Chapter 4 #2
I finished the gravy boat, set it on the coffee table, then slid down in the blankets, my full stomach making my eyelids go heavy.
Sleep had been elusive even before flying across country.
I hadn’t actually been the one to drive the moving truck or my pickup hitched to the back.
My publisher had taken care of that as well as the house I was renting.
That was how important my book deadline was.
One more brick sitting on my shoulder.
Especially since a good chunk of my advance went to the reason why I couldn’t fucking write this book.
I tipped my head against the cushion as exhaustion dragged at me. The cross-country flights had longer layovers since there were limited direct flights to Albany, New York.
The next thing I knew, the room was quiet and dark save for the flickering of the fire and the light sound of snoring. My long ignored bladder made itself known. I tried to move and found something heavy on my good foot.
A little moan and rustle of blankets surprised me.
She was still here?
And sleeping against my leg. She’d curled herself around me, making sure to keep my foot beside her and elevated. Her shoulder was tucked against the pillow to keep my leg in place while I slept.
I frowned.
Who the hell was this woman?
The deep sigh and flutter of canine lips ending in a snore told me the dog was still a guest as well.
I hated to wake her, but getting to the toilet was an imperative.
I tried to slip out from under her, but even that light jostling speared pain up my leg. Immediately she sat up. “Are you okay?”
Her husky voice a balm I didn’t want to name. I stuffed it back down into the thick tar of anger. “Sorry, I need the facilities.”
She shoved her hair out of her face, leaving it in a wild tumble around her face. “Right. It’s been hours.” She got to her feet, swaying a little. “Whoa.”
I frowned. “You good?”
She waved me off. “Yeah, just worked early.” She yawned hugely. “I was going to go home, but you looked so cozy. I put the soup away and was just going to sit for a minute...” She shrugged then gently pulled the pillow out from under my foot. “Think we can get up?”
“We?”
“I doubt you’ll be doing it yourself.” She helped me get my feet under me. “Just hang on to me.”
“This is ridiculous.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t have a pair of crutches in my hip pocket so you’ve got me.”
The nice girl had a little bite.
She tucked herself under my arm again and that honey scent of her wrapped around me like her arms. Freaking hell, I needed her out of my house. Especially when I almost buried my nose into her silky fall of golden hair.
The sound of the dog’s nails tapping on the hardwood, followed by his nose on the back of my leg, prodded at the annoyance that was never far away from me.
Why did the both of them have to be here in my space?
Then the dog leaned on me as if to hold me up as well.
Once Phoebe and I started walking, he backed off a bit, but followed us the whole way across the living room and down the hall as if he could catch me.
He was a sizable dog, but I was a big guy.
There was a small half bath just off the front door, but I wasn’t entirely sure I could maneuver in there without banging into every damn thing.
“Bedroom,” I said under my breath.
“Need a break?”
“No.”
I did, but I needed to piss more than rest.
The box full of clothing scraps was still in the middle of the hall. A testament to my tantrum that landed me in this whole mess. Phoebe kicked it out of the way and we shambled along like drunks. She leaned me against the doorway.
“One second.” She stepped around the scatter of boxes and quickly stacked them under the window since there wasn’t much in the way of room. “Okay, here we go.”
I leaned on the dresser to take a little of my weight off her. She tucked herself against me since there was barely enough room for me, let alone the two of us. She’d shed her sweatshirt from earlier and wore a cropped T-shirt leaving a whole lot of golden skin showing.
I swallowed as her soft breast pressed into my chest.
And no bra.
Hell.
Put it away, Dutch.
I gritted my teeth and moved a little quicker so I could get some space from her.
It was just biological. I hadn’t been near anyone in a damn long time, let alone a woman who smelled like sunny mornings and soft sheets.
She got me through the door and I stopped her. “I got it.”
“You sure?”
“You want to hold my dick for me?”
Her green eyes flashed. “Jackass.”
I closed the door in her face.
It would be better if she stormed off. I could get to my bed on my own at least.
I did my business and hobbled to the sink to wash my hands. Christ, I looked like shit. My hair was curly when I didn’t cut it regularly and now it stuck up all around my gaunt face.
I dragged my palm across my bearded cheek which was just as long as my fucking hair. I looked like I was trying out for a Fleetwood Mac tribute band.
Disgusted, I shut off the light and limped to the door.
She was still in my room. She’d gotten the blanket off the couch and was remaking my bed.
“What are you still doing here?”
“Considering I can’t see across the road between our houses, you’ll have to deal with me for a few more hours until Dylan and his brothers plow me out. Lucky for you, they’re pretty early.”
I grunted.
“I’ll sleep on the couch.”
I frowned. “No you won’t.”
“Won’t I?” Her chin lifted.
“I don’t even know where my other blankets are. Hell, I probably only have a useless cotton one. I’m from freaking San Francisco.”
“I can just stoke the fireplace.”
“Get in the bed, Phoebe.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Excuse me?”
“It’s a king-sized bed. Plenty of room.”
She glanced at the bed, then at me.
“You were just sleeping on me in the living room. Obviously you aren’t afraid of me.”
I didn’t want to think about that warmth and contentment. It was so foreign at this point, I couldn’t be sure it was real.
“Should I be afraid of you?”
Yes.
The word wanted to explode out of me. Not because I’d physically hurt her, but because I was a black hole of anger and not good for anyone to be around.
If there wasn’t a foot of snow obscuring the road between us, I’d have sent her home in her ridiculous pajamas with the damn dog.
The tapping of nails in the hallway broke the tension as we both looked over to find the dog cowering in the doorway.
She crossed her arms. “Only if the dog can come too.”
“Fine.”
She paused at the bed. “Which is your side?”
Even now she was worried about making sure I was comfortable? Unreal.
“Left.”
She nodded and crawled across the bed just so she wouldn’t have to walk in front of me. I wasn’t sure which was worse. Seeing her crawl across my bed jolted something awake inside of me. I blamed it on her ridiculously perky ass and closed my eyes.
“C’mon, buddy.” She patted the bed.
I wasn’t sure if she was calling me or the dog. And the urge to steal that honeyed warmth darkened my mood.
The dog carefully crouched his way through the doorway.
I jerked my head toward the bed at him and he scrambled up on the bed and into her arms.
I had to clean the sheets anyway.
I couldn’t have her scent in my head after tonight.
With a sigh, I shut off the bathroom light and limped my way around the bed to my side. That weird, diffused light of a snow swollen sky left the room soft and hazy.
Normally, I couldn’t sleep in anything but full dark. I’d have to get blackout curtains, but exhaustion still pulled at me.
Phoebe and the dog became a unit. When she pulled open the sheets to let the dog under the blankets, I grunted. “Over the blankets.”
“But he’s cold.”
“He’s a dog.”
She sighed and spooned around the dog. “It’s okay, I’ll keep you warm.”
The dog’s tail thumped as he wiggled even closer.
I slipped under the covers and rolled onto my side, facing the door to the bedroom—away from her and the dog.
I vaguely heard her murmur to the dog in a sweet voice.
It was going to be a damn long night.
The pain and length of the day dragged me under into sleep, certainly not the ball of sunshine in my bed.