by Sheila Kell
Matt swore under his breath, but she heard every word and felt his presence close to her back. Shocking her, he grabbed her forearm and spun her toward him. “Me first,” he ground out through a clenched jaw.
Since she’d promised to always listen to him about protection, she didn’t balk at his going out first, except for the fact he could draw a bullet. That thought nearly panicked her. She didn’t want anyone hurt because of her, and especially not Matt. She wanted to push past him, but she kept her promise. She’d just silently pray he didn’t get hurt.
Given the all clear, they walked to the training area, and she asked, “Do you think this is still necessary? It’s obvious Luke hasn’t figured out where I live. A team on Daddy is a must, but here”—she spread her arm to encompass the area around them—“is clear.”
“If he really wants to find you, he will. And he could already know and just be working on how to get to you since he’ll see me with you. Plus, one of the men tries to remain visible for everyone to see.”
A chill spread over her, leaving goose bumps in its wake. She rubbed her arms to stave off the feeling of being hunted. Part of her wanted to cuddle up in a corner and rock until Luke Ripley was no longer a threat. The other part of her had her stiffening her spine because she wouldn’t let that asshole ruin her life any more than he already had. That part of her won out, and she trudged forward with purpose—to survive and show the Ripley men that she was in charge of her life.
They entered the converted barn and bypassed the office and break area. Caitlyn informed Tonya and Rick, who’d come in to work this Sunday since they were close to releasing four dogs, that she’d be testing the dogs. They smiled and nodded, as her showing up and administering surprise tests wasn’t unusual. Only today she did it to clear her mind from her actions of the previous evening, not just for the new handlers’ sake.
When Matt stayed basically attached to her hip, she whirled to him. “You can wait in the break room if you’d like.”
“It’s okay. I’d like to watch and learn what you do.”
She considered it for a moment. Since she wasn’t actually training, his being there could help. The dogs had to work with a distraction. “Okay.”
“What are you going to do?” he asked as she released Cooper from his large kennel.
The dog obediently followed her to a spot where she’d have enough room to work. On her way to the kennel, she’d picked up some items with which to train.
“We train them depending upon the owner’s needs. Any dog could be paired with a new handler—owner—who is wheelchair bound or has difficulty bending, so a simple command of ‘Get it’ means a great deal.” Cooper’s owner fell into the latter category with a back injury.
“Get it?”
“Watch.” She let a money clip fall from her hand. “Cooper, get it.”
Matt watched in amazement as the dog picked up the item and placed it in her hands.
Caitlyn tossed a cup on the ground. “Cooper, get it.” Again the dog performed perfectly.
Beaming a proud smile at him, she said, “See?”
“That’s amazing.” He grinned in what appeared to be excitement. “He’ll do that for anything?”
“Pretty much. It has to fit in his mouth, of course.”
“May I try?”
“Sure. Take out your wallet and try.”
He did and laughed out loud when the dog performed the simple task that can be so important to a handler. The deepness and obvious heartiness of it wove around her in a soft cocoon of warmth.
She’d missed his laughing, although his voice seemed to have deepened since she’d seen him last. She liked it. A lot.
“Why don’t you use fetch as the command? Isn’t that what most people use?” he asked curiously.
“Fetch usually involves them leaving the owner’s side to get something. That’s more like when a ball is thrown a distance. Besides, we’re reserving the fetch command for hunting.”
“Hunting? You teach them to hunt?” he asked with unveiled surprise on his face.
Caitlyn shook her head. “Not at the moment, but we’ve had a couple of requests to do that. If it keeps the veteran living as close to a normal life as they had in the past, it’s something we take seriously. The dogs are quite capable, but it’s not an easy undertaking, as the training is extensive since we still have to take in the veterans’ limitations.”
Matt shook his head. “Amazing.”
