by Dylann Crush
He pulled away, keeping hold of her arms to steady her.
She wobbled slightly, already aching to feel his lips on hers again.
“Careful there.”
“I’m fine.” Another little white lie. “Why don’t you tie Buster up and let him dry in the sun while you . . . hey, where’s Buster?” Alex had let him go to wrestle the hose. Now the dog who typically spent all day every day lounging around had hightailed it out of sight.
“I’ll find him.” Alex stalked to the faucet and turned off the water. “Buster?”
Zina tucked Aurora back inside her kennel so she could help with the search. They had enough problems finding stray dogs around town. She couldn’t afford to have one of her pups go missing. What if he got picked up by someone who was involved with the dog-fighting ring? They might never see him again if that happened. Fear propelled her, fueling her desperation to find the missing dog.
“Why don’t you head that way and I’ll go this way? Alex pointed to the stand of trees that surrounded the warehouse.
“Call me if you find him?” She moved off in the opposite direction, no longer caring that her jeans stuck to her body and that her hair still dripped water down her shirt.
* * *
* * *
Alex shook his head. He’d really blown it this time. Not only did he give in to his attraction to the woman who’d been haunting his daydreams, but he’d lost her favorite dog. Despite Buster’s gastrointestinal problems, the dog had grown on him. If something happened to him because of Alex’s actions, not only would he never be able to forgive himself, but he may as well kiss any chance of kissing Zina again good-bye.
For some reason that bothered him. As he entered the stand of trees, brushing branches to the side, he vowed not to let thoughts of how it felt to finally kiss those full lips again get in the way of his goals. He needed this job. He needed the cash. He needed to get out of town before he got too attached.
“Buster! Where are you?” Branches swiped at his bare chest and arms as he wandered deeper into the trees. What if he didn’t find him? That wasn’t an option. “Come here, buddy.”
He stepped on a branch, causing a sharp snap. He’d never be able to hear anything if he kept barging through the bushes like a twenty-point buck. He slowed his pace, pausing every few feet to listen. A whimper came from his left. He picked through the underbrush, following the soft sounds until he reached the spot he thought they were coming from.
A fallen log blocked his path. He leaned down to peer inside. There was Buster, snuggled around a squirming pile of some sort of animal. Alex eyed the dog. “Come here, Buster. Come on out.”
The dog looked at him and curled up tighter, protecting whatever he’d wrapped himself around.
Alex pulled out his cell. He wasn’t about to stick his hand in there and get it bitten off. The phone rang once and then Zina was on the line.
“Did you find him?” Worry sliced through her voice.
“Yeah. He’s in a log and he’s got something with him.”
“Is he hurt?”
“I don’t think so. I’m sending you my location via text. Just follow the dot and you’ll find us.”
“Okay. I’m on my way. And, Alex?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome.” He disconnected and sent a quick text to mark his location on the map. While he waited for Zina to show, he knelt down to try to figure out what Buster was so keen on protecting. “Hey, bud, what have you got there?”
Looked like a nest of rats or something. Every once in a while one of them moved, causing the rest of them to squirm around. Alex’s stomach did the same, twisting and turning as he tried to figure out how they were going to get Buster out of the dead log without a fight.
Finally, the sound of Zina crashing through the woods reached him. “Alex? Where are you?”
“Over here.” He moved toward the direction of her voice until he caught sight of her. “He’s right here.”
“Thank goodness.” She reached for him as she got closer. “Where?”
Alex led her to the fallen log. “Down here. And he’s got something with him. I don’t know what they are but when I tried to get closer, he growled at me.”
Zina knelt down and looked in the tree. “Hey, Buster. What have you got there?”
The dog whapped his tail, a much different reception than the one Alex had received. What a fair-weather friend he had in Buster. Apparently Zina had the magic touch.
She ran a hand over the dog’s giant noggin. “Let me see.”
Buster lifted his head, revealing the pile of critters.
“Oh, Buster.” Zina pulled her hand back and pressed it to her chest.
“What?”
She looked up at him, shock registering on her face. “They’re puppies.”
“Puppies? Are you sure? They look like baby possums or rats or something. I would have been able to tell if they were puppies.”
“Have you ever been around newborn puppies?” she asked.
He didn’t have to think about that. No, he hadn’t. But he never expected puppies to look like rats.
“We’ve got to get them back to the shelter.” She gave Buster’s collar a gentle tug. “Good boy. We can take it from here.”
“What can I do to help?”
“Here, take Buster’s leash.” She handed him the end of the leash. Buster exited the log willingly. Even he could tell that Zina was better prepared to handle the situation. Smart dog.
“I wish I had something to put them in. They can’t be more than a couple of days old.” She glanced around. “I guess I’ll just carry them in my shirt.”
Alex’s lungs spasmed. If she took her shirt off, he’d lose it. He glanced away, studying some leaves on a nearby branch.
“There.” Zina turned to him, her shirt still in place. She held the bottom hem up, creating a little bit of a sling to carry the puppies back. “Let’s go.”
