Page 10 of Austin's Answer
Mason snorted. “Nah. We don’t bother with that.”
Her lips thinned, and she glared at Mason. “Why? Are you guys too tough? It’s not heroic to get stitches without a local anesthetic. It’s unnecessary.” She turned to me, gaze softening. “This is going to hurt. Try to hold still.”
I focused on Emily’s face, watching her look of concentration, memorizing the way her brows drew in slightly and the way her teeth bit gently into her bottom lip. I could watch her for hours, getting lost in studying her.
It didn’t erase the pain, though. Every stinging pass of the needle through my skin, every tug as she closed the wound, radiated through my body. Mason stayed next to me, steadying me, ensuring I didn’t flinch away from the work Emily was doing.
“There. Twenty-two stitches.” She cleaned the area again and bandaged my side. “Do I need to tell you about aftercare, or does your shifter healing work fast enough it won’t matter?”
“Stitches will probably be ready to come out in a day or two.” Mason sat back on his heels. “We have an ointment back at the house he can apply to the area morning and night for a couple days. Then he should be good as new.”
She shook her head. “Wish all my patients would heal that quick.”
Her eyes traced over my face, almost as if she were committing me to memory the way I had memorized her earlier. Was she softening toward me? My heart leaped in my chest, but I swallowed back the words that ached to rush out. Declarations of my love for her that never disappeared in all our years apart. Now wasn’t the time. Not with my blood covering her hands and Mason holding me up.
Soon.
Determination filled me, and her gaze faltered as it met mine. The corner of my mouth lifted, and I shot her a wink. “Might need some help with that ointment, Em. You game?”
Emily
I took stock of my kit, making notes on my phone of what I needed to replace in it. I had to pick up more sedatives and darts and additional botulism antitoxin. There was a little left, but probably only enough for a human. Not useful if any more horses fell ill. To create space, I removed the items I knew I would use and still need more of, creating a smaller kit, and tossed the antitoxin in. I would take it to the barn the next time I checked on the horses.
I shut the gate of my SUV and started toward the house. I’d cleaned the blood off my hands in the barn sink, but I was dying for a shower to rid myself of the sweat and dirt coating my skin.
My footsteps slowed as I passed the gallery. Curiosity had me crossing over to peek inside. I shaded my eyes as I peered through the window, but the lights were off and nothing was visible.
“You can see better from inside.”
I spun around, heart thudding in my chest. A tall, slim woman with long black hair stood behind me, amusement dancing in her eyes. She had a sophistication that shouldn’t belong on a ranch, but her energy made it fit. “I didn’t mean to snoop?—”
“I wouldn’t blame you if you did.” She tilted her head at the door. “I was just heading in. Come check it out.”
Her confidence had me following before I had a chance to think about it. She flipped on the lights. “You’re the vet, right? Dr. Miller?”
“Call me Emily…” My voice trailed off when my gaze landed on the first painting. Bold colors splashed across the canvas—an abstract painting that made me feel like I was watching a sunrise over the ranch. “It’s amazing.”
“Gabriel’s latest work.”
I huffed. “Austin mentioned Gabriel painted, but I didn’t realize he meant like this.”
“He’s an exceptional talent.” There was a softness in her voice at odds with her confidence. I looked over to see a gentle smile tugging at her lips. “I came here specifically to find him because of that, but then I learned he’s an even more exceptional man.”
“You and he are together?”
Her smile widened. “We are. Sorry, I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Sierra.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Sierra.”
She led me through the gallery, providing the perfect amount of commentary to the experience. Most of the work was Gabriel’s, but other pieces were mixed in. Photography, watercolors, acrylics, even pottery and some handmade textiles. But it was the final piece of Gabriel’s that stopped me in my tracks.
Austin stared back at me from the canvas, but it wasn’t just a regular portrait. Half of him was dressed as a rodeo clown, like the former bullfighter he was. That side held the swagger that belonged to the Austin who winked and asked if I’d help apply his ointment. The flirty, fun, almost brazen persona he showed the world.
The second half was the part of him I always believed I saw when we were teens. Thoughtful, dependable, loyal. Thedichotomy of the two halves whirled around in my brain. Both were him, but neither alone was the full picture.
“I don’t understand Austin.” The words spilled out, and I wanted to snatch them back. They were laced with a vulnerability I never showed. Not since I was a teenager.
“I’ll admit I didn’t understand him when I first met him.” Sierra chuckled. “He picked me up at the airport in his cowboy outfit, and I wondered if it was a costume. It took me a while to see past the outer trappings. But he’s got a big heart.”
