Chapter Six
It had taken me four long, long days to catch Aiden in person.
Sure, I knew it was a busy time of year for him.
Not as bad as spring when everyone’s animals were giving birth or late summer when it was fair check-up time, but he was still busy in the fall.
Probably because he was the only large animal vet within a several hundred-mile radius who also served as the veterinarian for the nearby Cherokee reservation.
I’d read many practitioners chose small animal care for several reasons like higher income potential, a better work/life balance, and more career opportunities.
There were also less chances for injury.
If a cat steps on your foot, no biggie, but if a twenty-five-hundred-pound Hereford bull tromps on your toes, you probably end up with broken toes.
So yeah, Aiden was always busy, it seemed.
So I did my best not to pester him with texts about talking to Baker.
Baker was busy too. We all were, and I knew a dog was low on the list for immediate action, but damn, I wanted to know what was going to happen.
It was five days tomorrow. Five days. Five days.
I kept whispering that over and over in my head as I sorted notes, with Lady by my side in the pit, after Wendy had gone home for the day.
I’d snuck the dog out of her pen to chill with me yesterday and today.
She was such a good dog. Pleasant, cuddly, just the perfect kind of pet for me.
Us. The ranch. Not just me. Everyone would call her their dog, which was fine, as long as she got to come home with us.
Giving her head a tender pat as she napped beside me on an old coat I’d found behind the seat of the farm truck, I yanked my mind from Lady to the paperwork.
“He’s a rambler,” I said out loud. Lady thumped her tail lazily, red and white snout resting on her front paws. She was still in the collar, which she seemed to have adjusted to for the most part. After Aiden had switched her to a larger, firmer cone. “He rambles on and on and on and on and—”
“You must be talking about Ricky Nelson,” Aiden said from the doorway.
Lady startled just like me, shooting to her feet, then, once she saw Aiden, trotted over to dance around for pets and hugs, which she got even while Aiden was telling her not to overexert herself.
It was pointless. Lady had a lot of energy. Like a lot. Even with butt stitches.
“I don’t know who that is,” I confessed, watching as he made his way through the maze of paper towers. Lady wasn’t quite as careful, clearing a few pages off a stack with her happy tail.
“Some singer my grandfather used to listen to,” he said, sitting down on my right with a mighty sigh. “It’s been a day. Why is she out of her pen?”
Lady came to lie down beside me, her nose on my knee. I had to pet her. How could a person not pet a dog that rested its head so trustingly on their leg?
“I took her out.” His sleek dark brow inched up.
“Yesterday. And today. After Wendy went home, I took her out, let her go outside to pee, and then brought her into the pit to keep me company. I didn’t think it was a big thing, but…
okay, well, I think I might have known I maybe shouldn’t because I did do it on the sly, but she needs to be out and with people so we can see how she acts. ”
His lips drew up at the corners. “And how has she been acting?”
“Properly. Just like a lady. Has anyone replied to any of the online lost dog posts you’ve made?”
Please don’t let anyone have replied. Please don’t let anyone have replied. Please don’t let anyone have—
That was really shitty of me. What if Lady had kids who were crying over her loss? I was terrible.
“No, no one.”
YES!!
“Which is super confusing, as she’s a nice dog.
Gentle. I’d wager she’s either slipped her collar or she’s possibly traveled a long distance.
I even reached out to Bill and Penny Long since they breed Red Merle Hanging Tree Cowdogs, but she’s not one of theirs.
They guessed by looking at her picture, she probably does have some border collie in her, maybe mixed with an Akita or a Shibu Inu, but that’s just guesstimating.
They’re going to share her picture around to their breeder friends, but as of tomorrow, I’m listing her as abandoned. ”
I turned to look right at him. It was one of the easiest things to do because he was so handsome. Those amber eyes of his made me breathe funny.
“Has Baker talked to you?” I made myself sit still. Lady wiggled around to keep to my side, her eye whiskers dancing as she looked from me to Aiden as if she knew we were talking about her and her future.
“He has, just about an hour ago.” He stretched out his long legs, his gaze grabbing and holding mine.
“You’ve got the prettiest sky-blue eyes.
” My chest grew warm. The heat rose up my neck to my face.
“And how damn charming is that blush? I don’t think I’ve ever met another man who blushed. It’s so appealing.”