“What about the mom?” Alex hesitated. With puppies that young, there had to be a mama dog nearby.
“I don’t know. They look pretty tiny, so I’m not sure if she’s been around. If we want to save them, we need to get them back to the warehouse.”
“Okay. Lead the way.” He followed her through the trees, wondering how this might affect the timing on getting the dogs relocated. He hadn’t had a chance to count but there had to be at least four or five of the little critters.
Zina emerged from the woods and speed walked across the lawn to the warehouse. “I wish I had all of my stuff from the shelter.”
He held the door for her as she entered. “What do you need?”
“Well, we need to get them warmed up right away.” She nudged her chin toward a chair. “Sit.”
“You talking to me or the dog?” Alex asked.
“You. Sit down and hold a couple of them up against your chest.”
He slumped into the chair and let go of Buster’s leash. Zina handed him a squirming pup, who squealed as it was removed from the pile of its siblings. He cradled it in his arms. She handed over another one.
“How long do you need me to sit with them like this?” It wasn’t entirely unpleasant except for the way their tiny nails scratched against his pecs.
“Until I figure out what to do. I’ve got formula over at the shelter. I’ve got to go back.”
“Isn’t there somewhere closer?”
“I guess I can grab some from Coop. These pups need to eat.”
“I’ll go.” Alex stood, juggling the two pups in his arms. “You stay here and I’ll go get what you need.”
“You sure?” She’d set the other pups down on a towel and pulled a heating pad out of a box.
“Yep. Just let me grab my shirt. You make a list and I’ll get everything you tell me to, okay?”
For the first time in as long as he could remember, he wanted to help. And not just do enough to get himself out of an uncomfortable situation, but really, truly help someone in need.
“Okay.” Zina took the pups and placed them on the towel with their siblings. He counted six. Six more dogs that would need to be moved. How did she do it? As soon as it looked like she was making progress, some other dogs would show up and she’d have to start all over again. He shook his head as he walked toward the door.
Thirty minutes later he’d run to the store and come back with everything Zina had on the list. She took the two bags of supplies and started barking orders. He followed her lead as she mixed up formula and began to feed the pups.
“Give me one, I can help.” He held out his hands and she set a tiny black-and-white puppy in his palm.
“They’re going to want to wolf it down but you’ve got to make sure they go slow. Otherwise they’ll just get sick.”
Minutes passed, then hours. He went back and forth between feeding one pup and then trading it out for another. By the time they’d all been fed, it was time to start over again.
Zina was relentless . . . kept plugging away, taking a break every now and then to feed and exercise the other dogs.
Alex wasn’t going to be the reason one of the pups didn’t make it, so he kept up with his job.
After she’d gotten the other dogs taken care of she joined him on the warehouse floor, where she’d spread out a few layers of blankets. She’d settled the pups in a laundry basket with the heating pad underneath, then collapsed on the blanket next to him and let her head rest on his shoulder.
“I hope they all make it.” She let out a sigh that sounded like it contained all of her frustration.
He tilted his head, resting his cheek against her hair. “They will. They’re lucky they’ve got you in their corner.” With her fighting for them, he couldn’t believe they wouldn’t make it.
“I’m so tired.” She nestled closer.
He put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her down to where her head rested in his lap. “Why don’t you try to get some sleep?”
“I can’t. I’ve got to make sure those puppies make it through the night.”
“I’ll keep an eye on them. I promise I’ll wake you up if I need you for anything.”
She shook her head. “I can’t let you do that.”
“Tell you what. It’s uncomfortable as hell out here. Why don’t we bring the pups in the house and I’ll watch them while you rest?”
Her eyes closed. He almost laughed. He bet he could get her to do just about anything while sleep tugged at her consciousness.
“Come on.” He got up and put his hands under her armpits to tug her to a standing position. She didn’t resist.
“Okay, but only for a little bit.”
“Whatever you say.” He tucked the feeding supplies into the laundry basket and picked it up. With the basket on his hip and one arm wrapped around Zina, he led the way through the dim lighting of the warehouse and across the drive to the house. The lights were off on the lower level, which meant Gramps had turned in.
Alex opened the front door and led Zina up the stairs to the bedroom he’d been using. He herded her toward the bed. She fell onto it, already asleep. He set the basket down and slipped her shoes off her feet. Then slid her lower half under the covers.
By the time he plugged the heating pad in and made sure the pups were settled, it was time for another feeding. This had to be worse than handling a newborn. It was like a newborn times six. He did kind of like it though. Three girls and three little boys. While he held the smallest one in his arms and dropped the formula into its mouth, it let out a contented sigh.
Maybe he could get used to caring for something else. If he wasn’t ready to deal with people yet, he could find enough space in his heart for an animal.
He settled the last pup back in the basket, changed out the towel for a clean one, and then wondered whether or not he should go downstairs to try to catch a few winks on the antique sofa. As he leaned over to turn off the bedside lamp, Zina cleared her throat.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
sixteen
Zina patted the bed next to her. “You look like you’re about to drop. Why don’t you lie down for a little while?”
