Paws Up for Love

by Stephanie Rowe

  By the time she reached her bedroom, she was feeling much better. Saturday was looking very promising indeed.

  Chapter 18

  Her family was crazy. Huge. Out of control. Invading his house. Swimming in his pool. Eating his food. Blasting his DVD player.

  And he loved it.

  He simply couldn't deny it.

  It felt right to have his house packed with people who weren't wearing suits and sipping champagne out of fine crystal. People who hugged each other at the same time they shouted and fought.

  A family. And they made him feel like he was part of them. And all because they loved Josie and they thought she loved him.

  He had to do something to stop the charade, and he'd been planning to all day. Somehow, everyone had left before he'd had the chance to clear up the misunderstanding, and he had a very uncomfortable feeling that he'd done it on purpose.

  "Sorry about the mess." Josie appeared in the kitchen with another stack of glasses. "They usually stay to clean up, but when you insisted that you'd do it, they certainly weren't going to turn that down."

  "No problem. Want to dry?" He handed her a wet plate.

  She looked at her watch. "For a few minutes."

  "Got somewhere to go?"

  "Yes." She picked up a towel and started drying.

  "Where?" Not that he cared. But after having a full house all day, it would be awfully silent to have even Josie gone.

  "I have to stop by the shelter by five to check on a dog." She was quiet for a moment. "You fit in well with my family. They appear to see some redeeming character traits in you."

  "I take it you disagree." He handed her another plate.

  "Of course. You're a Dorsett. What else do I need to know?" But she sounded less convinced than usual.

  "Did your family ever meet Buddy?" He kept his question casual, hoping she wouldn't hear the tension in his voice. Was he actually jealous of Buddy being a part of Josie's family?

  "No."

  "Why not?" He was ashamed of the relief he felt. For now, Josie and her family belonged to him in a way they'd never belonged to Buddy.

  She shrugged. "I didn't want them to." She pursed her lips. "Maybe I knew in my gut he was a loser."

  "He's not a loser."

  "Stuff it, Evan." She tossed the dish towel back on the counter. "Don't ruin a perfectly good day by bringing him up."

  He'd had to. He'd been thinking way too much about Josie all day, especially when she'd gone swimming in a two piece that confirmed his suspicions about her alluring curves. "You're here because of Buddy." The words were bitter in his mouth.

  She grabbed the keys to his SUV off the counter. "Whether we like it or not, you're the one I want. And that's not going to change no matter how many times you bring up that deviant you're related to."

  He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "Don't say it."

  "Why not? Because you feel the same way? Attack me, Evan. Ravage my body. Make me scream your name."

  "No." He felt sweat trickling down his back and opened his eyes. To beg her to understand his obligations. "Buddy..."

  "Oh, forget it." She'd just whirled around to storm out when he grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

  She smelled so good. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes flashing. She was strength and passion. "You love your family."

  "Yeah, so?"

  "Would you hurt any of them on purpose?"

  She narrowed her eyes. "Of course not."

  "Then how come you can't understand how I feel about Buddy? He's my brother. Unlike you, I don't have anyone else. I'll do anything to bring him back and get him to forgive me."

  Some of the anger left her eyes. "Forgive you for what?"

  "It doesn't matter." He released her before he could do something in complete contravention of the moral stand he'd just announced. "Go to the shelter. I'll clean up."

  She stood for a moment, as if trying to decide whether to press harder. Finally, she shrugged and walked out.

  As soon as he heard the front door slam, Evan cursed and threw the sponge into the sink.

  He liked Josie.

  He wanted Josie.

  He liked her family.

  He wanted to pretend Buddy didn't exist.

  What was he turning into?

  All he had to do was hold out until Monday when they met with the investigator. Once Buddy was found, everything would be okay.

  So, how come he felt like nothing would ever be okay again?

  The evening dragged by. Evan stared at his computer, wondering why the blinking cursor hadn't moved in the last two hours. He hadn't been able to do a thing except think about Josie, about Buddy, about his parents...

