Kinsley glanced at her watch and was surprised that nearly an hour had gone by. Dylan would be here any minute. She quickly changed into a pair of custom-tailored designer jeans and a chic blue and white blouse. After kicking off her heels, she reached into her tote and pulled out her favorite booties, but before slipping them on recalled his advice to wear sneakers. She hadn’t worn them since she was a kid. Maybe Aunt Cora had a pair in the closet.
A wave of sadness washed over her, and she brushed away a tear as she looked at the elderly woman’s clothes. There were numerous pairs of slacks and polo shirts. Very few skirts or dresses. Cora had lived a casual lifestyle; the complete opposite of Kinsley’s style-conscious one. At the back of the closet, she found a pair of white canvas sneakers that fit her perfectly.
Before heading downstairs, she went into the master bath to freshen up her make-up and found that room also needed a redo. Tiles were cracked, the sink and cast-iron bathtub were discolored and dingy, and when she turned on the faucet, water shot her in the face. She grabbed a towel from the rack behind her and at the same time tried to turn off the faucet. However, the handle broke, causing water to spray everywhere. She quickly wrapped the towel around the spout, which only resulted in drenching her blouse and creating a fountain. So far this trip has been a nightmare. I can’t wait to go home.
Kinsley got down on her knees and tried to turn off the valve under the sink, but it wouldn’t budge. “Great! What now?” she cried, reaching for another towel and then attempting to dry off.
She’d just wiped her face when there was loud knocking at the front door. Thank goodness Dylan was here! Without bothering to change her wet shirt, she raced down the stairs and then flung open the door.
His fist was in mid-air, ready to knock again, but when he spotted her, he dropped his arm to his side. “The doorbell doesn’t work.”
“Of course it doesn’t. Nothing in this place works.”
He looked at her blouse and said sarcastically, “I like to bathe without my clothes on.”
“Very funny,” she replied, not caring that her bra was visible through the drenched fabric. All she cared about was getting the water turned off. “Come on. I need your help.” She led the way up to the bathroom. “The handle broke off the faucet, and there’s water everywhere.”
“I can see that,” Dylan remarked while standing in a puddle. A moment later, he was on the floor checking out the sink. Muscles rippled under his white shirt as he turned the knob clockwise, fully tightening the valve until the water supply was shut off. “That’ll work for now, but you need to get a plumber in here soon.”
“I need an entire demolition crew.”
“More work than you thought it would be?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Everything has happened so fast.”
“ABR Construction is good. They can handle all your needs. I’ll give Paul Clemons, the owner, a call if you’d like.”
“I’d really appreciate that. I’m not familiar with anyone around here so I wouldn’t know who to contact.”
“I’m happy to help out too wherever I can.”
“You turned that valve with no trouble at all when I couldn’t even get it to budge, makes me think you’re going to be quite handy to have around.”
He flashed her a smile that exposed a row of even white teeth. “I like to think so. I’ll wait downstairs while you change your shirt…again.”
She laughed. “I’m not the only one who got wet. Look at your jeans.” Her gaze wandered down to his slim hips and muscular thighs. She was acutely conscious of his tall, athletic physique.
“Don’t worry about me. I work outside with animals. A little water is nothing.”
Kinsley walked into the bedroom and took a light blue polo out of the closet. “I’ll only be a minute.”
“No rush. I’m yours for the rest of the day,” he answered before heading downstairs.
The way he said that made her cheeks warm and she was glad he’d left the room before seeing her blush. Kinsley took off her wet blouse, tossing it on top of the one with the dirty paw prints, then she slipped the polo shirt over her head and caught a whiff of Aunt Cora’s cologne. It smelled like toasted coconuts and whipped cream. She clenched her jaw to kill the sob in her throat. This wasn’t a good time to get emotional. Not with Dylan waiting to show her around the sanctuary. Kinsley sucked in a deep breath before joining him in the foyer.
“Now you look ready for the tour,” he said as they headed outside.
