Chapter 15
ZINA
I hooked the leash to Buster’s collar and handed it to Alex. “We’ll take this slow. Some of the dogs don’t enjoy having a bath but I want them all to look their best for Saturday, so try, okay?”
Alex took the end of the leash and looped it over his hand. “Can you tell me which ones don’t like to get wet?”
He looked so unsure of himself I wanted to laugh out loud. But I didn’t want to scare him off, so I bit back my grin. “I’ll give you the easy ones.”
“Gee, thanks.” He appeared to be less than thrilled at the task ahead. I didn’t blame him. Bathing the dogs was a pain in the ass and I usually relied on my volunteers to take on the brunt of it. But with so many dogs to take care of, they were busy walking and feeding the ones who remained inside.
“Buster loves his baths. He’ll be a good one to start with.” I leaned over and scratched the big lug behind his good ear. “You take it easy on Captain Jaybird, okay?”
Buster’s tail thumped against the grass in agreement.
I wished someone would open their hearts to him.
He’d been at the shelter the longest, about six months at that point.
He wasn’t the cutest dog we had available.
Not with his shredded ear and the scars crisscrossing his nose.
But he was one of the sweetest, despite his tendency to let loose a little extra flatulence every once in a while.
“Here goes nothing.” Alex moved over to where I’d hooked up the hose. He turned it on and began to spray Buster.
I laughed as the dog jumped and spun, trying to bite the spray of water.
Then I turned to get the next dog out of her crate.
The young female that Dolly named Aurora didn’t seem too sure about a bath based on the way she cowered at the back of her kennel.
“It’s okay, sweetie. I think you’ll like it. ”
I carried the pup out to where Alex stood with his hands full of soapsuds. Buster must have had at least a few inches of bubbles coating his back. He looked like an abominable snowman under all the white. “You might want to go easy on the shampoo.”
“Yeah, I figured that out after I’d sudsed him up,” Alex said. “You’re right, he seems to be enjoying himself.”
The dog stood still, his eyes half-closed like he’d reached some state of internal Zen. Alex turned the spray on to rinse him off. When he was done, I took the hose and he grabbed a towel to run over Buster’s back.
“Your turn, little girl.” I set Aurora down on the grass and turned the water pressure down so just a small dribble of water came out of the end. The pup sniffed at it. Her curiosity was a good sign. I held it out to her while her pink tongue lapped at the water.
“You’re really good with her.” Alex moved closer, Buster’s leash in his hand.
“Lots of practice with scared animals unfortunately.” I held my hand up to shade the sun and take a look at him. His shirt was soaked through thanks to Buster. While I watched, he lifted the hem and pulled it over his head.
“Didn’t think I’d get so wet.” He turned and flung his shirt onto a bench.
I drew in a deep breath as my gaze roamed over the defined muscles of his back. What did the man do to keep cut like that? Life wasn’t fair. I’d give just about anything to run my hands over those shoulders.
“Everything okay?” He’d turned and was making his way back to me.
“Huh?” Pulled from my illicit musings, I glanced down. The pup had moved, meaning I’d been dripping water onto my jeans for the past several moments, creating a nice wet patch at the apex of my thighs. “Oh no.”
I immediately tossed the hose to the ground, which released the kink I’d formed to make the water flow slower. The hose twisted and turned, spraying water everywhere.
“Catch it.” I reached for it, coming up empty-handed.
Alex let go of Buster’s leash and stepped on the hose, then bent to grab it with both hands. His laughter bounced off the building and echoed around me. “I got it.”
“Good job.” Embarrassment flooded my face with heat. Even though water dripped down my hair and I shivered slightly, my cheeks flamed.
“What happened?” He kinked the hose again, preventing the water flow.
“I don’t know. I guess I was distracted.”
“Mmm.” His brow furrowed. “By what, exactly?”
Oh hell, he knew I’d been checking him out.
