She really should have looked away this morning. Now she couldn’t seem to do anything other than picture him half naked. Or maybe completely naked. But she wondered if she’d gotten the hidden bits correct whereas she knew what his back, shoulders, chest, and arms looked like. And his feet, she thought as she glanced down at his dark brown cowboy boots. Envious now, she mentally cursed herself because she should have worn her pink ones.
But she looked up at him with an innocent smile.
“What did you do?” he asked, looking behind her at the kitchen. Everything looked as immaculate now as it had when they walked in.
“Do?” she asked, innocence shining through her eyes. “I peeked at the books on your bookshelf. I flipped some of them around so that you couldn’t find the titles when you want them.”
He glanced over at the book shelf, obviously relieved. “Books? You rearranged my books?”
Sage lifted her eyebrows. “What were you expecting?”
Arik didn’t look convinced, but he wasn’t ready to challenge her. Sage would have laughed, but she really didn’t want him to find out what she’d done until she wasn’t around. Safety was a woman’s priority, she reminded herself.
“Fine. Books are not a problem.” He grabbed his keys again. “Let’s go get you a dog.”
“Only if I find one that I like,” she reminded him, moving towards the door. “If I don’t, then I’m walking away.”
“I’m sure Tom has something that you’ll like. Let’s go find out,” and he pulled the apartment door open.
A half hour later, they arrived and walked up the driveway towards a ranch house. A massive barn stood behind the main building, flanked by several smaller structures. There was also a corral with horses in the distance and a large open field where she could see several…bison? She wasn’t sure. The animals were huge and brown, but they were too far away for her to see them clearly.
“Hey Tom!” Arik called out as an older man stepped down off the porch as soon as she and Arik stepped out of the truck.
“Hey there!” the older man replied, waving. He had a warm, smiling face that made her think of a kind grandfather-like figure. One that would spoil his grandchildren unmercifully! “Come on out back and check out the dogs,” he exclaimed, moving forward to shake Arik’s hand, then Sage’s. “I have a whole brood of dogs just now. Some idiot started breeding these silly little fluff balls, but the momma dog had too many.” He shook his head and sighed deeply. “The ‘breeder’, and I use that term loosely here, didn’t think to separate the momma and father after she gave birth. So, she had a second set of puppies too soon afterwards. She died, and I’ve been working overtime trying to nurse these pups back to health.”
“Puppies?” Sage whispered, her voice hopeful.
“Sage is looking for an older dog,” Arik explained. “She needs a strong guard dog that’s also good company.”
Tom nodded, grinning. “Well, you’ve come to the right place. I have two German shepherds that could work. They’re awesome guard dogs. Just last night, one of them scared away a coyote that was harassing the herd.”
“Coyote?” Sage squeaked. “There are coyotes around here?”
Arik eyed her curiously. “Sure. Coyotes, foxes, maybe even the odd mountain lion. But they usually don’t come in towards the city area.”
Sage kept quiet after that, feeling foolish for asking what was apparently a silly question. Did everyone know what sorts of wild animals came down from the mountains for food or…whatever it was that wild animals wanted closer to civilization.
Sighing, she made a mental note to research the wild life. And scorpions. Yes, she finally felt rested enough that she might even be able to do a bit of work today! That thought sent a thrill through her.
When she looked up, Sage realized that Arik had caught the movement. Darn it, that guy saw everything!
“You okay?” he asked.
“Absolutely wonderful!” she replied with a smile meant to confuse him. Thankfully, it seemed to be working.
They both heard someone else snort with quiet laughter and as one, they turned to look at Tom.
“Dogs?” he prompted, his hands stuffed into the back pockets of his jeans. He didn’t elaborate on what he found so amusing.
“Yes!” Sage replied, instantly excited.
Tom chuckled. “They’re in the back, probably irritating the horses.”
Sage wanted to ask why the dogs would irritate the horses, but she didn’t want to reveal her ignorance again. So instead, she followed the two men, walking slowly to take it all in. This wasn’t just a place where dogs were “rescued” and fostered. This was a huge working ranch. This was one of the reasons she’d wanted to move out of the city and learn to live in a more rural environment. It was all so fascinating!
