She sniffled, blinking the tears away before they could fall. Thank Christ, because I’d never been good when it came to women’s tears. Which made growing up with three sisters a goddamn nightmare sometimes.
I watched as determination washed over her, steeling her spine to reveal the fierce woman I knew her to be.
“You’re right. He’s going to be fine. And whoever dumped him on our ranch better pray I never find them.”
I smiled down at her, running my palms from her biceps to her wrists, giving them a gentle squeeze. “There’s the Chaos I know.”
Her brows lowered as her head cocked to the side. “Why are you being so nice to me? I thought you hated me.”
That statement caught me off guard, causing my chin to jerk back. I knew I’d been an ass recently, but I didn’t realize mybehavior made Lennix think Ihatedher. We’d been friends most of our lives and discovering that the past few months had made her believe something so wrong was like a knife to the heart. And I had no one to blame but myself.
“Christ, Lennix. No. I don’t hate you.” My fingers tightened around her wrists as I fought my body’s desire to pull her into me. To feel all those soft, round feminine curves against my hard planes. “I could never hate you.” Even if I wanted to. Even if it was for her own good.
Her confusion deepened. “I-I don’t understand. Then why?—”
The door to the back swung open before she could get her whole question out. One glance at Hardin as he walked out, pulling off his black nitrile gloves and tossing them in a nearby trashcan as he passed it, and I was all but forgotten.
She hurried toward him, pulling out of my grasp and leaving my hands feeling uncomfortably empty.
“How is he? Is he going to be okay?” she rushed out, the words all running together.
“Whoa, easy there, honey.” There were so many things that happened just then, from the way he smiled that stupid, straight white smile at her, to the way he reached out and caressed her shoulder, to the way he called herhoney, that had me itching to knock a few of his teeth loose. He wouldn’t be so handsome without those front teeth. But I managed to beat back that urge.
“Take a breath before you pass out. The little guy is going to be just fine.”
Her shoulders sank with relief and she let out a sigh so big it sounded like she was releasing a massive weight that had been sitting on her chest since finding that dog.
I came up beside her, standing closer than necessary, and by the grin that asshole shot my way, he’d noticed. I had no doubt he’d give me shit for it as soon as he had the chance, but I couldn’t find it in me to care.
I’d been out at The Tap Room a while back with Hardin, my brother, Rhodes, and another friend of ours, Tristan, when they caught me watching Lennix with a level of interest I hadn’t been able to hide. They didn’t hesitate to call my ass out, getting a good laugh at my expense. None of them said so, but I had a feeling they didn’t believe me when I insisted I wasn’t interested in her.
Ever since, I’d been extra cautious not to get caught looking again, but in that moment I was too caught up in the way Lennix clasped her hands in front of her and the hope swimming in those deep green eyes to keep that mask of indifference in place.
“Thank God.”
“He’s malnourished, but that’s not a surprise, given that he’d been abandoned on your property. There were some wounds made by a larger animal, but luckily they were mostly superficial. There are a few I’ll need to suture, but nothing life threatening. I’ll start him on a round of antibiotics for any possible infection, and I’ve got him hooked up to an IV right now to replenish his fluids. I’d like to keep him overnight just to make sure I didn’t miss anything.”
Hearing that news made Lennix smile for the first time since we left her parents’ house, and the beauty of it nearly knocked me back a step. “So he’s really going to be okay,” she said in a hushed voice, the assurance more for herself than anyone else. “When do you think I can take him home?”
“Well, that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. From what I could tell, given the state he’s in, the puppy is barely two weeks old. That means he’ll have to be bottle fed for at least another few weeks, until he’s old enough to move on to puppy food. Keeping that up can be daunting and time consuming, so if it’s not something you’re up for?—”
“I’ll do it,” she blurted, not giving his warning a second thought.
The son of a bitch smiled at her again. “I figured you’d say that. I can set you up with everything you’ll need to take care of him at home. I’ll have it ready tomorrow afternoon when he’s ready to be released if that works.”
“Thank you so much, Hardy.” Lennix moved then, throwing herself against Hardin and wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight hug that made me see red. It was taking everything I had not to rip her away, and it sure as hell didn’t help matters when the bastard looked at me over her shoulder, that shit-eating grin on his lips, as he returned her embrace. An embrace that lasted way too damn long, if you asked me.
“It’s my pleasure, sweetheart.” He shot me a wink and I flipped him the bird while contemplating all the ways I was going to make him suffer. Slowly and agonizingly.
Christ, I was a fucking mess.
“You really are incredible,” she continued to gush, and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes behind her back. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this. So what’s the damage.”
Hardin held up his hands. “No charge. I’m just glad you managed to find him when you did.”
“No. No way.” Lennix shook her head in determination. “I insist on paying. You can’t keep helping me for free.” She waved a hand around the empty waiting area. “This is still a business.”
He opened his mouth, but before he could get a word out, I spoke up. “Whatever it is, I’ve got it covered.”
