that's the way it
goes when you are a vet. Some days suck more than others but I love my job
nonetheless. I wouldn't swap it for anything.”
A door slammed and they both turned toward
the living room. A gangly teenager walked in, a frown on his face. “Hey, whose
bike is in your driveway?” He stopped when he noticed Red, a flush coloring his
acne-scarred face.
“That would be Red’s bike. Come and I'll
introduce you if you can mind your manners for more than two seconds.” Rhian
indicated for him to come outside. She slid her arm over the boy’s shoulder and
pulled him close. “Red, this here is my brother in case you hadn't picked up on
that fact. Fergus, mind your manners for a moment, and meet Red.”
Red held out his hand. “Hi, nice to meet
you.”
The boy looked across at Red, a small sneer
turning up one corner of his mouth. “Does he know about us then?” His glance
locked onto Rhian’s and the heat rushed to her cheeks. She frowned at her
brother, and willed him to keep his words to himself.
“He will know all about you soon
enough Fergus. Best you tell me why you're here then, my lad, and be on your
way. Da will have a fit if you aren't home by dark.” Rhian stood with her hands
on her hips and glared at him.
“I was just walking past and saw the bike.”
He shuffled his feet and looked up from under his hair at his sister before
sliding his glance over to Red. “Can you take me for a spin on it before I go
home?”
“Uh, maybe another day. That isn't my bike
actually. It's a loaner while mine is being repaired.”
“Why?” Fergus frowned and looked Red up and
down.
“I almost ran over a small animal on the
road,” Red explained looking over Fergus's head to her. “I was cruising down the
coast and Bambi was on the road as I rounded a corner. I had no choice but to
swerve and miss it and now my bike is in the shop.”
“Bambi, what a suckful name. Where is the
little beast anyway?” Fergus looked around for the small deer.
“In the surgery asleep, hopefully.” Rhian
shook her head. “If that is all you were after, I suggest you head home now. Da
will be after you soon enough. Be off with you.”
* * * *
She guided him from the house and Red could
hear her talking to him as she shut the front door. He watched her walk back
into the room. She stopped and gave him a tired smile. “Sorry about that.
Fergus is such a boy sometimes, but he generally means well.”
“That's okay, no harm done. I can always
give him a ride when I get my bike back.”
“Oh God, no. Mam will have a blue fit. If
he goes anywhere near a bike I will never hear the end of it.” She crossed to
the railing and leaned back closing her eyes. She sighed and tipped her head
back.
Red ached to reach out and run his finger
down her cheek to the hollow of her throat and along the soft rise of her
breasts. He took another drink, finishing off his beer and turned away from
her, willing himself to stay calm.
“Best I start on dinner then before it gets
too late.” Rhian brushed her hand over his shoulder sending jolts of energy
down his back.
“Can I help?” He followed her into the
kitchen and leaned on the counter. She shook her head as she took food from the
fridge.
“No, just sit and keep me company while I
get sorted. It's an easy meal tonight, salad and steaks on the grill.” She
filled the sink and set the salad greens in the water. Rhian looked over her
shoulder at him and spoke. “What exciting things did you come up with in the
lab today?”
“Nothing you would find the least bit
interesting but thanks for asking anyway.” He was grateful she had enquired. He
was well used to being the only one who found his work exciting.
“No, seriously I'm interested in your work.
Tell me, please.”
Red looked at her and saw an honest
interest. “We've been working on a new flu vaccine that will hopefully knock
out more than one strain at a time. For years all we have had is a drug for the
most
goes when you are a vet. Some days suck more than others but I love my job
nonetheless. I wouldn't swap it for anything.”
A door slammed and they both turned toward
the living room. A gangly teenager walked in, a frown on his face. “Hey, whose
bike is in your driveway?” He stopped when he noticed Red, a flush coloring his
acne-scarred face.
“That would be Red’s bike. Come and I'll
introduce you if you can mind your manners for more than two seconds.” Rhian
indicated for him to come outside. She slid her arm over the boy’s shoulder and
pulled him close. “Red, this here is my brother in case you hadn't picked up on
that fact. Fergus, mind your manners for a moment, and meet Red.”
Red held out his hand. “Hi, nice to meet
you.”
The boy looked across at Red, a small sneer
turning up one corner of his mouth. “Does he know about us then?” His glance
locked onto Rhian’s and the heat rushed to her cheeks. She frowned at her
brother, and willed him to keep his words to himself.
“He will know all about you soon
enough Fergus. Best you tell me why you're here then, my lad, and be on your
way. Da will have a fit if you aren't home by dark.” Rhian stood with her hands
on her hips and glared at him.
“I was just walking past and saw the bike.”
He shuffled his feet and looked up from under his hair at his sister before
sliding his glance over to Red. “Can you take me for a spin on it before I go
home?”
“Uh, maybe another day. That isn't my bike
actually. It's a loaner while mine is being repaired.”
“Why?” Fergus frowned and looked Red up and
down.
“I almost ran over a small animal on the
road,” Red explained looking over Fergus's head to her. “I was cruising down the
coast and Bambi was on the road as I rounded a corner. I had no choice but to
swerve and miss it and now my bike is in the shop.”
“Bambi, what a suckful name. Where is the
little beast anyway?” Fergus looked around for the small deer.
“In the surgery asleep, hopefully.” Rhian
shook her head. “If that is all you were after, I suggest you head home now. Da
will be after you soon enough. Be off with you.”
* * * *
She guided him from the house and Red could
hear her talking to him as she shut the front door. He watched her walk back
into the room. She stopped and gave him a tired smile. “Sorry about that.
Fergus is such a boy sometimes, but he generally means well.”
“That's okay, no harm done. I can always
give him a ride when I get my bike back.”
“Oh God, no. Mam will have a blue fit. If
he goes anywhere near a bike I will never hear the end of it.” She crossed to
the railing and leaned back closing her eyes. She sighed and tipped her head
back.
Red ached to reach out and run his finger
down her cheek to the hollow of her throat and along the soft rise of her
breasts. He took another drink, finishing off his beer and turned away from
her, willing himself to stay calm.
“Best I start on dinner then before it gets
too late.” Rhian brushed her hand over his shoulder sending jolts of energy
down his back.
“Can I help?” He followed her into the
kitchen and leaned on the counter. She shook her head as she took food from the
fridge.
“No, just sit and keep me company while I
get sorted. It's an easy meal tonight, salad and steaks on the grill.” She
filled the sink and set the salad greens in the water. Rhian looked over her
shoulder at him and spoke. “What exciting things did you come up with in the
lab today?”
“Nothing you would find the least bit
interesting but thanks for asking anyway.” He was grateful she had enquired. He
was well used to being the only one who found his work exciting.
“No, seriously I'm interested in your work.
Tell me, please.”
Red looked at her and saw an honest
interest. “We've been working on a new flu vaccine that will hopefully knock
out more than one strain at a time. For years all we have had is a drug for the
most
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