Paige scowled at her mother. "What am I supposed to do with the dog?"
"Take him back."
She blinked. "Take him back where?"
"To Luke's." Louise hollered for her dogs. "Let's go find Muffin. He'll find our dogs if we just get out in the woods, right?"
"I don't know where Luke lives." Paige trailed after her mom and the four canines, her mind whirling. She couldn't go track Luke down. She didn't even want to see him again. Well, she did, but that was why she couldn't.
"That's what Google is for," Louise said. "Hope you have sunscreen on. You're going to get fried."
Paige wrinkled her nose. "I'll be fine once we get in the woods. How can I take his dog back? Luke made it clear he didn't want him."
Louise rolled her eyes. "Spoken in the heat of the moment, while his pants were hanging open and his rear end was bleeding. Not the most dignified moment for him, which must have been quite embarrassing for it to happen in front of the woman he's trying to impress."
Paige snorted. "He's not trying to impress me. If anything, he's trying to get a cheap roll in the hay with someone he considers to be no more than a peon."
"Perhaps," Louise muttered noncommittally. "But you must admit that you can understand why he got upset when his dog bit him in the arse in front of you."
"Maybe."
"So, he's probably home right now, stewing about the whole thing, and wondering how he's going to get the dog back without looking like a fool. If you take Muffin over there, he'll appreciate it."
She eyed her mother. "It was those same rose-colored glasses that made you believe Dad would change if you married him. I'm not making the same mistake."
Louise sighed and kicked at a rock. "Paige, there were some wonderful times with your Dad, especially at the beginning. He changed as his success and power increased. I was afraid to fight it, when I saw those changes starting. By the time I realized I didn't like it, it was too late. I suffered in silence for many years, unable to stand up for myself."
Paige nodded. She'd heard the tale before.
Her mom stopped walking and faced Paige. "You're different than I was. I was naïve and taught to be the obedient wife. You're strong and worldly. You would never stand back and let things spiral out of control."
"Which is why I would never get in that situation in the first place. I learned my lesson with work and Dad, and now I'm very careful not to get into any risky situation. It's not worth it."
Louise placed her palms on her daughter's cheeks. "My dear sweet daughter, don't you understand what I'm trying to say? You'll never make the mistakes I made, because you're different than I am. I'm just afraid that you'll miss out on the right man because you're too scared to try."
"Luke is not the right man for me," Paige said firmly. "Walt Jr. is."
Her mom blinked. "Walt Jr.?"
"Yes." Unfortunately, every time she tried to picture him, Luke's image kept getting in the way. "Do you have a picture of Walt Jr.?"
"You need an intelligent, strong man. Not a dull wimp like Walt Jr."
"Yeah, so I can end up married to a man like Dad? No thanks." Paige pulled away and kept walking. She didn't bother to call Muffin, because she knew he wouldn't respond.
"Paige, not all strong men are like your father. You've seen the signs that Luke is different. Give him a chance. He loves his sister enough to take Muffin, even though he interferes with his lifestyle. Your father would never have done that."
Paige heard a dog barking off to her right. "Go get him, Bandit!" She pointed in the direction of the bark, and Bandit took off through the woods, yowling noisily. Her mom's dogs followed in hot pursuit.
"Paige? Did you hear me?"
She nodded. "I'll take the dog back, but that doesn't mean I believe in him. I still think Walt Jr.'s the one for me."
Louise patted her daughter's arm. "At least you're keeping the door open. That's all I ask."
The barking subsided, hopefully indicating that Bandit and his entourage had found Muffin. Paige pursed her lips and a shrill whistle echoed through the woods. "When he breaks my heart, I'm going to blame you."
"Don't let him have your heart until you're certain."
A chorus of dogs sounded, baying and crashing through the underbrush. "Easier said than done, Mom."
"I know."
Five dogs emerged from the underbrush. "We've got him." Paige's stomach tightened at the sight of Muffin. Now that she'd found him, she'd have to take him back. Despite her assurances to her mom, she would not give Luke a chance to break her heart. She would return the dog, and that was it. She tried to ignore the stab of regret that plunged through her at the thought of giving up on Luke.
