by Nancy Loyan
Sam shook her head before springing to her feet. She had the urge to approach the handsome stranger. As if something had taken possession of her, she raced toward the man.
At the sight of her, the man froze in place on the sidewalk. Startled. His eyes grew wide, and his mouth gaped open just enough to see a hint of teeth. She seated herself before him and gazed up at him while offering him a furry paw.
“Go home,” the man said, pointing out into the distance.
Sam tilted her head and remained seated, once again offering him a paw.
With reluctance, the man bent down and accepted her paw. A warm tingly shock jolted her as he let go.
“There, satisfied?” he asked, rubbing his hand.
Sam continued to sit and stare at him.
The rain that had been forecast earlier in the day seemed imminent. Sam couldn’t imagine spending a night alone in the dark, the deserted city, and in a thunderstorm. She had never liked lightning and being wet always made her uncomfortable. She shivered. Sam hoped that the man would take pity on her. For the first time in her adult life, she was asking for help.
After raking a hand through his hair, the man flailed his arms at her.
“Shoo! Go home! Go away! Get out of here!”
She didn’t so much as flinch. Instead of moving, she lay on the sidewalk at his feet, her gaze never wavering from him. The handsome stranger was her only hope of escape from the city.
“Okay, have it your way,” he muttered, stepping off the sidewalk and onto the grass.
The man scurried past her, only to glance over his shoulder and meet her gaze. She pleaded with her eyes. Ignoring her, he began a brisk walk toward a parking garage.
Desperate, she let out a howl: an eerie, ear-piercing, high-pitched, cemetery hound dog howl. The howls continued, plaintive and sorrowful. The breeze was kicking up and raindrops began to sprinkle. A downpour wasn’t out of the question. The street was deserted. She continued to howl.
The man turned around and stomped toward her. She lowered her head at his approach. She parted her jowls showing her teeth, the only way she assumed a dog could smile, and she blinked up at him as he squatted in front of her.
She presented her paw, which he accepted and shook.
“What are you afraid of? You’re a Lab. You can swim,” he said, touching the webbing between her pads as the rain grew in intensity.
She tilted her head.
Setting down her paw, the man reached out to scratch her ears as if to look for any sign of a collar or ID tag. She had none.
She gently nudged his arm with her nose.
As the rain began to pour she whined. It pelted her coat and she began to tremble. A clap of thunder and flash of lightning made her spring to her feet.
The man rose, his hair plastered against his head while water dripped down his temples, cheeks, and chin.
“Why me?” he mumbled. Staring at her, he said, “Okay, if you want me to help you, you’ll have to follow me.”
He waved his hand, turned, and proceeded to walk. Sam shook herself and followed him, keeping close.
He led Sam into the dimly lit parking garage. At least it was dry. The good-looking stranger was her only hope. He clicked the security remote as he approached a lacquer-red sports car, a model Sam had never seen before. He opened the driver’s door, pulled the seat forward and directed her into the backseat. She shook, spraying him with water droplets. He scowled.
Sam jumped into the car and positioned herself in back. The scent of leather was comforting, but she had the strange urge to chew. Not a good idea when you’re in dire straits. Don’t damage the rescuer’s car. She leaned back. Her plan was working so far. She had always been good at the art of persuasion and getting what she wanted. At least she was out of the rain and, hopefully, soon out of the city. With the unique luxury automobile, she figured the owner had to have quite a swanky abode.
About the Author
Purveyor of the written word, Nancy Loyan has been writing ever since she began composing picture books for fellow students in elementary school. After graduating with a BSBA degree in marketing from John Carroll University, she pursued a career in sales and marketing. She has incorporated those skills into a professional writing career
Nancy is a Cleveland, Ohio native who shares her knowledge of the city as author of Cleveland, Ohio: A Photographic Portrait and On the Threshold of a New Century: The City of South Euclid, 1967-1999. Her passion, however, is writing "fairy tales for adults" that unlock the barriers to love. Her first novel, Paradise Found, a multicultural romance set in the exotic Seychelles Islands was published in 2011. She contracted with Crimson Romance (a division of Simon and Schuster), and has since republished several of those titles (Lab Test, The Right Combination, Hearts of Steel, Wishes and Tears, Special Angel) and has entered the realm of self-publishing with Champagne for Breakfast, A Kiss in the Rain and Afterlife.
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She incorporates her love of dogs and travel into her novels. Travel has taken her around the world, including trips to Europe, Great Britain, South America, Egypt, the Caribbean and the exotic Seychelles Islands. When she’s not writing, Nancy teaches and performs Middle Eastern dance as “Nailah.” She shares her life with her husband, Bill and her English Pointer, Amber.
Her web site is www.nancyloyan.com