the tops of her breasts and fell to mid-thigh. She forced her legs to move to the closet to pull on clothes quickly.
He waited for her by the front door. Trisha’s hair dripped water but she didn’t care.
She didn’t have time to dry it. She walked outside and turned as the large man closed the door, watching her.
“Up for a jog, Doc?”
Trisha nodded as she headed down her porch steps. She turned toward the medical center, preparing to run but instead gasped suddenly when Slade swept her up into his arms. He had the audacity to flash his sharp teeth as he gave her a big grin and winked.
“Hold onto me, Doc.”
He started jogging down the street. Shocked, Trisha threw her arms around his neck to hang on. She couldn’t believe he carried her as if she couldn’t reach the clinic on her own steam.
“Put me down.”
“Almost there, Doc. Shut up and enjoy the ride.” He wasn’t even out of breath when they reached the building. He slowed to a stop and carefully eased her onto her feet next to the door. He winked at her again before turning away. “I’ll see you when you’re done,” he called over his shoulder.
Trisha still reeled from the shock of his actions when she walked inside. There was a waiting room area that had been separated by a long counter. She saw Paul leaning over someone lying on a bed in the open area. Trisha shoved away thoughts of Slade and what had just happened. She moved quickly.
“What do we have?”
Paul turned. “Severe laceration. He’s going to need stitches, Trisha.”
22
The next half hour remained busy for Trisha. One of the human male secretaries of Homeland’s director had accidentally sliced open his palm with a kitchen knife while attempting to make dinner. Trisha cleaned the wound, gave him ten stitches, and bandaged the injury. She gave him pain medication and a tetanus shot. The medical center had its own fully stocked drug cabinet and she just dispensed what medicines he needed. She watched him leave.
Paul finished cleaning up. “You do nice work, Trisha. I doubt he’ll have much of a scar.”
“Thanks.”
“I’ve got this. You go on home. I’ll do the paperwork. You’re off.”
“Sorry I didn’t answer my phone. I was taking a shower.”
Paul grinned. “I see. You need to comb your hair. It’s kind of in clumpy, damp curls.”
“Good night,” she sighed, walking outside.
Relief hit her when she didn’t see Slade anywhere. She walked about ten feet before she sensed him. She stopped and turned to watch him stride down the sidewalk, moving right for her. He smiled as their gazes met.
“Ready for me to escort you?”
“I can find my own way, thanks. I’m thirty years old. I have mastered getting home.”
“You can’t be too careful these days, Doc. You never know what kind of animals are wandering around.”
She shot him a look.
They reached her yard and Trisha turned to study the man who peered down at her. She unlocked her front door and opened it only wide enough for her body to fit through. She turned, faced Slade, and backed into the safety of her home.
“Don’t ever walk into my house again. What would you have done if I’d still been in the shower?”
He grinned. “Walked in there to tell you they needed you at the center and handed you a smaller towel than you had on. Maybe a hand towel.” His gaze roamed her body slowly and he smiled wider. “Or a washcloth.”
She tensed. “You enjoy needling me, don’t you?”
He just shrugged, still smiling.
“Is there any particular reason or am I just special?”
His smile faded. “Maybe I’m interested to see how our two species breed too.”
“Well, find someone else to harass.”
23
He shrugged. “Fine by me. If you aren’t interested, you just aren’t. I was just looking for a sex partner but I won’t bother you again. You should have taken me up on it, Doc.” His eyes narrowed. “I just wanted a few hours to answers all those questions you have. You’re pretty enough that I thought it might be worth my time. Night, Doc.”
He turned away and started to leave the porch. He was halfway to her sidewalk when she opened her mouth.
