KEEP HER FOREVER
by Maria Jackson
KEEP HER FOREVER
Published by Maria Jackson
Copyright © 2017 Maria Jackson
All Rights Reserved
May not be copied or distributed without prior written permission.
This book has been adapted with permission from a book previously published by A.R. Steele.
ONE—TOPAZ
I lay flat on my stomach, my chin against the concrete. My palms scraped against bits of gravel as I pushed myself a little further under my car.
A cross between a grunt and a huff came out of me, and I gave silent thanks for the street being empty. Having a witness to my undignified performance would’ve been even worse than my legs, which were sticking out into the traffic lane, getting run over by a car.
Beneath the front passenger side, a bundle of copper and white fur huddled into a ball. Big brown eyes glinted out at me, and I thought I caught a glimpse of a dark, wet nose. The way the animal was shuddering made me want to do the same, despite the balminess of the July night.
“Come out, boy,” I urged, trying to slither forward on my belly. “You need to be out in the open.”
The animal retreated more into himself, if that were even possible. He was already cowering as far away from me as he could. I squinted, trying to make out if it was a dog or cat. The colors said beagle, but the shivering shyness was feline.
This inconvenience better not mess up my clothes. I sucked in my stomach, hoping that would keep any dirt from sticking to my spotless white shirt. Probably a lost cause, although thankfully my dark-wash skinny jeans should be all right. I’d added a blue summer scarf to complete the outfit—a daring touch I hoped I’d pulled off.
“I swear I’m not going to hurt you. I’m nice. I have food for you, if you just come get it.” I might go to hell for that lie, but he didn’t seem to believe me anyway. I tried a different tactic. “Come out, dammit. I have to get somewhere. I don’t have time for this!”
I must’ve made quite a sight, a grown woman on her stomach, trying to cajole a stray dog out from under a car. I’d parked on the side of the road near the coffee shop where I’d stopped for a cup. Luckily it was quiet enough that I could lie in the middle of the street without worrying about getting hit.
The thought of getting in my black Prius and driving away crossed my mind, but I couldn’t be sure the dog would be smart enough to get out before I flattened him. No way was I going to have his death on my conscience.
I had no idea what to do in a situation like this. Dogs were not my strong point. I always had a cat or two growing up. Dogs were like some kind of yipping, yapping foreign species, always barking or sniffing or trying to lick you.
Grabbing my phone, I looked up the number for the animal shelter in Newbank. After two rings, they put me on hold. Ugh! There was a dog under my car, and I needed to hit the road. What were these people thinking?
“You can’t make this easy for me, can you?” I asked the dog. “You’re just out to ruin my night.”
If he’d get out from under the car, I could drive away as if I’d never come across him. I didn’t have the heart for that, though. The poor little guy needed a roof over his head—and soon. There were some ominous-looking rain clouds looming overhead.
The hold music finally faded out, and a man’s voice came on to the line. “Newbank Animal Shelter, how can I help you?”
“Hi, I’m calling to report a dog under my car.”
“Is it a stray dog or a pet dog?”
“How would I know the difference?”
The man’s tone grew bored. “Does it look healthy? Does it have a collar? Is it comfortable with humans?”
“No, no, and no… so I’m guessing it’s a stray.” The poor doggy. “What do I do now?”
“You can take it to a vet to scan for a microchip—that’s another way to find out if it has an owner.”
I didn’t have time for that. “I have to get somewhere. Can’t I drop him off with you?”
“I’m sorry, this shelter only deals with adoptions. If you need help with a dog, I suggest you contact the Newbank Dog Rescue.”
“Okay, I guess.” I memorized their number, still staring at the cringing ball of fear. Aside from shaking, he hadn’t moved since I’d spotted him. Now those big eyes slowly closed and opened as if he was trying to communicate with me.
