He wondered if Cindy did oral sex. He wondered if she swallowed.
Choking at the thought, he coughed iced coffee all down the front of his t-shirt. Seriously, even when she wasn’t around he got a hard-on and in trouble. Became a regular bloody butter-fingers.
Wiping his hands on the front of his t-shirt, he scowled. What he needed was to get a hard-hearted woman and boink her brains out.
However, just the thought of being intimate right after sharing that special, unplanned time with Cindy, seemed…disgusting. As disgusting as the used condom in his pocket.
With a shudder, he removed it, wrapped it in tissues and went out the back to throw it into the big bin. It slid out of sight beneath an assortment of paper and other paraphernalia.
Just as easily as he’d slid into Cindy’s tight heat.
No no no! No more Cindy Lawson!
Storming inside, he scrubbed his hands, did a last check of the animals, set the alarm and locked up before going to his car. He was so frustrated that he accidentally set off his own car alarm when he tried to unlock and open it without turning off the alarm first.
Fumbling with the keys, he dropped them and watched them go under the car. Cursing beneath his breath, he dropped onto hands and knees and fished under the car. A press of the button and the annoyingly loud alarm peal was silenced. He heard another car pull up behind him and thinking it was a client, he straightened and tried to wipe the scowl off his face.
He obviously hadn’t totally succeeded, because when he turned around it was to find a cop car right behind him and Mike regrading him steadily from the window. Alan, his partner, waved cheerfully from his seat beside him.
“Having a little trouble?” Mike rumbled.
“Not a good day.”
“Going by your face, I’d guess not.” Those cop eyes felt like they were drilling holes into his forehead. “Want to talk about it?”
“Seriously, what is with you and Rick and friggin’ talking?”
Those pale blue eyes became even more intent. “What’d you do?”
“Me? What did I do?” Tim threw his hands out to the sides. “What makes you think I did anything?”
“I’ve known you a long time. You’re rattled about something.”
“I just want to go home and forget today ever happened. And no.” Tim stabbed his finger towards Mike. “I don’t want you to drop around and have a little heart-to-heart with me.”
“Chick problems,” Alan observed cheerfully. “I can tell.”
“Yeah?” Mike’s gaze never left Tim’s face.
“Yeah. Only a chick can stir a man up like that.” Alan nodded sagely. “Must be some chick.”
“Jesus,” said Tim.
“You will need His help if you continue like that.”
“Thank you Dr Freud.”
“Ooohhh, sexual reference.” Alan nudged Mike. “Told you. Chick problems.”
Shaking his head, Tim moved the key towards the lock.
“Uh-huh.” Mike continued to study Tim. “Seen Cindy lately?”
A jerk of his hand and Tim missed the lock altogether, wincing as his key gouged a line in the metallic paint of his door. “Damn it!” What, did Mike have x-ray vision? See visions, in fact? See the past?
See the guilt stamped all over Tim’s face?
Probably. Which was why Tim didn’t turn to face his friend until he’d managed to don a blank façade.
Mike took one look at that façade and pointed at him. “We’re having a talk later.”
“What?” Tim watched as the cop car pulled away. “What for?”
Mike just looked back at him once and drove off.
Yeah, Tim’s nuts were going to be nailed to the wall.
Unlocking the door, he dropped into his car, rammed the key into the ignition and started the engine. The powerful roar of the sports car didn’t soothe his feelings and he’d have been tempted to irresponsibly burn a bit of rubber going out of the car park to relieve some of his tension, but Mike, damn his shrewd hide, had his cop car parked right at the entrance and was standing there with the radar gun aimed right at Tim.
Friends. Couldn’t live with them, but sometimes he was damned sure he could live without them.
Having enough of everyone, Tim drove straight home. Entering his home, he took a deep breath of lemon-scented air and felt the peace settle into his very bones. Tension seeped from him and he relaxed.
Ahhhh, nothing like home sweet home.
