Till There Was You (10 page)

Shrugging, Linc looked at his palm, keeping his eyes downcast as he studied the calluses he’d obviously built up over a long period of time. “Cerberus is the guard dog to the underworld in Greek mythology. He isn’t a Hellhound.”

“Why Cerberus then?”

He turned his head and looked out the window. “Because he keeps me from descending into the darkness.”

Lily’s heart clenched. It was on the tip of her tongue to press for more information, but she was smart enough to know the tiny details he’d given her so far were huge in his mind and instead focused on the conversation at hand.

“Is that why you chose Shade as well?”

He appeared to be chewing on his thumbnail as he nodded. “Shade is the edge of the light and the darkness. It’s somewhere in between.”

Swallowing further questions, Lily simply nodded and gripped the steering wheel. “I like Shade.”

They fell into silence again, but this time, it was a little more comfortable and lasted only until Linc took a deep breath, and said, “Thank you, Lily.”

Surprised, she took her eyes off the road for a moment to meet his. “What for—annoying the hell out of you?”

He actually chuckled a little. It was rich and deep and felt like music to Lily’s ears. “No. For your help yesterday and today, I know it seems like I don’t appreciate it, but I do,” he said, his voice getting softer toward the end.

“You’re welcome.”

“And this friends thing, I don’t have them for a reason—” he started before Lily interjected.

“You want to go back to watching each other from afar like a couple of creepers?” She smiled at him after she said it, trying to keep her tone light while inside she feared he was about to tell her, yet again, that he didn’t want her around.

Scraping his hand through his thick black beard, he smiled and tilted his head. Lily thought she could see a tiny blush creeping over his cheeks but couldn’t be sure. “When you put it like that, it sounds a little stalkerish.”

“Listen, we don’t have to be best buddies. If a lift into town and a conversation here and there is all you can handle, then that’s fine. But I’m not going to lie and say I don’t want to get to know you, because I do. I’m interested, Linc. Although, judging by the way you keep trying to turn me away, you already know that.”

Before he could respond, Lily noticed his back straighten as she slowed the car down and indicated the turn into her driveway. “This isn’t the vet,” he commented, his alarm apparent in his tone.

“I know. It’s my place. Don’t worry, I’m not going to kidnap you. I just need to get a dry pair of socks and boots. There was a puddle when I changed the tire and my feet are freezing. Plus, I kind of need to clean my hands,” she told him, wiggling her grease-stained fingers for him to see. “I’ll be five minutes.”

With a curt nod, he said, “Sure,” and Lily couldn’t help but feel that his walls had just completely gone up again.
Great.
 

Running inside, she left the door ajar and discarded her boots as she headed for her room. Stopping in the hall, she peeled off her socks and saw if she could get them in the laundry basket from where she stood.

“She shoots, she...oh,” she moaned as the balled up socks hit the edge of the basket then fell to the floor. Figuring she’d pick them up later, she continued to her room, grabbed a fresh pair of socks, cleaned her hands, and was sliding her feet into warmer shoes with time to spare.

About to run back to the truck, she stopped at the front door when she saw Linc standing in her driveway, his head tilted upward. He had his eyes closed and a serene look on his face.

Not wanting to disturb him, she stood, admiring the way the sun’s warming rays bathed him in a golden glow. All that dark hair wasn’t completely black after all, there were red tones running through it that glinted in the light. He was mesmerizing. She was afraid to breathe in too deep in case she broke into the moment too soon. He seemed so...unguarded. It made her smile.

She didn’t get too long to study him, though. His eyes snapped open, landing immediately on her, as if he had sensed her eyes on him. She loved the color of his eyes normally, but the sun lightened the usual deep, rich brown to an amber shade as he watched her walk toward him, almost like a wild cat studying its surroundings and assessing the danger. Did he see her as a danger—as an invasion to his normally quiet life?

Although, as she got closer, just before he looked away, she could swear she saw a flash of longing, giving her hope that someday the feeling building inside her from months of quiet appreciation would be reciprocated.

“Shall we go and get your dog?” she said, pulling open the truck door to get inside.

Nodding, he moved to do the same. “Shade. I’ve decided his name is Shade.”

