devastating. Her green eyes were startling against all that dark skin. She was dressed in a similar way to Devi, except that her running clothes were all white. Rhodes registered Allie standing next to the woman, also outfitted in similar gear. Parker was dressed in shorts and a T-shirt.
“We have some company for running,” Devi said.
Barking made him glance at the truck. There were dogs pressed against the windows.
“Two- and four-legged varieties. I hope you don’t mind,” Devi said.
Parker, Allie and the unknown woman went to unload what he now saw were puppies.
“How’d you meet Allie and Parker?” he asked.
“They came by about the cartouche. We had a nice chat,” Devi said.
“Oh, no. I hope my taking it to them didn’t make trouble for you,” Rhodes whispered.
“Nope. It was fun.” There was a twinkle in her gaze that made him uneasy.
“And you invited them along for a run,” Rhodes said.
“We decided to keep them,” a smoky voice replied.
Rhodes looked at the ebony-skinned woman.
“As friends. Not pets,” Devi said, pulling away from him.
She smacked the woman, then linked arms with her.
“This is Ashia, my friend. I invited her to the cook-out. Parker and Allie are coming, too. And, oh yeah, January.” Devi squatted.
Their three-person cook-out had morphed into a party. Rhodes shook his head. It was like being in a whirlwind.
“Nice to meet you, Ashia.”
“And you, Rhodes. I’ve heard lots of things about you.” There was a look he couldn’t define in her green gaze.
Devi stood and held up a puppy. “This is Pebbles. Ashia gave her to me. She’s giving me free vet services.” Devi glanced at Ashia.
“The heck I am,” Ashia said.
Ashia took the leashes of the other dogs from Parker.
“Bamm-Bamm, Penny.” Devi gestured to the Irish Setters, then the Golden Retriever and another dog whose breed he didn’t recognise. “Goliath and Katana. They are Ashia’s dogs. We’re all here for a run. Actually, a walk, since the puppies can’t run like we usually do yet. That is, if you don’t mind. Do you?”
The puppies barked. Devi seemed to be in a good mood.
“Let’s go for a walk, then.” Rhodes chuckled, hugging Devi.
The puppy licked his face. He petted it. Devi put it down and then they were on their way. They strolled behind the others. Rhodes stared at Ashia. She moved with a regal grace, effortlessly holding the leashes of her four puppies.
He glanced at Pebbles, loping along in front of them. “You all are a fan of The Flintstones , huh?”
“You bet. Ashia is a fan of Gargoyles , too. Don’t know what she sees in it.” Devi raised her voice as she spoke.
“You wouldn’t know good TV if it bit you,” Ashia retorted.
She and Devi bickered back and forth. Rhodes walked alongside Devi, listening to their banter. This was a different side to her, and he was enjoying it.
After their leisurely walk they went back to her house. The camaraderie continued as they ate and laughed. Parker and Allie were actually very funny.
Walking everyone to the door later, Rhodes stood back as Devi hugged Allie and slapped Parker on the shoulder.
“Tomorrow at eight. Can’t wait to taste the shepherd’s pie,” Devi said.
“See you then. Rhodes,” Parker said.
He shook Rhodes’ hand and he and Allie left.
Devi and Ashia were huddled together, whispering furiously.
“You need to tell him.”
“Not yet. Stop interfering.”
“Fine, be stubborn,” Ashia said. She glanced at Rhodes, and motioned for him to come. She studied him for a moment, then pulled him down and kissed his cheek.
“Don’t hurt her.” There was a clear warning in her tone.
She patted his cheek and strode out. Devi closed the door behind her.
“She’s a little…” He didn’t even know the word for it.
“I know. So, are you ready to lotion me?” Devi smirked.
“Your house, but I’m more than ready.”
Rhodes stalked towards her and lifted her. Devi laughed as he took
“We have some company for running,” Devi said.
Barking made him glance at the truck. There were dogs pressed against the windows.
“Two- and four-legged varieties. I hope you don’t mind,” Devi said.
Parker, Allie and the unknown woman went to unload what he now saw were puppies.
“How’d you meet Allie and Parker?” he asked.
“They came by about the cartouche. We had a nice chat,” Devi said.
“Oh, no. I hope my taking it to them didn’t make trouble for you,” Rhodes whispered.
“Nope. It was fun.” There was a twinkle in her gaze that made him uneasy.
“And you invited them along for a run,” Rhodes said.
“We decided to keep them,” a smoky voice replied.
Rhodes looked at the ebony-skinned woman.
“As friends. Not pets,” Devi said, pulling away from him.
She smacked the woman, then linked arms with her.
“This is Ashia, my friend. I invited her to the cook-out. Parker and Allie are coming, too. And, oh yeah, January.” Devi squatted.
Their three-person cook-out had morphed into a party. Rhodes shook his head. It was like being in a whirlwind.
“Nice to meet you, Ashia.”
“And you, Rhodes. I’ve heard lots of things about you.” There was a look he couldn’t define in her green gaze.
Devi stood and held up a puppy. “This is Pebbles. Ashia gave her to me. She’s giving me free vet services.” Devi glanced at Ashia.
“The heck I am,” Ashia said.
Ashia took the leashes of the other dogs from Parker.
“Bamm-Bamm, Penny.” Devi gestured to the Irish Setters, then the Golden Retriever and another dog whose breed he didn’t recognise. “Goliath and Katana. They are Ashia’s dogs. We’re all here for a run. Actually, a walk, since the puppies can’t run like we usually do yet. That is, if you don’t mind. Do you?”
The puppies barked. Devi seemed to be in a good mood.
“Let’s go for a walk, then.” Rhodes chuckled, hugging Devi.
The puppy licked his face. He petted it. Devi put it down and then they were on their way. They strolled behind the others. Rhodes stared at Ashia. She moved with a regal grace, effortlessly holding the leashes of her four puppies.
He glanced at Pebbles, loping along in front of them. “You all are a fan of The Flintstones , huh?”
“You bet. Ashia is a fan of Gargoyles , too. Don’t know what she sees in it.” Devi raised her voice as she spoke.
“You wouldn’t know good TV if it bit you,” Ashia retorted.
She and Devi bickered back and forth. Rhodes walked alongside Devi, listening to their banter. This was a different side to her, and he was enjoying it.
After their leisurely walk they went back to her house. The camaraderie continued as they ate and laughed. Parker and Allie were actually very funny.
Walking everyone to the door later, Rhodes stood back as Devi hugged Allie and slapped Parker on the shoulder.
“Tomorrow at eight. Can’t wait to taste the shepherd’s pie,” Devi said.
“See you then. Rhodes,” Parker said.
He shook Rhodes’ hand and he and Allie left.
Devi and Ashia were huddled together, whispering furiously.
“You need to tell him.”
“Not yet. Stop interfering.”
“Fine, be stubborn,” Ashia said. She glanced at Rhodes, and motioned for him to come. She studied him for a moment, then pulled him down and kissed his cheek.
“Don’t hurt her.” There was a clear warning in her tone.
She patted his cheek and strode out. Devi closed the door behind her.
“She’s a little…” He didn’t even know the word for it.
“I know. So, are you ready to lotion me?” Devi smirked.
“Your house, but I’m more than ready.”
Rhodes stalked towards her and lifted her. Devi laughed as he took
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