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Authors: Lori Foster
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another bill or two. “I’ll see to him.”
“Thanks, man. And good luck.” The guy split in haste, anxious to avoid sparking Jett’s temper again.
Paying no attention whatsoever to the food or the male delivering it, Natalie smiled at Jett. She had the look a woman gets when she thinks she’s seeing something extra sweet in a guy.
Jett frowned. “What?”
“You’re going to help the dog.”
He didn’t want her to see him as a marshmallow. He wanted her to want him, in every way that he wanted her. “Of course I am. Wouldn’t anyone?”
She shook her head. “Obviously not, or the dog wouldn’t have been out there all alone, abandoned.” Still looking ripe with affection, she glanced at the dog. She had her heart in her eyes, her soft side on glaring display. “He isn’t wearing a collar.”
Uneasy with so much attention, the dog lowered his head and tucked his tail. He looked up at Jett sideways, his big brown eyes slightly crossed.
Too cute, Jett thought, but he wouldn’t voice that observation aloud. “Looks like a hound mix, probably around a year old.”
“How can you tell?”
“I know dogs.” The poor animal shivered, his eyes filled with pleading. “It’s okay, boy.”
“Oh, Jett.” Natalie bit her lip, fretting. “He looks cold and hungry.”
“Yeah, he does.” Jett handed the pizza box to her. “Can you take care of this?”
She automatically accepted the food. “What are you going to do?”
“Try to bring him in.”
She all but staggered. “To your apartment?”
“Yeah.” When she stood there in what he supposed was silent surprise, Jett asked, “Is that a problem?”
“No! No, of course not.” She looked from him to the dog and back again. That soft expression intensified. “I think that’s a wonderful idea. Really wonderful. I just didn’t…”
Didn’t expect him to like animals? Didn’t expect himto be compassionate? Yeah, they had a lot of ground to cover. There was too much that she didn’t know about him. But spring break would help with that.
“Thank you.” She touched his biceps, her fingers light, caressing. “I don’t know any other men who would willingly bring in a stray.” Her hand settled on him and her smile went tremulous.
Jett cocked a brow. Why the hell was she thanking him? He was doing it for the dog. But seeing her like this, so…open to him…he was glad he loved animals so much. “It’s not a problem.”
When Natalie said nothing more, Jett turned back to the dog. “You need a little attention, don’t you, buddy?”
The dog’s ears perked up in hope.
Jett knelt down and the dog, while still cowering, started thumping his tail in excitement. He seemed friendly enough, but Jett didn’t want to take any chances.
He asked Natalie, “Would you mind going in by the dining table, just in case he gets nervous?”
Proving she knew little enough about animals, she said, “You think he might bite?”
“He’s scared, honey, of me and of you. A scared animal sometimes reacts defensively. I can handle it as long as I know you’re not going to get hurt.”
“Oh. All right.” Balancing the pizza box in one hand, she stroked Jett’s hair with a new level of affection. “Be careful, okay?” She gave him a fond smile and then moved away.
Deep inside Jett, something chaotic and dangerous settled into a solid, thumping rhythm. Until thatmoment, he hadn’t been sure that he’d be able to reach Natalie. Really reach her.
Now he knew he would.
Huh. He would have gotten a dog weeks ago if he’d known that was all it took to get past her barriers.
After watching Natalie retreat to the other side of the room, Jett turned back to the dog. He loved animals and couldn’t abide anyone who didn’t share his compassion. Nice to know that Natalie felt the same way.
Holding out a hand, Jett said, “Good boy.”
The dog whined in exultant hope and began army-crawling on his belly a few inches closer. Though Jett laughed at the
“Thanks, man. And good luck.” The guy split in haste, anxious to avoid sparking Jett’s temper again.
Paying no attention whatsoever to the food or the male delivering it, Natalie smiled at Jett. She had the look a woman gets when she thinks she’s seeing something extra sweet in a guy.
Jett frowned. “What?”
“You’re going to help the dog.”
He didn’t want her to see him as a marshmallow. He wanted her to want him, in every way that he wanted her. “Of course I am. Wouldn’t anyone?”
She shook her head. “Obviously not, or the dog wouldn’t have been out there all alone, abandoned.” Still looking ripe with affection, she glanced at the dog. She had her heart in her eyes, her soft side on glaring display. “He isn’t wearing a collar.”
Uneasy with so much attention, the dog lowered his head and tucked his tail. He looked up at Jett sideways, his big brown eyes slightly crossed.
Too cute, Jett thought, but he wouldn’t voice that observation aloud. “Looks like a hound mix, probably around a year old.”
“How can you tell?”
“I know dogs.” The poor animal shivered, his eyes filled with pleading. “It’s okay, boy.”
“Oh, Jett.” Natalie bit her lip, fretting. “He looks cold and hungry.”
“Yeah, he does.” Jett handed the pizza box to her. “Can you take care of this?”
She automatically accepted the food. “What are you going to do?”
“Try to bring him in.”
She all but staggered. “To your apartment?”
“Yeah.” When she stood there in what he supposed was silent surprise, Jett asked, “Is that a problem?”
“No! No, of course not.” She looked from him to the dog and back again. That soft expression intensified. “I think that’s a wonderful idea. Really wonderful. I just didn’t…”
Didn’t expect him to like animals? Didn’t expect himto be compassionate? Yeah, they had a lot of ground to cover. There was too much that she didn’t know about him. But spring break would help with that.
“Thank you.” She touched his biceps, her fingers light, caressing. “I don’t know any other men who would willingly bring in a stray.” Her hand settled on him and her smile went tremulous.
Jett cocked a brow. Why the hell was she thanking him? He was doing it for the dog. But seeing her like this, so…open to him…he was glad he loved animals so much. “It’s not a problem.”
When Natalie said nothing more, Jett turned back to the dog. “You need a little attention, don’t you, buddy?”
The dog’s ears perked up in hope.
Jett knelt down and the dog, while still cowering, started thumping his tail in excitement. He seemed friendly enough, but Jett didn’t want to take any chances.
He asked Natalie, “Would you mind going in by the dining table, just in case he gets nervous?”
Proving she knew little enough about animals, she said, “You think he might bite?”
“He’s scared, honey, of me and of you. A scared animal sometimes reacts defensively. I can handle it as long as I know you’re not going to get hurt.”
“Oh. All right.” Balancing the pizza box in one hand, she stroked Jett’s hair with a new level of affection. “Be careful, okay?” She gave him a fond smile and then moved away.
Deep inside Jett, something chaotic and dangerous settled into a solid, thumping rhythm. Until thatmoment, he hadn’t been sure that he’d be able to reach Natalie. Really reach her.
Now he knew he would.
Huh. He would have gotten a dog weeks ago if he’d known that was all it took to get past her barriers.
After watching Natalie retreat to the other side of the room, Jett turned back to the dog. He loved animals and couldn’t abide anyone who didn’t share his compassion. Nice to know that Natalie felt the same way.
Holding out a hand, Jett said, “Good boy.”
The dog whined in exultant hope and began army-crawling on his belly a few inches closer. Though Jett laughed at the
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