Angel Falling (Falling #1)(9)
The door to my penthouse slammed and a jangling ruckus could be heard from the entryway. I made it back into the living room when I heard Oliver yelling.
“Sit! Damn you mangy mutt, don’t you know basic commands!” Oliver’s shrill voice pierced and echoed through the walls of my home.
A blur of yellow barreled through the living room, knocking over a small table. Nails clicked and clacked against the hardwood floors, then a giant dog jumped, pushing me onto the couch. I shrieked, covering my face and chest as it hopped from couch to my lap to the floor and back. A long pink tongue hung out of its mouth then slurped at my face, leaving a wet trail of saliva along the surface. I tilted my head against my shoulder, wiping the disgusting slime off.
“Holy Jesus. What the hell, Ollie! Get this dog off me!”
“Oh my, God. Shoo dog, shoo! Get down.” He pulled at the dog’s collar and slapped a hook onto it, restraining him by his side.
“I’m sorry, Pen. You said to move all of Hank’s stuff to your place. This … ” he pointed to the yellow lab, “is part of his stuff. According to the gentleman who gave me the dog, his name is Butch.”
“Butch.” The dog turned around in a circle when he heard his name. Tentatively, I reached out and petted the dog. He happily panted and pushed against my palm. I pulled my hand away and a wad of hair was left in its wake. Dogs. They were dirty, they shed, and they made messes as large as they were. This dog was enormous, just like its master. What a nightmare.
“You have got to be kidding me.” I closed my eyes and tried to will the dog to disappear. I cracked open one eye. No such luck. He was still there. “Okay, fine. Hire a dog watcher or something. For now, bring him in the kitchen and give him some water. He’s probably thirsty. Have Chef Gustav make him a steak.” Oliver looked at me like I was a psycho. “Please, just deal with it. I’m going to take a long, hot bath. Tomorrow I’m going to stop by the hospital in the morning. Reschedule any conflicting appointments.”
“Okay, you rest. You’ve been through a lot the past couple days. And Pen … ”
I stopped at the head of the stairs, turning to look back at my most trusted friend. “Yes?”
“I’m so thankful you’re okay. I owe the cowboy a lot. You’re still here because of him.” His voice was weak and thick with emotion.
“I’m fine. Please, just take care of his dog.” I swung a wave behind me as I treaded to the haven that was a huge jetted tub nestled in the master bathroom. “Good night.”
***
A hot bath was exactly what the doctor ordered. Candles twinkled along the curved edge of the tub, filling the room with the scent of sugary vanilla. Water sloshed over the side as I settled into the steamy water.
Heaven.
Ten minutes passed when the door creaked open and Oliver walked in. He had a bottle of wine in one hand, two glasses in the other. He sat the bottle and glasses down on the tiled edge. He pulled the vanity chair over to the tub, removed his blazer and tie, then folded up each sleeve of his dress shirt. He slumped into the chair, picked up the wine and poured hefty glasses of the garnet liquid.
I knew what he was doing. For the past decade, it had always been us against the world. He needed me and couldn’t leave. Yesterday he was faced with the fear that he may have lost me.
It was the first real brush with death either of us had experienced. We’d dealt with jealous and jilted lovers before, and the occasional death threat from companies I’d taken over in the past, but nothing so acute or specifically life-threatening as this. Had Hank not jumped in front me, that metal pipe would have gone straight through my heart.
I traced the circular bruise just above my left breast. The purple and black area spread across my chest, covering about a three-to four-inch area. I was lucky the end of the pipe that pierced through Hank only left me with the bruise from a much smaller impact.
“Does it hurt?” He broke the silence first. His eyes scanned my entire body, probably making sure there weren’t any other marks marring me. If it was anyone else, I’d have covered up. Ollie had seen me naked more times than my mother had. I stopped caring about modesty with him back in college when he started to dress me, then completely when we lived together until he’d gotten with Dean.
“Yes. Not as much as it could have.” I took a healthy sip of wine, the berry and plum flavors rushed over my tongue and warmed my belly.
“God, Aspen. I could have lost you.” Tears filled his big brown doe eyes.
“But you didn’t. And you won’t.” I reached out a wet hand and clasped his. “We’re best friends. We’re in it for the long haul. It’s always been you and me, Ollie.” I smiled to reassure him.
“It won’t always be that way. One day you’re going to meet a man, fall in love and have babies, and I’ll be a long-forgotten friend.” He was having a pity party for one and there wasn’t a lot I could do about it.
“You’re right. One day I hope to find a man I can share my life and bed with.” My pointed look wasn’t lost on him.
Had he not been gay, I still wouldn’t have been attracted to him. I liked tall, large men who were sure of themselves. Ollie was more like a female than a male, though I’d never tell him that. There wasn’t another man I could hold a platonic conversation with while lying completely exposed in a bathtub. My body wasn’t perfect but I worked hard to stay in shape. I’d been told I had a beautiful body by several men in the past. I spent countless hours in my home gym to ensure a fit form. Overall, my self-image was not one of my insecurities.