Lauren had no animal instincts of her own, but she'd spent enough time as one to know what she should do - run like hell as the big strange human approached and hide until he went away. Sure, it was believable. But it also meant a shit-ton more walking to get to her car when she was in pain, so while she made a show of scrambling away, she didn't really try all that hard. The quiet, pained whine when he picked her up wasn't feigned, though, and Lauren's sharp marten teeth clenched and then relaxed slightly at the feel of the gentle stroking on her head. That was nice, and while she hadn't gotten a good glimpse of the man's face, he had a nice pair of legs. And well, she was kind of a sucker for a man who cared about animals.
Sure, letting this guy take her wherever meant she'd end up even further from her car, but she could worry about that later - first priority was getting her shoulder popped back in the socket, and that would be easier with the small marten body than it would in her own. She'd probably end up at some animal hospital, if this guy was smart, and from there she could grab a spare set of scrubs and make her escape. She could always get a ride back to her car from a friend, or take a cab. Experience had long taught her the value of keeping a key to her apartment hidden for those times when she couldn't get back to her stuff right away. Same with spare ID and cash.
She curled up on his lap, appreciating the warmth even if moving hurt, and watched him pass the spot where her car was concealed with a barely-contained sigh. Laying her head down on her paws, she closed her eyes and tried to relax. But it was strange - he didn't smell completely human, but Lauren couldn't place it. She smelled dog, sure, but that could be explained away if he owned a dog. But there was something else, and she found herself wishing she hadn't been so good at avoiding other people when she had usable senses like this. Maybe then she'd know what it was.