Page 59 of Stables

Wait, he’s going to be outside again?

Matt made it to me so fast.

“Um. Dixon?” Nerves make my voice waver. “Can you…would you, um—” I don’t know how to do this.

He leans against the wall, hanging his thumb in the pocket of his jeans making the taut fabric snug against the line of his hip.

“Was the couch comfortable? Is that too much? I have extra blankets and pillows. With the door broken, I don’t know if Matt will try again, or—” All of the words come out in a rush.

I just know I’m scared to be alone.

He makes me feel safe.

Slowly, he nods. “I can sleep on the couch. I’ll be gone around seven.”

The fear of harm shifts to the worry of the unknown.

Am I pushing for too much?

What happens when he gets bored with being here?

His heavy duffel comes through the door first, then him, and I’m still frozen in some sort of over-analyzing paralysis.

“Char?” The soft tone draws my focus. “How about, you let me do those dishes while you round up the blankets?”

“Deal.”

Chapter 16

Dixon

I don’t know howI slept being able to hear her soft voice drifting through the door of her room only a few feet away.

Fitfully.

My Wranglers are shit as pajamas, but safer than having another wardrobe malfunction.

Char’s just getting to where she doesn’t blush and glance at my crotch, I don’t want to backpedal on that improvement.

I will admit, the couch is a lot more comfortable than my truck camper.

The next best thing to being in her bed. But I’ll give it time.

It’s odd, I don’t really want to go to work. Last night was surprising in how natural it felt to have a simple dinner with her and Paisley.

Better than the finest restaurant filled with bustling waitstaff and pushy customers.

“Doc? What’s got you so distracted?” Maggie stands at the door of my office, idly waving a patient’s chart at me.

“Huh?” I don’t want to admit she’s right. “Oh, just mulling over these labs.”

All I can think about is Char and Paisley being alone.

“You mean this one?” Maggie hands me a slip of paper covered in the blood results I’d requested.

My jaw clenches. “Yea, thank you.”

Fuck, I need to focus.

---