Page 23 of Hidden Desires

Chapter Eight

With so much to do and not enough time to do it, Autumn and Jackson didn’t arrive home until eleven that night. She delivered two litters of puppies, performed emergency surgery on cat ho would have died without her help, and scheduled numerous patients for anything from regular checkups to annual shots to keep her busy tomorrow. Autumn couldn’t have done it without Jackson, Summer and Marc. And she told them so before they left for the night.

Now sitting in a bathtub full of strawberry-scented bubbles, she lay back and relaxed for the first time that day. There was no doubt she was worn out and probably wouldn’t lie in bed five seconds before she was sound asleep.

She didn’t think about her problems. Jackson had worked so hard to make her life easier, and it only made her fall harder for him. She honestly didn’t know what she would have done without him.

She fished around the bottom of the bathtub for her bath puff and poured a generous amount of bath wash on it. The warm water surrounded her, easing her muscles. The comforting bubbles popped against her skin and crackled in the silence of the bathroom.

Jackson knocked on the door. “Autumn, you have a phone call. It’s your dad.”

She smiled and granted him entrance. After handing the phone to her, he turned to leave but Autumn stopped him with her hand, grabbing his wrist.

“Hi, Dad.”

“Hey, pumpkin. How is everything going?”

Tears gathered in her eyes. “Better now that I’m talking to you. When are you coming home?”

“Possibly at the end of the month. We’re still working on some things, you know finalizing them.” He cleared his throat. “I don’t want to talk about work though. I want to talk about you. Are you mad at me for sending Cooper to be your bodyguard?”

Autumn rubbed her thumb in a circle along his wrist. “At first, I was pissed. But Jackson’s sort of grown on me. Did he tell you about the vandalism?”

“Yes. I don’t know what I can do to help you though, sweetie.” Her fathers voice faded in and out.

“Just hearing your voice helps more than you know.”

He chuckled. “Well, you can expect two bear hugs when I get back. Be ready for them.”

She ended the conversation and handed the phone to Jackson. She let the water out of the tub and stood to wrap a soft navy blue towel around her. She noticed the heated look in Jackson’s eyes though neither one of them spoke.

“My dad may get to come home at the end of the month.” Bubbles dripped down her legs, the soft bathmat at her feet catching them. “Do you think all this will be resolved before then?”

Jackson leaned against the vanity, arms crossed. “I called Davis. If things get out of hand, we’re going to see Gallagher.”

She grabbed her toothbrush and dabbed a bit of toothpaste onto it. “I don’t want you to get Davis involved or go cause trouble with Frank. Nothing will come of it.”

Jackson glanced at her. “I guess I should keep the bit of info about Jeff and Kristin coming in a secret?” He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “They’re going to help out at the clinic along with the rest of us.”

She finished brushing her teeth and turned in his arms. “You called my overbearing brother? Damn it, Jackson. Why?”

“Because he knows the info I need about Gallagher.” He kissed her. “Not to mention you are his sister.”

“What do you need to know about Gallagher?”

“All the dirty details you won’t talk about.” He pressed a finger against her lips. “Don’t say anything because you and I both know you won’t talk and Jeff is the only one who can weasel juicy gossip out of you.”

Autumn frowned. “What do you want to know?”

“Nothing. Not right now.” He rubbed his hands along her sides. “Right now, I want to crawl in bed and forget about everything.”

Autumn sympathized and let it go. “Thank you for being there for me today. I hate to admit it but I really needed someone and I’m glad you were there.”

Jackson smiled and pressed his forehead against hers. “Let’s get some sleep.”

After turning out all the lights, Autumn put on a slinky turquoise chemise. It wasn’t the sexiest thing she owned but it definitely had its own appeal. Jackson’s gaze roamed the length of her body, but he didn’t comment. She didn’t know why, but she really wanted him to say something about it.

“Sweet dreams, babe.” He kissed her forehead. “Are we catching Pepé Le Pew tomorrow?”

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