Page 5 of Man Glitter
“Okay, well, sorry again, gotta go,” I mumbled, grabbing my medical bag and setting my sights on the door.
Charlie followed me, the heat of him padding behind me in an old pair of Vans keeping my back scorched. I reached the door and flung it open, relieved to find safety in the outdoors and the cool wind. I only turned back when I heard him grumble under his breath.
“What’s that?” I asked, seeing him fumble with the door.
His bandaged hand tried to hold the doorknob while his good hand turned the key in the deadbolt. The gauze meant he kept slipping off, and when he winced, I’d had enough. I stomped back.
“Give me that.” I shooed him away and locked the door myself, handing him the key and trying to squash the guilt that clawed up my throat.
He did a little mock bow and took the key back, his rough fingers brushing across mine much longer than necessary for a simple key exchange. I shouldn’t have felt anything through the thick blanket of guilt, and yet there was something there in the way I was aware of him. I’d never been more attuned to the fact I was a single woman and he was a half naked man.
He winked, and I wanted to simper. “You should probably move in for a while to make sure I don’t hurt myself. Well, anymore than you already did.”
I froze, not quite believing what I just heard. “I’m sorry, what?”
He smirked again, the lines bracketing his mouth somehow fascinating. “You should move in. Least you could do.” He shrugged his broad shoulders.
“Are you out of your goddamn mind?” I finally screeched, an owl somewhere in the dark trees above me agreeing with a loud hoo-hoo.
“Shh.”
The man actually shushed me. The man who blared Tom Petty at midnight through concert worthy speakers dared to shush my outburst.
“You literally are insane, aren’t you?” I nodded slowly, the conclusion making all kinds of sense now. Probably the only thing about Charlie that made sense.
He kicked at a rock with the toe of his shoe, head bowed. “Not out of my mind. Just down a finger on my dominant hand.” He raised his head. The look he gave me was all too serious, fanning the flames of my guilt. “How about just a week?”
I shook my head vigorously. “Absolutely not. I’ll just make sure you get inside your house for the evening and I-I’ll bake you brownies as further apology.”
His face lit up. “Pot brownies?”
“No!” I hissed. “What part of ‘I’m a doctor’ makes you think I’d bring you pot brownies?”
His lower lip pushed out and I could see the toddler boy he must have been, working the ladies and getting his way every single time. It was a surprisingly effective expression.
“Just—come on.” I huffed and spun around, heading for his house. I’d make sure he got safely inside and then head to my own bed. I’d already apologized, sewed him up, and offered to bake for him. I didn’t owe him my whole damn life for a simple mistake. None of this would have even happened if he hadn’t been blasting music at midnight, so really, it washisfault.
When I got to his house, a motion sensor flood lamp flicked on and I found the back door. I turned the knob, finding it unlocked.
“You should probably keep this locked,” I added helpfully.
Charlie scratched the top of his head, his long hair in even more of a disarray. “Lady, this ain’t the city. Besides, all my worldly possessions are in that workshop, not the house.”
I shrugged and swung the door open. “Suit yourself.”
I walked in and fumbled for the light switch. Charlie came right up behind me and reached around me, yanking the chain on a little lamp, illuminating a tiny living room. He was so close. He smelled like fresh-cut wood and man, a combination I wouldn’t have described as sexy before today. With a loud bark, a large golden beast ran from the hallway to the living room, nearly tackling Charlie and I where we stood.
“Hey, Chester. Welcome our new friend, Finnie.” Charlie rubbed behind the dog’s ears, his voice crooning to his pup.
Chester sat, his tail swishing over the laminate floor, his friendly eyes trained on me. I reached a hand down to say hello and wouldn’t you know? Chester lifted his paw too. I held it gingerly and gave it a shake, delighted by his manners.
I let go and eased back over to the door, needing out of this twilight zone as soon as possible. It was probably one in the morning by now.
“Okay. You’re home. I’ll drop off that antibiotic prescription tomorrow.”
Charlie ignored me, walking into the tiny kitchenette to grab a glass out of the cupboard. Chester continued to stare at me like he was daring me to leave without petting him. Charlie spun to the sink, but the glass slid right out of his bandaged hand. The shatter of glass had me running to help.
“Stay back!” he barked. Chester whined and stayed where he was.
