Page 46 of Stables

My thoughts keep shifting when I’m around her to ideas I haven’t entertained in a very long time.

There’s too many people who flirt just because I’m a doctor.

I’m not an easy ride.

Is that why I’m here? Because Char never acted interested?

Yet I’m carrying an eight foot chunk of plywood into her kitchen.

“Did you call the sheriff about him breaking in?” I’m worried if she didn’t, but even more concerned if she did and there will be retaliation.

I can’t see her if she reacts, I’m trying to hold this damn board in place and screw it to the frame by hand.

When I get the threads to catch, I pause to glance at her.

Both of her palms are flat on the counter, and her head is lowered between her drooping shoulders.

My feet take the steps closer I hadn’t planned. I’m only a foot away when I stop.

It’s not my place to comfort her, even though every single cell in my body is screaming at me to.

“Char?” I let my voice drop to a hoarse whisper.

Her chest swells in a deep breath before she turns, clasping the full jar. “He suggested I get a restraining order. But I’ve already tried that and was denied.”

Damn. That pisses me off.

I can feel the muscles in my body tense as anger courses through me. It reinvigorates me that I’m doing the right thing.

She needs my help.

I’ll have to learn to ignore the urges to do more than protect her.

Gently, I take the drink from her, careful not to brush her skin with mine. “When I get this done, I’ll call Wade and see if there’s anything else he can do. In the meantime, can you get your friend to stay during the day when I’m on shift tomorrow?”

Tucking my twitching fingers into the box of screws is the only way I can keep myself from wanting to touch her.

A few more, and I’m done.

Only the bottom row left, so I drop to my knees to get them fastened.

“How long does this have to last?” She leans against the sink with her elbow, jutting her hip out in a way that makes me want to reach out and—

“The door? Just until the replacement glass comes in. The hardware store said probably next week.” It’s so difficult to look up at her from this angle and not see the swell of her breasts jutting beneath her navy blue t-shirt.

Or the small gap where a sliver of her bare belly shows above the hem of her jeans.

I’m starting to wonder if there’s any way to view her without my dick reacting.

It seems to pick up on every single detail that I never noticed before.

I’ve seen her in the exam room. She’s been a patient. I wasn’t affected then like this.

But now even that glimpse is enough to make my zipper snug.

She gives me a lopsided smile. “I meant needing a bodyguard.” Her cheeks pale. “How much was the new glass? I can write you a check. Um. Can I post date it?” When her lower lip begins to quiver, I have to grit my teeth to keep from jumping up to her.

“Don’t worry about it.” My hand with the screwdriver in it waves idly. “It was on sale. End of summer or something.” Dropping my focus down to the last fixture doesn’t take every other sense away of just how close she is.

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