Ballard shakes his head, points at my stomach and then at the ceiling.It takes my brain a heartbeat or two to process.
“Oh, right.Not a good idea to be stuck on a mountain if something goes wrong with my wound.Yeah, you’re probably right, but still.I want to cuddle.”I curl my bottom lip out in a pout.
Ballard makes a shooing motion and kicks his boots off.Getting the hint, I slowly move on the bed to create space.Ever so gently Ballard gets into the bed next to me.Even if it hurts like a bitch, it feels damn nice to put my head on his chest.
I close my eyes and instantly start to drift off.Sleep and heal is all I can do the coming few days, and it’s a small price to pay when I can look forward to spending more time with Ballard.
Clearly, we closed the case and there’s no need for us to work together.Yet, he’s here as my very real boyfriend.Not something I thought was in my near future when I decided to move back here.Yet, working closely with Ballard was exactly what both of us needed.
Four long days spent in the hospital go by until I can finally go home.Well, home being Ballard’s cabin.He’s overbearingly protective and is carrying me from the truck to the cabin when Seamus opens the door.I’m a bit surprised to see him here, and even more stunned to realize he’s alone.
“Where’s your wife?”I ask.
“Work with Murray and Elodie.I’ll be joining them, but I had to watch your present,” the man mysteriously states.
I frown and am about to ask...when I notice a dog sitting on a blanket in front of the fireplace.
“Oh my gosh,” I whisper and Ballard gently places me on the couch.
“Ballard asked me to get you guys a dog when you were in surgery.I called in a favor from a friend of mine.He works at a shelter and I asked if there was a young dog with potential.He brought this eight month old Australian shepherd mix.I’ve been working with him for the past few days and it’s going great.I’ll swing by tomorrow and teach you the basics as well.Ballard already knows, he can teach you too, but I’m overseeing the dog’s training.”
“Thank you,” I croak and turn to Ballard.“You too.I can’t believe you got us a dog.”
He grins and I lean forward to taste the joy on his lips.I hear a door softly close and realize Seamus left.A wet nose touches my arm and we pull apart to see the dog sitting on the couch beside us.
“What’s his name?”I ask Ballard and cuddle with the fluffy dog.
Ballard reaches for the dog and I now notice the collar with a pendant.The name “Astro.”
“Astro,” I voice and let my fingers glide through his soft fur.“I like it.”
Ballard points at himself and then at me.
I snicker.“Oh, you like me, eh?Well, I happen to like you too.”
Leaning in, I try to keep the wince from the pull of my stitches hidden as I kiss him.Of course, he notices and gives me only a quick kiss before he moves away.Striding to the bedroom, the man comes back with a blanket and a pillow to make me comfortable.
He places the dog back on the blanket in front of the fireplace.It only lasts a second because before Ballard can take a step in my direction Astro is already sitting on the couch.
Laughter rips from me and I instantly regret it.Pain shoots through me, but it’s worth it.It’s a reminder of being alive.Of moving forward together, and that nothing ever comes easy.Although, the relationship between me and Ballard flipped from fake to real in the blink of an eye.It shows good things do happen, and not all twists in life are bad.
The road to recovery is ahead of me, and for Ballard as well.It’s a good thing we have all the time in the world to explore what else our shared future might bring.
