by Codi Gary
“I stepped on it,” she said faintly, already woozy.
Dustin kneeled and lifted her foot. “Charlie, call the cops. Tell them to send paramedics.”
He grabbed a towel from the counter and gave her a grim look. “This is going to hurt, but just stay still, okay?”
She nodded, closing her eyes, but as he slid the glass out, she screamed. It was so much worse coming out, as if it was ripping apart her tissue, shredding it to pieces.
“I know, honey, I know.” After he set the glass on the counter, he pressed the towel against the bottom of her foot. “I think you’re going to need stiches. That son of a bitch went all the way in.”
She bit her lip as he pressed against the wound. “Did… Did you see what did it? What broke the window?”
“No.” He stood up and lifted her onto the edge of the counter. He tied the towel around her foot. She winced at the pain, but his fingers stroking her forehead as he brushed her hair back from her face made her feel slightly better.
“What were you doing down here?” she asked.
“I heard the tires squealing, and came down to check on you. We’d made it to the bottom of the stairs when I heard you scream.”
“I… I woke up, but I didn’t know why. Not until I came out here.”
Dustin wrapped his arms around her and she hugged him close, burying her face in his neck as the dam of tears broke. She had woken up to a nightmare of fear and pain and she had no idea why. Who would break the glass door?
She was still crying when Charlie came up beside them.
“The cops are on their way, but I found this on the floor. Figured you might want to see it before they do.”
Rylie pulled back in time to see Dustin take something from his brother, a small rectangle. On the back in black sharpie was a single word.
WHORE.
The blood chilled in her veins. “What is it?”
Dustin handed it to her, and when she turned it over, her stomach churned.
It was a photo of Dustin and Rylie in the pool last night. They were kissing, her arms locked around his shoulders. Seeing one of her most treasured, intimate moments captured and used to terrorize her brought bile up the back of her throat.
“It was tied to a brick. It’s what he used to smash the window,” Charlie said.
“He? Who?” Then it struck Rylie who Charlie meant. “You think Asher did this?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Dustin growled.
“Of course, it matters. If he did do this, then he destroyed your home because of me. This is my fault—”
His arms tightened around her. “This is not on you. The door can be replaced. We need to get you to the hospital and get your foot taken care of.”
“You’re going to want to stay to talk to the cops,” Charlie said.
Rylie’s head was spinning too fast to follow the rest of their conversation. Asher hadn’t bothered her since the flowers. She’d ignored every call, had told him that nothing he said would get them back together. There was no reason for her to follow them. To take pictures and break a window. None of it made sense.
“Hey, hey. You okay?” Dustin asked, peering into her face.
She shook her head, just before everything went dark.
* * * *
“I can’t believe I fainted,” Rylie said hours later.
Dustin grinned as he carried her up the stairs of his house. He’d held Rylie as she passed out, terrified she’d hit her head on the counter. Then he’d taken her back to the bedroom and laid her down on the bed to wait for the paramedics. He’d stayed with her, checked the cut on her foot and though it was deep, the bleeding had stopped.
Once reinforcements had shown up, Rylie had come to as the EMT was examining her wound. They’d offered to drive her to the hospital to get her stitches, but she’d balked at the expense of an ambulance ride. He’d offered to pay and of course, that had only earned him a scowl.
He’d driven her to Marshal Hospital in Placerville, and after several hours of waiting, and a lot of hand squeezing, they’d headed back here. Dustin was shocked she hadn’t passed out again after they’d given her a pain med in her IV. She’d been loopy but awake the whole drive.
“I was impressed with your constitution. I almost lost it when they were sewing up your foot.”
“I was just glad I couldn’t feel or see it.” She laid her cheek against his shoulder with a sigh. “These pain meds they’ve got me on are magic.”
Dustin set her down on his bed and pulled the covers back so she could get in. She turned on her side, and he was able to get the blankets over her without hurting her foot.
Tucking the comforter under her chin, he said, “When the pharmacy opens, I’ll grab your pain meds and antibiotics, but the doctor said you should be good until then.”
“Mmmhmmm.”
Dustin’s hand brushed over the tear stains on her cheek and he was so glad she hadn’t cried for long.
“Hey,” Charlie called from the doorway. “How’s the patient?”
Dustin stood up and faced his brother. “She’s a little loopy right now, but no surgery was needed. Just pain meds, antibiotics, and lots of rest.”
“I can sing though, right?” she mumbled.
“All you want.” Dustin snorted. “Apparently, they gave her the good stuff.”
“Lucky girl.” Charlie shot Dustin a meaningful look. “We’ll talk in the morning.”
Dustin nodded, and when Charlie disappeared down the hallway, Dustin closed and locked the door. He’d considered sleeping in one of the guest rooms, but he didn’t want to be that far away from her.
He got undressed, leaving on his boxers, and crawled under the covers next to her. He pulled her against him and she snuggled close, sighing against his chest.
“I am really sorry I’m so much trouble.”
Dustin kissed her forehead softly. “Didn’t you know? I love trouble.”