They entered one of the smaller barns, which, at first glance, didn’t appear to have anything in it other than tools. But as Sage followed, she glanced down and…there was a walking ball of fluff right beside her! Sage froze and stared, not sure what she was looking at. It appeared to be a live teddy bear with big, melting brown eyes, a pink tongue, and lots of fur!
And it was wagging what must be a tail, but was really just an almost separate ball of fluff at the opposite end from the pink tongue. It was a dog, but one of the fluffiest and most adorable little things she’d ever seen!
“Oh my, you’re a cutie!” Sage whispered, immediately kneeling down to pet the dog. “Hey there!” she whispered, glancing self-consciously over at the two men who seemed to be staring out into the distance for some reason. The little fur ball braced teeny paws on her knee, demanding her attention. “Sorry about that,” she murmured. “The big guy wants me to get a security dog.” Sage squinched up her nose. “I don’t think you’d be a very good security dog. I mean…just look at you!”
The tiny dog wagged his tail so vigorously his entire body shimmied happily. He lifted his paw once more and Sage rubbed him all over. The dog danced around, happy to be petted.
From the doorway, Arik cleared his throat, his lips twitching with amusement. Sage wrinkled her nose at him and returned to petting the dog.
“Well, I’d better go,” she said, turning her back on the men, better to appreciate the little darling. “I have to choose a meaner dog. I have someone stalking me and I don’t like it. I mean, I really don’t like it! There have been some scary things happening, and I’d–”
“What kinds of scary things, Sage?” Arik asked. His tone was soft. Curious. But Sage could hear the protective rage simmering behind the soft tone.
She glanced up, startled to find him right behind her. How did such a big man sneak like that? Okay, perhaps she’d been a bit too enchanted by the puppy. Or was the little guy fully grown? Was this as big as he would get?
“Um…?”
The puppy yipped and the sound was so adorable, her heart melted as she gazed down at the little guy. His eyes implored her for more attention, but Sage knew that she had to handle Arik first.
“Nothing to worry about,” she told Arik. Lie!
He moved closer. “I knew something was off last night when you kept asking me to stick around.” He reached out and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. The protective wall of muscle was so enticing, Sage leaned into his touch, briefly closing her eyes to savor the sensation.
“What’s going on, Sage?”
She released the breath and opened her eyes, looking right into his dark, brown eyes that held such determination. “I can handle it,” she told him, but the words were quiet, as if she didn’t quite believe them herself.
“You can tell me what’s going on. And I want details this time.”
She smiled, thinking that his firm, authoritative voice was pretty darn sexy! “Yes, it is possible for me to tell you what’s going on, Arik. But I’m a grown woman. I came out here to Wyoming to learn to survive on my own.” She leaned forward slightly. “And I’m doing a pretty good job of it too!”
He glared do
wn at her and suddenly, Sage realized he had encircled her in his arms. His hold was firm and somehow…comforting. In fact, his touch felt…empowering?
Yes, in an odd way, his touch gave her the strength to stand up to him. That and the fact that she had the overwhelming need to overcome the issues from her past on her own. To prove to herself as well as the rest of the world that she was an independent woman!
She was strong and capable, she reminded herself.
Taking a deep breath, she looked directly into his eyes, trying to ignore the way she couldn’t help but tremble at his touch, and said, “Arik, I appreciate that you want to help me. But this is something I need to do on my own.”
She could almost feel his teeth grinding.
“Why?”
She shrugged, her smile increasing. “You know I have some…issues from my past that make it imperative that I stand on my own two feet. To deal with life without anyone’s help.”
He frowned, and put his fists on his hips. “If you were diagnosed with cancer, would you try and figure out how to treat the disease yourself? Or would you go to an oncologist for medical advice and prescriptions?”
She blinked, startled by his question. “I’d go to a doctor, of course. But this isn’t a medical issue.”
