“That sounds like a great idea,” the doctor said.
Trevor’s brow furrowed as he watched me. Finally, he nodded, and my shoulders relaxed just slightly, some of the tension draining away.
But only some of it. I’d still yet to decide what I was supposed to do with Trevor himself.
6
Trevor
By Wednesday, I was getting antsy. They’d ended up keeping me two nights because I did in fact have a severe concussion, and they wanted to keep a close eye on me. For the most part I was feeling better. They’d given me some pretty strong medication for the pain in my head. Even so, I could still feel the dull ache in my temple.
What was not good about the pain meds was that I couldn’t take my heat suppressors while on them. The doctor said something about a deadly mix of the two compounds or only one would work on my body at a time, but I hadn’t really taken that much notice. It simply amounted to me picking one or the other, so I’d opted in favor of the pain medication. But that meant my heat had become full bore again.
It should have actually run its course by now. My normal cycle was every fourth Thursday, and it was over by Sunday. Like clockwork. This early onset was not only worrisome, it was embarrassing. Unruly hormones were not my thing and I’d always tried to keep them in control. So not only was that taken out of my hands, my heat seemed to flare up to mortifying proportions whenever Jason was around. Which seemed to be a lot.
He’d been at the hospital most of the day Monday, and then came in before and after work on Tuesday. Every time he was here, I found myself drawn to him even more. And it wasn’t just my hormones or my crush.
Everything about him was just as I’d thought—but somehow different. He was still a little ornery, but I’d also seen a softer side of him. He’d been fussing over me in a way I didn’t understand, wanting to make sure I had everything I needed like jumping for a nurse or doctor at the slightest indication I was in pain.
I didn’t know what to make of it. Maybe it was the fact that he’d been the one to find me knocked out on the floor of my shop? Whatever it was, I was welcoming the attention, even if I knew it was short-lived. I was sure as soon as I was back on my feet things would go back to the way they used to be.
I sighed at the idea. I liked this side of Jason and wondered if we could eventually be friends. I wasn’t sure how that would help my crush, but I believed having us getting along was better that having him as a cranky neighbor. He might even stop complaining about my dogs. At that thought, I felt my heart twinge. I missed my fur babies desperately.
That was another thing that had surprised me. Jason had stepped in and taken care of everything as far as the doggie daycare was concerned. And not only had he made sure I had the staffing I needed so things would operate normally while I was out, he’d made arrangements for Bonnie and Clyde as well. Kyle and Gavin were keeping them at their place out at the homestead. I wondered what that had been like—a couple lazy dogs surrounded by a bunch of wolf shifters.
“I’m getting your discharge papers ready for you, Mr. Perry,” my nurse said, shaking me from my thoughts as she came into the room they’d moved me to after I’d been released from the ER. “You’ll need to schedule an appointment with the doctor next week to follow up. He’ll make his rounds in just a bit to go over everything with you, and then you can head home.”
She smiled and checked my vitals once again, and then headed right back out. I grabbed my phone and called Kyle. I’d need a ride home.
“Hey, how are you feeling?” he asked, sounding a little rushed. He’d probably been feeding Raina, and I suddenly felt a little reluctant to ask him for another favor.
“Well, the doctors and nurses are sick of me, so they’re kicking me out. I think I’m too much for them.”
“You’re too much for anyone,” Kyle said, a smile in his voice.
I smiled in return but got down to asking him why I’d called. “I know you’ve done so much for me minding Bonnie and Clyde, but is it too much to ask for you to come and pick me up? The doctors won’t let me drive.”
“Jason’s already on his way.”
“What? When did he leave? How did he know?”
Kyle chuckled. “He said he’d talked to the doctor and knew you’d be released today, and he wanted to be the one to take you home.”
Oh. “He didn’t have to do that…”
“I don’t think he would have it any other way. In fact, he was pretty adamant, so I didn’t press the issue.” Kyle was laughing quietly now, sounding like he knew something I didn’t, and it made me wonder what Jason had said.
Just as I was about to ask Kyle what he thought he knew, I saw Jason appear in the doorway. “Oh, he’s here. Um, I guess I’ll talk to you later.”
I hung up on Kyle without waiting to hear his response, my attention fixed on Jason. Damn, he looked good in his dark-wash jeans and button-down shirt cuffed up to the elbows. It made me feel frumpy in comparison to the sweats and t-shirt Kyle had brought me yesterday. I made a mental note to ask him what he’d been thinking packing such unflattering clothes.
“You again?” I asked with a cheeky grin, hoping to deflect attention from my shabby appearance. Unfortunately, my smile caused a bite of pain from my bruise, which was still hurting something fierce.
Jason laughed and made his way over to my bedside. “I thought I’d give you my hero bill. It’s not cheap, fighting crime you know. Anyway I have to uphold my reputation. How would it look if after coming to your rescue I let you languish in here?”
He was teasing me again, which had been surprising at first, but over the past couple days he always seemed to have a witty comeback to my jokes. He actually made me laugh, and I loved seeing him smile.
“So you’re my hero now? Like the masked crusader, but without the mask? Or Thor without his hammer?”