Chapter 12
It was almost two hours before Paige paused her car at the foot of what she presumed to be Luke's driveway. After they'd found Muffin, she and her mom had continued their stroll, then made lunch when they got back to Paige's cottage. She had been certain that Luke would be at work by now, which was kind of why she'd delayed getting there, but his shiny car was parked in the driveway. Too bad.
She pulled in behind it, her tires crunching on the gravel and loudly announcing her arrival. With Muffin securely hooked onto his leash, she strolled up the brick walkway, appreciating the flowers alongside. She wondered whether Luke owned the house, or if he was renting it. Probably renting, for a quick getaway back to Boston.
Paige pulled on the antique doorbell, which produced a deep bong. She stepped back and waited. It was a big house, but not on the water. Hers was better, even if it was the size of Luke's garage.
He didn't answer. Was he looking out the window, hiding from her?
The thought made her giggle. If there was one thing Luke wasn't, it was a wimp who would hide behind a curtain. If he wasn't answering, it was because he hadn't heard her, not because he was avoiding her. Of that much, she was certain.
She tugged on the rope again, making the bell clang more insistently. When no one still answered, she frowned at Muffin. "What am I supposed to do with you, Muffin?"
A feathered tail wagged at her, and glistening white teeth flashed.
Suddenly a breeze wafted past her, and she looked up. Luke was standing in the doorway, clad only in a pair of cutoff sweats. They clung to him quite immodestly, and she couldn't quite tear her eyes away in the proper amount of time.
"Paige? What are you doing here?" His voice was taut, and his gaze flicked toward the dog. Guilt flashed across his face instantly, making her heart soften.
She realized then that her mom was right. He wasn't immune to the dog. He wasn't locked into the life he'd created for himself. Underneath, there was a man who felt, who cared, and who was trying to figure things out.
She ran her hand over Muffin's head. "I brought your dog back."
Again, the flash of guilt on his face. "I told you to keep him."
Paige sighed melodramatically, deciding to push him a little bit. "So much for the theory that moms are always right."
His eyebrow lifted, softening his expression. "What did your mom say?"
See? The man wasn't a beast, if the reference to a mom could get through his brick façade. "My mom said you'd want the dog back. She also said it was understandable that you got mad, seeing as how he did bite you in the butt. She also said you're a decent guy, but I'm pretty sure she was wrong about that."
Not waiting for a reply, she ducked past him into the foyer, Muffin trailing happily behind her. Paige chuckled at the flush that crept over his cheeks; he really hated it when she ignored his commands. He definitely needed to loosen up.
Luke clearly hadn't shaved today, and his stubble was practically a precursor to a beard now. With each moment, he looked less like the proper lawyer, and more like a rugged mountain man who she could snuggle with by the fire on a cold New Hampshire night. It was quite unsettling.
"Did I invite you in?" But he closed the front door behind them.
"I invited myself. I'm flexible that way. I c
an sense when my presence is needed, and respond accordingly." Paige unhooked Muffin and then faced Luke. He was standing with his feet spread and his arms folded across his bare chest. Trade the sweats for an iron skirt and he'd look like a gladiator...
She cleared her throat and headed for what appeared to be the kitchen. "I'm thirsty. Got any water?"
Luke followed her, propping himself against the doorframe while she searched his cabinets for a glass. "Paige?"
She tossed her hair over her shoulder. "Yes?"
"I'm not keeping the dog."
She poured herself a glass and then parked herself at the kitchen table. "Luke, he's a good dog. All he needs is a little work and he'll be your best friend."
Luke walked across the kitchen floor, his bare feet almost silent. He started to sit down across from Paige, then apparently changed his mind. Instead, he leaned on the counter, his hands resting on the edge of it, on either side of his hips. "When you told me I needed to spend fifteen minutes a day training him, I realized I didn't have that kind of time. And that made me realize that my life is no life for a dog. I can't do it to him."
