by Jaci Burton
“Which doesn’t affect his current level of activity,” Emma said. “He should be able to live a very active life. And my clinic will set you up with reminders for when he needs to come in for checkups.”
Zach’s heart ached for this dog. Wilson already felt like his.
“I’ll take him.”
Emma’s smile widened. “Excellent. Sorry about that, Josie.”
“Oh, don’t be. I’m very excited about Zach taking Wilson. There will be plenty more animals for me in the future.”
Josie crouched down on the floor in front of Zach. “You like him.”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Never had a dog before.”
“Okay, then, let me rephrase. You’re going to love him.”
Zach honestly didn’t know. But he was willing to give this dog a home. “We’ll see.”
“Yes, you’ll see.”
He stood and went with Emma to fill out paperwork for the rescue organization while Josie chatted with Marsha about some of the other animals at the rescue. Knowing Josie, Zach figured she’d probably bring six of them home with her. He wished he could be so at ease about animals like Josie, but he didn’t have the experience. He looked down at Wilson, who stared up at him with a look of utter trust.
I’ll do my best, buddy. But don’t expect much.
Since Emma could vouch for Zach, Marsha agreed to release Wilson to him, pending a house visit. Emma gave Zach Wilson’s health record, plus a list of things he’d need to buy, like food and stuff.
“Do you have a place for him to sleep?” Josie asked as she stood next to him.
“Uh, the floor?”
She rolled her eyes. “I meant a dog bed or a blanket or something.”
“Oh. No.” He hadn’t thought out every detail.
She looped her arm in his and leaned against him. Not the worst thing that had happened to him today.
“We need to go shopping.”
“We do?”
Josie nodded. “At the pet store. You need food and water and food bowls and toys and a dog bed and a crate and collar and a leash and …”
He tuned her out as they walked with Emma and Wilson to the front desk.
It looked like Sunday football was going to be delayed.
* * *
THEY WERE HAVING an epic trip to the pet store, and Josie was enjoying every moment of it.
She felt kind of bad about it, but she was especially enjoying Zach’s discomfort as he wandered every aisle, looking utterly clueless. It was clear he had no idea what to do with a dog. Wilson, on the other hand, seemed perfectly comfortable with Zach, staying by his side the entire time. She had no doubt Wilson would guide Zach on the details of having a dog.
Wilson was a huge hit at the pet store. It was clear he had loads of personality because no one could walk by him without stopping to comment or pet him.
Several single women stopped to pet the dog, and then gave Zach the once-over. Since Josie was wandering the aisles, she observed from a distance, and the women no doubt thought Zach was there by himself.
Josie wondered if Zach knew what a magnet a cute dog could be to a woman. Especially if said cute dog was attached to an extremely hot man like Zach.
He’d seemed oblivious to the women. Friendly, of course, because Zach was always friendly. But not flirtatious. She’d like to think it was because he was with her, since he kept glancing her way when he was talking with the other women.
Maybe it was time to step things up between them and act on those lurking desires that had been building for the past several months. After all, Zach was a hot commodity, and if she didn’t grab onto him, it was obvious someone else would. She was certain he’d be down for some fun, sexy action without commitment. Guys always were, right?
“He probably needs this,” Zach said as they wandered down the toy aisle.
Of course, it was a fuzzy toy football.
“I’m sure he’ll love it.”
Josie pulled a knotted rope from the rack, along with a rubber toy to fit treats inside. She also pulled some squeaky toys and chew bones.
“These should be good for a start,” she said. “Once you get to know him better, you’ll find out his likes and dislikes.”
“I thought dogs just liked to chew on things. Mostly shoes.”
She rolled her eyes. “You watch too much TV. First, Wilson is roughly four years old, so well past the puppy stage, and Marsha said as long as he has toys, he won’t chew on things he’s not supposed to.”
“Then I’ll make sure he has toys to chew on.”
Her lips lifted. “Smart man.”
“So, you’re coming to my place to help me get Wilson settled, right?”
“What? You’re inviting me to your secret lair in the woods?”
He frowned. A rather grumpy frown, too, but nevertheless he was still hot.
What would it take to make Zach look less hot? She doubted there was anything.
“Secret lair in the woods?”
“Yes. The women at school are convinced you’re some kind of hermit, or a maybe a survivalist who lives in the woods.”
“Wait. You and the other teachers talk about me?”
“I didn’t say I did. I just listen.”
“And they think I’m some kind of survivalist,” he said as he handed the most interested college-aged clerk his credit card.
“That’s one of the theories.”
“Why?”
She shrugged and followed behind him as he walked with Wilson to his SUV.
“I don’t know. Something about no one’s ever been invited to your place, so you’re keeping secrets out there.”
“Out there?”
“Yeah. Out there. Or wherever it is that you live.”
He looked around, then leaned in toward her. “Well, that’s bullshit. I’ve got nothing to hide. Which is why I invited you to follow me to my house.”
“For all I know, you’re going to keep me prisoner there.”