He’d agreed with her suggestion. Lily couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face.

––––––––

L
eaving Lily waiting in the truck, Linc walked in to the vet. That chemical disinfectant odor tickled his nose as soon as he opened the door. Since his panic didn’t have such a hold over him, he was more aware this time and took a moment to look around the empty reception area. Wood paneling was on the walls, chipped and cracked creamy-grey linoleum covered the floors, and the reception desk was wood with a black counter. All around the room were posters displaying different animals reminding owners always to take proper care, as well as various pet accessories and tinned or dry food.

The disinfectant felt acrid in his nose and he blew out the air, hoping he could make this visit quick and painless. Ever since the accident, he’d had an aversion to medical facilities—it was their distinct smell, they set him on edge.

Lifting his hand to ring the bell, Linc paused when the sound of a door opening and shuffling footsteps let him know Tim had already heard him. “Don’t you touch that stinking bell,” Tim warned in a biting tone.

Smiling at the old man’s grouchiness, Linc turned around and watched as Tim made his way around the room.

“A bit cold for you today. You need some help, old man?” Linc asked with a slight grin as he watched Tim harrumph, then purposely walk slower out of spite.

“You young people, always in such a goddamn hurry. Why, I remember—”

“Is this the part where you tell me you had to walk five miles in the freezing snow with no shoes just to get to school?”

Tim pushed out his chin, but Linc could see the twinkle of amusement in his eyes. Just as Linc thought, the old man was a good sport and could take it as well as he gave it.

“What? Here about
my
dog, are you?” Tim muttered in his dry, raspy tone after finally making it to the reception desk.

“Shade. He’s my dog, and his name is Shade.”

Tim nodded and pulled out the clipboard before scrawling the dog’s name in the allotted spot. “Good name for a pet.”

“He’s not my pet, Doc. He’s the only family I have left.”

“That’s the way it should be, son.”

“How is he?”

“All good. I set his leg and put a few stitches in. He has a cast on and a cone, which he’s not happy about, but it’s for his own good to stop him from chewing the cast off.”

“Can I see him?”

“Sure, head down the hall, last room on the right. Go get him. He should be happy to see you.”

The long howl of a happy husky greeted Linc before he even opened the door. Shade was in a decent sized cage with a bright white cone around his head, which was at odds with his dark coloration, but almost a perfect match for his ice blue eyes. Relief washed over him, causing the tension of his limbs to release at the sight of his only companion safe and sound again.

Flicking the latch on the cage, he released Shade. Ears back and tail wagging, he came into Linc’s arms for a massive hug, tongue working overtime to lick his face and hands.

“Missed you, boy...I mean, Shade,” Linc whispered into Shade’s neck, grateful no one was around to see the moisture in his eyes.

The sound of light footsteps moving up the hall let him know he wouldn’t be alone for much longer. He wiped at his eyes just in time.

“Everything okay?” Lily asked, leaning against the doorjamb as Linc continued to scratch Shade behind the ears.

“Yeah. We’re good.”

She pushed off the frame and took a step into the room. “Mind if I pet him?”

“I don’t mind. But huskies aren’t your usual dog, so I guess it’s up to him.”

Lily made her way over to Shade, hand held out for him to sniff. After a brief period of indecision, Linc thought Shade might pull away and ignore her attempts like the stubborn dog he can be. But just as he was about to say something regarding his demeanor, out went that big, wet tongue to lick Lily’s hand.

“You boys must be happy to see each other,” Lily commented as she buried her fingers into the thick fur at Shade’s neck.

“Yeah,” Linc admitted, too happy to be reunited with his dog to worry about showing any sort of vulnerability.

He waited patiently as Shade let Lily pet him, seeming to soak up the attention with great delight. To his surprise, Linc felt a pull in his chest that reminded him a lot of jealousy. With a small shake of his head, Linc banished those thoughts, knowing if he let his mind really consider everything he liked about the woman in front of him that it would only lead to trouble.

“Come on, boy, time to go,” he said, calling for Shade, who stayed put as Lily scratched his chest.