  A car door slammed outside, and Evan jumped to his feet, immediately sitting back down. He was calm. Cool. Collected. Certainly not waiting for Josie.

  He heard the front door open. "Evan? Are you here?"

  "In my office."

  He heard the thud of energetic sneakers on the stairs, and he looked down at his loafers. When was the last time he wore sneakers for anything other than working out? It didn't fit his lifestyle anymore. His lucrative, successful lifestyle that was everything his childhood hadn't been: conservative, secure, predictable, and safe. And dignified. Very dignified. It was just how he liked it. Bertie would be proud.

  Josie opened the door just wide enough for her face. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes dancing. "Are you in an indulgent mood?"

  "I'm not sure I have an indulgent mood."

  She grimaced. "Well, hope you find one."

  "Why?"

  "You ready?"

  "For what?"

  "Max." Before he could ask what or who a Max was, she pushed open the door and a huge, mangy dog that looked like a sheepdog mixed with a German Shepherd burst through the door, yanking the leash out of Josie's hands. He bolted across the floor and took a flying leap at Evan.

  "Good God!" Evan managed to get his arms up just in time to block the assault, but it took only a fraction of a second for the dog to push his arms aside and start slathering his face with doggie kisses. "What is this?"

  "It's Max." At least she had the sense to sound a little hesitant.

  "I figured that." Evan managed to find the leash amidst all the hair, and strong-armed the beast off his lap and onto the floor, where he lunged against the leash, slobbering and barking. He looked down at his clothes. Covered in dog hair. "Mind filling me in?"

  Josie walked over to his leather couch and perched on the edge. "He was going to be euthanized tonight."

  Euthanized? Oh, hell.

  "He's a bit of a handful, and since he's almost a hundred and thirty pounds, he's a bit difficult to control."

  "You think?" Max lunged at Evan again, flipping a glob of saliva onto his shirt before Evan could wrestle him down again. "And why is he here?"

  "I couldn't let him die."

  Evan stared at the dog, whose tail was thumping so hard his whole body was wagging. "No one wanted him?"

  "No."

  He cursed. "You took him on a temporary basis until they could find him a home?"

  "No."

  He looked at Josie, who was now hugging her knees to her chest, looking like a guilty little girl. "Don't even tell me this is permanent?"

  "Maybe."

  "You don't have anywhere to live."

  "I live here."

  "You're going to keep the dog here?" Unacceptable. His house was full of expensive antiques. Dignified. Professional. A place for business entertainment.

  "Yes." She had the gall to meet his gaze and make her answer a statement.

  "You aren't even going to ask me if it's okay?"

  "He was going to die. I've been working with him since he arrived, and he's such a lover, but he's too big and crazy. You have all this property for him to run, and this big house."

  Evan let go of the leash, and Max went off on an investigation of the office. It took less than a minute for him to empty a trashcan, knock over
a lamp, and send a crystal paperweight crashing to the floor with one flip of his tail.

  "I'll train him," Josie said quickly. "I'm unemployed. I have plenty of time."

  "It won't work." But he couldn't stop thinking how no one wanted Max. Just like him and Buddy growing up. Tossed around between foster homes while his parents served time. "He can stay until you find him another home. That's it. No longer." Josie opened her mouth to argue, but he held up his hand. "That's as much as you're getting from me. And you better train him not to destroy the house pretty damn quickly."

  She nodded, but there was obvious hope on her face.

  "And I'm not going to fall in love with the beast and change my mind." He cringed as another lamp crashed to the ground. "So you can forget about that."

  She sighed. "I guess that's fair."

  It was more than fair. He was being positively heroic.

  Josie stood up. "Well, I'll be back in a little bit. I have to run."

  Panic surged through him. "You're leaving him with me? Where are you going?"

  "To buy dog food and stuff. I was afraid he'd destroy the car while I was in the store, so I brought him home first."

  "Josie!" A tearing sound alerted him, and Evan dove for a leather chair just as Max was trying to remove the covering. "Stop it!"

  "Okay, I'll be back." She started edging toward the door.

