Falls In Between

Chapter nine- Healy

I look at my clock for the seventh time and it reads 6:30. She's late. She probably got busy and forgot to check the time...on her non existent phone. I don't understand why she just denied me. I mean I do. The girl was a foster kid her entire life and she finally made her own choice and is getting her life back.

She is running from something, I don't know yet, but I want to know. I want to know everything she has been up to in six years. She was shocked that I remembered her. No one could forget her. They way her blonde hair curls at the end, her bright blue eyes, long eyelashes, her freckles that just grace her nose in the summer and her throaty laugh when she is laughing at something so genuine. The way she just cares about everyone around her but is scared to trust thinking they will be the next ones to leave her.

I'm pacing the lobby of my practice. The last patient left 35 minutes ago.

"Alright, boss, I'm heading home." Kennedy says, coming out of one of the two patient rooms, throwing his gloves away in trash.

"Sounds good, I'll see ya tomorrow." I haven't stopped pacing yet. "You okay?" He lifts his eyebrow at me.

"Yes...no. Maybe." I say stuttering. Jesus, I'm a very confident man but when it comes to August I guess I'm not.

"What's going on?" At that exact moment, the door to the practice swings open and there's August panting.

"I'm so sorry. I fell asleep and I didn't set an alarm on the clock before I laid down and when I woke up it was already 6." She's panting the whole time. "I cleaned up real quick and ran here." Hands on her knees.

"It's okay, why don't you sit down for a minute." She just nods as she plops down in a seat.

"My question is answered." Kennedy chuckles. "See you guys later." August waves from her seat.

"Bye, man." I say to him as he leaves through the front door.

"You doing okay over there?" I ask, still standing next to the front desk.

"Yeah, but better." Her breathing is starting to regulate. I grab a paper cup and grab some water for her from the water cooler in the lobby. "Drink."

She looks up at me and is shocked I just told her what to do. "Don't make me tell you again. "Drink." She reaches up and grabs the cup and drinks it all down.

"Good-" I almost just called her a good girl. God, she is not ready for that.

"So why did you want me to meet you here?"

"For one, I wanted to show you where I worked and two I wanted to spend time with you while I close up then we can grab some food."

"Sounds good." She replies. I have her follow me into the patient rooms while I double check that everything is locked up and put away. After both rooms are good, I check the front desk and make sure all papers are away, the computer is signed off. Kelcey is pretty good at putting everything away, it just eases my anxiety if I double check.

"It's a nice office." She says. "It's quant, but I think it's perfect from what I have seen of this town."

"Agreed." I start turning off all the lights.

"Do you miss the big city? Being a vet there would have opened up so many more doors for you. More money, more animals."

"Honest answer?" She nods. "Not one bit. When Kennedy and I found this place, it just felt like home. Even though home was a state away and my entire family was there, but this place...It's hard to describe. It's just perfect."

"I'm learning that." She smiles at me. We hold eye contact for more than what's appropriate. I can feel the sexual tension thrumming through my body. If I don't do something, I'm gonna do something I regret like kiss her and I don't think she is ready for that. Yet. She does know about my kink which is the main reason I wanted to see her.