I could tell by the hint of humor that sparked in his eyes.
Nice eyes. Eyes I wouldn’t mind gazing into for a few minutes or a few hours or even a lifetime.
Best not to go there. I shook off any warm fuzzies that threatened to encroach on my bubble of safety.
“I think Buster must have let one rip.”
“So you were distracted by the farting dog?” He moved closer.
“He’s really got a problem. Have you heard him? I think it’s why he hasn’t been adopted yet.”
“I didn’t hear it.” He moved even closer, his hand reaching for mine. “I think you’re lying.”
I bristled. I might exaggerate or stretch the truth from time to time, but I wasn’t a liar. At least I hadn’t been until I met him. My stomach clenched. He’d called me out and I’d fibbed. Time to own it. “Fine. He didn’t fart. I was distracted by something else.”
“What?” He moved past the invisible barrier I’d erected to keep people out of my personal bubble. Nothing happened. Where had all of my defenses gone? In that moment I realized I was powerless against this man with the blue-green eyes and amazing abs.
I huffed out a breath and glanced to the ground. “You. Happy?”
He put a finger under my chin, searing the spot where he touched me. Nudging my chin up, he forced me to meet his gaze. “So you’re saying I distracted you?”
I rolled my eyes. “Yes, fine. You distracted me.”
“Wow. If taking off my shirt affected you that much, I wonder what this might do.” He leaned in, pressing his lips to mine.
I stumbled forward but he caught me, his arms clasping around me like a vise.
I’d always considered myself immune to men.
Sure I enjoyed their attention sometimes, but I’d always been able to put attraction aside when necessary.
Like most things in my life, I made it bend to my will.
But there was no controlling the surge of desire that overwhelmed me as he took the kiss deeper.
His tongue ran over my lips, making them part like he held the secret key.
I fought against it even while my arms wrapped around his midsection, pulling him tighter against me.
I battled the desire to melt into him even as I angled my head to give him better access.
What was happening to me? I’d never been so powerless when it came to controlling my attraction.
He pulled away, keeping hold of my arms to steady me.
I wobbled slightly, already aching to feel his lips on mine 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?”
I tucked Aurora back inside her kennel so I could help with the search.
We had enough problems finding stray dogs around town.
I couldn’t afford to have one of my pups go missing.
What if he got picked up by someone who was involved with the dog-fighting ring?
We might never see him again if that happened.
Fear propelled me, fueling my 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?” I moved off in the opposite direction, no longer caring that my jeans stuck to my body and that my hair still dripped water down my shirt.
Alex
I shook my head. I’d really blown it this time.
Not only had I given in to my attraction to the woman who’d been haunting my daydreams, but I’d lost her favorite dog.
Despite Buster’s gastrointestinal problems, the dog had grown on me.
If something happened to him because of my actions, not only would I never be able to forgive myself, but I may as well kiss any chance of kissing Zina again goodbye.
For some reason that bothered me. As I entered the stand of trees, brushing branches to the side, I vowed not to let thoughts of how it felt to finally kiss those full lips again get in the way of my goals. I needed this job. I needed the cash. I needed to get out of town before I got too attached.
“Buster! Where are you?” Branches swiped at my bare chest and arms as I wandered deeper into the trees. What if I didn’t find him? That wasn’t an option. “Come here, buddy.”
I stepped on a branch, causing a sharp snap.
I’d never be able to hear anything if I kept barging through the bushes like a twenty-point buck.
I slowed my pace, pausing every few feet to listen.
A whimper came from my left. I picked through the underbrush, following the soft sounds until I reached the spot I thought they were coming from.
A fallen log blocked my path. I leaned down to peer inside. There was Buster, snuggled around a squirming pile of some sort of animal. I eyed the dog. “Come here, Buster. Come on out.”
The dog looked at me and curled up tighter, protecting whatever he’d wrapped himself around.
I pulled out my cell. I wasn’t about to stick my 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.”