“You lying bastard.” Damien’s short laugh raised Lincoln’s hackles. “I never understood your obsession with a stranger in a photo, but you’ve known who she is all along. And now you’re up close and personal with her.”
“I didn’t lie.” Lincoln closed the door after Angeline disappeared inside her apartment. “I accepted an invitation to finish out my medical leave here rather than in the infirmary at Headquarters. Finding Angeline, nothing more than a coincidence.”
“No such thing. Isn’t that what you always said?” Damien migrated from the dining table chair to the leather one in the living room.
“Apparently, I was wrong.” Lincoln returned to the couch, popped the lid of his coffee cup and swallowed the hot drink. All the while his mind spun with ideas.
Ideas of the quickening that brought together true mates. Dangerous ideas with a promise of a future he wasn’t entitled to have.
“What did she say when you told her how long you’ve been carrying around her picture?”
“I haven’t mentioned it.” Lincoln didn’t want to risk her rejection, even if they were nothing more than friendly neighbors. He fished out the éclair Angeline had left for him and bit into it. “I would offer you breakfast, but I didn’t know you were coming.”
“I grabbed a sandwich on the way up from Atlanta this morning. Good thing I hooked up with a flight attendant last night. If I hadn’t, I might’ve interrupted your sleepover.”
Lincoln’s skin prickled, but he dismissed the errant warning because the peculiar smile on Damien’s face was likely caused by the deep scar running down the side of his face.
“That picture of her must be pretty damn lucky,” Damien continued. “No one would know that you were knocked out of a two-story window. Not one damn scratch as far as I can see.”
“I lost my leg.” Lincoln hiked his pant leg, revealing the prosthetic. “I’d say that’s more than a scratch.”
“At least the Program gave you a new leg.” Damien traced the long, deep, jagged scar down his cheek. “They wouldn’t give me a new face. Apparently cosmetic reconstruction isn’t worth their time.”
Young and more than a little cocky about his looks, of course Damien considered the Program’s refusal to erase the scar to be a deeply personal affront.
“Sorry, man,” Lincoln said regretfully. If Lila hadn’t convinced the team to follow him, she would be alive and Damien would still have his perfect face.
He waved off Lincoln’s concern. “The ladies still love me. I’ve been told I look dangerous and sexy.” Damien grinned. “Damn right I am.”
Lincoln laughed, glad that Damien had taken what had happened in stride, but it tweaked his heart that he’d never get the chance to talk it out with Lila.
“It’s good to see you, but what are you doing here?”
“I have some time to kill before my next deployment.” Due to the Program’s restrictions, a Dogman’s social circles consisted entirely of other Dogmen. “Is there a hotel in this flea-sized town?”
“A resort, but they’re hosting a couples retreat.”
“Just my luck.” Damien frowned.
“You can bunk here. You can even take the bed. I’m partial to the couch.”
“What about your neighbor?”
“She’s off-limits,” Lincoln said a bit too abruptly.
“How about passing along her picture? I could use a good-luck charm.”
“It’s not mine to give away.” Before he left Walker’s Run, Lincoln would return the photo to Angeline and give her the message he had sworn to deliver.
Damien shrugged. “It was worth a try.”
“If you’re going to stay awhile, you’ll need a key.” Lincoln stood and went to the door. “Help yourself to the fridge, the shower, whatever you need. I’ll be back with a key in a few minutes.”
“She has the key, doesn’t she?”
“Her name is Angeline and, yeah, she has the spare.” Lincoln stepped into the corridor. The cold air nipped his face and hands. Memories of Angeline snuggling against him in her sleep heated his blood. He could’ve woken her up after the movie ended, but he was comfortable, she was comfortable and he simply didn’t see the need to disturb either of them. And for the first time since waking up in the Program’s hospital, he’d had a peaceful night’s sleep.
The faint sound of music touched his ears just before he rapped on Angeline’s door. “Hey, Angel, it’s me.”
The music stopped. A funny feeling tickled his stomach right before she opened the door.
“Tired of your company already?” She stepped back to allow him to enter.
“Well, he’s not you.”
That earned him a stellar smile and put an extra sparkle in her deep blue eyes.
Lincoln saw the guitar on the couch and sheets of music spread over the coffee table.
“Planning on joining the band at Taylor’s?”
“Keeping up my skills. In college, I majored in music, but don’t mention it to my family. They think I have a business degree.”
“Why would it matter to them?”
“The family business is handcrafted cabinets and furniture. My dad and brothers are carpenters. They expected me to handle the administrative and financial tasks.” The shimmer in her eyes faded. “It never mattered to them what I wanted.”
“What do you want?”
“Neighbors who aren’t so nosy.”
“I guess asking you to play a tune for me is overstepping my welcome.” Lincoln shoved his hands into his hip pockets.
Instead of answering, Angeline moved the guitar off the couch and sat, tucking her bare feet beneath her legs. “Is there something I can help you with, Lincoln?”
Apparently he’d unintentionally exposed a nerve.
“Damien is staying for a few days and since I don’t want to be stuck with him 24/7, I need the spare key.”
“Oh!” Shock then disappointment registered on her face. “Sure. No problem.”
She reached for the large purse lying on its side on the floor. After digging through the contents, she worked a key off a key ring and held it up. “All yours.”
Electricity sparked in his fingertips as he grazed her fingers retrieving the key. “As soon as Damien leaves, it will be yours again.”