I hung up, then extended my hand to the dog one more time. It was worth a try. “Are you sure you don’t want to come out? Nothing’s going to hurt you out here, I promise. You’ll like it better when you’re out.”
The black nose moved an inch closer to my hand, and I almost cheered. Then the dog’s whole face retreated back and slipped under his paw. The poor thing. I wondered what made him so scared of people.
Drawing back my hand, I stood up and dialed the dog rescue. Luckily they picked up on the first ring.
“Newbank Dog Rescue. How can I help you?”
“Hey. I found a dog, and I can’t get it out from under my car.”
“Oh, no! What are we going to do?” The woman’s voice was warm and mellow, as if she already had the situation under control.
I was sure it was a rhetorical question, but answered anyway. “I was hoping you could help me with that what-to-do part, because I have no freaking idea.” I flexed and unflexed my fingers.
“Let me set your mind at ease. You called the right person! Heidi Wise, at your service.”
Where I was panicked, she seemed completely unmoved. Of course, this was what she did every day—rescue dogs. My little guy would be in good hands with this lady.
Putting my hand on my car, I steadied myself. That voice, with all its richness, had me off-balance. I could’ve wrapped that voice around me like a warm blanket. I wondered what this Heidi looked like—
Stop that, stop that, stop that. You’re long past all that. The dog was the important thing here. “Can you tell me what to do to get him out?” I asked.
“I’ll do you one better,” Heidi said. “I’ll come out there and help you myself.”
My stomach suddenly felt uneasy. I hadn’t counted on meeting her. As long as I could rid myself of my intrusive thoughts, everything would be fine. “I’m at Evergreen and Craydon.”
Heidi promised to be there within ten minutes, and I went around the car to sit down on the curb. When I glanced underneath, the dog had moved over to the other side of the car—the sneaky bastard. He definitely didn’t want to be anywhere near me. Hopefully he’d be less shy when Heidi got here.
“You’re giving me a lot of trouble, you know that?” I said to the dog. “I’m going to miss the fashion show for your sake.”
The dog turned up his nose at that, giving me a better view of his face. White fur in the middle, with copper patches over his eyes and ears, and then dark brown from his neck to his hind legs. His expression was suspicious and scared… mostly scared.
I could’ve taken a taxi into the city, but I felt some weird sense of responsibility for the dog. I couldn’t just leave him under my car. I’d drive myself crazy wondering if he really got to safety.
A few minutes went by, during which the dog continued to ignore me completely. Since I wasn’t going to make it to the show, I texted Cindy, my newly-former roommate and the one I was meeting up with. Can’t go after all. I’m sorry. A kind of emergency came up.
She texted back, No worries, another time. Hope all’s well.
I’d probably made it sound like my mom was in the hospital or something, but I’d explain everything later. She’d probably be relieved. She was only going for my sake—fashion wasn’t really her thing—and it was a long drive into NYC.
I grabbed my coffee out of the cuphold
er in the car. Then I sat and waited, looking left and right. The street was still nearly deserted, and only a few people drove by. Could the older woman with silver hair and a cane be the person from the dog rescue? No, Heidi sounded young and trendy, like the style mavens I spent my days writing about.
Could she be the blue-mohawked girl in the pink car, then? I doubted it, although it wasn’t as easy to say why. Something told me Heidi wasn’t the attention-seeking type. She sounded like a practical kind of person. Confident. I wondered if she was that sure of herself in the bedroom. Get ahold of yourself, Topaz. You’re not like that.
When a dinged-up Hyundai did stop, the girl who got out looked even better than I’d expected. She was taller than me, maybe five-eight, and fresh-faced. She wore a faded black T-shirt that almost concealed her lovely figure. A torn baseball cap sat over brown hair and high cheekbones.
I looked at her from head to toe, deciding what I thought of her before waving and saying hello. She was attractive—dangerously attractive. She could have better taste in clothes, though. If I ever got the chance, I’d put her in a better-fitting shirt, along with some jeans from the twenty-first century.
