Twenty-Three
I gripped the steering wheel as I waited for Chris to put his luggage into the trunk. Should I get out and give him a hug?No.We weren’ttogethertogether. Still, it felt rude to just sit in the car waiting for him to hop in as I idled in the airport pickup line. Before I could come to a conclusion, the passenger door opened, and he climbed in.
Immediately, his woodsy scent greeted me as if to say,Did you miss me? Did you forget what I smelled like?Not likely.
“Hey,” he murmured.
I tried for a smile, but my trembling lips probably made it look like a spasm. “Hi,” I croaked.
“Chris!” Cheye shouted from the back seat. “I missed you. Why did you leave?”
“I went to a wedding.”
She frowned as if this were the first time she’d heard such a story. Never mind that was our repeated refrain while he was gone for two whole nights.
“I want to go to a wedding,” Cheye said.
“I’ll let you know the next time I go to one,” Chris replied smoothly.
Airport security caught my eye, so I put the car in gear and followed the signs to get us on the road home.
“How was it?” I asked. “I’m sure Piper made a beautiful bride.”
“It was great. I’ve never seen two people so perfect for each other.”
Really? How did he know that? Was that something people merely said, or did they truly mean the sentiment?
“Chris, Ash missed you too. She can’t talk, but I know,” Cheyenne said in a superior tone.
I equally loved and hated the fact that the girls missed him. How would they respond when we finally moved into our own place? Maybe pulling back was the right decision. Then I could guard my—the girls’hearts. Being their guardian also meant I had to protect them from life.
“Are they going on a honeymoon?” I asked, trying to keep the adult conversation going.
Cheyenne would interrupt us again, but Chris and I were used to that. This was how we talked at home.Home.Had Chris’s place so quickly been labeled ashomein my heart and head?
Stop thinking so much. Just enjoy him as a friend who’s been on vacation and now returned.It should be that simple, right?
I glanced at Chris only to find him studying me. The strength of his gaze weakened my shields, so I swallowed against the urge to spill my guts and turned my gaze to the road. “Do I need to stop, or should I head straight h—to your place?” I asked.Phew, that was a close one.
“You can head home.” His cell rang. “Hold on a sec.”
I tried not to listen to his conversation, but it was kind of hard to ignore in the confines of the Rover. Apparently an animal needed assistance, and Chris was the closest staff member to help.
“Hold on, Cam. Hey, Erykah, could you swing by the center? Cam said someone’s coming with a displaced animal.”
“Sure.” I took the next exit, instinctively knowing how to get to Gamble on Nature.
As soon as he ended his call with Cameron, Cheye piped up, “What doesdisplacedmean?”
“An animal could no longer stay at its current location and needed to be moved.” He sighed, running a hand through the soft curls on his head. His hair was just long enough for me to notice them and wonder what they felt like.
I tried hard not to stare at his smooth jawline, but whenever he shaved, my eyes were drawn to the warm brown skin. My fingers desperately wanted to trace the ridged outline of his jaw or, better yet, cup a palm to his cheek. My hand still remembered the last time it made contact with Chris Gamble.
That’s not very friendly of you, Dr. Kennedy.Definitely not, but now the thought was lodged in my mind like a bone spur on a heel.
“It could also mean they found the animal at someone’s house, and we’re the only ones available to take care of it tonight.”
“Did Cameron say what kind of animal?” I asked.