I still couldn’t believe what Jason had done. How he’d protected me by standing up to the men who’d attacked me. When I’d finally dragged more of the details out of him, I’d been shocked. He’d come running over to save me, only concerned with my safety and with no thought for his own. I wanted that to mean more than it did, though, so I kept resorting to jokes so he would have no idea.
Jason laughed, but then shook his head. “I just want you to know I’m here for you,” he replied softly, looking at me in a way that made my throat tighten.
God, these pain meds and my heat had me going crazy. I was seeing things that weren’t there.
Just then, the doctor came in. “Trevor,” he said with a kind smile. “You ready to get out of here?”
“I think he might orchestrate a jailbreak if you don’t let him get back to his dogs soon,” Jason said, winking at me.
I nodded. “Truth.”
“Well, there are a few things I need to talk to you about first. Primarily that you need to continue to take it easy over the next few days. That means no work.”
My heart sank. “But I don’t have—”
“I’ve got that covered,” Jason told the doctor.
“Good.” The doctor nodded, and then addressed both of us with the discharge orders. Apparently he thought Jason was something more than the person who had rescued me because he was telling him what he needed to look out for.
Jason didn’t do anything to correct him, either. In fact, he listened intently while the doctor gave us instructions, asking questions I wouldn’t have even thought to ask.
“Do you live alone, Mr. Perry?”
I nodded then wished I hadn’t when my head started to ache.
“You really shouldn’t be alone for the next couple days,” he said, looking between the two of us. “Just to make sure there isn’t something we didn’t catch. He shouldn’t get up and walk around alone.” He addressed Jason now. “In case he was to have a fall or something.”
“No problem,” Jason said quickly. “I’ll take it upon myself personally to be right there at Trevor’s side. I want him to have a full recovery with no
setbacks.”
I was momentarily speechless. While the idea of Jason by my side for the next few days—and nights—filled me with elation, I certainly hadn’t expected this. I hadn’t actually expected to have anyone looking after me, not really. I’d thought about it though, wondering if I would be okay at home alone.
The attack had shaken me up considerably, and I didn’t want to be alone—at all. Every time I’d thought about being at home without the security of the hospital my anxiety went through the roof. I’d never been afraid to be alone before, but the idea of it had my stomach twisting. What if the attackers came after me again?
Now it looked like I didn’t have to worry about it. Jason was volunteering to stay with me. I didn’t know why, and I know I should ask him, but the doctor was looking at me, waiting for me to okay the plan.
I forced myself to stop thinking about having Jason with me night and day, and cocked an eyebrow at the doctor. “Okay, I take it back. I’m having hallucinations after all.”
He laughed, and then clapped Jason on the back. “I think you’ll have your work cut out for you with this patient. He’s a feisty one.”
“Indeed,” Jason murmured, his lips quirking upward as he watched me.
I felt a flutter in my chest as my heartbeat ratcheted, something the heart monitor picked up clearly. Maybe Jason wouldn’t notice?
I should be so lucky. His eyes snapped to the monitor then back to me, and he gave me an unreadable look.
“Okay, great,” the doctor said. “It looks like you’ve got this then. Like I said before, you can come off the pain meds if you feel you don’t need them. They should be out of your system by tonight so you’ll know then. Do you have any further questions?”
Jason shook his head. He might not have any, but I had plenty. Like what was going on between us?
The doctor left, and then sent a nurse in right away to unhook me from all the machines. Jason watched me the entire time.
In response to his studying gaze, right on cue, my heat flared up, hitting me full force. My body flushed hot, my skin prickled and my pulse jumped. Shit. I was pretty sure he was aware of it too, especially with the way his shoulders suddenly stiffened. He glanced away quickly, but not before I caught a glimpse of hunger in his eyes.
Or maybe I was imagining things. Maybe the pain meds were affecting me more than I realized. I’d been joking when I told the doctor I was hallucinating, but maybe I really was because there was no way Jason felt anything remotely like desire for me. It was hard enough to believe someone like him was taking such an interest in my wellbeing. I didn’t need to go thinking it was more than it was. So I tried not to. Something that got exponentially harder when the nurse left the room and it was just the two of us again.
I grabbed the leaflet the doctor had left for me and began fanning myself, wondering how red-faced I’d become. Not a good combination with my red hair. Ugh. Trust me to look my worst when Jason was around.
Suddenly, he was by my side. “You ready to blow this joint?” he asked with a grin.
I caught my breath as he reached his hand out for mine to help me from the bed. Breathe. Breathe. When I placed my fingers in his, it was like an electric shock, and I saw Jason’s eyes widen briefly. Had he felt it too? He helped me stand, but when he put an arm around my waist, my legs felt like jelly.
“Whoa there,” he said, tightening his arm around me as a wave of dizziness swept over me. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” I said with a laugh, though my voice sounded strained. “Just stood up too fast.” Maybe he’d buy it.
“Good thing I’m here then.” He smiled, and then led me from the room.
I felt every millimeter of space between us, but I was even more aware of the lack of them where he touched me as we made our way out of the hospital. He never let go of me the entire time.