Putting his dinner in the oven to heat up, he went upstairs and showered, donned clean boxers and padded downstairs again in bare feet.
Dishing up a heaping bowl of casserole, he went into the lounge and settled into his armchair. Flipping on the TV, he rested back into the chair and ate every delicious bite of food.
Now, this was the life. No damned women, no damned friends, no damned anything. Just him, the giggle box, food and an iced coffee.
This was just sad. This was what life had become, and there was one person to blame - Cindy Lawson, that voluptuous babe.
Sighing, Tim concentrated on the TV and ruthlessly pushed the irritating woman to the back of his mind. Within an hour he was asleep. An hour later he awoke with a hard-on and the memory of those luscious curves beneath his hands.
He had a bad feeling that dismissing Cindy wasn’t going to be as easy as he’d determined.
That’s what happened when you had sex with the nice girls. It messed with the brain cells.
~*~
The next morning, Tim buried himself in work. If there was one thing that could take his mind of any problems, it was the care of animals. He tended to the animals and the sometimes neurotic owners as well.
He was just coming around the corridor corner when he heard Cindy’s name. It was spoken in a man’s voice, and curiously he stopped and peered around the corner.
The blonde-haired man at the reception desk just had to be related to her. No one could miss the similarities - blonde hair, blue eyes, only his features were definitely masculine. Didn’t Cindy have a couple of brothers? He’d heard about them at a party, and he was sure he’d seen this one with a giggling woman hanging off his arm. Two, in fact, one off each arm. The man was a regular lothario.
Today he was alone but he was doing a good job of chatting up the smiling vet nurse. Seriously, he actually made normally straight-laced Lara giggle and simper like some vapid miss of old. Tim supposed some women would find the Lawson man handsome.
Lara turned to take a receipt from the printer and saw him. “Tim, this is Marty, Cindy’s brother.”
Marty lothario Lawson.
Pasting a smile on his face, Tim came forward and offered his hand in a handshake. “I’m Tim, Cindy’s vet.” Wow, that rolled off his tongue so easily.
Marty took his hand and gave it a real man-to-man handshake. “Good to meet you, man. Cindy’s told us a lot about you.”
Uh-oh.
“She was so impressed with what you did for Al.”
“Al?”
“Her kitten. That screaming little shit machine she’s fallen in love with. I’m telling you, it’s taken over her life. It’s taking over everyone’s life. Cindy hardly goes out, Mum’s besotted with it, hell, even Dad was over there today baby-sitting it.”
“Really?” Tim relaxed a little. Somehow he just knew that if Marty knew he’d had sex with his sister on her kitchen table and then upset her, he wouldn’t have been so friendly. From what he remembered hearing, Cindy’s family was close. If one family remember got hurt, the rest would come looking for whoever did it.
Handy to remember and a great help in his decision to stay well away from Cindy.
“Yeah. It’s just what she needed, though.”
“She told me her cat died.”
“Man, she loved that old flea bag. Cried for a week when it died. Al is good for her.” Marty reached out and picked up the kitten formula.
Tim couldn’t fail to notice the rather dreamy smile Lara bestowed on Ma
rty as she handed him the receipt. “Picking up the baby formula, huh?”
“Cindy asked me to. I thought she’d love to come in and give you all an update on her pride and joy, but I guess she’s probably a little tired from feeding it night and day.” Marty winked at Lara. “New baby and all.”
Lara laughed.
“Anyway.” Marty waved the can of formula at them. “Thanks for this. I’ll let her know I met you, Tim. She’ll be pleased.”
Tim somehow doubted it, but he nodded and smiled and watched Marty leave the clinic. Going to the window, he saw him get into a fancy four wheel drive - looked like a Jeep or Land Rover or something - and talk to someone waiting in the passenger seat.
Tim’s heart stuttered just a little. Was Cindy in the passenger seat? He waited with bated breath as the Jeep-Land Rover-whatever - backed out and turned, and he saw it was a cute little redhead who was chatting animatedly to Marty.
Tim sighed.
