Lauren frowns. “He’s not the doctor.”
I turn my gaze back to the arrogant man who had the audacity to think he was so much better than me. “Wait, you’re not the doctor?”
“Afraid not,” the man answers. He leans close again, pausing to whisper in my ear, “But you’re still attracted to me.”
I’m building a great defense. It starts with a loud inhale, but he’s gone before I can figure out exactly what the defense was. I watch him go, staring after the wild lumberjack who just put lava in my veins with one look. He’s not the doctor.
Chapter 2
Dalton
I haven’t been able to stop thinking about the curvy spitfire from the locker room all day.
This morning I was doing my usual work in the shed. Max and Rex, my German Shepherds who assist me in keeping the grounds, were roughhousing and knocked over a large container of pesticides. Thankfully, neither one of them got into it, but it splashed all over me. I went into the retirement home and showered in one of the employee bathrooms.
Ethan loaned me a pair of his scrubs, but he’s half my size and the clothes fit awkwardly. Still, it was worth it all to have the beautiful curvy woman come in and lecture me on medical ethics.
If I’d grabbed her and pulled her into my arms the way I wanted to, she barely would have come up to mid-chest. She was so tiny, like an angry little pixie, and all I could think about was what those bee-stung lips must taste like.
She was striking, and those scrubs were made to be tugged off. With my teeth.
After we met in the locker room, I asked for the employee handbook. Lauren smirked as she gave me a tattered copy.
I ignored her and thumbed through it. There’s not a thing in it about employees dating, which is fine by me. Even if it had something to say about employees dating, that wouldn’t be a problem because I plan to marry her. It’s a crazy idea. But the moment I saw her, electricity went through my body, and I knew.
I knew she was meant to be mine with the same gut knowledge I had when I talked to a recruiter. I knew right then and there I was going to be a soldier. I’d planned to be one for life, but things hadn’t quite worked out that way.
The medical discharge has been tough, but moving to Courage County to be near Bronco and some of the other men that I served with has been the one silver lining in an otherwise rough road. I thought the Marines were going to be home for the rest of my life. I never imagined that one day I wouldn’t be in combat any longer.
Fortunately, I saved my earnings while I served. So, when I got out, I was able to buy my own little piece of paradise right here. Sure, it’s an old rundown little cabin, but for the privacy it affords me and the stunning views, it might as well be paradise.
Max nudges my hand, and I look down to see he’s dropped a ball at my feet. Max and Rex are working dogs who help me with the gardens and soothe my anxiety. But at the end of the day, they’re both still dogs, and they love to play.
I grab the slick tennis ball and lob it far into the distance then turn my attention back to the window where Bree is waving goodbye to Lauren.
After our impromptu meeting in the locker room, I spent the rest of the day working on projects close to the home. Truth be told, I followed her throughout the day, moving from window to window, so I could catch glimpses of her as she assisted patients and got familiar with her new role.
Outside, she clomps down the sidewalk and gets into her car, unaware that I’m watching her. Part of me wants to stop her and talk to her. I want to convince her to go out on a date with me right now, but I can’t be scaring her off by coming on too strong. I have to be patient, so she knows that she can trust me.
But that doesn’t mean I’m letting her wander around unprotected. I follow her back to her apartment complex, careful to stay out of sight. I wait until she’s safely inside before I make the slow drive back to my cabin.
I roll down the windows on my drive so Max and Rex can stick their heads out and enjoy the cool spring breeze. There’s no place prettier on earth than Courage County in spring.
Wildflowers are blooming. Squirrels are scampering through the trees. Birds are calling out their love songs. The mountains are waking up from their winter slumber, and this view sure beats years spent in crowded barracks and combat zones.
The moment I pull my truck into my driveway, I stare at my cabin. There are no lights on. Despite the fact the sun hasn’t set yet, it looks dark and unwelcoming.
I haven’t gotten around to fixing up the place the way I intended when I bought it. But that has to change now that I want Bree to come by and live here with me. I want it to go from being my place to our place.
“Look at this cabin, boys. We’ve got a lot of work to do to make this nice for her,” I tell the dogs, knowing they’ll help me get the work done.
When I bought the cabin, I imagined hours of solitude and how soothing that would be. But now that I’ve met Bree, the solitude isn’t the same. It’s not soothing. Instead, it grates on me.
I spend the night wondering what she’s doing as I prepare dinner, putter around my woodshop, and bathe Max and Rex.
When my head hits the pillow, and I stare up into the darkness, I can’t help but wonder what it will be like when she’s beside me. I want to hear her soft breathing as she drifts to sleep. I want to feel her mold her curvy body around mine. I want to wake up to her soft snores and wild bedhead. I want to build a life together.
The next day is the same as the one before. I spend my time moving around the outside of the building. I go from window to window, so I can watch her as I work. If this keeps up, I’m going to bald some of these poor bushes from my incessant pruning. Still, I have to look busy.
