I gaped at him, then of course I winced because it freaking hurt to open my jaw that much. Dammit. “Seriously?”
He nodded. “Seriously.”
“I don’t have a car.”
His gaze softened. “If I had a portable X-ray machine, I promise I wouldn’t make you go. I’ll run back home and then drive back over.”
“You don’t understand.”
Aaron reached for my hand, and against my better judgment, I let him take it. His grip was warm. Comforting. When was the last time I’d been touched like that? “You can trust me, Devon.” The gentle authority in his voice, the reassurance of it, was like a warm bath I wanted to immerse myself in. “I won’t let anything bad happen. I’m going to get my car, and when I get back, we’ll go. Okay?”
I nodded and fought the tears that threatened at his kindness. But what did I expect? This was his job. He was still in job mode. And that is precisely where he needed to stay, forever and ever, amen. “Okay.”
His thumb traced my palm, which, okay, was decidedly not job-like, then he gave my hand a gentle squeeze before letting go. “Okay.” He whistled for Daisy as he left the kitchen, and I tried to ignore his muscular legs and ridiculously tight ass in those running shorts.
I sagged against the kitchen counter and rubbed the bridge of my nose. There was so much about Aaron that brought up memories of Jason, but instead of making me want to run screaming in the opposite direction, it pushed me to him. And I didn’t need or want that.
I didn’t want anything this town offered, even if it did come in a six-foot-plus package of sinfully-built muscles with a mischievous smile and bright gray-blue eyes that seemed to pierce right through me. Which they’d always done. When I was married and Aaron was another co-worker of Jason’s, it was easy—well, easy enough—to brush off the sensation of being seen. But now?
No way.
7
AARON
I RISKED A glance at her as I drove us to the hospital. She looked out the window so I couldn’t see her expression, but her legs were crossed and she wiggled her top foot non-stop.
I was so fucked. Even like this, nervous and folded in on herself, she was gorgeous. Her short, dark blonde hair fell back from her make-up free face. She wore a faded concert tee of New Kids on the Block with at least one hole in it. Her jean shorts left almost nothing to the imagination, and my hand itched to touch her legs. It was clear she’d had no intention of seeing anyone this morning, and yet she had me on my knees.
Gigi was probably looking down and cackling with glee, rubbing her hands and imagining all the ways this could go. I swear, that woman had read more romance books than was healthy. I was certain it was why she’d come up with this insanity. Still, I couldn’t help but be grateful for the chance she’d given me.
I gripped the wheel to keep from shaking my fist at the heavens. What would happen if Devon found out this was Gigi’s plan all along? No way was I telling her, that’s for certain. Whatever progress I was making—if any of this even counted as progress—would disappear in a flash.
We moved out of Gigi’s tiny neighborhood and toward the square with the Daily Dose and firehouse, then got on the short highway to the hospital.
“Who does Samson belong to?” Devon asked, breaking the silence and pulling me out of my head.
Thank god. Here was a nice and safe topic I could get behind. “He’s everyone’s. He showed up near the firehouse about a year ago, looking even more scraggly than he does now, and Chief took a liking to him. We gave him some food and then he saw Daisy, and it’s been impossible to get rid of him ever since.”
“No one came looking for him?”
I shook my head. “No. He’s a good little thing, but refuses to be tied down to any of us. I tried bringing him inside my house for the night once, and he wasn’t having it. Woke me up out of a dead sleep, whining to get outside.” I glanced at her. “You’re the only other person I know of that he’s gone inside with.”
Her glossy lips parted in shock. “Seriously?” She laughed. “The way he came into Gigi’s house, I half thought he might have been hers.”
“Nah. She would have toted him around everywhere if he was.”
“You knew her?”
My stomach squeezed. I needed to be careful here. I didn’t want to lie to her, but I also wasn’t sure it was time to reveal just how well we knew each other. “A town this small? Of course. I was the medic on scene when she broke her arm a couple years ago, and I kept up with her after that.”
I felt Devon’s gaze on me. “I bet she liked you,” she mused.
I chuckled. “I’m easy to like.”
A moment later, I turned into the hospital’s Emergency parking lot and found us a spot.
“Am I really worth all this trouble?” Devon asked, her eyebrows raised.
Yes. “Sorry, force of habit. Look at it this way: with me bringing you in, we’ll at least get you looked at quickly.”
She nodded and got out of the truck, folding her arms protectively across her chest and frowning. I empathized with her; coming here couldn’t be great seeing as how I’d wager the last time she was here was related to her husband, but that jaw needed looking at. And I had a feeling she was the kind of person who’d ignore her own pain until it had completely incapacitated her.
We walked into the doors and the admitting nurse smiled up at us. “Aaron Joseph. To what do we owe the pleasure of seeing you not in uniform?”
I nodded to Devon. “Hi, LaToya. This is Devon Rayne. She—”
“Aaron thinks something is wrong with my jaw, and I think it’s just bruised. We’re here to prove I’m right,” Devon said, taking over the conversation.
LaToya looked at the two of us and grinned. “Devon Rayne? Shirley’s granddaughter, right?”
Devon nodded, a small smile on her face. “Did you know Gigi?”
“Not well, but she was buddies with my grandmother. Played cards—”
“Every Wednesday night?” Devon interrupted.
LaToya laughed. “Exactly.”