Lara sighed.
They both looked at each other.
“What are you sighing about?” Tim queried.
“I know what I’m sighing about, but I’m a little worried about what you’re sighing at,” she returned.
“Ha ha. I do not bat for the opposite team.”
“Good. I don’t need the competition.”
“You don’t have enough work to do.”
“Says the man hanging out the window with me.”
Shaking his head, Tim went back out to the treatment room to check on the surgical cases that had been operated on already.
The day passed busily and when knock-off time came, he was relieved to finally be on his way home.
He half expected Mike to be waiting for him but then realised that he was probably working a late shift again. His nuts were his own for another day, hallelujah.
Not feeling in the mood to go out, he showered and padded around in his usual dress of boxers and nothing else. Sitting down in his armchair, he thought he was getting to be a regular stay-at-home-old-fart. Seriously, he had to start going out again. Being in every night just wasn’t the thing to do.
Thank goodness tomorrow was Saturday and he had the whole day off. He could sleep in and later go out to the pub and see what women were on the prowl that might suit him for a - Tim groaned. Saturday. His Aunt’s birthday at his mother’s house. No clubbing, no pubbing, no boinking unless he picked up a shagger’s delight at his Mother’s party.
Oh joy. Way to spoil what should have been a perfectly good day.
The thought called for a beer.
Chapter Five
“Mads!” Cindy bounded up the steps. “I’m here!”
Opening the door, Maddy smiled. “No kidding?”
“Too true.” Hearing the low music in the background, Cindy easily picked up the beat and danced past her best friend and into the house. “Good tune. Dance with me.”
“I’m not a good dancer, you know that - oh!” Maddy gave a shriek as Cindy grabbed her hands and whirled her around.
It didn’t take long for them to both bogey up the short corridor to the kitchen.
“I am so glad Mike didn’t see that.” Maddy laughed.
“He ought to take you dancing.” Cindy tickled a wide-eyed Chaz under the chin, laughing as the big Siamese went all dreamy-eyed.
“Mike and dancing don’t mix. The only dancing he likes is…” Maddy blushed.
“The horizontal tango?” Cindy winked. “Mads, you cheeky chit, you.”
“Let’s just say that he - let’s just say nothing.” Crossing to the sink, she filled the kettle. “How’s the new baby?”
“Al is gorgeous. When are you coming to see him?”
“How about tomorrow afternoon? I can call in on my way home.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Plugging in the kettle, Maddy glanced at her. “I hear Tim is your new vet.”
“He did so well in getting Al through the first night, so as far as I’m concerned I’m happy to have him do me.” Cindy blanched as Maddy’s eyes widened. “I mean do Al. Look after Al.”
Good grief. Cindy mentally rolled her eyes. Tim had already done her and look how that had turned out.
Taking a tin from an overhead cupboard, Maddy withdrew some home made biscuits and placed them on a small plate. “Don’t you feel a little disloyal to your old vet?”
“I haven’t thought about it.” Leaning her chin on her hand, Cindy watched Yamaha, the grey kitten, come running through the door and skid to a halt just before she banged into Chaz. “Do you ever think about changing to Tim’s clinic, him being Mike’s best friend?”
“Nope. My vet has looked after Chaz since he was a kitten and I’m happy with her.” Maddy placed the plate in the middle of the table.
“Huh.”
“What?”
“I guess I just thought that Tim and Mike being best friends would influence your decision.” Cindy nibbled thoughtfully on a biscuit.
Maddy shook her head. “Nope. Mike knew Tim long before I did, and I knew my vet long before I knew Tim.”
Cindy nodded. “Fair enough.” She watched Maddy get a pot of tea ready. “So, where’s Mike? Working?”
“Yep, late shift.”
“Good thing you understand shift work.”
“Trust me, after working in a hospital as a nurse, shift work becomes a part of your life.”
“Glad you’re not doing it anymore?”
Maddy smiled. “I like working for the Gold Link Nursing Association. Attending to people in their homes gives you a whole new understanding of them.”
