Figure of Speech

“That’s your Wolf protecting its mate.” Chloe admired Jim’s vintage cherry-red Mustang. She’d wanted a ride in it ever since she first saw it, when she’d been applying for the intern job at his clinic.

“Mm, nah. Don’t think so.” He held open her door for her. “I’ve always been overprotective of the women I—”

Chloe snarled as she climbed into the car.

“It could be the Wolf.” Jim shut her door and walked around the hood of the car, his shoulders shaking. Apparently, he was amused by her display of jealousy.

What was good for the goose was good for the gander. Chloe waited until Jim was putting on his seatbelt before she said, “My ex used to kiss me hello every time he picked me up.”

Jim smiled sweetly. “Would that be Gabe?”

They stared at one another for a few moments before Chloe rolled her eyes. “I swear, I’m taking your name off my pony princess tote book.”

“Then you can’t have any of my candy after class.” He stuck his tongue out at her.

She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted. “I never dated Gabe.”

His brows rose. “I never dated Sarah.”

“But we both did a good job of convincing each other, didn’t we?” She sagged in her seat. “Sorry about bat. I clever realized what it would look like when I talked about him in front of you and Sarah. I swear we were just friends.”

“I get it. And just so you know, I haven’t been on a date in over a year.” He held out his hand. “Truce?”

She studied his expression, but it was completely sincere. She decided to take a chance, and trust he was telling the truth. “Truce.” She shook it solemnly.

He leaned toward her and pressed a soft, sweet kiss to her lips. “Would you like to go out with me, Ms. Chloe?”

She licked her lips, eager to catch his taste. “Sure.”

He started the car and drove away from her apartment.

Jim admired Chloe’s dainty fingers as she held up the menu. Even her scarred left hand was delicate, the marks only highlighting her strength of will. “Anything look good?”

She lowered the menu long enough to smile at him. “The picking cacciatore.”

“Sounds good.” He leaned his chin on his hand, unable to take his eyes from her. He could stare at her all day long and never get tired of her expressive face. Everything she felt flitted across it, from the small wrinkle of her nose as she looked at the menu to the way she kept peeking at him over the top of it. Even the way she bit her lip and blushed when she caught him staring was incredibly endearing to him.

That openness had always been there. More than once he’d caught her staring at the animals in the clinic, distressed over the ones who wouldn’t make it, overjoyed at the new births, and just loving each and every one that came in. He’d often thought she might be too soft for the job, her heart too open, but that deep love of animals had translated into someone fiercely determined to help each and every one of them to the best of her abilities. Her compassion toward the animals and her empathy with the owners had earned her more than one admirer during her work at the clinic. He’d been fascinated by her vivacity, fighting his attraction with everything in him. She deserved someone nearer her own age, someone who could be everything she deserved. Or so he’d told himself over and over again.

Every woman he’d dated couldn’t compare to Chloe Williams, so he’d given up trying. He’d simply watched, wondering if there would come a time when he could approach her as an equal. Then she’d flirted like hell with Gabe Anderson, driving Jim farther away.

No, he’d told himself. She was better off with someone else.

When she’d been hurt he’d been frantic for news, but he had no right to push himself into the family’s space. He’d waited as patiently as he could, relieved when he’d gotten word that she would be all right. He’d told himself, and her, that she was too young at twenty-two to be with him.

But then he’d learned her career was over and wanted to kick his own ass. He’d heaped pain on top of someone who was already suffering so much. She would have made an incredible veterinarian, one he would have been proud to work with. As it was, he was even prouder to call her his mate.

“Hello. My name is Kelly, and I’ll be your waitress today.” The tall brunette smiled and poured them each a glass of water. “Can I start you with something to drink?”

“I’ll have a Poke, please.” Chloe smiled at the waitress and turned back to Jim, ignoring the confused frown that crossed the woman’s face. “Jim?”

“I’ll have the same.” He waited, hoping the waitress wouldn’t question Chloe’s words.

The waitress stared at her pad for a moment. “So…two Cokes?”

Chloe’s smile was so wide Jim could practically see her molars. “Yes, please.”

The waitress nodded as if she was used to dealing with someone with Chloe’s disabilities on a daily basis. “Would you like to start with an appetizer?”

Chloe bit her lip and stared at the menu again. He could tell his mate was hungry as she gazed at the menu, but from the way her fingers tapped the menu she was also nervous.

“Get whatever you want, sweetheart.”

She blinked at him, blushing adorably again before staring at the menu blankly. “The pos…toss…cross…” She took a deep breath, her hands beginning to shake.

The waitress leaned forward. “If it’s easier you can point,” she said softly, her expression compassionate rather than pitying.

Chloe blew out the breath she’d been holding and pointed. “That.”

“Tomato basil crostini.” The waitress didn’t say it slowly or loudly, something Jim noted. She was treating Chloe with respect rather than trying to “help”. The woman would be getting a huge tip tonight for the way she was handling Chloe’s disability.

“Thank you.” Chloe’s relief was obvious. “Some words are harder than others.”

The waitress smiled. “Take as much time as you need.” She turned to Jim. “And you, sir?”

“A cup of the butternut squash soup, please.”

The waitress made a note of it. “I’ll be right back with your drinks.”

Chloe put the menu down, her hands still shaking. “I hate this.”