“Maybe something happened. Maybe they’re getting a divorce, or having a baby, or losing their home, or having to move in a grandmother. There are lots of reasons why they’d need to give up the dogs. Hell, maybe it’s breaking their hearts, but they feel they have no choice.”
Ace’s gaze scorched me.
“Figures you’d defend the selfish humans.”
I took two steps toward him. “You’re human too, you know.”
“Maybe so, but I like animals better than humans.”
He moved a little closer, and I did too. “Well, animals are great, but humans are smarter.”
“I’m not so sure about that.” We were so close I could feel his breath in my face.
The fire in his eyes kicked my heartrate up. My palms itched to flatten myself against his broad chest. “Oh, really.” I was all but touching my nose to his.
“Really.”
I was gasping. His body almost touching mine had me so distracted I wasn’t sure what we were arguing about.
Then his lips captured mine.
Chapter 7
Stop, my brain cried out. Back away from the lunatic! Instead, my rebellious arms slid around his neck, finding muscles I didn’t realize he had. My fingers touched him like his skin was Braille, and I was hungry to read his story.
His hands spread over my back and he pulled me close. It felt good to be held. To be warm and secure in the strong arms of a man. Even if they were part of an annoying guy who cared more about dogs than the people around him. That’s me, no-life Shay.
I shoved him away. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“Me?” His face went red and the muscles in his cheeks and around his eyes tightened. “You’re the one who kissed me.”
“Don’t blame me, you’re the one who started that kiss.”
Ace’s shoulders dropped and he closed his eyes for a moment. “We kissed each other.”
“Crap.” He was right, it had been a mutual touching of lips. My fingers, the same ones that had just caressed Ace’s neck and shoulders, touched my still tingling lips as I wondered what had just happened.
“Was it that bad?” His lips were pulled into a crooked little grin.
“Not in the least.”
We stepped toward each other. Then I reached for him, and he wrapped his arms around me. This time the kiss was gentle, careful, amazing.
The sound of a vehicle stopping near us registered, but neither of us reacted. The slamming of a car door pulled me out of the experience, and I took a step back. Ace met my gaze with an expression of longing that I knew my face mirrored.
“Ace?”
We turned to see a tall, beautiful woman who shuffled foot to foot as her gaze flicked to Ace then into the distance.
“Yes,” Ace said. “You must be Carol.”
The woman nodded. “Sorry to interrupt, but I have to pick up my daughter in an hour. I kinda need to get this over with.”
“No problem. That’s what we’re here for.”
They moved to the back of her Honda Odyssey and I went to the other side of Ace’s SUV to lean against the passenger door. Maybe away from the problem I could get some perspective. I didn’t even like Ace. Right?
I glanced over my shoulder. He wasn’t bad with that kissing stuff. Oh hell, who was I kidding? His kisses could set a girl’s hair on fire.
He was strong too, muscular in a natural way, from hard work, not gym machines. Honestly he was a nice-looking man. Oh great, I was attracted to the annoying obstruction to my highly anticipated new life. Groaning, I leaned my head back and studied the clouds in case some great insight was floating around up there.
I heard the back door of the Xterra opening and looked that way. Ace was loading two large portable cages while nearby, Carol held the leashes of two gorgeous Labs.
I felt myself drawn toward the dogs like Terri is to pizza. “Hello, you beautiful things.” I held out my hand to the golden Lab, and then the chocolate brown one. They sniffed my fingers then allowed me to scratch their heads. The golden was about the most beautiful animal I’ve ever seen, and the chocolate’s fur was so soft I wanted to bury my face in it. I have to admit, it wouldn’t have been hard to convince me to take the sweet animals home.
It didn’t take long for Ace and Carol to get the dogs in the Xterra, and Carol sped off down the road. Ace closed the back of his vehicle, and I made sure I was in my seat before he got in.