“This shirt belonged to Cora. I’m a city girl through and through. I don’t know anything about dressing for the country.”
“You’ll learn,” he replied with a sideways glance.
“Are you assuming I’ll be spending time here?”
He looked pointedly at her. “Call it wishful thinking.”
She lifted her chin and boldly met his stare. “I have a business to run.”
“King Realty.”
She raised her brows at him
“Cora mentioned it.”
“She did?”
“Many times. She was very proud of you.”
Kinsley bit her lip as terrible regret assailed her at not having made time for her aunt. “Where are we going first?” she asked, quickly changing the subject.
“To the black bear enclosure.”
“Hewey’s still here?”
“Of course. And doing quite well for an old guy, aside from a heart murmur and some fluid on his lungs. He’s on antibiotics and water tablets.”
“He’s always been one of my favorites.”
Dylan smiled at her. “Mine too.”
As they walked, she took note that the grass needed cutting and the crumbling walkways could use repairs. It was a shame she hadn’t known about Cora’s money problems. Kinsley would’ve gladly helped with Forever Wild’s expenses. It wouldn’t have cost much to have had a lawn and maintenance service keep the place well-tended. Certainly nowhere near what she was going to have to spend now.
As they approached the bear enclosure, Hewey came over to them, and Kinsley instinctively stepped back.
“There’s a misconception about these guys. If a bear approaches you, it’s usually out of curiosity. In Hewey’s case, he’s come over because he loves the attention,” Dylan said, sticking his fingers through the fencing to scratch the animal’s side as it rubbed against the wire. “Black bears aren’t territorial toward people like dogs can be. However, I don’t recommend touching wild bears as they can react out of fear with a nip or a slap, but chances of being killed by one are so slim, you have a greater chance of being struck by lightning.”
“Thanks for educating me.”
He grinned. “You’re welcome. It’s second nature for me to dispel some of the myths that are spread about many of these wonderful creatures.”
“I suppose that includes pit bulls too.” She remembered how he’d said the breed gets a bum rap.
His smile grew wider. “Especially pits. Sunny was about to be put down when I rescued him. You couldn’t ask for a sweeter or more loyal dog.”
“Were you always an animal lover?” she asked as they headed over to see the bobcats.
His cobalt-blue eyes twinkled as he looked over at her. “Yep. As a kid, I was always bringing home some kind of stray or rescuing something injured, like the time I brought a sparrow into the house thinking it was hurt.”
“But it wasn’t?”
“Apparently not. It had fallen out of a tree but must’ve only been stunned because the second I set it down, it took off, flying from room to room. I had a heck of a time getting it out. Wound up using a fly swatter to guide it out the front door.”
“Your parents must’ve loved that.” She covered her mouth to stifle her laughter.
“Just one of many things they weren’t pleased about.”
She detected a hint of censure in his tone, making her wonder what else he was referring to, but it wasn’t her place to ask.
“How
about you? Are you an animal lover?” The rich timbre of his voice was back.
It was hard to know how to answer that question. Especially, with him watching her so closely. “I don’t dislike animals. I just don’t know much about them… The only memories I have are from my times here with Aunt Cora, but I was so young, many of those are quite foggy. And the last time, when I was in my early twenties, was right after my mom’s death, so I didn’t pay much attention to the animals.”
His handsome face was reserved, and it was a minute before he responded. “You must’ve had a pet while growing up.”
“No. Not even a hamster.”
“I’m sorry.” There was a long pause before he added, “And now you own a wildlife sanctuary.”
Kinsley was glad that they’d arrived at the enclosure. She wasn’t ready to tell him that she planned to sell it.
Two brown spotted bobcats were lounging in a den. When Dylan entered the enclosure, one came out. It was about twice the size of a domestic cat with a ruff of fur around the sides of its face and black tufts at the tops of its ears. “This is Sugar,” he said walking over to where Kinsley stood on the other side of the fence. The cat rubbed against his leg as he spoke. “She was seized from someone who’d been keeping her as a pet. The other one, Spice, was found at the side of the road. He’d been shot in the leg, and I think he’s holding a grudge against people because he’s not as friendly.” As if knowing he was being talked about, the male bobcat poked his head out of the den.