His praise made her heart beat faster, and her body welcomed the joy that rippled through her. That brought her back to where she’d begun the morning. Did she feel embarrassed or empowered? She felt both, but being in Matt’s presence this morning had flipped most of that embarrassment away. He hadn’t treated her differently, which she appreciated. It also told her he wanted to be the man to help her back into the world of sex. She mentally shook her head. Maybe she was imagining it because the fanciful thought balanced her.
Over the next few hours, they laughed while she worked with Cooper then Bella, Sadie, and then Gabe, who were almost ready for their new handlers. Matt dove in to learn commands and how to train a dog to answer to one. His genuine interest surprised her. It also pleased her.
She would miss him when he returned to Baltimore. No matter how much she wished it wasn’t so, he would leave. To salvage their hearts, she’d make sure he did. If she couldn’t abide a man’s touch while making love, she was hopeless at a relationship. Matt, or any man, wouldn’t live with just a blow job while he couldn’t touch, for long.
If she could never offer him more, then he had to go.
Why did that thought feel so torturous this time?
MATT HAD TRULY been enjoying himself with Caitlyn and the canines. He’d seen service dogs in passing but had no clue they could be of such value to their handler. If taught the task, they could even interrupt nightmares their new handler might experience. He just kept repeating “amazing,” because he couldn’t think of a better word for all he’d learned in that short time.
When they were putting Sadie in her kennel, Rick interrupted them to let them know they had a guest. Both he and Caitlyn stiffened. His radar went up and his stomach clenched. Didn’t she say no one visited on Sunday? She surely wasn’t dressed to accept visitors. Hell, when she’d bent over a time or two, he saw part of her bare butt cheek, which had him wondering if she’d gone commando. He imagined that wasn’t the image she wanted portrayed of her as the head of Helping Paws.
She locked the kennel and turned to Rick. “Who is it?”
“Tate Hart.”
For some reason, red-hot rage seized him and almost tossed his common sense into a blender. He didn’t like the guy but, against his better judgment, he’d promised to be nice. After he’d settled his rage, the green-eyed monster immediately took its place. “You’re going to change first, aren’t you?” He said it as a question, but he meant it more like a demand. Tate didn’t need to see her bare legs or her belly when she lifted her arms and the shirt followed.
She looked down at her outfit again, just like she’d done before they left her house. “It’s not what I’d normally greet a potential donor in, but I don’t see anything wrong with it.”
He snorted. She had to be joking. “There’s a lot wrong with it,” he declared. “Did you know I saw your bare ass cheeks more than once? And they barely covered your…” He felt the heat seer his face in embarrassment at having this conversation. “…your private parts when you bent over.”
Her face flushed flaming red. He hadn’t meant to make her feel embarrassed, only to tell her why she shouldn’t wear that outfit around another man. He’d been upset about Rick seeing her like that, but she’d explained that she wasn’t on Rick’s sexual radar. Matt didn’t care about the man’s sexuality, but doubted—gay or straight—any red-blooded male wouldn’t appreciate her assets in that outfit. In fact, he’d have to abscond with the outfit after she undressed and keep it for a fantasy roleplay or something just for the
two of them. He liked the country girl getup on her—way too much.
Not for the first time that morning, he covertly shifted his thickening erection. Damn, that woman drove him nuts without even trying. Just looking at her toned legs looking a mile long with those shorts, did it to him. The thought of them wrapped around him when he thrust into her…. Shit. Think football stats, he directed his brain so he could pay attention to the current problem facing them. He did not want Hart seeing her like this.
As if finally realizing what he’d meant by his awkward wording, Caitlyn decided it would be best to change after all. Although she reminded him there was still nothing wrong with the outfit. That she only wanted to look more professional for a potential donor.
He didn’t care about her reasoning, as long as she covered more of her sleek, sexy body so her clothing left it open to an imagination instead of touted her figure. If he could pick an outfit that she’d wear to see Hart, he’d have her covered from head to toe in something like a nun’s habit.