“Uhm, thank you.” I wet my lips. “Uhm, so Baker. What did you say to Baker about Lady?”
He seemed to be searching my face for something. Did I have dirt on my nose? I hoped not.
“Sorry, I just…you’re very good-looking.”
“Thanks.” What did you say to such nice compliments? Mom always said to repay praise with kind words of your own. “You have nice hands.”
“Thank you. They serve me well in many different ways.” His gaze shifted down to my mouth and back to my eyes. “I probably shouldn’t admit this, but ever since I met you that first day at your ranch, I’ve wanted to take you out to dinner.”
That stalled me from asking about Baker and his conversation. “Tonight?” I’d not eaten since lunch other than a yogurt I’d found in the fridge where all the refrigerated medicine was kept under Wendy’s desk. It was only slightly outdated.
“Sure, if you want. I have lots of stuff in my fridge, and I’m damn good at grilling a steak. Interested?” My stomach spoke up for me since my brain was lost in the fog of dark brown eyes. Aiden chuckled gently. “I’ll take that for a yes. Come on.”
“Not until you tell me what you told Baker about Lady.” I had to force my butt cheeks to stay on the floor. It was hard. But as much as I wanted to go eat steak with Aiden, I wanted to know what the two of them discussed even more.
“He asked me what I thought about the dog. I told him so far I had seen no signs of aggressive behavior to anyone, and if she did go to the ranch to recuperate while we gave the searches online their due course, I would recommend a soft muzzle to start, coupled with a long check cord leash, like the ones Bill and Penny use when introducing their pups to cattle. This way, you can see if she is prone to going after the livestock safely. If she is, behavior modification can begin. Dogs can be taught not to go after livestock. It just takes patience, time, and a knowledgeable trainer.”
“So she can come to the ranch tomorrow. Tomorrow is day five.” I needed to be sure of what was being said here because…well, I just had to be sure.
“Yes, she can foster at Bastian Acres Ranch until either someone claims her or you all decide to adopt her.”
What happened next was pure adrenaline mixed with joy.
I pushed to my knees with a hoot and kissed Aiden right on the mouth.
Both hands cupping his stubbly face, I put my mouth on his.
Truly, it was just supposed to be a happy smacker, as my stepdad called those loud, silly smooches, but as soon as our lips touched, it became clear this was no goofy kiss.
This was something that made the world feel like it was sliding off-kilter.
When the kiss broke, I sat back down with a fwump as Aiden licked his lips as if he were cleaning them of something sweet.
“That was a pleasant surprise,” he gruffly said while I stared and nodded like a clump of sod. “Would you like to do it again or eat dinner?”
“Again, please,” I whispered, my lips tingling.
We both leaned in for another taste when Lady, who seemed to know the word dinner, jumped to her feet with a shrill bark.
It was enough to break whatever spell we were wound in, for Aiden blew out a shaky breath then hit me with that killer smile.
My head felt like it was stuffed with cotton floss, and my dick was stiffer than a number two pencil.
The dog gave me a fast, sloppy lick on the cheek as I sat there staring at Aiden’s beautiful face. “Maybe dinner instead?”
“Sadly, yes, the lady has expressed her wishes.” He gave Lady’s ears a playful ruffle before pushing to his feet and offering me his hand. “Let’s get some food into all of us and see what the night brings?”
That offer held all kinds of promise. I slapped my hand into his, allowing him to help hoist me to my scuffed boots. A moment passed as we stood among the piles of old notes, my hand in his, which felt incredibly important.
“Are you offering me dessert after dinner?” I asked and got a wicked half smile that I couldn’t quite read. A naughty part of me was poking me to add something like “dessert being sex” but the words clumped up behind my teeth.
“When you say dessert, do you mean dessert or do you mean dessert?” he asked before lifting my rough fingers to his lips to kiss my knuckles. “Are you down for sex?”
“Yes,” I blurted out. “Yes. Being naked with you would be better than chocolate cake.”
A strange sort of expression ran over him before it disappeared with the arrival of his naughty grin.
“I sense a but coming.”
“Getting naked. It’s kind of…I really like cake.”
For all the fucks, what was I saying?! Why did stupid shit fall out of me instead of suave cool shit?!
“What if we get naked and have cake?” His words were hot puffs of air dancing over my hand.
“That sounds messy.”