He rolled his eyes. “I promise to keep the door unlocked so you can flee at any time. So, are you gonna follow me?”
“Definitely. I can’t wait to see your survivalist camp or batcave or whatever you’ve got going on.”
He sighed, and she could tell he was exasperated. Good. She liked him off balance.
He put Wilson in the backseat and turned to face her. “Josie, I’m not harboring any secrets.”
She laid her hands on his chest. “I’m so disappointed, Zach.”
He shook his head, but his lips lifted. “So you’re coming?”
She certainly hoped that at some point in Zach’s company, she’d definitely be coming.
And hopefully soon.
Chapter 8
* * *
WELL, THIS WAS disappointing, and not in a bad way. Admittedly, Josie had whipped up some kind of house on a hill for Zach. A mansion maybe. Instead, he’d led her through long winding roads with beautiful fall scenery and tall trees until they’d gone through a gate and down a road toward some pretty impressive property that she assumed had to be his. Admittedly, she got a little excited when Zach pulled down the long driveway that was obscured by trees on either side. When they got past the thick woodlands, the property opened up onto a beautifully manicured lawn, a winding drive and a good-sized two-story ranch home with an amazing and cozy-looking wraparound porch.
It was perfect. Josie was kind of jealous that Zach had all this land.
It was definitely remote, though. There were other properties nearby, but it wasn’t the kind of neighborhood like hers where she could walk out her front door and wave to her neighbors.
He parked in front, and she parked behind him and got out. “This doesn’t look at all like a survivalist camp, Zach.”
“Not exactly sure what a survivalist camp is supposed to look like, but just in case you’re feeling any sense of trepidation, I can assure you I don’t have a commune of doomsday preppers hiding in the woods.”
She
offered up a smile. “I wasn’t the one who suggested those ridiculous things, but I’ll be sure to put the rumors to rest.”
He lifted Wilson from the backseat to set him on the ground, then looked over at her. “By telling people at school that you’ve been to my house? That’ll just start up a new crop of rumors.”
“Oh, right. I hadn’t thought of that.” She twisted her mouth as she thought about the rumor mill on that one, then shifted her gaze to Zach. “No one can know I’m here. You’re not going to tell anyone, are you?”
“My surveillance system has already captured you,” he said as he led her and the dog to the front door. “There’ll be video on my phone, and I’ll share it with everyone in the teachers’ lounge first thing in the morning.”
“That is not funny, Zach.”
“I thought it was.”
She knew he was joking, but the thought of being stared down by the more conservative teachers at the high school was horrifying.
Yes, she had friends at Hope High. Friends who wouldn’t care, who in fact encouraged her relationship with Zach. But there were others who would judge her.
She’d already been judged plenty in her lifetime, so she had zero interest in being the gossip topic of the month. Or, in the case of Zach and her getting together, it might be enough gossip to last the entire school year.
No, thanks.
Plus, she had her students to think about. Her kids meant the world to her. Not all of them loved her, but some relied on her, especially her AP students. Advance Placement classes were intense, and spending the school year with those kids was a lot of work on both sides. She wouldn’t let them down. They were her priority.
As she walked through the front door of Zach’s house, she was surprised. She’d expected …
She had no idea what she’d expected. Some … man house, she supposed. Dark and chrome and dripping testosterone.
This place was nice. It had medium-stain wood floors throughout, a ton of full-length windows to let in light, and the furniture wasn’t overly manly at all. Instead, the living room featured a pretty dark blue sectional and a decent-sized TV mounted over a beautiful porcelain tile fireplace. There were comfortable chairs, and the entire room felt welcoming.
It all looked expensive as hell.
“Can you take Wilson while I grab the other stuff out of the car?” he asked.
She pulled her attention from the designer living room and onto him and nodded. “Sure.”
After Zach left the room, Josie looked down at Wilson. “I don’t know what’s going on here, Wilson, but this place is huge, it looks expensive, and I’d say you landed yourself in some comfy digs.”
Wilson wagged his tail.
“Let’s go check out the kitchen.”
Since she had the dog on a lead, he had no choice but to follow. Which he did without balking. A good sign for Zach.
The kitchen was just as impressive, with a chef’s stove, an oversized island, a large-sized stainless fridge and freezer, gorgeous white quartz counters, and dark blue cabinets. It was the kind of kitchen anyone who loved cooking would own.
“Okay, I’ve got everything,” Zach said as he came back in. “I guess his food and water bowls should go in here?”
“Yes, they should. You should probably take him for a walk around the house first, and acclimate him to his surroundings.”
Zach’s lips lifted. “Is the house tour for Wilson or for you?”
She moved close and slipped her arm in his. “Both, of course.”
“Fine.” He leaned down and slipped the leash off the dog. “Come on, Wilson. Let’s check out your new digs.”
Josie watched as Wilson parked his butt on the kitchen floor.
“Wilson, let’s go,” Zach said, starting out of the room.
The dog just sat there and cocked his head to the side. Josie fought back a smile, and when Zach looked to her for help, she shrugged.
“What am I supposed to do now?” Zach asked.