“They’re beautiful,” Kinsley said, while she watched Dylan interact with them. “And you’re amazing. As at ease in there as Aunt Cora was.”
“Thanks. That means a lot. Especially, coming from you. I had great respect for her.”
Their eyes met, and she felt a shock run through her. “What’s next,” she asked, quickly looking away.
“We’ll go pay Prickle the porcupine a visit. Do you know they’re the second-largest rodent in North America?”
“I didn’t know that.”
“Then I guess you wouldn’t know what the largest is.”
“You’re right about that. I have no idea.”
“It’s the beaver.”
As they walked, he filled her in on more fun facts like there were twenty-nine different species of porcupines found throughout the world, and they occur in shades of brown, gray, and white. She also learned that they’re mostly nocturnal, but sometimes are active during the day.
Kinsley got lucky because when they arrived, Prickle was sitting on a tree branch chewing on some bark. After watching him for a little while, they moved on to the birds of prey, where she saw a red-tailed hawk, peregrine falcon, northern harrier, and a gorgeous bald eagle that perched on Dylan’s arm.
She also viewed a variety of owls, such as the endangered short-eared, barred owl, great horned, saw-whet, screech, and the barn owl—her favorite because of its haunting look.
“I really enjoyed that,” she said as they walked by the brick-red ranch-style house that belonged to Dylan. She tried not to be obvious that she was scoping it out. She needn’t have worried because his gaze was focused on the enclosure ahead.
“I have a surprise for you,” he said as they passed a pack of gray wolves. “That’s Nadia.” He pointed to the one in front. Her magnificent golden eyes were fixed on him. “Cora raised her from a pup. I’ve been making sure to spend a lot of time with her, so she doesn’t get depressed. Next to her is Akira, then Loki, Luna, Maya, and Baron.”
“How do you tell them apart?”
“It’s easy. If you look closely, there are slight variations in color and markings to their fur. And their personalities are quite unique.”
Kinsley remembered how much her aunt loved the wolves and it was apparent that Dylan did too. She followed him into a barn and let out a squeal as three adorable wolf pups came scampering over to her. Two others were running around a bale of hay.
“These are Loki’s pups. A usual litter is four to six but can be up to fourteen. The most we’ve had was twelve. They were Maya’s and it was insane for a while.”
“I’ll bet.” Kinsley leaned over but was hesitant to pet the wolf pups.
Dylan picked one up and held it in front of her. “It’s okay. You can touch him. This is Wizard. He’s smart as a whip.”
Kinsley’s fingers gently brushed over the animal’s soft fur, and her heart melted when its beautiful eyes met hers. “They’re blue. I thought they’d be amber.”
“These pups aren’t quite eight weeks old. They should be changing soon, though. Anytime between now and sixteen weeks.” When his gaze shifted to her, there was a warmth in his smile that echoed in his voice. “Did you ever think you’d be face to face with a wolf pup?”
Her breath caught in her throat. “No. Never… It’s amazing.”
“It’s something you’ll never forget. I still remember my first time. It’s what made me decide to work with animals.”
“I can see why it would.”
After he set the pup down, he took hold of her arm to lead her over to where the others were rolling around on their bed. His touch sent her heart hammering, and she was happy when a couple of interns came in to feed the pups and take their measurements. They watched for about thirty minutes before heading over to the cougar enclosure where she met Ella. After that Dylan showed her some of the forest areas, explaining that scientists and grad students conducted research there three days a week. It was something he felt strongly about and had convinced Cora to allow.
“You must be hungry,” Dylan said as they walked back to the house.
“I hadn’t really thought about it.”
“Don’t tell me you’re one of those women who doesn’t like to eat.”
“What does that mean?”
