Filed to story: The Healer and The Wolf PDF Free
Yeah, I was definitely flattered. “If you liked that, you should see what I can cook once I get paid. This was just all emergency stash kinda stuff.”
He gave me a confused look. If he’d forgotten who he was, then he probably wasn’t all that familiar with getting a paycheck, either.
“I’m a little short on money, and money is what we use to buy things, so I need to wait until my job gives me money to get more food.”
“Ah.” He looked troubled, and I wondered if I’d done something wrong. “I think I remember money.”
“Don’t stress too much on that one. Money is complicated.”
“I think I remember that, too.”
Was that a hint of humor I detected? I chuckled softly and wanted to dive right back into asking more questions, when one of my alarms on my phone went off.
Leo was on his feet in an instant, eyes wide. “What’s that?”
“Sorry. That’s my alarm. I only have ten minutes before I need to leave to make it to work on time. It’s okay. Nothing dangerous.”
“Oh.” He sat back down, and I couldn’t read his face again. “So, you’re leaving?”
“I have to, but I’ll be back tonight. You can stick around the house if you like, but do not, under any circumstances, let my cats out. They are indoor pets and indoor pets only.”
“I understand.”
“Are you sure you’re gonna be okay alone?” It wasn’t that I didn’t trust him, but also, he was still a stranger. Yet he also wasn’t. It was one of the many strange things about discovering the random wolf I’d helped was less wild animal and more of a magical man trapped within a beastie shell.
“Yes, I’ll be fine. Thank you for asking.”
I nodded, wanting to say more, but I couldn’t. I hurriedly got dressed, splashed some water on my face, and rushed out the door. Sadly, I wouldn’t have a packed lunch, but oh, well.
Hopefully, work would be chill for once, and I wouldn’t come back to my house on fire.
Work was nicer than usual because Tiffany wasn’t on the schedule. I made it through the day without much drama, then cycled home as fast as my legs would allow, wondering if I was going to find a horror scene from leaving Leo alone in my home. I hoped he had the good sense not to turn the gas stove on or flood the bathroom.
Oh, God, did he even know where the bathroom was? Or would he simply take a dump in the middle of my living room?
As awful as that would be, it was also kind of hilarious. Gross, yes, but hilarious.
However, when I entered, there was no mess and no smell of gas or excrement. That was certainly a relief. Hanging my keys by the door, I went to the living room. Leo was sitting on the floor with several books around him. He wasn’t alone. All the cats were either lying around him or in his lap.
Now, that
I hadn’t expected. Goober seemed to already have an understanding with the man, but
Mudpie?
She was the most discerning of my felines. While she would accept people, she only cuddled with me.
Well, apparently not just me anymore.
My gaze flicked back to Leo’s face as he studiously stared at the book, his dirty finger slowly moving across the page while his lips moved. He looked so locked in-a keen mind behind those bright green eyes of his.
Unbidden, my mind filled with images of those same calloused digits sliding down my spine, sinking into the soft skin on my hips. His grip would be so firm, maybe even leaving lovely little bruises instead of my kitchen counters taking that responsibility every time I ran into them. He could hold me in place just right while?-
Whoa. Slow down there, girlie.
It took a great force of will not to blush vermillion, and I forced my thoughts in a different direction. It wasn’t very kind for me to lust after the man like he was a piece of meat when he was injured and trying to recover.
“Are you okay?” I asked softly, not wanting to startle him. He was concentrating so intensely.
When he looked up, his eyes were wide with wonder, and he had such a broad, dopey grin on his face that tugged at my heartstrings. “I remembered how to read,” he said, his voice clogged with emotion. I didn’t blame him one bit. If someone had suddenly made me illiterate, I’d be pissed about it and also booking it to the nearest library once I could read again. “You have an amazing collection.”
Collection? Was he really calling my ramshackle assortment of books a collection? All my books were secondhand or gifts.
Blushing, I shrugged. “It’s all right,” I murmured, wondering why my cheeks were burning so hard. “Oh, I stopped at the thrift shop across from my work on my lunch break. I think I found some stuff that’ll fit you. Nothing fashionable, of course, but I doubt you’ll be walking the runway anytime soon.”
He gave me another odd look, like he was trying to puzzle together what I meant, and I reminded myself he probably didn’t understand pop-culture references. I mean, the man had only just remembered that he could read. Supermodels and high fashion weren’t exactly on his docket.
“Thank you,” he said after a beat, once again sounding so serious and genuine that it made me blush. Carefully extricating himself from the cat, he stood and started pulling the rotted rags from his muscled frame.
“Whoa, hey there!” I cried, whirling around and slapping my hands over my eyes.
Right. I didn’t know how I kept forgetting that the guy had literally been a wild animal for who knew how long. Naturally, things like modesty and nudity didn’t even register for him. Whew, we were going to need to sit down and discuss social norms if I didn’t want to burst out of my own skin with embarrassment.
And maybe a little bit of interest.
“Is something wrong?” he asked, sounding so sheepish that I wanted to turn around and comfort him. But I also didn’t want to take advantage of his naïveté. It would be easy to, but the thought made my stomach churn violently.
“Hey, before you put on the clean clothes, how about you take a shower?”