Page 39 of I've Got You

He shrugged, a frown creasing his brow.

“Do you miss it?” When his eyes connected with mine, I knew his answer without even speaking. “So what the hell are you doing here working with me?”

“You don’t want m—”

I slammed my mouth to his and kissed him for a few long seconds before I pulled away, taking pleasure in his heavy breathing. “Shut the fuck up and don’t be ridiculous. You know that’s not what I mean. You didn’t go to school for what, five—”

“Seven.”

“—seven years to be working a register when you have these crazy magic hands to save animals and this bulging brain that’s going to waste.” When a small smile curved across his mouth, warmth filled my chest. He was finally getting it. “So I’ll ask again, despite being here for a piece of my fine-looking ass, what the hell are you doing here, Scott?”

He reached out and dipped his hands in my back pockets. “It is a fine ass.”

“I know. I already said that. Quit stalling.”

“I really want to consider it. I trained so damn hard, went to the best school and was in the best program in the country.” He shook his head. “I worked my ass off for this.”

“And?”

“Part of me wanted to rebel and to give my dad a big eff you. How screwed up is that? I’m a grown-ass man in his thirties and wasted time rebelling. I’m kind of pissed off with myself.”

It was the first time he’d shared so much about his dad. I was curious for more, so kept quiet.

“I hated the idea of going into a branch of the family business. It was either veterinary school or pharmaceuticals. I wanted to hate it so much, but instead, I love it. I had no choice, beyond those two options, in any of it. It was made really clear I had to go into medicine, to keep up with the good name. Whatever the hell that even means.” His tongue darted out and he traced his dry lips before continuing. “My family is pretty much a household name for pet owners, did you know that?”

I shook my head.

“Yeah. My grandfather got into bed with a huge pharmaceutical company, was the lead consultant on staff, became a joint partner. It was left to my dad, is meant to be left to me.”

“Wow. Okay, so not what I was expecting. So is that what you want?”

“Hell no. I just want to practice, get my hands dirty and heal, you know? Plus there’s no chance it’ll be left to me anyway, not now.” His face fell. “My dad’s not quite so accepting of having a gay son.”

Shock shot through me. “He knows?”

“I was fifteen and caught making out with my friend Tommy. I never saw him after that. He and his family up and disappeared, while I had to have a week off school with broken ribs.”

Nausea churned in my gut. I wouldn’t ask him to repeat himself, despite the incredulouswhat the fuck?forming in my head. I knew it happened, knew people who stepped out of the hetero “norm” were at risk and vulnerable every day, but that didn’t make the knowledge of him being hurt by someone who should have protected him any easier to swallow. “Did that happen a lot?” My voice was gravelly with controlled emotion.

“Only when he suspected something was going on with me and another guy.” He gave a humorless snort. “Nothing ever did though, go on, even when I was at school and at Davis…” He paused a moment, and I wondered if it was because of the link to my name. “…for my veterinarian studies, I was too chickenshit.”

“Understandable.” My eyes were wide, my tone edged with a need for him to believe that one word.

“Maybe.” He looked defeated for a moment before his gaze refocused on me. “You know, when Denver offered me the job to come out here, I was already in a great position, waiting to become partner.”

“So why did you?”

“Denver convinced me. He never talked about things openly to me, but he knew I was terrified of my father, and the more I think about it, the more I suspect he had an inkling I was gay.” His lips kicked up. “It was the best decision I ever made.”

My heart stumbled, a rush of feeling pulsing through it and making my chest ache. A lick of flame traveled across my skin as I searched his eyes for the barest of seconds before our lips touched in a bruising kiss. His chest was plastered against mine as our tongues collided. I breathed him in, tried to memorize every moment. Everything he’d shared, everything he’d been through, all of it. I couldn’t take it away and wouldn’t even if I had the magic to do so. The very fabric of the man before me was made up by not only his fierce determination, but the battles he’d survived. And he shared it all with me in my goddamn café kitchen with Katie out the front, customers clanking cups, and us in a position where I couldn’t show him how his story had affected me.

Reluctantly, I pulled away, both of us breathing heavily, and not a moment too soon as my name was called to head out to the front.

“Come and have dinner at my place tonight.”

He bobbed his head, his cheeks flushed and need sparking in his eyes. “I can do that.”

With a brisk nod, I disentangled myself, needing the distance so I didn’t go all Neanderthal on the guy and drag him home now in the middle of the afternoon.

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