“How about her? Where’d Roxy’s name come from?”
Alex’s smile faded, and I wondered if I crossed some line by asking him. When he spoke, the pain in his voice made me regret bringing it up. “My dad named her,” he said simply.
“Well, she is pretty sweet. Her name fits her,” I said. “Noel was already named before I got her, but rumor has it, she was born on Christmas day, so it’s pretty fitting.”
Alex smiled at my explanation, and it soothed a little bit more of my pain.
Roxy tried to lick Alex’s face as he shifted her in his arms, demanding his attention.
“Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. Bring her inside, and we’ll get dinner going. Has she eaten yet?”
Alex looked a little ashamed as he said, “Just some of the scraps I had in my gear.”
“Oh, shit, I’m sorry! I meant to give you some food for her last night!” I clasped a hand on his arm, making him flinch involuntarily. I softened my tone. “Please, Alex, if you guys needanything,just ask, okay? Don’t feel bad. I want to help you both.”
He hesitated. “I just don’t want to be a burden.”
I pointed over my shoulder at the clinic, where he’d just spent the entire day sanding and cleaning up the awning. “Trust me, you’re not a burden.”
He followed me inside, and Noel greeted us with happy eyes. The moment she smelled Roxy, her tail began wagging hard enough to wiggle her whole body.
“Hey, girl,” I cooed, giving her a good rub on the side. “Daddy missed you.”
“Good to know I’m not the only one who talks to his dog,” he said with a chuckle. When I looked over my shoulder, I caught his eyes once again lingering on my ass.
“Oh, no. Noel knows all my deepest, darkest secrets. Don’t you, girl?”
“Yeah, I guess all doctors need someone they can confide in, don’t they?” he asked teasingly.
I shrugged. “Something like that.”
It was already well past seven, and I hadn’t eaten more than a package of crackers for lunch, so I looked in the fridge for something I could throw together quickly and was relieved to find a container of pulled pork. After tossing the meat into the microwave, I used the toaster to warm up a few buns.
Alex was sitting on the couch with Roxy, and every so often, our gazes would lock from across the room, and I’d have to look away from the intensity of it. Had it really only been twenty-four hours since I’d first met him? It already felt like I’d known him so much longer.
I sat on the couch next to him and handed him a plate. “Can I ask you something?”
He eyed me skeptically. “Maybe.”
“How long were you and Roxy on the streets?”
He quickly became very interested in the food on his plate, and it was a long time before he replied. “Since July.”
I gaped.Two months?I could barely tolerate camping more than a couple of nights, let alone living on the streets without running water or a soft, warm bed for two months!
“Can I ask why?”
He clenched his teeth. “I’d rather not talk about it yet, if that’s okay.”
Yet.I hadn’t missed that single word, and when Alex turned to look at me, I could tell it hadn’t been a slip of the tongue.
I nodded. “Okay. Well, I’m up for Fifty Shades of Vaughn if you want.”
Alex raised a brow, making me realize how that sounded.
“Shit, I meant… yeah, that really came out wrong. I meant you could ask me anything if you want. I know I keep asking you things, but I just want you to know you’re free to do the same.”
He laughed. “Okay. Sure. How long have you been a vet?”
