by Croix, J. H.
“Are you quite done?”
I felt my cheeks heat, but I lifted my chin. “Yes. You’re pretty uptight, you know?”
A dark brow rose in a slash, and haughty didn’t even capture the look he gave me. “You were breaking into my house. Forgive me for being a little uptight about that.”
I didn’t know why, but this man, too damn sexy for his own good, set my entire body alight with sensations pinging through me.
He shrugged out of his suit jacket and hung it over the back of a stool beside the counter. As he turned, my eyes snagged on his broad shoulders, which filled out his shirt quite nicely. I’d have never thought a suit could turn me on, but on this man, it seemed indecent. His muscled shoulders shifted as he turned back to face me. When he rolled up his sleeves, my eyes got stuck on the subtle flex of his forearms.
Sweet Jesus. Apparently, I had a thing for forearms. I didn’t even know forearms could be a thing. When my eyes swung up, I found him watching me watching him.
I squared my shoulders and lifted my chin. “Fine. Go ahead and call the police on me. Obviously, Barnable was cold and wet. I don’t know how, but I guess he figured out how to get into your basement.”
Ryan’s eyes flicked to Barnable and back to me. “In these old buildings, many of the basements are connected. I’m pretty sure he got in through the neighbor’s basement door, which was broken recently. I saw your posters, by the way.”
“I hope so. I put them everywhere. I just moved to New York City three days ago. Barnable’s never been here, and he got lost the first day we got here. I think he slipped out the back while I was unpacking some boxes. I was afraid I’d never see him again. It’s crazy cold to him here since he’s only ever lived in New Orleans. I’m sure he was just looking for somewhere warm. I heard him barking from the street.” I paused, feeling a little ridiculous that I’d almost tried to crawl through a broken window to get to Barnable. “He’s my only friend here, so…” I took a breath and shrugged. “I’m sorry about your window.”
“You just moved here three days ago?”
“Yes.”
That glacial gaze swept up and down me again before holding fast on my face. “That explains your Southern accent.”
“Being born and raised in New Orleans definitely explains my Southern accent. I imagine I could live in New York City for fifty years and still talk like this.”
“Perhaps.”
The doorbell rang, echoing down the hallway. It was only then I noticed the pain along the side of my hand and wrist. Although I had bloody paper towels wrapped around that hand, I’d conveniently forgotten why I wasn’t already on the way to the vet.
Anxiety suddenly spun in my chest. “Did you call the police and I didn’t even realize it?”
Ryan had started to turn toward the hallway and paused, glancing over his shoulder. “No, Addie. It’s not the police. It’s a doctor. We’ll get your hand looked at and then take Barnable to the vet.” Without another word, he turned and strode quickly down the hallway, his footsteps echoing as he moved.
Moments later, a man wearing a beige colored overcoat came striding briskly into the kitchen. “This better be good, Ryan,” he said over his shoulder to him. “I was in the middle of dinner.”
Ryan simply gestured toward me. “This is Addie Castille. She cut her hand.”
The doctor seemed a little warmer than Ryan, his gaze latching onto my paper towel wrapped hand. Plenty of blood had seeped through, and I could imagine I looked ridiculous. My jeans were dirty and wet, I had dirt smeared on both of my arms, and here I was with my filthy dog. Barnable, of course, was happy to greet the newest human in his world. He rose from where he’d been lying on the floor and sniffed around the doctor’s feet, wagging when the doctor stroked his back.
The doctor had silvery hair and warm brown eyes. He set a bag on the table. “I’m Dr. Casey. Please call me Daniel. Let’s take a look,” he said, gesturing for me to step to his side by the counter.
I did as instructed, holding out my hand. Daniel carefully unwrapped the paper towels, turning my hand to the side before peering at me. “This looks like cuts from glass.”
I decided to go ahead and fess up. “It is. Ryan thinks I was breaking and entering.”
Daniel’s eyes widened just slightly before he looked over at Ryan. “Is that so?”