The trip to Chattanooga was quiet except for the noise from two big dogs and a jazz CD Ace put in about halfway. There was an awkwardness between us that hadn’t been there before, and I didn’t have a clue how to deal with it—or him. I slumped in the passenger seat and wished we could go back to the easy banter we’d shared until that damn kiss.
We got to Chattanooga around six and pulled into the parking lot of yet another Cracker Barrel. We both got out and I helped Ace walk the dogs. I was a little nervous about trying to handle such a big animal, but the chocolate was a gentleman and gave me no trouble at all.
We’d been there about twenty minutes when a woman pulled up in a GMC Yukon. At least I was learning a lot about different types of minivans. After all, a writer never knows when she might find herself in dire need of that kind of information.
I kept the dogs company while Ace and the woman did their thing. It wasn’t long before they finished and loaded the dogs into the woman’s SUV. I got into the passenger seat and didn’t look up when Ace got in.
We were back on I-75 and headed home when he said, “There appears to be more between us than a difference in viewpoint.”
“Seems that way.” I looked at him, and my traitorous body wanted to tell him to pull over so we could do more lip-locking.
He glanced my way.
“That kiss was intense.”
“I wouldn’t say intense.” No way was I admitting that’s exactly what it was for me.
“Okay, so we aren’t Romeo and Juliet.”
Huh? Was he joking? “I hope not.”
He laughed then. “Yeah, they didn’t exactly come to a good end.”
“Not so much, no.”
He touched my arm. “I don’t want that stupid kiss to mess up our friendship.”
“We have a friendship?”
“I’d like to think we do.”
“When we aren’t arguing.”
“I kinda think you enjoy arguing with me.”
I opened my mouth to tell him he was nuts, but when I looked his way I realized he was right. I did like arguing with him. Affection warmed my chest and throat, and I smiled at the good-looking pain in my behind. “Busted.”
He chuckled as he took my hand in his and squeezed. “We both like jazz.”
“Animals.”
He narrowed his eyes, then nodded. “Going on drives.”
“Thriller novels.”
“Roller coasters.”
The rest of the drive there wasn’t a lot of conversation, but when we did talk, it was friendly and light. Somewhere between Chattanooga and Ugly Creek, I realized there was more to this man than I’d ever imagined. Not sure whether to be happy I knew him or irritated at him for being such a pain that I didn’t see his good side until now.
As he pulled in my driveway, I felt an unexpected sadness. “Would you like to come in?”
He gazed over the top of the steering wheel. “I think I’d better get home to the dogs.”
I hoped my groan was inward, or at least too quiet for Ace to hear. “I’ll make sure Terri doesn’t do a repeat of her Lady Godiva entrance.”
His smile was weak, and I think the skin of his face shifted in the direction of red.
“Thanks, but I really do need to get home.”
I got out, surprised to find Ace coming around the front of his SUV to meet me. He put his hand on my waist, and I felt warm tingles travel up and down my spine.”
At the door, he leaned toward me and his lips touched mine. The kiss didn’t last long, not nearly long enough
in my opinion. Then he turned and got back in his vehicle. I watched as he headed out down the road, giving a brief wave as he went.
“You said you were going to take my advice and stay away from that boy. I hope you don’t find out too late that he’s trouble.”
I moved to confront Miz Carlisle, but she was already marching toward her house. It was probably just as well, I decided. Whatever I said to her would just bounce off her predetermined opinion of Ace.
Sighing, I put my key in the lock and walked into the house. Terri was asleep on the couch, stark naked, her laptop on the floor. I guess it was good that Ace had gone on home. Damn, a girl can’t catch a break around here.
I hurried off to the kitchen to round up some dinner. As I threw together a simple casserole, I thought about the day. I’d expected interesting, but not that I might have a great time. Ace was a fun guy to be with, and we had more in common than I’d ever dreamed.
Okay, the pros and cons of getting involved—just physically, mind you. No way was I going to let myself get sucked into some emotional thing. This year was my time, getting tangled up with a hot guy was not on my agenda for this year.