She was already coming up to me, probably tipped off by how I was the only one sitting on the curb. “Hey, you must be Topaz! Good to meet you.” I stood up, and she shook my hand with a surprisingly firm grip. “Where’s the poor pup you told me about?”
“Right under here.” I gestured below the car. That dumb dog cowered even more. I was oddly happy about that. Not that I wanted him to hide forever, but I’d’ve been pissed if he came right out for this new person when I’d been sitting around trying to coax him out for the better part of an hour.
“Well, look at that!” Heidi said, crouching low to get close to the dog. “Hello, cutie. What are you doing here? Silly billy. Don’t you want to come out and play?”
“He’s not going to come,” I said with a touch of bad temper. “I’ve been trying to get him out for ages, and he’s not interested.”
“Maybe not for you, but I’ve got something up my sleeve.” Heidi turned slightly and gave me a breathtaking grin. “Literally.”
She shook a treat into her hand. The dog stood up shakily and walked over to her, sniffing at the food before turning around. Heidi encouraged him, calling him more pet names as he decided if the treat might be safe. At last the dog walked right up to the front of the car and took it.
“Poor thing is starving, look at it,” Heidi said. “Probably hasn’t eaten in days.”
As soon as the dog finished the first treat, Heidi held a second just out of reach. The dog came fully out, and I saw my impression from earlier was correct. His coloring was definitely that of a beagle. He was heavier than I’d initially thought, though. His ribs were showing, and yet he had a big belly. He was actually a bit chubby.
“Maybe that’s not such a bad thing,” I said, draining my coffee and sticking the cup back in the car. “Looks like the little guy could stand to go on a diet.”
It was a bad joke in the first place, but Heidi didn’t even crack a smile. “I have a feeling this one’s a girl, actually,” she said.
Heidi clearly knew a lot more about dogs than I did. I’d try not to judge her for what she was wearing… although as I looked again at her outfit, damn, it was going to be tough.
“He is? I mean, she is? How can you tell?”
The dog rubbed against Heidi’s hand, looking at her with big puppy-dog eyes. Heidi shook out another treat and handed it to her before answering. She hadn’t had a chance to look between the dog’s legs yet, so that couldn’t be it.
“That extra weight isn’t because she’s been eating too much,” Heidi said as the dog looked up at her with helpless need. “This dog is pregnant.”
TWO—HEIDI
The pregnant beagle was a cutie, and so was the girl who’d called her in. Crouched low in front of the car, I tried to keep my focus on the dog. She definitely needed it with the situation she was in.
This Topaz, though—she threatened my concentration with her dark hair and pretty features. Her sky-blue eyes were the best part, especially since they were lit up with concern for the dog. She clearly cared about her, and that was about the most attractive thing I could imagine.
“Pregnant? Like, with puppies?”
“No, with kittens,” I joked. “Looks like there’s about six on the way, although I could be wrong. I can see the bumps they’re making.” I traced each slight but visible outline, counting them again.
The dog nosed at my hand, asking for another treat. I gave another to her, then another. She needed the food. Besides, she was still scared. Without the incentive to stay in the open, she’d probably run right back under Topaz’s car.
“Oh my gosh,” Topaz said. “Poor puppy. Actually, I guess I shouldn’t call her a puppy when she’s about to be a mom.”
“She does look young, actually. Maybe a year old.” I let the dog lick my fingers. “It’s a shame, almost tragic. Puppies having puppies.”
“I don’t envy her.”
“Alone and on the street, and about to have a bunch of puppies to support…”
Topaz gave me a funny look, then a gorgeous smile. “It isn’t going to be fun being a single mom.”
I handed Topaz a few treats to give her. “We should get her out of here when she’s full.”
“Where would she go? I can’t take her?”
Topaz wanted to take the dog. My heart just about melted… but letting her probably wasn’t a good idea. “In a case like this, I’d take her to an experienced foster home.”