“Here?” His eyebrows shot up.
“No. In the warehouse.” The corner of her mouth ticked up. “Of course here.”
“I didn’t want to disturb you. You looked so peaceful.” He leaned against the bed.
“You’re not disturbing me. The only thing I’m disturbed about is figuring out where those pups came from. Now sit.” She patted the bed again.
“Fine. But the next feeding is in an hour.” He washed his hands in the bathroom sink, then sat down on top of the comforter.
She flipped over to face him. “I’ll take that one. You need to rest.”
He yawned as he leaned back onto the pile of pillows. “I don’t mind. It’s been . . .”
“What?” She propped her head up on her hand, eager to hear his take on caring for the pups. “It’s been what?”
His eyes closed and he clasped his hands over his abs. “Kind of fun. They’re so helpless and needy. I’ve never held an animal’s life in my hands like that. They’re so dependent on us.”
Zina nodded. “You’re going to be taking care of the penguins though.”
“That’s different. The penguins I’ve worked with weren’t babies. Those puppies are just a few days old. It’s thrilling and terrifying, all at once.”
She felt like that every day about the dogs she cared for. It was a constant ache inside that only softened when she was able to find one of her dogs a new home. She wondered if Alex would still feel that way after he lost a pup. She’d learned over the years that she couldn’t save them all.
A hint of a smile played across his lips as his breathing regulated. She wouldn’t ruin it for him. He might find out soon enough that loss played a big part in her chosen line of work. She set her alarm for an hour and closed her eyes. Visions of Alex and puppies played through her head. She opened her eyes again. He wasn’t going to stick around long enough to see them grow. Why was she so hung up on the guy?
The bedside lamp cast a warm glow around them, making her feel like it was just the two of them. Being nestled away in this corner of the Phillips House, where no one knew where she was, gave her a certain sense of boldness. That had to be the reason she reached out and ran her finger along his arm. He sighed in his sleep and turned onto his side to face her.
She watched his chest move with his breath, imagining what it might feel like to snuggle up against him. How the sexy five-o’clock shadow might scratch across her skin. How his arms might wrap around her like they did earlier. As she lay there, her fantasies playing out in her mind, he cracked an eyelid.
“What are you doing?”
Caught off guard, she felt a wave of heat flush her cheeks. “Nothing. I couldn’t sleep. Did I wake you?”
“Nah.” He rolled onto his back and tossed his arm over his head.
He’d taken off his shirt again while he was feeding the pups, and she let her gaze roam over his defined abs, the bulge of his biceps. A prickly sensation started in her gut and moved downward as she took in the sight of him.
“You should get some rest. You haven’t slept at all yet,” she said.
“That’s true. But I can’t sleep.”
“Why not?”
“Honestly?” He tilted his head to face her.
She nodded, both afraid to hear what he might say and eager to see if he would admit to having the same kinds of thoughts about her that she’d been having about him.
“I keep thinking about that kiss.”
The sensation in her gut expanded, sending heat radiating throughout her core. “Me
, too.” Her voice came out soft.
“Really?” He tucked his elbow under his head and rolled over on his side.
“Yeah.” The admission came out much too easy. But the ball was in his court. While she waited to see what he’d do about it, her pulse kicked up.
“Any chance you might want to do it again?”
She bit down on her lip to prevent herself from shouting out her agreement. It wouldn’t do her any good to get involved with a guy like Alex. He’d be leaving as soon as he could—he’d told her that much himself. Not to mention both of them needed to put all of their focus and efforts into pulling off the wedding. There was no time for a fling.
But instead of shooting him down and making a case for why it would be an epically bad idea, she reached out and ran her fingers over his jaw. He closed his eyes as she traced the contours of his cheek, grazed his eyelids, and settled on his mouth.
His lips parted and he nipped the tip of her pointer finger. A jolt of desire slammed into her core. Any resistance she clung to disappeared as he sucked her finger into his mouth, surrounding it with wet heat. She let out a little moan.
He sucked hard and she couldn’t help but imagine what it might feel like if he focused his mouth on another part of her anatomy. One much lower and more sensitive than where he’d currently zeroed in his attention. She scooted closer to him and pulled her finger from his mouth before she pressed her lips to his. Warmth flooded her system as his hand went to her hair.
She flung her arm over his side and ran her fingers up the smooth skin of his back. His shoulder rolled, and then he flipped her onto her back to hover over her, his muscles flexed. She put her hands on his biceps, enjoying the way they strained to support his weight. The whole time his mouth met hers, his tongue seeking a way past her lips.
As her heart beat double time she opened for him. His tongue scorched hers, then he lowered himself next to her. One arm went around her back, pulling her close, while the other played over her shirt. His fingers raced up her ribs, leaving a trail of goose bumps. She shivered as her need doubled, tripled, making her bolder. She shifted her leg, sliding it between his. Her feet moved up and down his calves as her knee slid even higher.