“Who’s a good boy?” Lily cooed, scratching him on the chest to keep him with her.

“Traitor,” Linc mumbled with a slight smile pulling at his lips as he stepped closer to his dog. His intention was to lean down and give him a pat too, but he almost collided with Lily as she stood and spun around.

“Whoa,” she gasped, her hands hovering just above his chest, as if she couldn’t decide whether to lean on it for balance or push him away.

She did neither. She just stood there, her green eyes looking up at him through long, dark lashes while a warm hum seemed to fill the air between her hands and his chest.

Linc could feel the tickle of her exhale wash over him as he looked down at her, inhaling a scent that reminded him of strawberries and ice cream. Despite himself, he wondered if she also tasted the way she smelled and his gaze dropped to her lips.

They were so close, he could feel the heat of her body next to his. Her lips were right there, if he just leaned down the smallest amount, he could—
no, that would be crazy.

With almost super human effort, he tore himself away, stepping back as Lily slowly relaxed her stance then turned her attention to the dog.

“Sorry,” Linc said, clearing his throat and swallowing hard.

Lily flashed him a broad smile, but her eyes betrayed her, their edges laced with hurt and disappointment. “There’s nothing to be sorry about.”

She leaned down to Shade, burying her face in his furry neck, as if seeking comfort. The sight pulled at Linc’s heartstrings. There was something about Lily, something that gave him hope for some kind of better life. Although, that was the entire problem—Linc didn’t feel he deserved one.

After settling the vet bill, they returned to the truck with Linc cradling the big dog in his arms. An uncomfortable silence had settled between them. Linc couldn’t get the near kiss out of his mind. He wished he had better restraint around her. His head kept saying one thing, but then his body was doing something entirely different.

Breaking into his thoughts with a sigh, Lily leaned forward and slid the keys into the ignition to start the truck. It seemed obvious that the tension between them was getting to her too. This whole friends thing might be something Linc needed to distance himself from. It didn’t seem to be working.

“Listen...” she started, just as Shade stretched toward her side pocket and nosed it, startling her when a dog treat fell out.

Lily’s eyes went wide as the dog sat there chewing, revealing her dog whisperer techniques to be nothing more than a cheeky trick.

“You bribed him into liking you?” Linc’s amused tone took any sting out of his comment. He chuckled as he turned his head from side to side.

Pulling the last of the meaty treats from her pocket, Lily held her hand out to Shade, who gobbled them all up, happily chewing as she put the truck in gear. “Whatever works, right?” she responded with a smile before reversing out of their parking space.

“You need to wear your seatbelt,” Linc reminded her. His jaw had gone tight and he sat there, watching closely until she clipped it in place.

“There,” she said, pointing the car in the direction of Linc’s house. “Feel better?”

Linc had gone back to grunting and looked out the window in his annoyance. He just couldn’t understand how anyone could get into a car and think they’d be safe driving around without the safety belt on—especially in these icy conditions. It was nothing more than a disrespect for their own life that made people do such senseless things.

“Mind if I ask you why you’re so intent on checking safety belts?” Lily asked after a while, her voice soft and low.

“Yeah, actually. I do mind,” Linc responded, his shoulders stiff.

“Okay.” Lily held one hand up in surrender. “I just thought you might want to talk about it or something. You always seem to have a lot on your mind and if you decide you want to talk, I’m here, okay?”

“I don’t mean to be rude, Lily. It’s just...complicated. I don’t like talking about it.” Real pain caused his voice to waver.

“Okay,” she whispered, reaching across the seat and slipping her small hand over his. She gave it a squeeze as she smiled, then returned her hand to the steering wheel. Linc couldn’t deny the warmth her soft hand had caused to spark beneath his skin and travel all the way through his body. It was something he’d gone without, something he never thought he’d have again—simple human touch and genuine affection.

Linc didn’t know what was happening. His carefully constructed walls seemed to be flimsy at best. He’d thought he’d made them strong enough to protect him from everything there was in this world, but every time he put them up around her, she did something that turned the hard stone into rice paper. It was only a matter of time before she tore through one, and that thought scared Linc. He didn’t feel ready to let anyone in, let alone have them barge right through.