"Hmm…" She couldn't deny the truth of that statement. The life of a Boston big firm attorney was not a fit for a dog. But if there was hope for Luke, if there was a glimmer of humanity deep beneath that well-coiffed exterior, if there was some part of him that wanted more…she wanted to help him find it. Paige ran her finger around the rim of the glass thoughtfully. "Are you working those hours in New Hampshire?"
"Not yet. I'm still setting things up, looking for people. Looking for lawyers," he added pointedly.
She ignored the dig. "So, Muffin fits into your life for the moment, right?"
"I guess," he agreed reluctantly.
"So, work with him for now. You can bring him to the office with you up here. He'll love it. You'll bond, and he'll become well-socialized and trained, making it easier to find a good home for him if you still decide to do that. When the time comes to move back to Boston, you'll have a better sense of what you want to do. When is that, by the way?" She was impressed at the casual way she slipped that question in, as if it was only for the dog's sake. Which it was, of course.
Luke shrugged. "I planned for a year. If I get things set up sooner, then I'll leave sooner."
Yes, she knew it was a year. What he'd never told her was how close to the start of that year he was. "So how much longer to do you anticipate being up here?" Yeesh. He was going to force her to be obvious, with his evasive answers.
"Somewhere between three and twelve months."
Three months? Her heart froze for a split second. Only three months? That was no time at all. See? That was why she'd stopped kissing him. Three months was about the right amount of time to fall madly in love with him, but not enough time for the magic to wear off and for her to realize he wasn't right, and certainly not enough time for either one of them to decide to uproot themselves for a relationship. So, it was pretty much perfect "break her little heart" timing.
So, yeah, no more kisses for sure. So, she set her hands on the table, and did her best to assume a no-nonsense tone. "All right. You keep Muffin while you're here, and then if you can't keep him when you go back, or if you don't want to keep him, then I'll find a home for him. How's that? At least you're giving him a chance."
Luke sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "I can't do it, Paige. I can't possibly work with him in the office. He's a maniac. And I need to be working, and trying to hire attorneys and find business. The more I work now, the faster I can get back to my life." He met her gaze. "Take him with you."
She sighed. She knew why he wanted Muffin gone. It was because Muffin was touching a part of him that he didn't want to acknowledge, that he didn't want to unleash. He didn't want to get attached to the dog, and then have to make a decision he didn't want to make. "Luke—"
"No." He held up his hand. "Let it go, Paige. I can't be this guy, not for the dog, and not for my sister. It's just not who I am—"
A loud ruckus from the front of the house startled her, sending Muffin to his feet in a frenzy of barking. Luke cursed under his breath, but before he could get halfway to the kitchen door, a vibrant young woman came bursting into the kitchen. She had curly hair in two loose pigtails, bright red sunglasses, and a smile with enough wattage to illuminate an entire country. "Hey, bro! Where's Muffin? I came by earlier but you weren't here."
His sister.
Toenails scrabbled on the linoleum, and Muffin bolted across the floor, his tail wagging so hard that it took his entire rear end with it. He looked like a hula dancer with fur, and he was definitely smiling.
"Muffin!" The woman dropped to the floor, showering Muffin with kisses and receiving a fair share of slobber in return. She grinned at Paige. "I'm Becky O'Conner, Luke's sister."
Paige returned the smile, instantly bonding with the fellow dog lover. "Paige Turner."
Becky pushed her brown hair out of her face and studied Paige. "Are you Luke's new girlfriend?"
Luke quickly interrupted. "No, she's a dog trainer. She's helping me with Muffin."
A look of utter adoration fell across Becky's features as she stared at her brother. "You're going to train him? You've decided to keep him forever?" Not waiting for Luke's reply, she leapt to her feet and wrapped her arms around him in a fierce hug. "You are the best, Luke. I knew you'd fall in love with him. I just knew it."
One arm still around Luke, Becky turned to Paige. "So? Is Muffin the smartest dog or what?"
Paige nodded. "He is having a little trouble with authority, however."
Becky's face clouded. "What do you mean?"
She ignored Luke's motions to shut up. "Muffin bit your brother in the butt earlier today while we were training."