Before they made it to the exit, Hart, dressed in jeans and a blue button-down shirt unbuttoned a bit too far for Matt’s liking, slipped in from the break room, as if he’d been waiting for the chance to corner them—or her. How long had he been watching? Matt felt the overwhelming urge to walk up and punch the guy in the face for peeking in on Caitlyn.
Trailing Hart was a flustered Tonya who must’ve been trying to keep him occupied until Caitlyn was available. Hart didn’t make any secret of checking out Caitlyn’s attire, or lack thereof. Matt thought the man might’ve licked his lips. Son of a bitch. It took everything he had not to launch himself at the asshole.
“Hello, Caitlyn,” he said slickly. “I’m sorry to drop in unannounced, but I was in the area and thought about that tour you promised.”
They approached, and Hart didn’t drop Caitlyn’s hand after shaking it. He grinned broadly, and not for the first time, Matt imagined punching him in his smug face since he promised to play nice. Damn, he was jealous and stupidly so since Caitlyn didn’t appear to care for Hart in any sense except as a money bag, but he couldn’t help it. That was how he felt with Caitlyn. He’d finally gotten her back into his life. He didn’t want anything or anyone interfering with his second chance with her.
“Say, Caitlyn, I’ve got an idea. How about I treat you to lunch and we can chat then?” Hart asked, deliberately excluding Matt.
Bewildered, she sputtered and turned to Matt with pleading eyes.
Matt stepped forward and stuck out his hand over where Hart held hers captive so he had to release hers in order to grab his, or snub him, which Matt doubted he’d do in front of Caitlyn since he seemed to be showing her his best side. “Sorry, but she’s not available for lunch.” Not dressed like that or with you, he wanted to add snidely but knew that would piss Caitlyn off. “Why don’t we go to the office?” he offered as if he’d been invited to this meeting. In the office, when she sat behind the desk, her assets—mostly—were hidden from view.
Hart looked a bit pissed, but he quickly covered the expression. Oh, he was a cool fucker all right. Matt had his eye on the asshole. He needed to donate his money and leave Caitlyn the fuck alone.
“Sure,” he said smoothly, proving Matt’s point on how he wanted Caitlyn to see him. “That sounds like a great idea, but my offer to Caitlyn stands.” He turned on a thousand-watt smile at her. “How about dinner then?”
“She’s not available for that either.” Angrily, Matt plowed his way between them, pushing Hart back, and grabbing Caitlyn’s hand to all but drag her to the office. When he realized that left Hart the opportunity to ogle her ass, he shifted her in front of him and nudged her forward. Oh, he’d seen her jaw tighten at him but knew she’d wait to vent her frustration until they were alone.
“Please get behind your desk and stay there.” He’d decided pleading with her would be the best course of action, and he hadn’t been wrong. It’d thrown her thought process, which had probably been her upcoming tirade to him, and all she did was nod and drop in her seat.
When Hart entered and sat, Matt remained to the left of her desk, as if standing sentinel beside her. He wasn’t about to let this man be alone with her. Something about him bothered Matt. Maybe he just hadn’t rubbed noses with enough rich playboys who got what they wanted—at any cost.
Matt listened, with his arms folded across his chest and his stance broad, to Hart stammer through questions. His frown deepened. The man hadn’t come here for the tour or to learn more about where he could donate his million dollars; he came here for Caitlyn. Now, how to convince her of that? The man may never give funds until he had Caitlyn. How far would the asshole go to achieve his goal? That was it. Matt was staying long after they’d caught Ripley if this fucker was still in the picture.
When Hart pushed again to take her out for a meal—alone, he added with a glare at Matt—she appeared to finally get it.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Hart—” she started.
“I’ve already asked you to call me Tate.”
She hesitated before replying, “Okay, I’m sorry, Tate, while you seem like a nice gentleman, I wouldn’t dare go to dinner with another man without my fiancé.”
Thank the fuck she reminded the prick of that little white lie. Now he was glad he’d come up with it in the first place. Although Hart just put on that damn slick smile of his and asked, “Even if it’s only a business dinner?”
