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“Dinner is finished, and I wondered if you would like to eat in the dining room with me. Thought it would be nice to have a change of scenery. We could also watch a movie on Netflix if you feel like it.” I suggested to her. Her eyes lit up a bit and she closed her laptop and pushed the tray to the side to sit up.
“I’d love to get out of bed for a while. I feel fine, other than being a little sore.” She assured me as she stood up and followed me to the dining room table. I had her plate fixed with a glass of ice water beside her plate. She sat down and took a drink of the water and then started eating. We ate in silence. I was glad to see she had an appetite.
“You have some color back in your cheeks. The bruising will look worse before it fades but that can’t be helped. You are definitely on the mend. I still feel like you would benefit from counseling. I think I’ll get some names and numbers to give you and then you can decide when you’re ready.” We finished our dinner, and I rinsed our dishes to put into the dishwasher.
“I don’t really feel like a movie. I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it knowing how much work I have to catch up on for the past week. Do you mind if I bring my work to the table in here so I can at least be out of the bed for a bit longer?” she asked me hopefully.
“Of course. I’ll go get your things and then get you some more water. Unless you would prefer some hot tea?” I asked her.
“I can get it.” She insisted as she started to get up. I gently placed my hand on her shoulder and shook my head.
“I’ll get it. You can be all independent in a couple of days.” I said as I got her set up at the dining room table with her work and some tea. I decided that since she was going to study that I would work on some paperwork of my own. I went to my officeoff the kitchen. I used the actual dining room as my office since the kitchen was big enough for a full-size table. It’s not like I had company often. The rhythmic typing was actually relaxing. I got a lot done. When I was finished, I got up and found her laptop closed and she was back in bed asleep. I watched her sleep for a few minutes, then laid down on the cot in her room.
I woke up feeling really warm and realized I wasn’t alone in the cot. I opened my eyes to see Dawn curled up to me with her fist under her chin. She must have woken up in the night. I didn’t hear any screaming though. She was just wearing a tank top and some boy shorts. Her soft skin was pressed against my chest and her scent surrounded me. Her beautiful dark hair was covering my arm. I felt my body react to her nearness and suddenly I felt her stiffen up. Her eyes shot open, and she looked into mine. Her face was beet red, and she stumbled off the cot as quickly as she could, closing herself in the bathroom. I rubbed my hand over my face and sighed. I heard a knock on the door and got up to go answer it.
I opened it to see Gears standing there with a bag of donuts. I stepped back so he could come inside.
“Is she still sleeping?” he asked me, as he looked around. We heard some water running in the guest bathroom, so he put the donuts on the kitchen counter. “I guess not. How is she doing?”
“Physically, she is healing quickly. The bruising should start to fade soon. Last night was the first night she didn’t wake up with nightmares.” I told him as I walked over and started the coffee. “We just got up when you were knocking.”
Gears turned toward me slowly and narrowed his eyes. “What the fuck do you mean by we just got up?” I saw his hand twitching and knew I had to diffuse this quickly.
“I have been sleeping on a cot in her room because she has been having nightmares. Nothing happened and last night she didn’t have one.” I informed him. “I figured if she went for acouple more nights with no nightmares then you could come take her home so I can get back to work and start sleeping in my own bed again. I’m not trying to put the moves on your sister. Are you crazy? She is like ten years younger than me.”
It was then I realized I didn’t hear the water running anymore and I heard a gasp behind me. I turned to see a stricken look on her face that turned to hurt. She turned and went back into the room. I heard drawers slamming and a few minutes later she came out, grabbed her laptop off the table and walked out of the house. Gears shot me a look and then followed her out.
FUCK!!! I didn’t mean for her to hear that. It wasn’t completely true. I had not been trying to put the moves on her, but I was very attracted to her. However, she was my patient, and I couldn’t do that. I took an oath. I wanted to follow her but physically there was no real reason she couldn’t go home. I also knew she had a temper and now was not the time to approach her. Whatever, I poured myself a mug of coffee, got dressed and headed to work. I got a group text from Axle that we were going on a run in a couple of days and that we had a meeting with another club in Denver. I’d ask for details later.