Ryan shrugged. “Her dog broke into my basement first.”
Daniel looked back toward me, his eyes twinkling. “Would that be our friendly burglar over there?” he asked, pointing toward Barnable, who’d laid back down on the floor near my feet.
I nodded. “We just moved here, and he got lost. I’m guessing he was scared. It’s cold and rainy, and he’s not used to the cold at all.”
Daniel still held my hand gently in his as he turned away and opened up the bag he’d brought with him. “This is going to sting.”
It did, in fact, sting, as he dabbed at the two gashes along my wrist and hand with a cotton ball dampened in some kind of disinfectant.
“Do you mind getting me a towel?” he called as he examined the cuts along the side of my hand.
Ryan didn’t respond verbally, but I heard the echo of his footsteps as he turned and left the kitchen. “So, what brings you to New York City?” Daniel asked as he squirted a different liquid on another cotton ball. “This one won’t sting as much.”
I was relieved to have something to talk about. I was just now starting to realize how tightly wound I was. Finding Barnable was an immense relief. “My great aunt left me her brownstone. I took it as a sign to move here.”
The sound of Ryan’s footsteps returned to the kitchen, and I glanced over to see him holding two pristine white towels in his hands. He approached and spread them on the counter when Daniel nodded toward it.
“A sign?” Daniel asked.
Glancing to Ryan, I got an arched brow from him. Good grief. Mr. Chatty, he was not. With a mental struggle, I replied, “Yes. I haven’t traveled much. I figured it was a sign that I should spread my wings and try something different.”
“Where’s your aunt’s brownstone?” Daniel asked as he rested my hand with the cuts facing up on the towels.
“A few blocks from here.”
“Well then, I’d say your aunt was quite wealthy,” Daniel murmured as he looked through his bag.
“Oh, she was. She and her husband ran an old department store for many years. Back in the ‘50s, it was quite popular,” I explained. “About ten years after her husband passed away, she sold the business. I don’t really know why she left me her brownstone, but apparently, I was the only child in my generation who wrote to her.”
Looking Ryan’s way, I saw that he was definitely paying attention with his eyes on me. His expression was so unreadable it flustered me. I always envied those people who could keep a controlled façade. My mother had told me since I was a little girl that I wore my heart on my sleeve and every emotion waving like a flag in the wind.
“Okay, I’m going to put a numbing agent on and stitch these up. If you’re queasy at all, I would recommend not watching,” Daniel said as calmly as if he was discussing the weather on a sunny afternoon.
“Whaa-aat?” I squeaked. “Shouldn’t I go to the hospital for stitches? Maybe just a butterfly bandage or something will do?”
Chapter Three
Ryan
Addie stared at Daniel, her dark eyes opened wide.
Daniel shrugged. “It’s certainly not an emergency. If you’re concerned, I can assure you I am a fully licensed physician. I’m on call for Ryan’s business.”
Those dark eyes whipped to me, searching my face. “What in the world do you do where you need a doctor on call?”
“Nothing nefarious, I assure you.”
Daniel interjected helpfully, “Ryan runs Talton Tech Industries. It’s mostly a tech company, but they do security as well. It’s more affordable to have a doctor on call for minor issues that arise. I’m also a friend. When Ryan called, I ca
me. If you’d like to go to the ER, that’s perfectly fine with me.”
Addie’s gaze bounced to mine again. After a moment, she shrugged. “Fine. I suppose I don’t need a hospital bill on top of the police report.”
Daniel chuckled, his eyes flicking to me. “Did you call the police on her?”
“No, actually, I didn’t. Lord knows why.”
“I told you exactly what I was doing as soon as you found me! I can’t believe you think if I were actually trying to break in, I would tell you what I was doing. And, Barnable was in your basement,” Addie protested as she threw her free hand up in the air in frustration.
“All good points. I’m going to start stitching now,” Daniel replied calmly.
