Shelter Me(13)

“Here, let me pay for your things.”

Damn it, what am I going to do? Think fast, Shayne. I push him away from me with a slight nudge on his shoulder.

“I don’t need you to pay for this. Besides, I have some other things here for someone back home.”

He reluctantly agrees and takes a few steps back. I hand the sales clerk my credit card. God, that was so close, I think as the clerk hands me my bag. I turn around to leave only to see that Luke is waiting by the door. I try to go around him, but he pulls me flush to his front.

“I look forward to seeing you in that bathing suit again,” he gently whispers into my ear. “But not as much as I look forward to taking it off of you.”

Well if that didn’t leave my pussy swimming in its own pool of wetness, I’m not sure what will.

“Not going to happen, Schavone,” I say, calling him by his last name, which he hates. With an exaggerated sway I swish out of the shop, feeling like for once I’ve come out on top.





Chapter Five



My phone rings and panic instantly sets in. I hold my finger up to Luke, signaling for him to give me a minute as I answer my phone. I turn around and walk away from him so he can’t hear. The voice of my baby girl greets me.

“Hi, Mommy!”

“Hi, sweetheart. How was camp?” My dramatic little girl instantly starts going into detail about all the things she did at camp and how she mastered her diving.

“That is awesome, Lucy. I am so proud of you.”

“I miss you, Mommy.”

“I miss you, too, sweet girl. I promise, in seven days, we will be together. Uncle Adam will be down there in three days to spend some time with you and then he will bring you here. We can go to the beach and you can show me everything you've learned. Count the days, baby. I can't wait to see my little dolphin swim.”

“I can’t wait, Mommy! There is so much I have to show you!”

“I can’t wait either, Lucy. I love you.”

“I love you, Mommy, and call me tomorrow. Erin is going to take Sierra and me to get some ice cream, so I have to go now.”

“To the moon and back, baby girl. I miss you so much. Have fun with Auntie Erin. Bye, my dolphin.”

I sigh to myself and thank God Luke didn’t follow me. I went far enough away so he wasn't even in earshot. I walk back toward him and my car.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I panicked because it was work. Everything is okay, though,” I lie. Feeling the need to go further, I say, “I have a patient who wasn't doing well before I left. I thought it may have been a call saying he was worse.” Lie, again, but it had some truth.

I did have a patient who wasn't doing well. In fact, doctors had said they were surprised he was still alive. They said it had to be our care that was keeping him going. Though we had nothing to do with it, it made me feel good, like I was part of his survival while cancer continued to eat at him. I always felt dreadful when I entered his room. Though I know what cancer does to a patient, I always try to make Mr. Burnsfield feel as comfortable as he can. He is an older man, well into his eighties, but a fireball. It doesn’t matter who enters his room, he is a flirt at heart and a constant mind boggler when it comes to his dirty talk.

Luke takes my hand and leads me down by the water. Thank fuck he believed me. During our walk he asks me about my patient and I tell him willingly, delivering my stories with an excitement I haven't felt in forever. I love my job; love the people I meet along the way. Mr. Burnsfield happens to be one of them and he's such an enigma, I can't help but feel lighter when I talk about him. I know he doesn't have a fighting chance based on the numbers, but each day he seems more copacetic than the next... it's hard to imagine him passing any time soon.

Luke lays a blanket I didn’t even notice he had down on the beach. He sits and reaches for my hand once more. I take it and lower myself to the blanket. We both stare out into the water as the sun is just starting to set.

The sky is ablaze with bright oranges and reds, and the air starts to turn just a little crisp as the sun sets over the water. Neither of us speaks until the sun is completely set and then Luke breaks the silence.

“I’m sorry I hurt you. I know that might not be good enough for you right now, and I know it will take more than me just saying it for you to forgive me, but I am going to do everything I can to make all these years up to you.” He pauses for a few seconds and when I look in his eyes I see so much pain. He squeezes my hand and continues on.

“These past seven years have been total hell without you by my side. There was never a day that went by that I didn’t think of you and what you were doing. Whether you were happy, or married, or finished college and fulfilled your dream of becoming a nurse. When I heard about your Aunt Judy dying I knew I would get the chance to see you again, and although I wish it were under different circumstances, I’m glad you’re here. I know we are different people now, and time has changed both of us, but I promise you this, I have never stopped loving you, Shayne Andrews, and I’m going to prove it to you.”