My mind felt fuzzy. My heat? The meds? Just being near Jason? Maybe it was all three. Wondering if he knew I was in heat, I tried to come up with something to say to try to make all this less awkward.
“I can’t wait to see the dogs,” I said. “Can we go by the homestead first?”
Jason hesitated. “I think maybe we should just get you home to rest.”
He was probably right, but I missed them so much. “It’s been hard being away from them this long,” I told him as he opened the passenger door of his car for me.
“I know, but Kyle and Gavin have everything under control, I promise. They’re more than happy to help.”
“What about you, though?” I asked as I sat down in the car and looked up at him. “You have a business to run as well. You can’t just take more time off to stay with me.” I almost didn’t want to remind him of it because a huge part of me really wanted him to stay with me. But apparently he was serious about watching out for me.
“It’s fine. I’ll just close the shop down for a couple days.”
I looked at him in shock. “You can’t do that! Seriously. I’ll be okay. I’ll have someone come stay with me.”
He stopped my argument with a single look. In that moment, all I saw was an in-control alpha who always got what he wanted.
“It’s fine,” he repeated firmly. Then he gave me a grin and shut the door.
I watched him as he rounded the front of the car, thoroughly confused. I could try telling myself over and over that everything he was doing was just because he was being a friend, but he wasn’t even really that. So why was he doing this then? Was that hunger I saw in his eyes earlier? No. I had to keep my head on straight and remember that whatever I might be feeling right now—made worse with my heat intensifying with every passing second—it was one-sided.
Whatever I thought I was seeing from him, it was surely just a complication of my concussion. Because I knew damn well that Jason Meredith, strong, sexy alpha, would never be interested in me.
7
Jason
Trevor grew more and more agitated as the drive to his house went on. As did I. Timberwood Cove was a small town, but the drive felt impossibly long as the scent of my mate in heat grew stronger with every passing moment.
I’d picked up on it whenever I visited him in the hospital. It had been faint at first, as if he were on suppressors, but yesterday it had gotten stronger, and now it filled my senses, making me unable to think clearly. Even Friday, when he’d first gone into heat and I’d sensed he was my mate, didn’t compare to this.
“Thank you again, Jason,” he said, his voice a little strained as I pulled to a stop in his driveway. “I really can’t tell you enough.”
“Yeah, I can see that for myself,” I said, trying to keep things light and not let on how much he was affecting me. “You thanked me the whole way home.”
Trevor grinned, but I could sense his anxiety just beneath the surface.
“You don’t have to stay with me, you know,” he said, but he sounded reluctant. “Kyle will gladly come check on me.”
I could also detect a hint of fear, which he was trying to hide. He didn’t want to be alone, I was sure of it. Yet he was putting on a brave front, acting like he was just fine. Maybe he was. Maybe he wasn’t. I was going to be right here beside him either way. The overwhelming need to protect my mate was incredibly strong, and there was no denying Trevor was my mate.
“Nope, not happening. Kyle and Gavin will take care of the dogs. I’ll take care of you.”
Trevor’s throat bobbed as he swallowed, his eyes searching. I knew he was feeling the same draw to me that I felt toward him, but I was equally certain he didn’t know why it was there. He might know about shifters and how we recognized our fated mates, but he didn’t really understand the compulsion we felt toward our mate, how it was almost impossible to ignore. And he certainly wouldn’t know he was my mate.
I quickly climbed from the car and went around to help Trevor out. He trembled in my arms as I pulled him to my side to support him as I led him to his front door.
God, I wanted him. His pheromones were driving
me crazy. It would have been bad enough if he was any omega in heat, but because he was my fated mate my wolf was in a frenzy, and it took every bit of control I had in me to keep him at bay. I wanted nothing more than to pick Trevor up and carry him straight to bed. I’d never felt anything like this; a desire so insatiable it was all-consuming.
“Keys?” I asked. My voice came out a little husky, and I tried again to tamp down my desire. But fuck it was hard with his soft body pressed up against mine. Instinctively, I tightened my grip on him.
He dug his keys out of his pocket and fumbled with them, trying a couple of them before finding the right one. He kept shooting glances at me as he unlocked the door and we walked in.
“It’s not much,” he said with a wry grin. “But it’s mine.”
I took in his home for the first time and had to smile. I still didn’t know Trevor that well, but everything I saw in his living room fit my thoughts of him perfectly.
Bright and colorful furniture was placed artfully around the room, and he had a quirky sense of design. A hodgepodge of artwork covered the walls of his living room, and there was a massive overstuffed sofa covered in pink plush pillows.
“I like it,” I said. I could see myself enjoying spending time here with him. Maybe on the couch, watching a movie, a glass of wine in one hand while Trevor was tucked up against my side. I could see it astonishingly clearly. Until my gaze fell on the fluffy dog beds and pet toys scattered around the room.
I felt my chest tighten. So far, I’d managed to keep Trevor’s dogs well cared for without actually having to do it myself. Kyle and Gavin were more than willing to do whatever was needed. But Trevor’s huskies would eventually need to come home. I wasn’t sure how I would handle that.
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