The Dalmatian Dilemma by Cheryl Harper

Author:Cheryl Harper
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2020-05-15T13:26:45+00:00

CHAPTER ELEVEN

THE HEAT WAS always what managed to bring Sean out of the nightmares. Stifling under the sheets wrapped tightly around him, Sean kicked one leg out. Air-conditioning automatically chilled that skin, but the rest of him burned. That feeling, the certainty that he’d never be cool again, always took time to fade.

Sean wiped the sweat off his forehead and stared up at the ceiling. No matter how often he did this and no matter how many successful nights of sleep fell in between, he was always shocked at how clear the memory of the explosion outside of Kabul remained.

Time was supposed to soften the hard edges, but orange flames against black night remained stark in his dreams.

The shrill hum of noise that had replaced his normal hearing for what seemed like forever after the explosion faded almost as quickly as he opened his eyes, but the prickle of burning skin across his cheeks and nose was harder to chase away.

He reached down to pet Bo, but the dog had gone to his new home.

Sean should have anticipated the nightmares because of that. They came like clockwork on the first night after his dogs moved to their new homes. That was a side effect of this fostering plan that he needed to warn his volunteers about.

The walls closed around Sean, and he struggled to the side of the bed. There was no way to sleep. Getting up was the only way to survive.

When he stood, air ghosted over his skin, so he changed into a dry T-shirt and shorts. Then he paused at the doorway. He needed to get out, but the pool group had disbanded hours ago. Didn’t matter. He couldn’t stay here.

Television. It might distract him. If Bo were here, he could lie on the couch, a loose collection of bones and fuzzy ears stretched out beside him. Sean wouldn’t sleep, but the night would pass.

But without Bo...

Sean ran his hands through his wet air and forced himself to focus. He was fine. There was no danger. Eventually his heart rate would slow down to normal, and the panic would recede. He could wait this out.

Therapy had taught him to try focusing on his body in that moment. Sean inhaled slowly and pressed his feet firmly into the ground, feeling the connection. The air was cool. The silence was so complete it had its own texture. He was thirsty but not hungry.

And every second, he was coming back to himself.

Sean bent to pick up the remote control but tossed it back down.

Walking around the apartment complex was a terrible solution, but he could tell himself he was moving, doing something, and hope it was true.

Sean was reaching for his running shoes when he heard Reyna say outside his door, “It’s time to do your business.”

Sean frowned at the door while he tried to decipher what kind of message his subconscious could be sending him, using those words and making him think Reyna had spoken them.

Then she added, “Please, Dottie, do not make me call the emergency vet tonight.

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