“Probably why you can handle Mike.” Cindy grinned.
“And probably why I can handle being around you.” Maddy poured the tea.
“Uncalled for. We met in primary school.”
“Even then, I was able to handle the weird ones.”
“That’s just lovely.” Cindy accepted the cup of tea. “Touches my heart, that does.”
“The tea?”
“No, you dork. You calling me weird.”
Maddy looked pointedly at the tube top Cindy wore.
“This is classy.” Cindy preened.
“In what universe?”
“Mine.”
“It must be nice in your own little universe.”
“It’s great, you should try it sometime.”
Maddy laughed, then sobered. “Seriously, you are so at ease with who you are. I used to envy you that when we were teenagers.”
“Maddy,” Cindy replied seriously, “You chose early on in life to do what you wanted as well.”
“Yeah, but I was never as free as you.”
“Hey, in what way?” Cindy winked. “Sex?”
“Please, if you’re going to start telling me about that Italian bloke who thought you were God’s gift to men, I don’t want to hear about it.”
“Oh, come on. You’re just jealous.”
“Me?” Maddy’s eyes softened. “I have Mike.”
And there it was, Cindy thought, observing her friend. Maddy, so self-assured, yet she’d just blossomed completely under Mike’s love. The only time she’d known her friend to retreat into her weight worries was after her wretched family had thrown a spanner in the works, but Mike had ripped that spanner right out and now her best friend was the happiest she’d ever been in her life.
“If you’re going to start sharing tales of Mike’s prowess in the bed-”
Maddy’s eyes twinkled. “Who said it was just in the bed?”
Cindy perked up. “Really? Do tell.”
“Don’t tell.” Maddy’s round cheeks were flushed. “That’s between me and Mike.”
“Oh, come on. I’m your best friend. Besides, you can’t just throw out that tid-bit and expect me stay quiet.”
“Cindy, I bet you’ve had sex in other places apart from a bed.”
Most recently, on the kitchen table. “We’re not talking about me.”
“And I’m not talking about my sex life.”
&
nbsp; “Huh.” Picking up the cup of tea, Cindy blew lightly upon the hot surface. “Spoilsport.”
Smiling, Maddy nibbled on a biscuit. “So, Al. Cute name. Bet he’s going to be a right little scrapper with a name like that.”
“It’s been awesome looking after him.” Cindy yawned. “Tiring, but awesome.”
“Oh, poor little mummy.” Reaching over, Maddy patted her hand. “But you have such a glow!”
“Shut up.” Cindy laughed.
“Seriously.” Maddy settled back in the chair. “You’re normally so outgoing, out to parties and clubs, yet here you are, all content to stay at home and care for this furry orphan. I’d never have thought it of you.”
“He depends on me.” Cindy shrugged. “What can I say? Once he’s older, I’ll be able to go out again. Meanwhile, I’m a stay-at-home mum.”
“Cute.”
Thoughtfully, Cindy took a sip of tea. “I’ve been thinking-”
“Oh geez.”
Cindy kicked out at her friend lightly under the table but Maddy, knowing her too well, already had her shins out of range.
“As I was saying,” Cindy said a little haughtily, “Before you so rudely interrupted...”
“Sorry. Do go on.”
“As I was saying, I’ve been thinking…” Cindy gave her friend a hard stare, only to get an innocent look back. “I have a big home, plenty of room outside, and there are a lot of orphan animals out there. Maybe I’ll consider becoming a foster carer.”
“What?” Maddy blinked in surprise. “Really? You?”
“Sure. Why not me?”
“Well, you love to travel and party and things. Having orphaned animals to look after can take a lot of time up.”
“I won’t have orphaned animals all the time. Kittens tend to be seasonal.”
“You’re only looking at fostering kittens?”
“And cats. Mads, I love all animals, you know that, but cats are my thing, and so many kittens and cats get euthanased every year. If I could foster some now and again, it would give them a chance.”
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