4
Dawn
I walked into the house and went straight to my room and locked the door. I knew that my brother would want to know why I stormed out, but I didn’t know what to say. It’s not like Cole and I were romantically involved or anything. Hell, I knew he probably just had morning wood this morning and it had nothing to do with me being pressed up against him in my sleep. What the hell was I thinking crawling into his cot with him in the middle of the night? I don’t think I realized that I had developed feelings for him until I heard him say I could leave. He sounded eager for me to vacate his house, so I ran out like a scalded dog with my tail between my legs. With a groan I laid across my bed and put my head in a pillow. I knew he was older than me, but I wasn’t a child. I was about to graduate with a law degree and take the bar exam. I was intelligent and decent looking I thought. I heard the front door close and then Austin knocked on my door.
“Go away!” I yelled. “I want to be alone.”
“Too bad, you have exactly two minutes to unlock this door before I take it off the hinge myself.” Austin threatened. I knew that tone, he meant business. I got up and unlocked the door jerking it open.
“What, I’m home. Isn’t that what you wanted?” I hissed as I sat down on the bed and crossed my arms.
“I want to know what has been going on under that roof.” He demanded. “You both have been acting funny.”
“Seriously, Doc is one of your best friends. You have known him for years and you really think he would take advantage of your sister who had been raped only a week ago?” I spat out and he flinched. “You are being an asshole, Austin Wilson. I’m going to tell Sophie.”
I saw the fight go out of him and he sat down on the chair at my study desk. He cradled his head in his hands and rubbed his head. I could tell by looking at him that he had not been sleeping well. I felt awful because I knew he had been worried about me. I got up and went to kneel in front of him. I took his chin and raised his face to look at me.
“I’m sorry. I know you have been worried sick but that doesn’t excuse you for acting that way to someone who just took care of me. You owe him an apology. He was never inappropriate with me and treated me with nothing but respect.” I said softly looking him in the eye.
“Then why did you storm out earlier and look like he crushed your heart under his shoe?” He studied my face as he waited for an answer.
“I don’t know what to tell you. I’m very emotional right now and I guess I suddenly felt like a burden he didn’t want underfoot anymore. I owe him an apology as well and I will do it later. Right now, I need to do some schoolwork so that I can graduate on time.” I told him in a dismissive tone. I didn’t wantto discuss this anymore. I was still trying to figure out what I was feeling. “I will fix myself a sandwich in a little while. You should go to work.”
Austin looked at me for a minute then kissed me on the top of the head and left the room. Hopefully he will go to work and leave me in peace today. I don’t need a damn babysitter. I didn’t have a nightmare last night. Maybe I won’t have one tonight. I’d see about counseling after I get caught up on my assignments. I only have a couple of weeks left and I will be done. I planned to take the bar in the fall after giving myself a rest this summer. Now I would be resting and getting counseling while I studied.
I finished the assignment I had started at Cole’s house. My stomach growled so I sent the assignment to my professor and closed my laptop. I stood up too fast and felt lightheaded. I waited a minute for it to pass before making my way to the kitchen to fix myself a snack. I didn’t really have the energy to do much, so I made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and grabbed a bag of chips from the pantry. There were bottles of water and juice in the fridge, so I got some juice and went to sit on the couch to watch television while I ate. I glanced out the window since the blinds were open and saw that Cole’s car was gone. I guess he couldn’t wait to get back to the hospital since he didn’t have to look after me anymore. I turned back to the tv and found some ‘JAG’ reruns. I curled up and nibbled on my food while I watched my show. I loved the chemistry between Harm and Mac, the two lead characters on the show. After I finished my food, I placed the plate on the coffee table and laid down on the couch to watch more.
I woke up to Austin and Sophie coming in from work. I sat up and blinked, realizing that the television was still playing. I turned it off and got up.
