“Eh,” she said, dabbing at the cut with a sterile wipe. “They’re small, so glue would have been better than stitches. If they were big, you had a really talented doctor. They look great.”
He laughed and shook his head, going motionless when she laid a warm hand on his forehead. “I don’t think anyone ever says facial scars look great,” he said.
Rolling her eyes, she straightened and pulled her sweatshirt over her head, revealing a blue tank top and a massive whorled scar in the meat of her right shoulder. “The ones on your face are minor, comparatively speaking. Give them a few years and you’ll never notice them.”
“Christ, woman! What happened?” It looked like she’d been shot by something large caliber and hollow point, and he clenched his fists as he thought of killing the bastard who hurt her.
“I tangled with a bull who didn’t much want his shots,” she said, calmly pulling her sweatshirt back on. “He was the guest of honor at the owner’s next Christmas dinner.”
She pressed the edges of his cut together and sealed it, then covered it with gauze and tape. Thirty seconds and she was done.
The laughter boiling in his chest started so suddenly, he almost didn’t know what it was. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed, but her deadpan delivery when talking about how she’d received her wound brought it out. It made his head ache something fierce, but by the time he was done laughing, he felt… Lighter, maybe. He didn’t know, but one thing he did know was that he wanted to get to know Dr. Jennifer Dane a lot better.
She handed him a few painkillers and a bottle of water, still wearing an enigmatic smile. “Was it something I said?” she asked.
He took the pills from her and tossed them in his mouth, washing them down with the water. “Yeah,” he said. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She tugged off his shoes and laid a blanket over him. “I’ll check on you in a few hours, but you should get some sleep.”
Jennifer kicked herself as she closed her office door. She’d never even asked the hunk’s name. How dumb could one woman be?
It wasn’t like he’d be interested in her, though. She’d tried to date, but she usually ended up with creeps who wanted her to call them daddy. She might have been interested in that dynamic if she hadn’t gotten such disconcerting vibes from them. She wouldn’t mind calling the man in her office daddy, though.
Even battered and bruised, he was the most arresting man she’d ever seen. He had gorgeous blue eyes, and that bit of black and gray stubble on his face made her wonder what it would feel like between her legs.
She wondered if he was the dominant type. She liked a man to take control of her in bed. She shook the thought away. He probably had a gorgeous girlfriend who was waiting for him to come home. His clothes were designer, and his car had been very expensive before he’d wrecked it. Yeah, he had a trophy girlfriend somewhere. There was no way he’d be interested in a nobody like her.
Caleb followed her as she wandered into post-op to check on her patients. Nero meowed at her, the e-collar around his neck making his long black hair stand out around his face. He’d been brought in after being hit by a car. He’d make someone a sweet pet once he healed up from having his leg amputated. She leaned down and took him from his heated cage. Unfastening the collar, she sat in the rocking chair in the corner and cuddled him.
He sounded like a Volkswagen missing a cylinder when he purred. Caleb sat next to her, his head on her lap. She set the alarm on her phone and closed her eyes, allowing herself to doze for a bit. Maybe she’d adopt Nero instead of finding him another home. In a few days, he’d be ready to go, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to part with him.
She drifted off to the sound of Nero’s purrs, but her mind was filled with the blue eyes of the stranger in her office.
Her alarm woke her a few hours later, and she put Nero back in his cage after replacing his e-collar. He grumped a bit, but curled up and went back to sleep. Caleb was passed out on the floor snoring, and didn’t move as she checked on the dogs.
Throwing on her coat, she went outside to check her equine patient and changed his dressing. The wound was looking better, and he might be able to go home before the new year.
Stopping at the clinic door, she looked up. The snow had stopped, leaving the sky cloudless and filled with stars. There was a small bit of light pollution from Montgomery, but it wasn’t enough to diminish the spectacle above her. Her eyes narrowed as she watched a brilliant white object streak across the sky.
It was probably a satellite, but she wished on it anyway before going inside to check on her last patient.