Matt wanted to jump forward in his face and say, “Look, fucker, are you giving her the money or not?” but he wasn’t stupid enough to believe Caitlyn would appreciate that, even if she might be thinking the same thing.
Hart surged to his feet. “How about this? Save me a dance at your fundraiser?”
Her hand went to her throat. “How—how did you know about the fundraiser?”
With Matt’s keen observation, he saw panic entering her eyes when she briefly passed her gaze over him. He shifted closer in an effort to make her feel safer.
Continuing to the door, Hart said as he passed the desk, “Tonya told me. I’ll see you there.”
Matt didn’t like leaving anything to chance, so he shadowed Hart down the hallway, through the break room, to the door, and then watched him drive away in a shiny, new pickup truck.
He didn’t care what Caitlyn wanted or how much she trusted, Matt was having Devon check Hart out as deep as he could get. None of the glossed over basic stats and background.
Nodding to Ken who’d been patrolling outside, Matt went back to the facility and steeled himself for what was to come. Maybe she felt she had a right to get angry at his high-handedness, but she didn’t. He was only trying to protect her, and that also meant from lechers like Tate Hart.
Sure, part of it was possessiveness, but that didn’t matter. She’d made a breakthrough by making love to him with her mouth. It only confirmed his knowledge that they should be together. Somehow.
As he walked into her office, one sight of her made him freeze to the spot. Caitlyn had her head in her hands, and her shoulders shook. Holy crap, had his actions made her cry? She’d always told him that he could be a bit over the top, but he’d worked on that after she’d dumped him. That word—dumped—tasted like cardboard on his tongue that he couldn’t spit out.
He’d used it to keep reminding himself they were through and that he’d been the one to be stupid enough to fuck it up. Now though, since she’d had forgiven him, he couldn’t disregard all the lectures he’d given himself and be the man she needed.
Hesitantly, he took a step closer to her, and whispered, “Caitlyn, are you all right?”
When he reached the desk, she looked up at him, and her expression shocked him. She’d been laughing. Here his heart had worried that he’d done something wrong and she’d been enjoying a private joke. Well, hell.
“Is it just me, or is it pretty obvious that he wants to take me out, even though we’ve identified you as my fiancé?”
Wondering where she was going with this, he said slow
ly, “I got that feeling.”
“I’m beginning to wonder if he’ll give me the money without a date.”
Anger at that fucker dropped like a stone to his gut. “If that’s his condition, what will you do?”
Caitlyn twirled a lock of hair around her finger as she seemed to consider her response. “I’ll give him a dance at the fundraiser, but that’s it. I would’ve considered a business dinner with him if he’d allowed someone to come with me. But it would’ve had to be business, not what I think he wants.”
He placed his hands on her desk and leaned his upper body forward. “But you said you need that money.”
“No amount of money is worth my self-respect,” she all but growled at him.
Fuck. He hadn’t meant to upset her, but her answer pleased him.
Surprising him after her tone of voice, she smiled broadly, so much it reached her sparkling eyes. “I’m glad you’re here, Matt. Before, I wouldn’t have been able to handle someone like Tate Hart. Heck, I still might not have been if you hadn’t been right here. I can’t fathom being alone with a man.” She cleared her throat. “A man other than you, that is.”
His heart did a summersault. They might not be truly engaged any longer, but he considered it only a matter of time.
THE INITIAL EXCITEMENT of Tate’s potential donation had glided off a slippery slope after the way the man had behaved. If he expected something for his million dollars besides a tax write-off, she’d have to decline his offer. Her gut clenched at the loss of what could be a bigger and better Helping Paws. But she had standards, and they didn’t include whoring herself out for donations.
With her hard efforts, she’d achieved a lot and wasn’t disappointed they hadn’t grown more at this point. Things were comfortable. It wasn’t wrong to want to help every veteran who needed a service dog. In the beginning, she’d even considered training dogs for children with autism but decided to stick with the one group of clients since there was an abundance of need.