“No, this is a safety issue. This is a criminal issue.” He leaned forward so that he was right in her face. Kissing distance. “That’s my area of expertise, Sage. I’m damn good at ferreting out criminals and putting them in prison.”
“I don’t need anyone’s help,” she told him, firmly banishing the kissing thought.
He stepped back, shrugged and draped his arm across her shoulders. “Well, that’s too bad. Because now that I know that there’s something going on, I have an obligation to help you. In fact, I’m going to make sure you pick a guard dog, one who will alert you to anyone even near to your property, and then we’re going to the police station, where you’re going to fill out a report. I’m going to get my captain in on this too, so that he can assign additional people to protect you.”
She pulled back, startled both by his casual touch as well as his declaration that they were going to the police station. “You’re not interfering, Arik,” she insisted. “You don’t understand how important this is to me. I’ve done an excellent job of figuring out how to install surveillance equipment. I’m going to eventually catch the person who is…pestering me.”
“And what are you going to do once you see the person on those cameras? What if they are trying to break into your house?”
“I installed excellent locks.”
His incredulous expression warned her that she’d said something wrong. “You assume criminals are polite enough to only use doors? Are you kidding me?” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “You have windows, Sage! If this person can’t get in through the doors, they’ll come through the windows!”
He was almost yelling now, but Sage refused to back down. No way! Her father had yelled at her all the time. He’d belittled her, told her that she was just a silly child, and she was stupid! Her ex-husband hadn’t yelled, but his words had been just as horrible. For some reason, Arik’s anger didn’t scare her. And his words weren’t belittling. In fact, his anger seemed to spark her own temper.
“You’re right. My house is exposed. Which is why I’m here, getting a dog that will alert me if someone is around. I have alarms around the perimeter, but any advice that might help would be greatly appreciated. So, thank you for the suggestion.”
At that same moment, the tiny, adorable dog with too much hair barked. Just then, Tom came over with a German Shepherd mix. The bigger dog clearly wasn’t a purebred, but looked intimidating enough to stop just about anybody.
“You’re getting the bigger dog,” Arik announced firmly.
Sage knew that the bigger dog was more sensible. Looking down, the big dog sat back on his butt and stared up at Sage with pleading eyes, begging her to take him home. Astonishingly, the fluffy ball plunked himself down between the Shepherd’s front legs. The bigger dog didn’t even budge.
For a long moment, Sage eyed the unlikely pair. Was she being silly, or were they showing her that they were a team? She started to bite her lip, but stopped herself. Arik would read it as a sign of indecision. In this instance, she knew what she wanted. No, she knew what she needed! “I guess that settles it,” she laughed with a firm nod. “Can I have both of them?”
Tom stared for a long moment then burst out laughing. “Of course you can!” he said, still laughing. “But you know…”
“I know,” Sage replied, bending down and putting a hand on each dog. “I know. Dogs are a huge responsibility. But I have a big backyard, it’s fenced in because of the previous owner’s horses.” The big dog sniffed her hand, then nudged her with his big, black nose, asking her to pet him. His fur was rough but thick and sturdy. It was love at first sight with both canines and she knew that her heart wouldn’t allow her to walk away from either!
Unfortunately, Arik didn’t understand the pull these two had on her heart already. He sighed, his hands still fisted on his lean hips as he tried to understand.
“Sage, you hadn’t even considered getting one dog until I suggested it this morning. Now you want two?”
She smiled, leaning closer to the big dog. “You’re a big, strong lad, aren’t you?”
“Uh…you’re talking to a lady, ma’am,” Tom interjected.
Sage’s smile brightened. “Even better!” she grinned, scratching behind the big dog’s ears. The smaller guy jumped onto her lap and she beamed when the bigger dog lowered her nose and nudged the smaller one. “It looks like these two are already friends.”
Tom shrugged. “They get along pretty well. The bigger dog is protective of the small family behind the hay. She likes to sleep in front of them at night.”
Sage smiled up at the two men, both of whom were looking down at her with matching amused expressions. “See? It’s perfect!”
Arik opened his mouth, more than ready to argue with her. But at the pleading look in her eyes, he gave in. “Fine!” he snapped. “We’ll figure it out,” he sighed, adding, “together!”
