Chapter Fifteen #2
“A guy versus being a woman?” Dakota watched Tank circle, then lay down between him and Rylee, putting a paw on each of their feet, like they were all holding hands. “Why's that?”
“Well, Neesa and I would have helped regardless,” Rylee said, “but women don’t have the same presentation as men.
It was easy to see what was happening to Benny.
On women, it’s not very obvious. And once it is obvious, ladies are twenty-five percent less likely to get CPR than men.
A woman would have likely died had she been in Benny’s straits. ”
Dakota scowled. “Are you serious about that?”
“She is.” Neesa gestured toward her chest. “Boobs.”
“Which can be intimidating,” Dakota offered up a half smile.
“Life-threatening under such circumstances, unfortunately,” Neesa said.
“Would you have ripped her shirt open and given compressions?” Rylee asked Dakota. “Of course, you would. You’re the Secret Service.” Rylee reached out and laid her hand on his arm. “Also, I assume you’re a good human being.”
I try to be.” Her fingers were cold on his skin. The women were wet and standing still. “Are these your kayaks, or do they need to be returned over there?” Dakota asked.
“Returned,” Neesa said, bending to lift hers. “Jasper, would you get the other one, so we don’t disturb Tank?”
“I—” Dakota started.
Neesa put a stop hand up by her face. “Nope. I insist.”
Rylee dropped her pack to the ground and unbuckled her life vest. “Neesa, here,” she extended it out.
As Nees and Jasper trudged off, carrying the kayaks, Rylee unzipped her dry suit.
“I’ve only met one other Dakota in my life, but she’s a girl.
” She peeled a sleeve off. “She’s a chonky chocolate lab that likes to lie belly up in a sunbeam and not move except to chase balls rolled across the living room.
” She peeled the other arm of her suit off to reveal a bright pink bikini top.
“She wags her tail with her whole body as if she’s just too full of happiness to contain.
And that energy is contagious. I’m always in a good mood after a visit with her. ”
It took the fortitude of a Swiftwater Crewman for Dakota to keep his gaze locked with hers and not focus down on her bikini.
“Dakota, are you from that part of the country?”
“My mom gave me that name because of a trip she took to North Dakota in college. She thought the land had stories to tell. She wanted that for me, a life filled with stories to warm my heart on cold nights.”
“Very nice.” She pushed her dry suit to her ankles. “So how did Tank get his name?”
“It’s really Brunhilde Von Panzer Tank.”
“I see. And how many beers were you into the night when you gave him all those names?”
“Zero. My nephew Bo named him.”
“And Bo didn’t realize Brunhilde is the warrior maiden—female—who guides heroes to Valhalla?”
“He heard it in one of the books my sister was reading to him, and he liked the sound of it. I tried to convince him that he meant Hildebrand for battle sword, but he said that a Panzer Tank was more powerful than a little sword.”
Rylee pulled a towel from her bag and sat on it. “I remember that the UK had an online thing going on to name their new ship that was doing polar exploration. As a group, they named it Boaty McBoatface. So I feel like you dodged a bullet with Brunhilde Von Panzer Tank.”
“I knew the risk. I think I got out of it with something useful. And Tank’s girlfriend doesn’t seem to mind.”
Dry suit cleared from her feet, shivering in the skimpy pink bikini, Dakota shifted his attention safely to Tank. “Tank is in love with the poodle next door, Fifi La Cute.”
“He is not.” She laughed as she pulled a hoodie over her head. “There’s no such neighbor dog.”
“I promise you.” Dakota pulled out his cell phone and showed Rylee a picture of the two dogs lying belly up, side by side. Heads pressed together, looking very content.
He accepted the phone back and swiped right. “Fifi’s mom is planning a wedding. This is Fifi’s mom.” Dakota handed his phone back to Rylee with a picture of an elder woman knitting a cupcake hat. “Swipe to the next picture.” Tank and Fifi posed with matching cupcake hats.
“You can see the indignity in Tank’s eyes, poor guy.” She handed the phone back. “What a man won’t do for the woman he loves?”
“Everything in his power, every time,” Dakota said as their gazes caught.
She released the phone and reached for her sweatpants. “About Tank’s name, that I can understand. My niece named my parents’ dog Sir Reginald Barks-a-lot.”
“It’s a mouthful.”
She pulled her pants up her thighs and reached for her socks and tennis shoes.
“We called him Roofy for short or Roof for shorter. He was a Newfoundland. Such a glorious goofball. When Roof wanted sympathy, which was quite often, he would lift a paw and walk with a whine that was pure pain. ‘I love you, and I’m coming, but it’s so terrible! ’”
“And you’re sure it was affected?” Dakota asked.
“My parents spent a couple of grand trying to figure out how to make Sir Barks-a-lot better, and the vet couldn’t find anything.
But if my folks said, ‘Roof, let’s go get an ice cream, the paw went down, and he would bolt over to the car and sit at the door with a wagging tail.
I’m telling you this dog gave an Emmy-worthy performance. ”
She was tying a bow on her shoe when Tank wriggled around to put his nose on her knee and sighed contentedly.
Dakota had never seen his dog so obviously in love with a woman before.
“Tank, you have beautiful eyes. I hope you have a wonderful wedding and many happy days to come with Fifi.” She kissed him on the head, then gently stood.
Neesa and Jasper were walking shoulder to shoulder as they made it back over.
“Temps are dropping, how about a hot chocolate?” Rylee asked.
“I have to get back to the office,” Jasper said. “I’m expecting a call from the West Coast.” He looked down at Neesa, “I’ll pick you up for dinner around seven?”
“Looking forward to it.” Neesa smiled.
“Nice meeting you, Rylee.” Jasper gave Dakota a nod, then raised his hand and loped back toward his office.
“Hoa about you, Neesa?” Rylee asked. “Hot chocolate?”
Neesa looked at Dakota, then back to Rylee. “You know, I forgot a thing.”
“A thing?” Rylee asked.
“Yeah, I’ve got to do a thing,” Neesa said as Rylee bent over, collecting her belongings back in her bag.
Dakota was just going to venture forward. “I’m starved. Would you be interested in grabbing a bite, Rylee? I have my car at the parking lot about a block away.”
“Yes,” Neesa sent Rylee the wicked grin. “Rylee’s starving. She was just talking about chicken soup.” She moved Rylee over next to Dakota, scritched Tank’s ears, then took a step away from them. “You three enjoy.”