“I did hear that somewhere.”
His fingers stroked down her back as he waited for her to fall asleep, his mind racing as he thought about what could have happened if Asher had wanted to do more than scare her. What if he’d broken the window, gone inside, and hurt her? There was no guarantee he would have heard her if she’d screamed, and if anything more had happened to her, he didn’t think he could live with himself. Imagining a world without Rylie in it was impossible. Her smile. Her voice. Her laugh.
It was as though he couldn’t remember what life was like before he really knew her and he never wanted to go back there.
“Talk to me,” she whispered.
He rubbed a hand across his face, banishing his dark thoughts. “What do you want me to talk about?”
“Anything.” Her soft voice was slurring slightly and he wondered how much longer she was going to stay awake.
“I loved the doughnuts.”
“I knew you would.”
He chuckled, then sobered. “The cheesecake was supposed to be a thank-you, but I guess I kind of ruined it, huh?”
“You were a dick.”
“Yes, I was.”
“Why?”
What exactly did he tell her? That he liked her? That he was starting to think she wasn’t just another one of his hookups?
She’d never believe it, even hopped up on painkillers. She’d think he was feeding her a line.
“I guess I was just surprised,” he said, honestly. “I was getting used to having you around.”
“Just because I don’t live here doesn’t mean we won’t still see each other. We still work together.” She yawned against the front of his chest. “We’re friends.”
Dustin knew all that, but there was something different about having Rylie so close. Knowing that he could just walk down the steps to get a glimpse of her. That she’d pop through the door in t
he morning to say hi to Victoria and he’d sometimes stand on the stairs and listen to them gossip at the table.
Well, Victoria would gossip and Rylie would listen, which was just another thing to like about her. She didn’t spread stuff around like the rest of town.
“I know we’re friends, but it won’t be the same with you living across town.” His arm squeezed her affectionately as he added, “I’ll miss your little noises when something tastes good. The way you roll your eyes when I annoy you. But I think I’m going to miss your zombie walk when you first wake up most of all.”
Her hand half-heartedly smacked his chest. “Be nice.”
“I thought I was being nice.”
“You called me a zombie.”
“I also said I would miss you.”
She grew so quiet he thought she might have fallen asleep. Only a few moments later, she mumbled, “I’ll miss you too.”
Dustin traced his fingers from her temple to her cheek, until the soft rustle of her deep breathing fell from her lips. It was another thing he’d learned about Rylie; she had this funny little snore that almost had a wheeze on the end. On any other woman, he’d have found it annoying, but on Rylie it was…cute.
Yep, it was official. Four weeks of living next door to this woman and he’d lost his damn mind.
Chapter 20
On Saturday, Rylie sat in the front seat of Dustin’s car, grumbling as she stared out the window and trees whizzed past.
“I was okay to drive, you know. I can totally work the pedals with my left foot.”
Dustin shot her an annoyed glance, which she’d gotten used to the last six days. “And I said that I did not want you pulling out your stitches again. Do not aggravate me, woman.”
Rylie huffed, her own irritation hitting Defcon Five. The day after she’d sliced her foot, she’d tried to walk down the steps of his house and pulled out a couple of stitches. Dustin had rushed her to Dr. Turner’s office in town. He’d been quick about sewing her back up, and told her to keep off it for a day or two. After that, she was good to use her crutches.
When they got back from the doctor’s office, though, Dustin had brought her a laptop and a stack of magazines and told her to stay in bed. That she could just holler if she needed something. She’d argued that she’d needed to pack up her stuff, but he’d simply shot her one of those dark scowls and left the room. He’d been hovering ever since.
“You’re being ridiculous,” she said for the hundredth time that week.
He pulled down the driveway of her new house and parked next to Luke Jessup’s truck. Marley and Luke had helped Dustin and her pack up her stuff yesterday, but it had gotten too dark to drive the boxes over.
If she was being honest, having Dustin’s undivided attention hadn’t been so bad, and Rylie had been happy to share a bed with him for one more night. They didn’t do more than talk and sleep, but she’d enjoyed the sensation of waking up in his arms and was going to miss it tonight.
Once the car was in gear, he turned in the seat and leveled her with a stern expression. “Now, I am going to carry you inside and you will sit where I put you. You will not try to get up and help; just pretend you’re the overlord and we are your serfs.”
“God, do you ever get tired of being bossy? Why did we bring my crutches if you were going to carry me around everywhere?”
“Because tomorrow you are on your own, but today, I will brook no disobedience,” he said in a very bad Sean Connery voice.
“Maybe you’re the overlord,” she grumbled.
Dustin made a sound as though he was cracking a whip before he got out of the car and came around. He knew she was perfectly capable of using her crutches, but for some reason, he seemed to like taking care of her.
Which was okay with her. For one more day, at least.
Dustin lifted her out of the car and she wrapped her arms around his neck, her fingers traveling across the warm skin. A dull ache settled in her chest. They had one more week of wedding preparations and then that was it. They wouldn’t be neighbors, partners, or lovers… Would they still be friends without the close proximity?