Creeping into her office, she turned on the desk lamp, moving the light so it didn’t hurt his eyes. Kneeling next to the couch, she said, “Sir, I need you to wake up for me so I can check you.”
He grunted once and rolled over to face her. Opening his eyes, he said, “I’m fine, angel. Come back to bed.” Without another word, he fell asleep again.
Jennifer laughed softly and pulled the blanket over his shoulders. His pupils were matched and had a good response to light. He might have a slight headache in the morning, but he’d probably be fine.
Grabbing an extra pillow and more blankets from the closet, she made herself a nest on the floor next to the couch. It wasn’t perfect, but it wouldn’t be the first time she’d slept on the floor, and she’d be up again for morning rounds in a few hours. She snagged her reader off the table and lost herself in her book.
It was nearing dawn by the time she finished. She couldn’t wait to read the next story, but there was only a short teaser that made her want to shake the authors and yell at them to hurry it up already! She put the reader back on the table and slipped her feet into the Crocs she wore while inside. She wished she could give her patients’ families a Christmas gift and send them home, but none of them were stable enough.
Well, except Nero, that was. Nero didn’t have anywhere to go, sort of like her. She could have gone to visit her mother in Florida, but their relationship had been strained even before Jennifer left for college. She had no desire to listen to an aging beauty queen’s scathing comments about her appearance. It was bad enough she had to look in the mirror every day without hearing it from someone who was supposed to support her.
Okay, so maybe she should take a few seconds and pluck those chin hairs, but really, she was a freaking vet. It wasn’t like she was going to be posing for a camera any time soon. Remembering her gorgeous guest, she grabbed a pair of tweezers and went into the bathroom to take care of the job.
She checked on the man once more before doing her rounds. She had plenty of food for a Christmas breakfast, but it could wait until he woke up on his own.
Sadly, none of the dogs were quite ready to leave her care yet, but Nero looked great. He was up and hobbling around, trying to get used to walking with only three legs. He was still wrapped in festive green elastic bandages, so if he behaved himself and didn’t chew at it, she could give him a respite from the e-collar for the day. She took it off and cuddled him for a few minutes, then let him follow her through the clinic and back to her office.
3
Kaden stretched and opened his eyes, wondering what woke him. Looking around, he spotted a large golden retriever curled up in a dog bed near the desk, snoring like crazy. Some watchdog.
He touched the gauze over the cut Dr. Dane had tended. The pounding in his temples had eased, making him feel almost human again. He looked around for her, but she’d left him alone. She must have spent at least part of the night with him, judging by the pile of blankets on the floor. She’d also left him the pain relievers along with another capped bottle of water.
Though he wobbled a little as he stood, he soon got his feet under him and made it to the desk without incident. He popped a couple of the pills, chasing them with the water.
The landline on the desk was still out, and Dr. Dane had been right about not having cell service out here. Hell, even if he had the means
to contact someone to pick him up, it wasn’t likely anyone could get through the snow.
He wished he’d gone back to New York, but his folks were gone on a long overdue vacation to Barbados and he didn’t want to disturb them. That, and he didn’t want to watch them moon over each other like they had for the entire thirty-five years of his life. There were some things a man shouldn’t see or hear from his parents, and he wasn’t in the mood for it.
Dr. Dane was the last person who deserved to suffer from his bad mood. She seemed to be a genuinely nice person. It would have been great if he’d met someone like her before Brittany soured him on relationships.
Meaning to go look for her, he left the office. To his surprise, he heard pounding coming from the back door of the clinic. Had Dr. Dane locked herself out? He didn’t see her being so careless, but he barely knew her.
Except he didn’t find Dr. Dane when he opened the door. Her face streaked with tears, a woman in a black cap and parka stood at the door, a large Husky mix covered in a blood-soaked blanket on a sled at her feet. She dragged a mitten-clad hand across her face and demanded, “Where’s Jennifer? Evan shot my dog!”