  "You're not leaving!" Max attacked his face again, the monstrous pink tongue slathering him with doggie spit. "Josie!"

  "I think he needs some exercise. Take him on a long run. That should help. He's a man's dog. Just needs a little discipline and a lot of exercise. Okay, see ya. Bye." She ran out the door, shouting as she ran down the hall. "Just don't leave him unattended or he'll destroy everything!"

  "Josie!" But her only response was a slam of the front door.

  And he'd been starting to like her... Max interrupted his stewing with a demanding bark. "What do you want?" Max barked again, so loud Evan's ears were actually ringing. "If you want food, I don't have it. Josie went to get some."

  Max kept barking.

  "What? You want water?" What the hell was he supposed to do with a dog? He knew nothing about dogs. Max just sat there and kept barking. "You want to go out?"

  The dog jumped to his feet and wagged his tail.

  "Okay, then. I take it that's a yes." No wonder Josie's landlord had evicted her. He was ready to toss her out on her tail, with her smelly beast. "Fine. Let's go." He grabbed the leash, a no doubt fruitless attempt to keep his house unscathed while they walked through it.

  So much for his indulgent thoughts about Josie. Destroying his house, the symbol of what he'd accomplished, was not high on his list of admirable traits in a woman.

  He stopped on the landing, bracing as Max tried to yank him down the stairs. What was he supposed to do with the dog? What if he ran away and got hit by a car and killed? Yes, he had a lot of land, but it didn't go on forever. Tomorrow, he was calling someone and getting a fence put up around his property. By tomorrow night, the dog would be allowed to roam free.

  Until then, however, it was apparently up to him. Max grabbed the leash between his teeth and did a head whip that nearly dislocated Evan's shoulder. He glared at the dog. "Just because you had the homeless reject thing going for you doesn't mean I like you."

  Max growled and yanked the leash again.

  "Fine. See how difficult you feel like being after a ten-mile run." He hauled the dog into his bedroom, no easy task given that the beast thought he was playing a very fun game of tug of war and was using his full body weight and low center of gravity to try to rip Evan's arm from his body.

  He wasn't even going to touch upon the irony that he'd just been thinking about his perfect, dignified life.

  Chapter 19

  Josie took her time getting Max's food, solely for the altruistic purpose of giving Evan time to get to know his dog. It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact she was afraid he'd kick both her and Max out if she came home before he'd fallen in love with the dog. Given the mood both males were in when she left, she allowed four hours before she came home.

  She snuck up the front steps. None of her belongings were sitting in the driveway. That was a good sign. Key still worked in the door, indicating he hadn't changed the locks to keep her out. She pushed the door open slowly, prepared for the utter destruction of Evan's beautiful house and a lecture.

  She peered around the door. Huh. House looked intact, and there was no one shouting curses and no dog barking. Had Evan taken him out back and shot him? No. He'd never do that.

  Josie pushed the door open the rest of the way, dragging the forty-pound bag of dog food behind her, along with an assortment of chew toys. It had taken her last dollars to pay for it, a fact she hadn't considered when she'd rescued Max. She was obviously going to have to persuade Evan to chip in until she could start earning enough money.

  Yeah, right. She was sure he'd be so willing.

  She kicked the door shut. Still no sound.

  Okay, debate here. Sneak upstairs and into bed to avoid a potential thrashing. Or make sure the two of them hadn't killed each other. No decision. She liked the dog too much to go to bed without making sure he was all right. As for Evan... Nope. She didn't care remotely about him.

  "Evan?"

  "Ssh!"

  The hissed command came from the back of the house. Leaving the bag of dog food by the front door for Evan to carry in later, she carried the rest of her things though the kitchen to the back room.

  She paused outside the door to gather her courage, then she burst through the door as if she hadn't a care in the world. "Holy cow."

  Evan immediately waved at her to be quiet. He was lying on her old couch, Max stretched across the length of Evan's body, using Evan's forehead as a pillow. "I had to run thirteen miles then swim him in the pool for twenty minutes to calm him down," he whispered. "He just fell asleep about ten minutes ago. Don't you dare wake him up."

