They’d spent the night in Little Rock, and she’d perked up when they’d found a Stuckey’s convenience store.  He pulled over for coffee and to let Chloe use the restroom.  She actually smiled when they got inside and it warmed his heart.

“What’s got you so excited, Cupcake?”

“Do you remember Tabitha Ryder?”  He vaguely remembered a girl from elementary school.

“Her mom took us to Stuckey’s for her birthday one year, she let each of us get our own invisible ink question book, and bought us all pecan log roll candy.”

“If it will get you eating, I’ll buy out their inventory.”

“They’re really sweet, I don’t think I could handle too much,” she protested.  “I’ll be right back.”  She headed towards the back where the bathrooms were.  Zarek did a quick tour of the store and had made his purchases by the time Chloe had returned.

“What’s in the bag?”

“Stuff for the road.  Come on, we’re burning daylight.”  He caught her hand and headed back out in the heat.  He’d parked close to the entrance so she didn’t have to walk far since he knew her foot was still bothering her.  He’d checked it last night in the hotel and didn’t see any sign of an infection, but she was still favoring her left foot.

Thirty miles later Zarek grinned when he heard the rustle of the bag.

“Did I say you could look in there?”

“I want my pecan log roll.”

“Who said I bought one?”

“You’re as transparent as glass Zarek Post.  I want my treat.”  Zarek’s grin turned into a laugh.

Score!

“Help yourself.  I even got some wet naps, because I knew you would make a mess.”

He spared a glance from the road and looked at Chloe.  She wasn’t even scowling at him for the insult, instead she was looking at the caramel pecan candy like it was a slice of heaven.  It was the first time he had seen her look truly happy since seeing her yesterday. 

He blinked rapidly. 

Fuck. 

“Zarek, it tastes just like I remembered!” she cried happily.

“That’s good Chloe.  That’s really good,” he said past the lump in his throat.

***

Chloe ended up sleeping most of the way from Arkansas to Dallas.  She woke up at the sound of a dog barking. She realized she was inside a garage, it had to be Zarek’s. 

“Friend Slayer.” She heard Zarek say outside the truck.

Then she heard the bark again.  “Shhhh, Slayer, you’ll wake her.”

He sounded like a big dog.  When the passenger side door opened and paws settled on her seat, a mammoth black dog was with intelligent eyes stared deep into her soul.  It wasn’t a big dog, it was a gargantuan dog.  A humongous, dog.  It was a behemoth. 

Chloe glared at Slayer.

He watched her with a gentle look.  Dammit, he seemed to look at her with love.

She didn’t need one more male who would try to boss her around.  Try to get her to come out of her shell.  Even if he was big and beautiful.

Slayer let out a small huff.

“Please, I can’t deal.”

He whined.

She looked past the huge animal to Zarek who was standing behind his dog.

“Don’t look at me, this is between you two.”

Slayer laid his curly black head on her thighs.  She pushed her fingers through the silk of his fur.  She swore that the dog moaned in pleasure. 

“I think you’ve just been adopted,” Zarek smiled.

“Which one of us are you talking too?” Chloe asked.

“Both of you.  Let’s get you into the house.”  Zarek snapped his fingers and Slayer stepped back from the truck and went to his master’s side.

“What kind of dog is he?”

“He’s a Black Russian Terrier.  Very territorial of his house and his people.”  Zarek helped Chloe step down from the truck.

“Why was he nice to me?”

“He’s got good instincts.”

“Seriously.”

“I told him you were a friend, and what’s more you smelled like me.”

He leaned into the back seat of the cab and pulled out the overnight bags.  She glanced to the bed of the truck that had more of her things that he had packed the day before yesterday from her house.  He saw her looking.

“Is there anything in there that you need tonight, or can it wait for tomorrow to be unloaded?” he asked.

“Tomorrow is fine.” 

“Let’s get you inside.”

Instead of waiting for him to assist her, she grabbed her bag of candy and jumped out of the truck, landing wrong on her bad foot and gasped in pain.

“Dammit Chloe, can’t you just wait for a second and let someone help you?”

“It’s not that bad,” she said as she gingerly stepped forward.  Zarek put his arm around her and guided her toward the door that led into the house.  The first thing that struck her was the bouquet of flowers on the kitchen counter.  She sent Zarek a quizzical glance.  

“They’re for you.”

“You got me flowers for invading your space?  Are you out of your mind?”  She moved forward towards them, and he continued to support her so she didn’t put additional weight onto her foot.

“They’re beautiful.  How did you arrange these?  Seriously, you’re crazy.”  The man got her flowers when she was nothing but deranged burden from his past. 

“Luke was dog-sitting for me, I told him to pick up a bouquet of daffodils for you.  I pray to God the guest bedroom has clean sheets.  He said he would take care of things.”

Chloe touched the petals of the flowers.  Zarek was doing things that made her feel.  It was exactly what she’d been trying to avoid.  The candy, the flowers, the dog…the man.  She whirled on him, flinching when her foot hurt.

“Stop it!”

“Huh?”

“Just back off.”

“Whoa, Chloe, what’s wrong?”

“I need space.  I know you want to fix me, just like Trenda and Zoe want.  But it’s too much, too soon.  Take your damn flowers, candy and dog and go to hell!”  Here she was yelling, and she wanted to cry.  So much for an escape. 

“Honey, calm down.  What can I do for you?  Food?  Rest?  Bathroom?  Batting Cage?”

“Don’t try to play me, dammit.”

“I’m not, I swear.”  But he was.  He was watching her intently, it was clear that he planned to counter every one of her complaints or arguments.  Or he was going to try to placate her.  She needed away from him, before she just started crying and letting him comfort her.

“Show me where the guest bedroom is.”

“Chloe, you should eat something besides pecan and caramel candy.”

“If I get hungry during the night, I’ll raid your kitchen.  Just show me where I’m sleeping,” she requested quietly. 

Zarek must have seen her resolution, because he nodded.  He continued to keep his arm around her as he guided her down the hall towards a bedroom decorated in blue and cream. 

“The bathroom is across the hall, and my bedroom is at the end of the hallway.  I’m going to keep my door open in case you need me.”

“I won’t.”

“Slayer will be up roaming the halls.  If you don’t want him to check on you, keep your door closed.” 

Chloe watched as Zarek put down her suitcase on the bed.  As he was leaving the room, he turned to her.  “Do you want the door open or closed?”

“Closed.”

He sighed as he closed the door.

It was an hour later after struggling to go to sleep that Chloe got up from bed and opened the door.  She found Slayer right there waiting for her. 

“What are you doing?”

The big dog huffed.

Slayer followed her into the room as she went back to bed.  He laid down on the floor, his head resting on his paws looking up towards her.  If he could talk, Chloe was sure he would be telling her that it was okay for her to go to sleep, he would keep her safe.  With that thought in mind, Chloe closed her eyes.