She pushed past him, shouting Jennifer’s name at the top of her lungs. Instead of following her, he decided to be helpful and pull the dog inside. The plastic sled moved easily on the tile floor, and trying to remember where her treatment room was, he headed in that general direction, knowing he’d find it sooner or later.
He found the room just as Dr. Dane skidded around the corner, the Crocs on her feet squeaking as she ran. Falling to her knees, she twitched the blanket away.
“Oh fuck, Princess.” She leaned down and kissed the dog between the ears. “We’ll make you better, sweetie, and you’ll be back to chasing that loser in no time.”
She was gone, the door to her treatment area shut and locked behind her before he had a chance to get a word in. Kaden shook his head. There were two people in this building who had bigger problems than he did. He could be patient.
The dog’s owner stood outside smoking a cigarette. Her hand shook as she lifted the thing to her lips and inhaled. Kaden considered going outside to ask if she needed anything, but he doubted she’d be interested in talking to strange men.
That left him at loose ends. Returning to Dr. Dane’s office, he picked up her reader and decided to see if she had anything interesting to read. Within a few pages, he was fully engrossed in the alien romance at the top of her list. It was completely unrealistic and he didn’t understand the attraction, but there was enough spanking to keep his attention.
Was she into the discipline, or was it just fantasy? He heard footsteps in the hall and set the reader aside. Going to the door, he opened it and found the dog’s owner, pale with cold and shaking.
“Hey,” he said softly, careful not to spook her. “Come in and have a seat. I can make you some coffee.”
“What’s taking Jennifer so long?” she asked. “I need to know how my Princess is.”
“She’ll be fine, I think. She’s heavily sedated, but you can see her in about half an hour.” Jennifer wore bloodstained scrubs, and her braids were ragged and messy under a surgical cap. A mask hung around her neck, and she looked wiped out as she leaned against the doorframe.
“No! I need to see her! I need to—”
“Chelsea, have a seat and calm down. Princess is going to be fine, but I haven’t gotten her moved out of surgery yet. Give me about half an hour to clean up, okay?”
The woman, Chelsea, fell to the couch. Tears welled in her eyes, but she nodded. “Okay. Thanks, Doc.”
“Good.” Sitting down next to her, Dr. Dane took her hand. “I’m going to pro bono her surgery because I know you can’t afford it, but in return, I want you to press charges against Evan.”
“I can’t!” Crying in earnest, Chelsea said. “What if he—”
“What if it’s not Princess he shoots next time?” Dr. Dane asked in a soft voice. “What if it’s—”
Rubbing her face with both hands, Chelsea nodded. “Okay. Yeah, I get it. I’ll call it in when the phones are back up.”
The man she’d rescued followed her, leaving Chelsea alone in her office. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with him right now. Chelsea’s husband, Evan, was bad news all around, and the thought of him shooting an innocent dog made her blood boil.
Worse, she knew Chelsea would probably go back to him, and it drove her batshit crazy. Aside from patching Princess up, there wasn’t anything she could do about it.
Stopping in front of the closed door to her surgery, she turned to face the man and said, “You might want to go back and sit with Chelsea, sir.”
“My name’s Kaden McCleod, US Army, retired.”
Holding out a hand, she said, “It’s good to meet you, though I wish it had been under better circumstances. If you’d like some breakfast, there’s food in the fridge in my office. You’re welcome to help yourself while I clean up.”
“I’ll help you. It’s the least I can do.”
His blue eyes were steady and penetrating, and made something quiver in her belly. She shook the uncomfortable sensation away. “Really, you don’t want to do that. I didn’t have an assistant, and I made a mess.”
Reaching around, he opened the door and led her inside. “Honey, I just got back from a war zone. I doubt one little dog is going to shock me.”
“Princess isn’t exactly a poodle, but okay. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
To her surprise, he got right to work with her, and soon they had her surgery disinfected and ready for the next patient. When he put the mop bucket away, he said, “That wasn’t so bad. Ready to eat?”