Addie’s eyes dropped to her hand, and her face went white. I didn’t even realize what I was doing when I stepped to her side and slid my hand down her back. I was acting on an instinctive need to comfort her. There was a subtle tremor running through her, and she took a shaky breath. “Maybe don’t watch,” I suggested.
Daniel didn’t look up from what he was doing, but I sensed he was quite curious about whatever the hell was going on with me. I sure as hell didn’t know. I should’ve called the police, but it didn’t seem Addie meant any harm. As she’d pointed out, Barnable was in my basement.
It remained even more puzzling why I’d called Daniel. I hadn’t thought about it. It just seemed the quickest thing to do. That said, the most efficient way to extricate myself from the situation would’ve been to escort Addie and Barnable out. Yet, the idea of sending Addie with her injured hand and her friendly little dog out into the darkness didn’t feel right.
Addie looked up at me. “Talk to me about something,” she demanded in that Southern drawl that was so damn sexy I didn’t even know what to think. My entire body tightened in response to nothing more than the sound of her voice.
Her lashes were so long, they almost brushed against her cheeks as she looked at me. “What should I talk about?” I heard myself asking.
“Something, anything to distract me. Otherwise, I’m gonna keep trying to look, and it feels weird even though it doesn’t really hurt.”
Rather than talk about myself—because I didn’t get personal about myself with many people—I asked, “So, your brownstone is just a few blocks away?”
She nodded, one of her dark curls falling across her forehead. She brushed it away with the back of her wrist.
“Daniel’s quite right. Based on location alone, you inherited a gem of a brownstone, no matter the condition. You could sell it and make a pretty penny.”
“I don’t want to sell it. It’s lovely. It does feel a bit like stepping into a time warp, but it seems well maintained. It’s just not updated. She left me everything.”
“You’re from New Orleans?”
Addie wrinkled her nose. “That’s what I said earlier. Born and raised there. My entire mother’s side of the family is French Creole. As such, I’m fluent in French and grew up steeped in that world. I do love it, and I already miss my family. But I wanted to have a different experience, and New York City is certainly different.”
“I haven’t been to New Orleans, so I can’t say. I’d imagine New York City is quite different. How long have you had Barnable?” I asked as he approached, his short tail vibrating madly as he sniffed my shoes.
“He’s almost six years old, and he’s my best friend,” Addie said solemnly.
“He’s pretty good at breaking and entering.”
Her lips quirked in a smile at that, and I thought I could handle quite a few more of Addie’s smiles. “I suppose it’s a hidden talent.”
“Okay,” Daniel said, finally looking up from Addie‘s hand. “All done.”
He reached for a disinfectant and dabbed over the two areas he’d stitched. Addie’s once bloody hand now had two tidy lines of stitches—one running along the edge of her palm and the other up the side of her wrist.
Addie inspected it. “Do I need to make an appointment for when I need to get the stitches out?”
Daniel shook his head. “Nope. They should dissolve. Ryan knows how to reach me, but let me give you my number. If you have any problems, feel free to call my office and stop by.”
After Daniel handed Addie his card, I had to force myself to step away from her side. Jesus. She was a physical magnet for me. I’d completely lost my mind.
Daniel looked my way as I walked him down the hallway. “I’m sure I don’t need to point this out, but this is entirely out of character for you,” he said as I held the door open.
“Fuck off,” I muttered.
Chapter Four
Addie
“What shall we do today?”
I looked down at Barnable, who was presently napping by my feet at the round table in my aunt Eleanor’s kitchen.
Barnable looked up at me and sniffed the air. He’d tolerated a bath from me last night after our adventure to the vet with Ryan. I turned my wrist, eyeing the tidy little rows of stitches. Daniel had done a neat job for such messy gashes. It was a bit sore, but the ibuprofen I’d taken earlier was already easing the pain.
“Barnable, no more running off and breaking into people’s basements.”
