about me marking you as mine? FYI, peeing is not an option. I’m not into water sports. Although, I don’t know what I’m into, since…you know. Virgin!
“Well, in that case, I’m his.” He winked.
Oh, sweet Jesus, stop. Why are you torturing me like that? How much more can a boy take?
“In that case, congratulations. You’re bonded for life. Come on in. I’ll prepare for the nuptials. Some people might whisper bestiality, but don’t listen to them. They’re just jealous.”
The guy threw his head back and gave a hearty laugh that echoed and rang in my ears like a siren song long after he stopped.
“Please tell me you’re Duke,” he said once he’d composed himself.
“The one and only. Why?”
“Because if you weren’t, I’d probably need to kidnap you and tie you up?—”
Ooh, I like the way you think.
“Just so you can make me laugh like that while I’m here.”
“That could be arranged,” I said, and he winked at me again. “I think I’ve got some rope in the storeroom.”
“I’ll go get it.” He pretended to run and stopped a couple feet beside me. He offered me his hand. “I’m Azrael. Wyatt sent me.” He whispered Wyatt’s name, and I bit my lip.
“Oh. Welcome, Azrael .” I whispered his name too.
“Thank you,” he continued in the same hushed tone. “Why are we whispering?”
“You tell me. You started it.” I held back a chuckle as I closed the door and set the dog back down.
“Wyatt told me I’m undercover. I didn’t want anyone to hear.”
“I see. There’s no one around. The morning volunteers are done, and I usually handle the evening feedings.”
Azrael nodded, and I watched as Clover went to one of the beds, sniffed it, and came back to circle around the hot man again.
“Oh, not again. Leave the hot man alone.”
“Hot, huh? If I’d known that’s how they treat people around here, I’d have moved here years ago.”
Shit. Did I say that aloud?