“Go ahead, I need to check her IV, but it won’t take me long.”
“I’ll go with you to make sure you don’t dawdle. You look exhausted.” He wrapped a hand around her arm, escorting her to Princess’ post-op kennel.
“Thanks,” she muttered. He was right. She hadn’t slept more than a few hours at a time in days, and she needed a shower.
To his credit, he flushed in embarrassment, and said, “Sorry, but between me and Princess, you’ve worked your ass off and you need to rest.”
Checking on Princess took only a few minutes. She could have looked at the IV bag from the doorway, but wanted to give herself time to adjust to her sudden desire to sit on Kaden’s lap and let him take care of her for a few hours.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had a ‘me’ day. Her mother did them several times a week, but she’d gone through a few rich husbands and had money and time. Even just a bubble bath and a glass of wine would be an improvement over Jennifer’s usual hurried shower before falling into bed.
Kaden didn’t take her arm as they walked back to her office, and she missed the touch. What was wrong with her? He was going to be gone just as soon as the phone lines were fixed. She had no business wanting something he clearly wasn’t interested in giving. He was too handsome for her anyway, and besides, she was sure he had a girlfriend.
The unhelpful voice in her head reminded her that she hadn’t asked.
The door to her office opened, revealing Chelsea. And Evan. Evan had his arm draped across Chelsea’s bowed shoulders, and he smirked at her.
“Hey, Jenny!” he said, his smile showing teeth. “Thanks for taking care of my little wife’s pooch. Sure is a shame the mutt got shot, isn’t it?”
“My name is Dr. Dane, asshole.” Jennifer had a problem being civil to Evan, and today was no different. Especially since she knew Chelsea would take the loser back.
“Whatever.” Evan shrugged and pulled Chelsea closer. “You women get all bent out of shape over nothing.” The false smile fell from his face and he stared at her. “You ought to find yourself a man to keep you in line before you get hurt.”
Kaden stepped forward, positioning himself in front of her. She tried to move around him, but he held up a hand. “Be still, sweetheart.” Looking down at Evan, he said, “I’m Captain Kaden M
cCleod, and I understand you’re the douchebag who shot this lady’s dog?”
Jennifer hadn’t registered the size disparity between Evan and Kaden. Kaden was easily six inches taller and much more muscular. In a fight, there’d be no contest. Evan was a bully, but he wasn’t a fighter.
“The mutt got out on the gun range.” Evan shrugged. “She caught a stray round.”
“Uh huh. And the gun range happens to be on your property?” Kaden asked.
“What do you care?” Evan snapped. “Why don’t you take your own woman in hand and teach her some manners before I do?”
“I think I’d rather teach you some manners,” Kaden said softly. Without another word, he picked Evan up by his collar and the seat of his pants. Ignoring Evan’s angry screams, he ordered, “Open the door, honey.”
Eyes wide, Jennifer scrambled to do as he’d asked, then watched with no small amount of satisfaction as Kaden tossed Evan out the door.
Kaden walked out and prodded Evan with the toe of his boot. “I suggest that you have a care for who you threaten, sir. Eventually, you’re going to come up against someone bigger and meaner than you are.”
“Fuck you, asshole! You just better keep that bitch of yours in line or I’ll—”
Dragging Evan to his feet, Kaden punched him. One hard tap to his jaw laid him out in the snow, and it was the prettiest thing Jennifer had ever seen. She’d be replaying this moment for years.
Unfortunately, Chelsea followed him out. Jennifer caught her arm and said, “Chelsea, think about this. You don’t want to go back with him.”
Chelsea wouldn’t meet her eyes and looked down at her feet. “He’s not going to let me go. If I give in now, he won’t hurt me so bad.”
“Oh, Chelsea.” Jennifer sighed. “I can’t stop you, but I’m not going to let you have Princess back. Legally, I can’t allow her to go a home I know to be abusive.”
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