Still, Ace interested me in a way no man ever had. Getting involved, even just casually, always carried a risk. But Ace had lip ability that just might make it worth taking a chance.
Chapter 8
Two hours later, I sat at the kitchen table eating chicken and broccoli casserole and typing away at my manuscript. The deadline was approaching, so even if the work was slow, I had to keep going.
“I didn’t realize you were home.”
“Clearly.” I glared at Terri’s still naked body.
“Yum, you cooked.”
Which was undoubtedly what woke her up. “I’ll share if you get dressed.”
She made a face at me.
“I can’t believe any cousin of mine could be so uptight.”
“People usually wear clothes.”
“I’m not totally human.”
“Boy, isn’t that the truth.” I shoved a bite of casserole into my mouth while I read what I’d written over the last few minutes.
“Smartass.” She headed toward her room.
I rolled my eyes.
“That Miz Carlisle is not a nice woman,” Terri said from down the hall.
I didn’t look up from the words on the screen. There was something wrong with the last scene, but I wasn’t sure what it was. “What’s up now?”
“She’s always calling me a nasty, stinking animal. She even pokes at me with a broom.” The now dressed Terri scooped casserole onto a plate and sat at the other end of the small table. “Sometimes I growl at that devil cat of hers, just to stir him up.”
“She’s a character, that’s for sure.”
“Why do I get the feeling something new happened?”
There was curiosity in my cousin’s eyes.
“There was some guy over there this morning, before daylight. She said he shouldn’t come there, and he said he didn’t have anywhere else to go.”
“That’s different.” She frowned as she shoved in another bite.
“And he had a dog.”
Her eyes opened wide. “Dog? At We-Hate-Canines Central?”
“Yep. Any idea what that might be about?”
“Not a clue. But I’ll be happy to see what I can find out.”
I laughed. “Sleuth Dog to the rescue.”
She frowned for a moment, and I was afraid I’d angered her again.
Then she grinned. “Sleuth Dog. I like that.”
Terri stood and stretched. “Deadline’s calling. I have zombies to kill.” She gave me a sideways look. “That doesn’t sound right somehow.”
I chuckled as she headed toward her room.
She stopped and looked over her shoulder. “I’m sorry about the music this morning.”
I put on what I hoped was a stern face. “Just don’t do it again. Okay?”
“Okay.” She disappeared into her room.
It had been a long day, and I would be perfectly happy to curl up somewhere with a good book. The problem was I had a deadline too, and the damn manuscript wasn’t going to write itself. So I got my laptop and sprawled on the couch with it.
By the time I’d booted up the computer a scene was clear in my mind. Unfortunately, it wasn’t one from the contracted book, the one with a deadline. Nope, this wasn’t a scene from a contemporary romance. This was a dark and haunting story of serial killer stalking a city much like my native Jacksonville. Not a vampire, this man was totally human but lived and killed in ways as gruesome and unnatural as the creatures of legend. I started writing and didn’t stop until I was so tired I couldn’t continue.
My computer clock said 3:15 a.m., but that couldn’t be. I looked at my watch, and the damn thing corroborated the crazy computer. I pulled my stiff body from the couch and checked the microwave and my bedroom clock before I would admit I’d been writing for hours.
Back in the living room, I stood in the middle of the floor and stared at the computer. I hadn’t had a writing session that intense for years. What the hell?
I saved and backed up the file and turned off the computer. As I slogged off to bed, I berated myself. Yeah, it had felt awesome flying high like that, but it hadn’t put me any closer to fulfilling my contractual obligations. I’d just wasted an entire day, then most of the night. No wonder Terri was a bestseller and I was a midlist author hanging on with local reporting jobs and a few freelance gigs.
