
Where the Devil Dances copyright (c) 2007 T.A. Chase
Part Sixteen-
Eric rolled over, staring at the clock. The alarm wasn’t going off. What had awakened him? The shrill ring of the phone caused him to jump. He reached for the receiver and pushed up to lean against the headboard.
“Hello.”
“Sorry to call you so late, Eric.” David sounded tired.
“Oh, it’s okay. I haven’t been asleep long.”
Raoul barked from the floor and he lifted the dog off the floor onto the bed with him.
“I just got home from Teresa’s.” David grunted softly.
“Did you get the dinner I left for you at the station?” Eric felt his cheeks heat. Why was he blushing?
“Yes. I thank you and the guys at the station thank you as well. This way they didn’t have to eat Ralston’s cooking.” David chuckled. “I do appreciate you bringing it down there for me.”
Eric snuggled with Raoul. “No big deal. I know you’d be busy with the fire and your sister. I didn’t want you to miss out on dinner.”
“Are you taking care of me?” A teasing tone came into David’s voice.
“I’m a bit of a mother hen when it comes to people I like,” Eric admitted.
Another grunt came over the phone and rustling like David was moving something. “I’m glad to know you like me and it’s just not my dog you’re chasing after.”
“Buster can’t do what you did earlier.”
“God, no. I think that’s illegal and wrong on so many levels.”
He thought about what he said and burst out laughing. “I didn’t mean that, you perv.”
David’s laughter joined his and warmth spread through Eric’s body. It had been a while since he felt like laughing. It had been even longer than that since he had someone to laugh with him.
“How’s your sister and her family,” he asked after the mirth died down.
“Good. Slightly shaken, but no one was hurt and there wasn’t a ton of damage.”
“Do they know what started it?”
“They’re not sure yet.”
There was a hesitation in David’s voice that made Eric uneasy.
“Do you think it was deliberate?” He shivered, memories threatening to bust free of the cage he’d put them in.
“Cap told me there might be a chance it was the arsonist who started all the other fires we’ve been fighting the past couple of months. He thinks my appearance on TV might have focused the creep’s attention on me.” A hint of anger simmered in David’s words.
“What do you think?” Eric knew firefighting was a dangerous profession, but he’d never thought the danger could come from a deranged person instead of flames.
“Don’t know. I guess it’s possible. If he’s going after Teresa, he must be scared.” David sighed.
“Will you do me a favor?”
“Sure. Anything.” He meant it.
“Be careful. There’s no reason to believe this freak will come after you, but I don’t want to risk it. You’re too important to me to lose before I even found you.”
The caring evident in David’s voice touched Eric deep in his chest, making him dream that for the first time in three years, everything just might be okay.
“I promise to do my best,” he whispered.
“That’s all I can ask.”
Eric glanced at the clock. “Unfortunately, I have an early morning appointment tomorrow.”
“I’ll let you go.” David seemed reluctant to hang up.
“Oh, I meant to ask you. Did you grab my blue dress shirt by accident when you left this evening?” Eric frowned.
“No. Why?”
“I must have misplaced it. Strange though. I’m a neat freak and usually hang my clothes up as soon as possible, but I can’t find that shirt anywhere. Darn it. It was my favorite.” He wondered where it might have gone.
“I’ll help you look for it tomorrow.” David’s voice softened. “Sweet dreams, Eric.”
“You too. I’ll call you when I get done with my appointment.”
Eric hung up the phone and laid it back on the nightstand. Rolling over on to his back, he stared up at the ceiling. Raoul climbed on his chest and licked his chin.
He smiled. The shirt didn’t matter. What mattered was he had his dog to keep him company and a man who had the potential of being far more than simply a friend.
Labels: Free story, Where the Devil Dances