Page 45 of Wasted On You

“Glad I could help out.” He shook Gord’s hand and then led Ivy back out to his truck.

The trip back to her place was silent, each of them lost in their thoughts. It was late; she was cold and tired. But weirdly so damn wired, the thought of being alone had her thinking things she shouldn’t be thinking. Mainly, asking Mike Paul in for a coffee or a beer or a…

“You’re officially off the hook,” he said as he pulled up in her driveway and turned her way.

At her confused look, he grinned.

“Your obligation to spend the day with me is done, Wilkens.”

“Oh,” she slowly nodded. “Right.”

“It wasn’t so bad, was it?” His eyebrow arched wickedly, and his smile would make the dead wake up and rejoice.

“I had a nice time.” She exhaled and glanced out the window at her place, or rather Millie Sue’s bungalow. She’d never bought herself a home. Had a rental in Nashville, but other than that, she hung her hat where she could. It had never bothered her before, and it shouldn’t now.

And yet…

“Me too.” His voice was like hot chocolate with a nip of whiskey.

“That little horse. Watching that was…” God. What the hell was wrong with her? Why was her tongue so damn tied up? Her hands were knotted into a ball. Her left pinky was chipped.

“Worth the two grand you spent?”

She laughed. “Definitely.” When she glanced up, he seemed closer. Bigger. Like there was less air in the cab of his truck. She was hot but cold, and she found it hard to breathe.

“Did you want to, um…I don’t know ah…”

Don’t do it.

Thank him and say goodnight.

You can’t be alone with him because you lose all perspective.

And pride.

And your backbone pretty much melts.

“I have to get back to Melba and the baby. I need to give her an enema and?—”

“Wait, what? She just gave birth.”

“No, not the mama, the foal needs it.”

“Oh.” She paused. “That’s awful. You just go through the trauma of being born, and it’s like, hello world, we’re going to shove an enema up your butt.”

He chuckled. “It sounds invasive, but it will help the little guy.”

“You’ve had a long day.”

“I have.”

She studied him for a few seconds. “You love your job.”

“I do.”

“I can’t picture you doing anything else.”

“Do you? Love your job?”

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