She had her doubts and it made her grip on him tighten.
“You afraid I’m going to drop you?” he asked.
“No, I trust you.”
Dustin’s blue eyes narrowed as they reached the front door, and she wondered what he was thinking. Before she could ask, someone opened the door for them. Marley stood in the opening wearing a dirty pair of jeans, a Supernatural T-shirt, and her blond hair thrown up in a haphazard bun.
“Ready to see your new home?” Marley asked.
Dustin stepped past Marley, and Rylie’s jaw dropped.
“Surprise!”
Rylie’s gaze swung around the fully furnished living room, and into the smiling faces of all her friends. Marley and Luke. Kelly and the bridesmaids from Something Borrowed, including Wendy. Tayler and the staff at the shelter. Dustin’s brother, Charlie, stood off to the side with Kenzie.
“What… What is going on?”
“This is your housewarming party!” Marley said.
Rylie looked up at Dustin, completely overwhelmed. “Did you do this?”
He shrugged as he set her down on a soft gray couch. It was almost exactly like the one she’d picked out from the Better Homes and Gardens magazine he’d given her. Her eyes narrowed on the coffee table, and scanned the rest of the room, noting all the items that were all too familiar.
She should have been suspicious when he’d brought that stack of magazines to his room and set them on the bed. He’d told her, if she was bored, to circle what she’d put in her dream home and like an idiot, she’d gone along with it.
The only things that weren’t new were her father’s old recliner, the antique coffee table that had been her grandmother’s, and the wall of photos that her friends must have pulled out of storage.
Tears blurred her vision. “I can’t accept any of this.”
Dustin squatted down and lowered his voice so only she could hear. “I’d told Kelly to give my bonus and commission to you because you’ve done most of the work and you deserve it.”
Rylie’s eyes widened. “But that’s not true!”
He covered her fluttering hands with his. “I don’t need the money, Rylie, but you do. So, technically, you bought all the furniture. Since she’d already cut me the check, instead of handing the money over, I furnished your house.”
“I… I don’t know what to say.”
“How about…thank you, Dustin.”
What she wanted to do was throw her arms around him and kiss him with everything she’d been holding in her heart, but she couldn’t. Especially not in front of a room full of people.
“Thank you, Dustin,” she whispered. Clearing her throat past the lump of emotion, she added loudly, “This is amazing. Thank you. This is the best surprise I’ve ever had.”
“A bonus surprise is Raider is in your bedroom, taking a nap in his crate. He was a little overwhelmed by all the strangers, so I gave him a calming tablet,” Tayler said.
Rylie’s eyes filled with tears and she sniffled. “This is so nice!”
“You deserve better than nice, Rylie,” Dustin said softly.
Her hands gripped Dustin’s and she didn’t want to let go. “Thank you.”
“What are friends for?”
She stared into his deep blue eyes, searching for something more. This week, she’d thought maybe there’d been a growing intimacy and closeness, but he hadn’t tried anything. Even his pervy comments had been at a minimum.
But if there was really nothing between them, then why was he being so generous to her? He didn’t even offer breakfast to his sex partners…Victoria hadn’t been shy about sharing that.
“Come on, I want to show you the rest,” Marley said, holding out her hand.
Dustin frowned. “I don’t think she should be walking.”
Marley huffed at him. “The stitches have had four days and she was hobbling around yesterday. Don’t be such a mother hen.”
Dustin got up from the couch with a sigh. “I’ll get her crutches from the car.”
“I think I’ll be okay. I can limp,” Rylie said.
Rylie let Marley help her to her feet despite Dustin’s protests, and leaned on her friend as they explored the kitchen. She couldn’t wait to see the rest of it.
The kitchen was big enough to cook comfortably without banging her elbow on something and the stainless-steel appliances were new, except for the mixer that sat on the counter next to the fridge. Rylie calculated the expense in her head and knew that Dustin’s bonus in no way covered all the furniture plus appliances. She was going to have to pay him back; there was just no other way.
The light-colored cupboards and daisy wallpaper were new and complemented the oak table with four chairs that sat in the breakfast nook. The little dining area sat before three large windows with gauzy yellow curtains drawn over them.
“It’s perfect.”
Marley squeezed her arm, and whispered, “Dustin planned everything and we all got together this week when we could. All the Something Borrowed girls put up the wallpaper and Dustin, Charlie, and Luke updated the cabinet doors. I have to admit, there might be more to him than just a manwhoring asshat.”
Rylie giggled. “That’s a big concession coming from you.”
“I was just happy he was there for you.” Marley’s expression darkened as she added, “And I’m glad you finally got that restraining order on Asher.”
Rylie nodded. The police hadn’t been able to prove he was the one who’d thrown the brick, but Dustin and Luke had convinced her that at least the RO would give them more to work with.
“Me too. I just hope it doesn’t make things worse.”
“It won’t, I’m sure.” Marley squeezed her side and steered her around a corner. “Come check out the laundry room. Someone has a new washer and dryer!”