Sage rolled her eyes, then turned to her new friends. “I have a big backyard where you two can run around. I’ll build a doggie door too, so you can get out whenever you want.” She whispered low to them, “Sometimes, I get a bit lost in my writing and forget, so I don’t want either of you to need something that you can’t find.”
The big dog nudged her hand, and the smaller one snuggled into her lap. Sage laughed, delighted. “This is going to be great,” she promised them. “Now, I just need to do a little business. I’ll be right back.” She stood up and turned, ready to pull out her wallet. But when she found the two men, Arik was already handing Tom several bills, obviously paying for the dogs himself.
“I’ve got it,” she protested, waving her wallet. “Tom, these will be my dogs. How much do I owe you?”
Tom smiled, shaking his head. “Arik’s got it all covered, Ms. Sage,” he replied, tipping his hat politely. “I’ve also told him about the different kinds of foods they’ll need, and I’m bringing some food around to Arik’s truck, so you’re set for tonight.”
Food! She hadn’t even thought about food! Or supplies, like leashes, doggie beds and…whatever else a dog might need! “Oh, I’ll head into town to get supplies. I don’t have a leash or beds or anything yet,” she told him, bending down to pick up the smaller dog, while scratching the bigger one’s ears. She frowned at Arik. “And I’m paying you back too.”
With that announcement made, she turned and walked out of the barn, her new friends in her arms and by her side.
Chapter 4
“You’re not getting a pink leash,” Arik announced, putting the pink leash back and grabbing a black one.
“Yes, I am,” she replied, grabbing the pink one again and tossing it back into the shopping cart.
“I’m not walking a dog with a pink leash,”
he snapped.
Sage’s lips twitched with amusement, which she tried to hide from the man beside her. “Of course you’re not. I don’t think that your masculinity could handle walking a dog with a pink leash.” She turned and gazed up at Arik, devilment in her eyes. “In fact, I doubt you’re strong enough to even walk a female dog. That’s why…” she stopped when he wrapped an arm around her waist, hauling her against his rock hard chest.
“Just what, exactly, are you implying?” he asked, his voice low and threatening, but amusement sparkling in his eyes.
She shrugged, ignoring her breathlessness. “I wouldn’t dare to question your masculinity.” She purposely eyed the pink leash, then back up at him, lifting her eyebrows.
Why was she challenging him like this? Why wasn’t she backing away, like she usually did?
“Sounds like you are, little lady,” he replied back, leaning forward.
A bark down below startled them out of their back and forth. Sage was the first to pull back and look down at Xena, the name she’d decided on for the big German Shephard mix. “You agree, don’t you, Xena?”
Xena nudged Sage’s hand with her nose and whined softly. As she bent to scratch her ears, Sage gave Arik a knowing, “I told you so” smirk. A moment later, Sage spotted a cute toy for her new friends and hurried away to inspect it.
Arik looked down at the big dog. “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”
He wasn’t expecting a response, but Arik would have sworn Xena was laughing at him. “Moving on,” he sighed, pushing the cart along the aisle as Sage tossed various items into the growing pile of toys and treats. “You guys are going to be so spoiled.”
The tiny fur ball pranced along beside the big German Shephard, happy as a clam, and Xena seemed to allow the tiny little creature the illusion of being in charge.
A half hour later, Arik stood behind Sage as the cashier rang up their stash. He wasn’t surprised by the amount. Sage was going to baby those two like no one’s business! He wasn’t sure if her overspending was due to her enthusiasm and the newness might eventually wear off once she was more comfortable with what dogs really needed – such as love, affection, and security. Or if she would continue to buy more toys than any dog could ever play with. He also wondered about the need for two dog beds. He couldn’t imagine Sage forcing the dogs out of her own bed at night. Nope, she looked like one of those people who would encourage her dogs to sleep with her. The image of Xena and the Runt curled up around the two of them on the bed flashed behind his eyes. They would need a king sized bed, he thought.
Summer Heat (Wyoming Fever Book 2) Page 4