Read Online Welcoming the Bad Boy: A Hero's Welcome Novel by Annie Rains - Free Book Online

oh, writing her next book, which was due by summer’s end. A book she hadn’t even started yet. A fresh wave of anxiety ran through her.
    Sweet Cheeks whimpered at Griffin’s side. Val watched as Griffin picked the puppy up and cradled her like a baby. Something about watching a big guy like him being so gentle made butterflies flutter around inside her chest.
    “Can I get you something? A beer maybe?” she asked.
    Griffin met her gaze. His eyes were dark, just like his hair and his tanned skin. In the dim lighting of her living room, he looked delicious. “I have my dog, Trooper, in my Explorer. He can’t stay out there. Can I bring him inside?”
    Val nodded. “Okay. Do you think Trooper will be okay with Sweet Cheeks?”
    “Oh, yeah. Trooper loves other dogs. He’s an old softy.”
    Val lifted her shoulders, fidgeting. She suddenly didn’t know where to put her hands. In her pockets, in front of her, one hand holding the other? All she really wanted to do with her hands was run them over Griffin’s muscled arms, so tight she could probably bounce things off them. She wanted to trace her fingers over the tattoos that could only be halfway seen under his black T-shirt. Some chains. An eagle.
    “What?” Griffin was watching her with knowing eyes.
    “N-nothing. Of course, you can go get your dog. I’ll watch Sweet Cheeks. Are you hungry?” she asked, hoping he hadn’t heard her blaring thoughts.
    “I was just about to have a sandwich before you called, actually,” he said.
    “A sandwich? I can make you a sandwich.”
    He laughed as he stood to walk toward the door. “No, you can’t. I’m what people call a sandwich snob.”
    Val cocked her head in question.
    “I’m picky about what goes between my bread.”
    And somehow that sounded strangely sexual to her. She was definitely an embarrassment to the term “preacher’s daughter.” No wonder her father’s expression always looked pinched when he was addressing her. “Okay. Well, can I get you something else? Do you like pizza? I ordered pizza yesterday.”
    “Cold pizza sounds great. And I’ll take that beer you offered, too,” he said.
    “Great. What good would cold pizza be without beer?” she asked.
    Griffin smiled, slow and easy. “My kind of girl,” he said before slipping out into the dark night.
    Her heart thumped around in her chest as she waited for his return.
Get a grip, girl.
He was only here to care for the dog she’d nearly just killed. That was all. And thanks to her negligence, there would be no writing tonight. Or tomorrow since she’d be cooking for the Martins and then spending the evening caring for their nine-month-old daughter while they packed for their move to Virginia. And there’d likely be no writing after getting home tomorrow because nothing killed the muse like changing dirty diapers.
    She pulled the pizza out of the fridge and grabbed two paper plates. Her plan tonight had been to have ice cream for dinner—not the healthiest, but sometimes life called for it. Sweet Cheeks had nixed that plan, though. Val grabbed two beers and brought them over to the coffee table in front of the couch. Alcohol might calm her nerves, she hoped, turning as Griffin walked back in with his German shepherd. The sight of the big gray-and-black dog made her heart skip in a different way.
    “Big softy,” Griffin reminded her, seeming to read her mind.
    “Right.” Val stood as Griffin led Trooper toward her and Sweet Cheeks. With an excited wag of his tail, Val’s heart was won over. “Hey, there,” she said, reaching out her hand.
    Trooper sniffed her for a moment, then glanced up at Griffin as if asking permission.
    “Go ahead,” he said with a laugh.
    Trooper’s tongue lapped over Val’s skin and she grinned.
    “Lie down,” Griffin said then.
    Trooper followed orders, lying on the floor beside the couch. His gaze moved to Sweet Cheeks leaning against the armrest of the sofa.
    “I’m going to go wash my hands before