I climbed into bed questioning my sanity. First I had kissed Ace, then I’d spent hours writing a side project that would never see the light of day. Were these signs I had inherited my mother’s problems? Or even something worse? As I slipped into sleep, I wondered if I’d eventually get too depressed to get out of bed, or maybe voices were going to start whispering in my ear.
There were no voices that night, but I did have steamy dreams of Ace Ellison. At one point I woke sweating and longing for one adorable beach bum. The next dream, though, took a different turn. In this one we were walking hand-in-hand through the woods. Sunshine peeked through the leaves and a gentle breeze blew. The feeling of his strong hand holding mine was exciting and comforting all at the same time. It was magic. Until I woke up.
Dreaming about a guy wasn’t irrational, I told myself. Deep down, though, I wondered if I wasn’t playing with fire.
****
I woke up the next morning determined to get my head on straight, no matter what that entailed. A stroll through the yard told me the irises and asters needed weeding and the crepe myrtles were starting to fade away. Soon it would get cold and most of them would die out with the first good freeze, but I was going to keep them alive and looking good until then.
Hot, tired, and dirty, I headed for the shower. Thirty minutes later I was clean and full of casserole leftovers. I tried once again to get back to the writing, but I just didn’t have any enthusiasm. A walk, I decided, might get my muse stirred up and ready to work. So, I headed out. I didn’t know the neighborhood well, so I just walked without knowing where I might end up. I figured wondering around would be a good way to learn about the surroundings.
After twenty or so minutes, I was falling in love with my adopted town. Cute little houses alternated with larger, more elaborate affairs. Green lawns abounded, and it seemed a good portion of the residents spent time outside on those beautiful lawns or on the big porches most houses sported.
I heard barking before I saw where it was coming from. Behind a screen of pine trees, I caught a glimpse of a neatly kept white colonial. I walked a little farther and saw a second building behind the house. Constructed with rectangular blocks, this structure was painted white to match the house. Around the front of the building was shiny silvery fencing that connected with gates to a long enclosed area, and to the main house. I wasn’t at all surprised to find the same fencing around the front of the house, or that Hugh greeted me from the other side. He seemed thrilled to show off his
friends to me: a scrawny brown mutt, a German shepherd with a bandage on its right front leg, and a scrappy little dog with only one eye.
I rubbed Hugh’s head from across the fence, being careful not to scratch my arm on the wires sticking up on the top. “Ace,” I called, but even though his SUV was in the driveway, he didn’t answer. In the house, maybe?
I pulled out my cell. Ring after ring, but no answer. Was something wrong?
Worry had me pulling open the gate and slipping in before any four-legged critters got away. As soon as I was inside, Hugh, followed by his buddies, headed toward the building behind the house. He looked back at me, and I decided he wanted me to follow.
By the time we got behind the house, I was feeling uncomfortable. It wasn’t that I had never poked in places I shouldn’t, after all writers are curious people, but Ace was my friend—or something.
“Ace,” I called. There was no answer, and my stomach twitched. Maybe something had happened. All sorts of sick, fallen, and torn apart by wild animal scenarios swirled through my active imagination. When I followed Hugh through the partially open door to the long building, what I saw was beyond even my creativity.
Ace sat on the concrete floor in front of several large cages. He held a brown and white dog in his arms. The animal, of a breed I couldn’t identify, was so big its head and shoulders were in Ace’s lap, but its lower body lay on the concrete floor.
When I caught a glimpse of Ace’s face, I came to an abrupt halt. His head was down, and as I watched a tear slid down Ace’s cheek, off his chin, and onto the animal. I was beside him before I knew I was moving. “Ace,” I said, as I touched his shoulder. “What happened?”
He looked at me as if he hadn’t realized I was there.
“Heartworm.” He swiped at his face. “The vet and I did all we could, but she just couldn’t fight it.”
“You must have really loved her.”
“She looks like Bear.” His voice broke on the last word.
I rubbed his shoulder, hoping my action comforted him a little. “Bear?”
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