with her safety.
“Do you think he’s violent enough to come after you?”
“He’s never been violent before, but he’s grieving. Still….” She shook her head. “I don’t think so. He would have done it by now. It’s not like I’m hiding. Besides, he’s got that whole Hippocratic oath thing going.”
“He’s a doctor?”
She nodded. With one hand on the door handle, she scratched Barnaby with the other. “I’ll see you later, then.”
“Bridget, wait.” This wasn’t how he’d planned it, but she gave him no other option. He pulled the contract from his back pocket and held it out. “Here.”
“What’s that?”
“The lease which lets you live here free for six months. So you won’t feel threatened with eviction.”
She stared at his hand, but didn’t take the offered item. “Why are you being so nice to me?”
“Why shouldn’t I be nice?”
“You don’t know me.”
“Are we going to go through this again? Bridget, I want to know you.”
“Then you should talk to Kate. Maybe then you’ll change your mind.” She grabbed her backpack, opened the door, and slid out of the truck without taking the papers.
Damn, she was stubborn. Well, he could be, too. He bolted out of the truck and blocked her way. “This is a done deal, already signed and is being filed. This is your copy. The place is yours for six months whether or not you live here. I’d prefer you lived here, though. I still need a house sitter.”
Bridget stared at his hand. He placed his bet with her living in the house, because he was pretty sure she didn’t want to live with her parents.
Slowly, she raised her hand and took the offered document. “Thank you. This doesn’t mean we’re dating, though.”
“I know. But will you do me a favor? Will you call me if Devin becomes a problem?”
“He won’t be.” She walked around him and he allowed her.
Rob waited while she let herself in. Maybe she didn’t think Devin was a problem, but the man had serious anger issues and directed them toward her. She had told him to talk to Kate, but maybe Brian would be better. With Kate, he was liable to get a lecture and little to no information.
Barnaby whined. If Rob stayed, he’d only be making himself a pest. He’d rather be on her good side. He was heading back toward his truck when she cried out. Curtains covered the window, blocking any view of inside. He knocked. Moans filtered through the door. Something was wrong and he couldn’t ignore it.
“Bridget?” He knocked again. No response. Ah, the hell with it. He opened the door and found her curled on the floor, grabbing her left calf. “Bridget!” He rushed to her side.
Tears filled her eyes. She panted through clenched teeth while kneading her leg. Her shoeless foot pointed unnaturally.
“Here, let me.” He massaged her rock-hard calf. This was his fault. He’d kept her on her feet too long.
She grabbed her head and leaned back. “Oh God. It hurts so bad.”
Her agony twisted his gut. He’d gladly take the pain himself if it were possible. “I know, honey. You need to relax. Try and relax.”
Bridget took several deep breaths, but her leg was still stiff. He couldn’t get the knot loosened. Seemed her muscles were just as stubborn as her.
* * * *
Bridget couldn’t flex her foot to save her life. Had someone cut her calf open and squeezed her muscles? She refused to cry in front of him. She would not be weak.
All she had wanted was a bath. But as soon as she closed the front door, her headache had returned, along with Charlie, scaring the crap out of her and distracting her enough to be careless as she slipped off her shoe. One twist the wrong way and the pain had sent her kissing the carpet.
Rob’s large hands offered some relief, but not near enough. Tears formed and blurred her vision. Breathing deep kept her cheeks dry.
“Why don’t you try standing?” he asked.
Walking had always helped in the past, but she usually caught it before it
“Do you think he’s violent enough to come after you?”
“He’s never been violent before, but he’s grieving. Still….” She shook her head. “I don’t think so. He would have done it by now. It’s not like I’m hiding. Besides, he’s got that whole Hippocratic oath thing going.”
“He’s a doctor?”
She nodded. With one hand on the door handle, she scratched Barnaby with the other. “I’ll see you later, then.”
“Bridget, wait.” This wasn’t how he’d planned it, but she gave him no other option. He pulled the contract from his back pocket and held it out. “Here.”
“What’s that?”
“The lease which lets you live here free for six months. So you won’t feel threatened with eviction.”
She stared at his hand, but didn’t take the offered item. “Why are you being so nice to me?”
“Why shouldn’t I be nice?”
“You don’t know me.”
“Are we going to go through this again? Bridget, I want to know you.”
“Then you should talk to Kate. Maybe then you’ll change your mind.” She grabbed her backpack, opened the door, and slid out of the truck without taking the papers.
Damn, she was stubborn. Well, he could be, too. He bolted out of the truck and blocked her way. “This is a done deal, already signed and is being filed. This is your copy. The place is yours for six months whether or not you live here. I’d prefer you lived here, though. I still need a house sitter.”
Bridget stared at his hand. He placed his bet with her living in the house, because he was pretty sure she didn’t want to live with her parents.
Slowly, she raised her hand and took the offered document. “Thank you. This doesn’t mean we’re dating, though.”
“I know. But will you do me a favor? Will you call me if Devin becomes a problem?”
“He won’t be.” She walked around him and he allowed her.
Rob waited while she let herself in. Maybe she didn’t think Devin was a problem, but the man had serious anger issues and directed them toward her. She had told him to talk to Kate, but maybe Brian would be better. With Kate, he was liable to get a lecture and little to no information.
Barnaby whined. If Rob stayed, he’d only be making himself a pest. He’d rather be on her good side. He was heading back toward his truck when she cried out. Curtains covered the window, blocking any view of inside. He knocked. Moans filtered through the door. Something was wrong and he couldn’t ignore it.
“Bridget?” He knocked again. No response. Ah, the hell with it. He opened the door and found her curled on the floor, grabbing her left calf. “Bridget!” He rushed to her side.
Tears filled her eyes. She panted through clenched teeth while kneading her leg. Her shoeless foot pointed unnaturally.
“Here, let me.” He massaged her rock-hard calf. This was his fault. He’d kept her on her feet too long.
She grabbed her head and leaned back. “Oh God. It hurts so bad.”
Her agony twisted his gut. He’d gladly take the pain himself if it were possible. “I know, honey. You need to relax. Try and relax.”
Bridget took several deep breaths, but her leg was still stiff. He couldn’t get the knot loosened. Seemed her muscles were just as stubborn as her.
* * * *
Bridget couldn’t flex her foot to save her life. Had someone cut her calf open and squeezed her muscles? She refused to cry in front of him. She would not be weak.
All she had wanted was a bath. But as soon as she closed the front door, her headache had returned, along with Charlie, scaring the crap out of her and distracting her enough to be careless as she slipped off her shoe. One twist the wrong way and the pain had sent her kissing the carpet.
Rob’s large hands offered some relief, but not near enough. Tears formed and blurred her vision. Breathing deep kept her cheeks dry.
“Why don’t you try standing?” he asked.
Walking had always helped in the past, but she usually caught it before it
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