“Oh,” Topaz said. She looked at the dog, who was finally acknowledging her. She sniffed at the treat, then took it. “I don’t want to say goodbye to her.”
“It’d be a lot of work. And it won’t be easy. Having a pregnant dog isn’t something to decide on lightly. Have you ever had a dog before?”
“No, but…”
“I didn’t think so.”
The dog settled at Topaz’s feet right as Topaz snapped up straight and shot me a glare. “Hey, what’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing, nothing.” I settled onto the curb again.
Topaz sat beside me, giving the dog a wistful look. “I do want her to get the best possible care. I just… it might sound dumb when I just met her, but I’d miss her.”
Fuck, she seemed so sad about it. Her puppy-dog eyes were worse than the actual dog’s. I wasn’t even the one who could say yes or no. I didn’t have that kind of power. My supervisor at the rescue would be the one to make the decision, technically. Then again, there was nothing to stop Topaz from running off with the beagle right now.
“I’m not saying you can’t,” I said. “I’m just saying it might not be a good idea. You’d need a lot of help, for one thing.”
“I don’t mind getting help,” she said quickly. “I’m totally open to that. Could you be the one who helped me?”
I’d be happy to help her, I thought, my gaze gliding up and down her body. Happy to help her out of those clothes, and then into my bed. Happy to bring her to orgasm again… and again… and again.
“I probably could come by your place and check on her,” I said. “I’d come every day if you wanted.” With someone else, I would’ve said a few times a week. So maybe I wanted to spend more time around a good-looking woman. So what?
Topaz scratched the dog’s head. “That sounds good.” Her relief was visible, as if she’d been scared she’d lose her. Somehow she really had bonded with that dog already.
It was strange, but I could understand it. Dogs did have a tendency to pick their owners. This one had been scared at first, but she was quickly warming up to Topaz. She’d like Topaz even more when she realized she was the one who’d saved her from the streets.
I had to admit I was a little jealous. I’d fostered dogs from time to time, when there was no space at the local shelter and no available fosters at the dog rescue. I’d even taken a couple of dogs thro
ugh their pregnancies and raised the puppies to the age of adoption. I would’ve had no problem doing the same with this one. She was so shy and so sweet.
Anyway, we had a few more things to talk about before I let the two of them leave. I sat on the curb next to Topaz, watching another car go by. The dog folded herself up right between us. Her tongue came out and she panted happily as I scratched her behind the ears.
“She needs a name,” I said. “What do you think we should call her?”
“Something tough,” Topaz said. “Even though she was scared, she has a hard streak underneath. She’s a total badass.”
“That’s so true,” I said. “What about Diamond? She’s harder than anything. Nothing can tear her down. She’s got that inner strength.”
“Oh,” Topaz said. “I was thinking about something like Bad Ass Mother Fucker, BAMF for short… but Diamond works, too.”
I raised an eyebrow. “We can go with your thing if you want.”
“No, I like Diamond. It has a certain ring to it.”
It really did, and as I looked at the dog more, I became certain that it suited her. She was a tough one, underneath it all. Even her scared act was only a way of protecting herself—and her puppies.
“We should get her somewhere,” I said. “Get some real food into her… since she doesn’t actually need to lose weight.”
Topaz covered her face. “I had no idea, or I never would’ve said that.”
“I figured. Just teasing.” Not the way I wanted to tease her. I imagined her naked and tied up on a bed, me trailing a feather wand over her…
Shaking my head, I pushed away the fantasy. I still had no idea if she was into girls or not. She’d dropped no hints—although to be fair, I hadn’t either.
I shifted on the curb, inching a little closer to her. “Do you live far from here?”
“Not at all. A couple blocks away. I stopped at the coffee shop on my way to an event tonight, and that’s when all this happened.” She shook her head. “What about you? If you’re going to be checking on her often, do you live nearby?”
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