Page 44 of Sundowners
“Who is this incredible creature?”
Creed sighed. “This is the woman who owns my heart. Rhonda, meet Roman. Roman, this is my Rhonda.”
“It’s been so long since I’ve been around a dog. Lola was allergic so when my parents died and I came to live with her, my dog Bunny went to live with my cousin Ronnie, Tita Stella’s son—and wow, why am I telling you all of this?
I stood up and Rhonda leaned against my leg, obviously not done with me. Creed stood before me and he smiled.
“Come here,” I said, holding my arms out to him, and he didn’t hesitate. After I’d left Creed outside the home several hours ago, I made a big decision. I refused to resist him anymore. The whole suffering-in-silence shit was overrated, and being in his arms felt so damned good. He had this way of pulling me in tight, rubbing his nose along my neck as if he were breathing me in.
But Rhonda wasn’t having any of it.
“I’m sorry,” Creed laughed when she shoved her snout between us and pawed at his thigh. “I might have promised her a morning snack after our walk over here.”
“How far away are you? You don’t have a car?”
“We’re close enough to walk anywhere we need to go,” he said with a shrug.
“Even after your shift? I’m sorry, I could have come to get you.”
He held up a hand. “We walk every day, don’t worry. I’m two blocks from the lighthouse.”
“Damn.” I closed the door and led Creed and Rhonda into the kitchen, where the bacon was just about finished. “That’s a hike. Well, your good girl has earned whatever she wants to eat. Mean old Nurse Creed making you walk all that way.”
I swear, the dog shot Creed a dirty look before shoving her nose in my hand again. She was tall with a broad chest, probably one of the biggest Dobermans I’d ever seen, and I’d been around some of the meanest police dogs.
“She can be bought, don’t worry. I hear it from her every morning when I get home from work.”
“That’s a long time for her to be alone, isn’t it?” I asked him. “Wait, unless…do you have like a roommate or something?”
“No, it’s just the two of us. She sleeps most of the time I’m gone, and on my days off, she sleeps the whole time I would have been at work. We get plenty of play time. Well, plenty of ‘whatever Rhonda wants, Rhonda gets’ time.”
“Have a seat,” I said, gesturing to the small two-person table where Lola and I used to take our meals together. The house had a formal dining room that sat twelve tightly when we had family gatherings, but most of the time it was the two of us, and we sat at the cozy nook by the French doors that led to the backyard. It was nice to have someone to eat with again.
“Thanks. It smells good.”
“I didn’t think to ask ifyouhad any dietary restrictions. You’re not vegan, are you?”
“No,” Creed said, and then he coughed. “Wow, no, I’m, uh, not.”
“You want coffee? Juice?”
“Water is fine. Did you get decent sleep last night?”
I noticed him checking out my attire as I pulled down a glass from the cupboard and filled it at the sink. I didn’t want to get grease on my work clothes, so I’d put on flannel lounge pants after my shower and wore a fitted long-sleeved thermal.
“I did. I really did.” And this was where I walked the walk and talked the talk. “I felt better after I talked to you.”
Creed sat back in the chair, his long legs kicked out and his hands resting on his powerful thighs. He wore jeans, which I liked. A lot. They were traditional blue Levi’s, 501s, even with a button fly. They must have been vintage. I never saw anyone wear jeans with a cut like that anymore.
“I’m happy to help,” he said, his voice slipping into that drawl that did things to me, his lips sliding into a sultry smile.
I brought the water to him and this time, I was the space invader. I stood between his parted thighs to see what he’d do.
“Here,” I said, setting the glass down on the table next to his plate. “Food’s almost ready. Hope you like your eggs scrambled.”
“I’m just honored that you’re cooking for me,” he said. He kept up the smoldering act, and I was going to eathimfor breakfast.
“It’s…well, it’s morning.” I laughed at the dumb coming out of my mouth. “Made sense. I’m happy you’re here, although when will you sleep? Do you work tonight?”