Becky whirled to face Luke. "He bit you? Are you all right?"
Luke glared at Paige over Becky's head, prompting Paige to bite her lip to keep from laughing. The man did need to lighten up.
"I'm fine. He just nipped me. Why don't you go run him outside for a bit? Paige and I need to finish up in here."
Apparently deciding her brother didn't need any condolences, Becky took his advice and disappeared into the backyard with Muffin, cheerfully scolding the dog for biting him, but it was obvious she thought it was hilarious…which explained a bit of the mystery behind Muffin's delight in ignoring all basic commands.
When the screen door slammed shut behind her, silence descended over the kitchen. Paige waited for Luke to break the silence. Had the visit from his sister changed his mind? Or reinforced his decision?
She hoped he was going to keep the dog. Something in her heart told her that he needed that dog far more than he had any idea.
Chapter 13
Luke shifted uncomfortably, the tape on his butt bandage catching on his sweats. He glanced out the kitchen window, watching his sister wrestle with Muffin. The dog's ears were tucked back with absolute joy, and the expression on his sister's face was pure adoration and love.
Damn.
Paige was leaning on his table, sipping her water patiently. She looked so at home in the rural, country kitchen. It almost made him want to stay there forever. Almost. If only he didn't know what that meant, what that life would be like. He wouldn't go back, wouldn't even start down that path, which meant he was staying away from Paige and all the temptation she posed.
"Becky sure treasures that dog," Paige commented.
Luke grimaced "I know."
"How's your butt?"
"It'll heal." He glanced again out the window. Becky was chasing after Muffin, who had a t-shirt or rag in his mouth. He was artfully dodging her each time she lunged for him, a classic game of tag. Becky was laughing hysterically, encouraging the dog each time he dodged her. He sighed. "No wonder the dog is such a mess."
Paige stood up and joined him at the window. She didn't seem to notice that her hip was against his, but Luke was all too aware of it. He tried to concentrate on the dog. "She's literally teaching
him to be completely unruly."
"Mmm." Paige's response was completely non-committal, which was atypical of her.
Accustomed to her always speaking her mind, he glanced over at her. Unlike earlier, her hair was dry, and it wasn't in a ponytail. It was messy and glorious, giving her a delightfully rumpled look. She looked so appealing, so much better than the hair-sprayed women with designer dresses that he was used to. Paige was intoxicating on so many levels. With her so close, smelling like the fresh water she'd been swimming in such a short time ago, all his hormones were in full flow.
He couldn't stop thinking about the kiss, about how it felt to have her in his arms, about the way she'd leaned into him and kissed him back so fiercely…until she'd shut it down.
Damn. He couldn't do that to himself. He had to focus on the dog. "Is he hopeless?" Hell, that wasn't what he'd meant to ask. He'd meant to ask if she could still keep the dog, or if Becky would be okay without him, or something. He hadn't meant to imply that he wanted to know if Muffin was redeemable.
"Muffin? It depends on you."
Unable to stop himself, Luke fingered a stray lock of blond hair resting against her cheek, pushing it behind her ear. She didn't pull away, but he saw her tense at his touch. He dropped his hand. "You mean, it depends on whether I dedicate myself to training him."
She nodded.
Luke turned away and looked out the window again. Becky was sitting on the grass now, and Muffin was stretched out beside her, his head on her lap. The moment was so intimate, so loving. How could he deprive Becky of that love by sending her dog away? With their parents so far away, he was Becky's only family. He couldn't let her down.
But keeping Muffin meant spending time with Paige. Each time she laughed at him, or challenged his ways, his attraction to her grew. He didn't want to go back to the life she represented. He really didn't. Even as those words floated through his mind, he watched his sister scratch Muffin's belly, something inside him longed for moments like his sister was having in that moment. She just looked so damned happy, sitting in the grass, with a dog on her lap. He'd left his childhood behind to try to find peace, and he'd never felt like his sister was clearly feeling as she snuggled with her dog, so utterly at peace and complete. How could he take that from her? He knew he had no choice. He had to risk it. "The things you do for love," he said softly.
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