  So much for her worries. "Looks like you did okay, huh?"

  "For someone who has three hours a day to exercise him, Max will be great." He was absently scratching Max's ear, belying the sarcasm in his voice.

  She dropped the chew toys on the floor and kneeled next to the couch, rubbing Max's head, being careful not to accidentally brush against Evan. "I think you guys are a perfect match."

  "We managed."

  Managed indeed. She'd made the right decision in bringing Max home.

  An evil hiss sounded right behind her, and she turned to find Zeus perched on a nearby chair, her tail stiff and huge, and her fangs bared. "Oh, come on, Zeus. Max won't hurt you."

  "Ah, the evil witch shows her twisted face again," Evan said. "She attacked Max three times already, after which I locked her out. Forgot to tell you to shut the door."

  "As if I'd lock out my sweetie." She tried to pick up her cat, but received only a solid thwack with the claws and a deep growl. "Ow!"

  "She's a warrior, remember? The god of war doesn't understand peaceful resolution." Evan lifted his arm to fend off Zeus should she come flying through the air in a vicious attack.

  "Just because she's a warrior doesn't mean she doesn't prefer peace," Josie snapped. "Come here, cutie."

  But the cat just hissed and made herself even bigger. Josie let her hands drop away before the cat drew more blood. "I guess there will be an adjustment period."

  "She better not come after him, or I'm throwing her out of the house," Evan said.

  "Well, aren't you getting protective all of a sudden?" She supposed she should be glad he was bonding with Max, but she didn't exactly appreciate threats to throw Zeus out on the street. "I thought you didn't like him."

  "I don't." But he kept scratching Max's ear.

  "Well, too bad you don't like him, because he's going to have to sleep in your room."

  Evan glanced sharply at her. "Why my room?"

  "Obviously, I can't have him in my room with Zeus, and he's got to sleep
with someone. If you put him somewhere alone, he'll destroy the place. Plus, after being neglected and abandoned, he's too emotionally fragile. That's why he's so crazy, you know. Because he has no stability in his life."

  "He's a dog."

  "So? Are you implying dogs can't tell the difference if they're chained to a cement wall or get to sleep in their owner's bed?" Evan looked so tough, with his foot up on the back, yet tender, the way he was patting the dog. And he'd stripped off his tee shirt after his run, so his bare shoulders crushed the couch cushions like heaving masses of muscle and testosterone. Imagine what it would be like to be sprawled on Evan's bare chest the way Max was, Evan's hands playing with her hair, his breath hot on her neck. Phew.

  "He's not sleeping in my room."

  "The fact you accepted Max was making me think maybe you had a decent side to you, and now you're making me rethink my position on you." What it would feel like to caress his muscles, the way they curved even in their relaxed state?

  Evan raised an eyebrow. "Your position on me? Sounds interesting."

  Josie felt her cheeks heat up. "Stop that."

  "You brought it up."

  "I did not. You misinterpreted."

  "I'd say I interpreted correctly." Evan tilted the dog toward the back of the couch and slid out from under him without waking him up. She'd never seen Max so mellow.

  Evan faced Josie. "Ever since you walked in, you've been inspecting every part of my body except my face."

  "Me?" Oh, heaven help her. This was embarrassing. Could he see the neon sign flashing on her forehead announcing how hot she thought he was?

  "You've been pushing the sex thing since you moved in." He took a few steps closer to her.

  Hot. She felt very, very hot. "I don't like that you call me a liar. How is that pushing the sex thing?"

  Evan moved closer. "How about the kiss on the couch?"

  She stepped back. "Oh...um...that..."

  He kept coming. "And the scene in the shower?"

  "I didn't realize you would be naked." Yeah, that would exonerate her, no problem.

  He was getting nearer. "You took my towel."

  "It was an accident." She backed up all the way into the kitchen, pausing when she felt Zeus weave herself around her legs. Not the time to trip and fall. "And you weren't supposed to notice anyway."