“I’m talking about women who care more about how they look than their health. All skin and bones.”
“Well, clearly that’s not me.”
He laughed. “You’re far from heavy.”
“I call it just right.”
He looked her over with a smile. “I do too. How about we grab a bite at Shorty’s? It’s the best place in town. Their ribs are fantastic.”
“I’ll take your word for it, but I don’t eat meat.”
“Their mac and cheese is homemade and a state blue-ribbon winner.”
He must’ve seen her face and known she was thinking of the carbs because he added, “They have salads too.”
“Your offer is tempting, and I’m sure there’s nothing to make at the house. Not that I could cook anyway.”
“You’re not good in the kitchen?”
She scrunched up her nose. “Nope. Not even a little.”
“Is it okay if I admit I’m not surprised? I’ll bet most city women don’t cook.”
She gave him a narrowed glinting glance. “It’s not right to prejudge a whole group of people.”
A flush crept up his neck and onto his face. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Guess I should’ve said only those city women who care more about their career than anything else.”
She wondered why he sounded so bitter. It probably had something to do with her not coming to visit Aunt Cora, but her gut was telling her there was more to it than that. “I’ll excuse your insults, and join you at Shorty’s, but only if you promise not to shower me with any others.”
“I promise.”
Kinsley had been hoping to talk to him about his property before heading back home in the morning and dinner seemed like the perfect place to do it. Now she just had to figure out how to get him to sell. That wasn’t going to be an easy task to be sure.
Chapter 6
Dylan waited for Kinsley to go up the big, old Victorian’s porch steps and then shut the front door firmly behind her before heading over to his house to change for dinner. There were coyotes in the woods around the house and dusk was the typical time for them to come out to scavenge for food. He doubted one would bother a human, but if Kinsley were to scream or start wavi
ng her arms, that could be misconstrued for aggression. Better to be safe and wait a minute longer for her to go inside.
Thirty minutes later, he was back at her house, having changed into a fresh shirt and jeans. When she came out, his mouth dropped open. Kinsley had on a floral print dress, a denim jacket, and a pair of well-worn brown leather boots. To say she looked amazing was an understatement. Dylan jumped out of the pick-up truck and ran around to the passenger side to open her door.
After she slid in, she said, “So what do you think? Is this country enough? Will I fit in at Shorty’s? I don’t want to look like a city slicker.” Her laugh was natural, not forced like it sometimes was, and he hoped to hear more of it.
“You look perfect. I knew you had it in you. I just didn’t know if you’d let it out. Glad to see that you did.”
She grinned. “I’ll have you know it wasn’t easy. Took some doing to put this all together. The dress is mine, but the denim and the boots were Cora’s.”
“I don’t know if you’re going to want to hear this, but I’ve no doubt you’re going to stand out like a thumb smashed by a hammer.”
The heavy lashes that shadowed her cheeks flew up. “Heavens! Is that good or bad?”
His gaze held her chocolate eyes until they turned dark as coal. “It’s very good. There won’t be a woman there who’ll hold a candle to you. I guarantee it.”
“Well, thank you very much, Mr. Reese. I prefer your compliments way more than your insults.”
As Dylan drove to the restaurant, he had a hard time keeping his eyes on the road. Especially, when Kinsley leaned back in her seat and gave him a nice glimpse of her very shapely legs. Darn, she was a good-looking woman. If he hadn’t been soured by his last relationship, she’s the kind of woman a guy could easily fall for, but Tori had taught him that opposites should not attract. A city gal and a country guy don’t work, even if that guy had grown up in the city. And this guy’s heart belonged to the outdoors. No one could change that. His ex-girlfriend had certainly tried, but when he refused to leave the sanctuary in Minnesota where he’d gone to work right after college, she left him and returned to her parent’s home in Minneapolis. Shortly after that, he learned that she was engaged to an investment banker. Sure didn’t take her long to move on to someone else.
No Time for Love: No Brides Club, Book 1 Page 3