She felt the fiery blush from her breasts to her hairline as embarrassment heated her skin. “I…um…I need to…um…the dog. I have to…um…check on Sarge.”
“Annie. Did I hurt you?” his gravelly voice asked again softly.
“No. Um…no. I’m fine. I…um…just need to…um. Please, put me down,” she said pleadingly. Please just go. Just go. Let me die here alone in my embarrassment. Having no idea how to deal with a one-night fuck up against a wall, she just wanted him to leave.
Stoney slowly pulled out and with his large hands around her waist, he set her down. When he was sure her legs were steady under her he stepped back, his eyes never leaving her face. He could see the embarrassment and guilt racing across her features. Fuck. She was too good for this. She was too good for me. Or too good for who I’ve become. He stepped away tossing the used condom into the trash. With his back to her, he could hear the sounds of clothing rustling. Giving her a moment of privacy he fixed his pants before turning around. She had put her scrubs back on but had the look of a well-fucked woman about her. Long copper hair mussed and falling about her shoulders. Lips were red and kiss-swollen. And her green eyes…fuck. Green eyes shining with unshed tears.
Annie glanced up at him unable to discern any emotion in his eyes. Feeling the sting of tears threatening to fall she quickly skirted around him and went over to Sarge’s cage. Sitting on the floor, she leaned in to ascertain his post-op condition. The anesthesia was wearing off, but the pain meds kept him quiet.
“He looks good. We were successful with the surgery and he should be ready to go home once he wakes up. If you want to call tomorrow, I’ll have our tech get him ready for you.” I can do this. I can make this professional and just pretend the last few minutes of my life didn’t happen. Keeping her face away from Stoney, she did not want him to read her emotions. But it did happen. And it was good. Hell, it was great. I felt alive for the first time in a long time. Giving her head a quick shake, she continued her thoughts. Stop. It was a fuck. That was all it was to him, so don’t make this worse.
Stoney walked over and squatted next to her, reaching out to touch his dog. “I’d like to stay if you don’t mind. I don’t want him to wake up and not know anything familiar.”
Annie turned to look at the man next to her. Strong, handsome face, even with the shaggy beard. His long hair, messy but clean. His massive thighs next to her tiny ones. His large hands, gently stroking Sarge. Hands that were just as gentle when they were stroking her a few minutes earlier. Quickly sucking in her breath at the turn of her thoughts, she looked up into his eyes. Unreadable. His eyes were the only thing about his looks that just didn’t fit. Dark. Almost black.
He continued, “Look, I know you don’t have any reason to trust me. I show up here in the dark alley with a sick dog. I guilt you into doing surgery and then I take advantage of the moment.”
At that, the blush that had gone away flamed across her face once again and she dropped her eyes from his.
His voice soft, “Annie girl. I’m all kinds of sorry that you regret what we did. I shoulda never let it go so far. But honest to God, woman. You’re the brightest thing in my world right now. I don’t want any trouble. I just wanna make sure my dog is okay and I need to make sure you’re okay as well.”
“I’m… fine, Stoney. Honestly. I haven’t…well, I’ve never…um…done that…”
Before she could finish, he interrupted. “I know you haven’t. Annie, I’ve been buried in the belly of the beast for a while, but don’t think I don’t know pure goodness when I see it.”
Her eyes jerked up to his as he continued. “I don’t regret it. Not one second. The only thing I regret is you thinkin’ it didn’t mean anything to me. I felt somethin’. Don’t understand it. But I felt somethin’.”
She looked back down nodding, sucking in her lips as his words poured over her. Taking a deep breath, she stood up. “I live upstairs. If you want to stay here to keep an eye on Sarge, I’ll let you. I don’t understand it either, but I trust you. I’ll be back down in the morning.”
With that, she turned and left the room, not looking back. Walking up the flight of stairs in the back to her little apartment, she could feel the exhaustion taking over. Locking her front door behind her, she walked into the kitchen, grabbed a wine bottle and headed into the bathroom. Taking a long hot shower, she scrubbed her body thinking it would take away the shame, but as her hands lathered her breasts she could still feel his hands on her. Stop. You’re not in some romance novel. You just had a one-time…whatever.