“If it were me, I’d get down to his level and make friends with him.”
Zach frowned. “Didn’t I do that at Emma’s clinic?”
“It takes more than one attempt, Zach. He has to trust you to want to follow you.”
Zach heaved a sigh. “Fine.”
This whole day didn’t go like Zach had planned. He thought he’d go with Josie and help her pick out a dog. Kind of like his good deed for the day.
Instead, now he had a dog, and he was missing today’s games on TV.
Not that he was complaining. Wilson was cute as hell, but they needed to get things off on the right foot if he and the dog were going get along.
So he crouched down on the floor and eyeballed the dog.
“Look, Wilson. I’m new at this whole dog thing. I know this is probably strange and a little scary for you, too. So we’re in this together, you and me, right? We’re going to be best buds, but you gotta trust that I’m never gonna hurt you. And that means you have to go where I go, okay?” He finished off by rubbing Wilson’s back.
Zach was sure Wilson had no idea what he was saying, but when he stood and took a few steps back, the dog followed. And when he started out of the room, Wilson came along, staying right by Zach’s side.
Josie came up beside him. “You did that perfectly.”
“I don’t even know what I did.”
“You talked to him. Honestly. Affectionately.”
He laughed. “I did, huh?”
She grasped his arm, and he had to admit he really liked her touching him. “Zach. Dogs know when people are being genuine. And Wilson could tell by the tone of your voice. That’s how you’ll earn his trust.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
He gave Josie—and Wilson—a tour of the house. He took them upstairs, mainly to get a feel for how Wilson would take to the stairs.
The dog was tentative at first, taking the first couple of stairs slowly. But once he got the hang of it, he bounded up the rest of the stairs and barked at Zach and Josie from the landing.
Josie laughed. “I don’t believe there’s much that dog can’t do.”
“I don’t think so, either.”
There were three bedrooms upstairs, and two bathrooms, one for guests and the master. He noticed Josie made herself at home peering into all of the rooms.
He liked that she wasn’t hesitant. He wanted her to feel comfortable at his place. And when she stepped into his bedroom, he could already imagine her in his bed. Hell, it wasn’t the first time he’d thought about her in his bedroom. In his bed.
His jeans tightened, and when she turned around and gave him a heated smile, it didn’t help the current situation with his rapidly expanding dick.
“Nice room,” she said, then made her way into the master bathroom.
“Thanks.”
“Oh, you have a huge shower,” he heard her say.
And there went his imagination again. Josie, naked, in his shower, pressed against the wall, the water pouring over her while he …
He didn’t follow her into the bathroom because he needed a minute to get his overcooked visions under control.
When she came out, she grinned. “I’d love to take a steam shower in there sometime.”
“You’re welcome to get naked in any part of my house anytime you want to.”
Her gaze stayed on his and her lips lifted. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
She was making him sweat. He wondered if she was doing it on purpose.
He led her downstairs, keeping watch on Wilson, who took going down the stairs like a champ. Zach made sure to praise him at the bottom of the stairs, and the dog’s tail whipped back and forth.
Zach tended to spend most of his time downstairs, in the living room and the kitchen, along with his office where he worked out plays for the football team and graded papers. There was a bathroom on the first floor, and outside the French doors leading from the kitchen there was a great backyard with about five acres of land. Wilson
ran outside and sniffed everything.
After his sniffathon, Wilson peed on every shrub and tree until he had nothing left to sprinkle.
“I guess the backyard is his now,” Zach said.
Josie nodded. “Yes, it is. This is a great yard, Zach. I love the patio, and the outside kitchen is amazing. You must host some killer parties out here in the summer.”
“Thanks. And no parties. You’re actually the first person who has been here.”
She turned to him. “Really? Why?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I like my privacy.”
He caught the look of concern on her face.
“Oh no. If you didn’t want me here, you should have said something.”
“No, it’s not that, it’s just—”
“I was pushy, wasn’t I? I invited myself over. I’m really sorry. I had no idea you wanted to keep your home life private.”
“Josie, I—”
“I’ll just go.” She turned and started inside.
“Josie. Dammit. I invited you here, remember?”
She stopped. “Oh, that’s right, you did.”
“So relax, okay? How about something to drink? We’ll get all of Wilson’s stuff set up, and we can chill.”
“Okay.”
She helped him with Wilson’s water and food bowls—there was a great nook between the kitchen counter and the back door that was the perfect placement for the bowls. Zach led Wilson over there. The dog sniffed both bowls, took one bite of food, a couple of laps of water, then sat and stared at them.
Josie broke out a ball from the bag and rolled it across the floor. Wilson chased it, grabbed it, and hopped up onto the sofa.
“If you don’t want him on your furniture, now’s the time to let him know that,” she said.
Zach looked over at her. “Why wouldn’t I want him on my furniture? That’s where I hang out. He can sit there, too.”
Her lips quirked. “See, I knew there was a reason I liked you.”
“Only one reason?”
“What, you want a list?”
“A list would be good. You can start anytime.”