“Why?”
“Are you kidding? You bring me food, make me watch movies that put you to sleep, but mostly because I enjoy your company.”
Her smile reappeared.
Lincoln turned to leave.
“Hey, Dogman,” Angeline called after him. “I like being your neighbor, too.”
Walking back to his apartment, Lincoln barely registered the cold because of the warm, fuzzy feeling bubbling in his chest.
“Have a hot Valentine’s date?” Tessa stowed her purse and jacket in the locker. “You ducked out pretty early last night.”
“No.” Angeline tucked an order pad in her half apron. “Just keeping to tradition.”
“With Tristan?”
“Of course not. He and I were always just friends. Besides, he’s madly in love with Nel and their baby is due any day.”
“So what did you do?”
“Stuffed my face and watched a movie.” Snuggling with Lincoln on the couch. “Pretty boring.”
“Then why are you smiling?”
“No reason.” No, really. She had no reason to be smiling. Her new neighbor might possibly evolve into a friend. But that was the extent of things.
While Brice might want Lincoln to make Walker’s Run his permanent home, Lincoln had not once mentioned retirement. He often seemed preoccupied and checked his service-issued phone frequently. Regardless of his injury, he belonged to the Dogman program and as long as he did, Angeline couldn’t develop feelings for him and be made the fool twice in a lifetime.
“I think Reed wanted to talk to you last night.” Angeline glanced at Tessa, sympathizing with her human friend’s heartache. After all, Angeline had been the one to introduce Tessa to Reed.
“I thought I’d have a lot to say when I saw him again, but I realized I don’t want to be with someone who doesn’t light up when I walk into a room, the way Lincoln does with you.”
“Um, Lincoln isn’t interested in me.”
“You really should get your eyes checked.” Tessa smiled. “It’s so cute the way he watches you. And last night, the way he handled those drunks messing with you...”
“I handled the drunks.”
“He’s so protective.” Tessa didn’t seem to be listening.
“I didn’t need protecting.”
“And he’s so sexy.”
On that matter, Angeline would be hard-pressed to argue.
Incredibly attractive, tall, muscular and, even missing a leg, he had an air of strength and grace that she found irresistible.
“Is he coming in tonight?”
“No. One of his buddies dropped by unexpectedly and they’re off doing guy things.” Actually, Lincoln took Damien to meet Brice and Tristan. Afterward the two Dogmen would likely run the woods, swim in the icy river and race to the top of Walker’s Pointe to see who would leap off first.
Wolfan males, in general, were competitive. Dogmen took the competition to a whole new level.
“Angeline?” Miriam walked into the employee room. “Will you be at Sierra’s party tomorrow?”
“Have I ever missed one of my nieces’ or nephews’ birthdays?”
“What about Lincoln?”
“He told Sierra that he would come, but one of his buddies just arrived and I’m not sure what his plans are now.”
“Could you give him a call? I’d like a final head count so I know how much food to prepare.”
Angeline reached into her locker for her cell and auto-dialed Lincoln’s number.
“Hello, Angel,” he said soft and low before the third ring.
“Hey.” Even Angeline heard the breathiness in her voice. Cringing, she glanced at Tessa, her brow arched and her hand cocked on her hip. “Um, Aunt Miriam needs a final head count for Sierra’s party tomorrow.” Angeline turned her back on Tessa and dropped her voice. “It’s okay if you can’t go.”
“A promise is a promise.”
“What about Damien?”
“I don’t think a little girl’s birthday party is up his alley.”
“But you’re okay with going?”
“I never go back on my word.”
“Okay, then. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Not tonight?”
Despite her initial reservations, she didn’t mind spending time with Lincoln. But Damien put her on edge.
“I’m working until closing and I have some things to finish up.”
“If you change your mind, I’ll be up.”
“I won’t be home until after two.” Her heart skipped a beat. “Are you planning to wait up for me?”
“Being a good neighbor doesn’t stop at five p.m.”
A feeling of warmth wrapped around her like a big, generous hug.
“I guess it doesn’t.” She felt the smile stretching her mouth.
“’Bye, Angel.”
“’Bye.” The breathiness returned, accompanied by a certain giddiness.
“I’ve never seen you googly over a guy,” Tessa said. “There really is something between you and Lincoln, isn’t there?”
“We’re neighbors like Tristan and I used to do.”
“You never got dreamy-eyed over Tristan.”
“I’m not dreamy-eyed. Tristan knew I could take care of myself. I think it’s sweet that Lincoln thinks he’s looking out for me.”
“See...protective.” Tessa unfolded her crossed arms. “This might be a game changer for you.”
“What do you mean?”
“You can kick ass with the best of them.”
“Thanks to my dad and brothers.”
“Yes, but you didn’t seem to mind him stepping in with those two drunks. I heard Lincoln threatened bodily harm before tossing them out, then he went to check on you.”
“He didn’t toss them out. Reed did.”
“You were off the floor for quite a while. When you and Lincoln came back out, you both looked quite rosy.”
“Jimmy forced me to take a break and Lincoln made sure that I didn’t sneak back before my time was up.”
“Uh-huh.” Tessa touched Angeline’s arm. “There’s nothing wrong with liking him.”
Oh, but there was. Lincoln’s heart belonged to the Program. As long as it did, Angeline would not risk hers.