My dog didn’t even lift his head from cleaning his paws for that comment. The vet had cleaned the scratch on his side last night and declared it minor. She had looked as curiously at Ryan as I had. He seemed a tad out of place in his three-piece suit at the vet clinic. Strangely enough, the vet seemed to know who he was, although he didn’t talk much while we were there. By that point in the night, I was just going wherever I was pointed. It was only this morning that I wondered why Ryan had even accompanied me to the vet.
Tapping my computer keyboard as I set my coffee down, I typed Talton Tech Industries into the search bar. A slew of results came up along with plenty of images. A quick scan showed me that Ryan was quite the catch. Most of the photos of him were with different gorgeous women at a variety of high society functions. He had mastered the art of the inscrutable gaze.
I wanted to dive beneath his reserved, arrogant exterior. He’d piqued my curiosity when he stepped closer to me after I nearly passed out at the sight of Daniel stitching up my hand. I liked to think of myself as a strong woman, but I could admit I’d appreciated Ryan’s steady presence when his hand slid down my back in a warm pass. It hadn’t slipped my notice that when I begged him to distract me, he’d simply asked me questions about myself.
I scrolled past the sexy images and tapped on the link to an article titled “Family Feud Ends with Blake Sr.’s Death.”
Ryan Blake assumes the helm at Talton Tech Industries upon the passing of his father. Although no one in the family has spoken about the rift between father and son, rumor had it they hadn’t spoken for over five years.
Rumors also circulated that Mr. Blake didn’t even want to leave the company to Ryan. However, Ryan’s maternal grandfather, who founded the company, left an ironclad will in place, leaving Blake Sr. no choice. With the company faltering in the last few years, it will be interesting to see what his son can do to turn it around.
I leaned back in my chair, drumming my fingertips on the table. I lifted my coffee mug for another sip of the rich, dark brew. Ryan appeared to have a bit of a backstory, but then I supposed everyone did. Although I hardly knew him, he had been kind to me last night when he didn’t have to be. Maybe he wasn’t exactly warm and fuzzy, but he’d gone out of his way to ensure Barnable and I were taken care of. It made my heart ache a little to read about the rumors about his relationship, or lack thereof, with his father.
I didn’t mind admitting I was curious. After another sip of coffee, I leaned forward and clicked back into my search window, scanning for a more updated story.
Talton Tech Industries on the rise in investment, technology, and security fields.
“That looks like a good one,” I murmured to myself.
Tapping on the link, I scanned it quickly.
Ryan Bla
ke has rapidly restored the fortunes of Talton Tech Industries. While he refuses to comment publicly, he has trimmed down the bloated workforce left behind by his father and shed some investments that were too costly to maintain. Although there were grumblings amongst employees during the first two years, now that the company has turned its fortunes around, it’s a prime place to work. The company offers some of the best health insurance anywhere. Although Mr. Blake doesn’t speak of it, it’s presumed the generous benefits are linked to his brother’s health condition, which was costly for their family. His pet projects are mostly in the tech and securities arenas. He continues to donate heavily to various charitable causes.
I clicked back into my search screen and kept scrolling, my gaze latching onto the words “animal shelter” almost instantly. Animal shelter?
I scanned the next article. There were rumors he was a major benefactor to one of the animal shelters in the city. According to this gossip columnist, Ryan refused to acknowledge it, and the shelter refused to disclose their anonymous donor’s name.
Although Ryan was nowhere nearby, I started to feel as if I were being a bit too nosy. I closed out of the screen and did a quick check of my email before leaning back in my chair. Glancing to Barnable, whose face was resting between his chubby paws, I commented, “Well, maybe Ryan’s a secret dog lover.”
Barnable replied with a snore. Considering that my first three days in New York City had been comprised of me running around like a maniac trying to find my dog, I felt at loose ends this morning. I finally had Barnable back, and now I needed to figure out what to do.
My phone buzzed by the kitchen table. Glancing at the screen, I saw my mother’s name. I promptly lifted the phone and swiped my thumb across the screen to answer it.
“Hey, Mama. I’ve got you on speaker, and Barnable is here.”
