“Not the worst.” Trask shrugged, then patted each of her dogs on their heads, in turn. “So, Langly and Tinker, huh?”
The dogs didn’t move, but beat their tales against the pavement as Trask stroked their furry scruffs and said their names.
“Yeah.” Jett found herself smiling from ear to ear. “Named for places I’ve been stationed. Once I got permanent, off-base housing two years ago, I was able to fulfill my lifelong dream of pet ownership, and took in this pair.” She frowned, remembering. “They were barely two, and had been dropped at a local shelter, where they’d been deemed ‘untrainable’.”
It still burned her ass.
She huffed. “I’ve heard that same sentiment one too many times aboutmyself, so of course I knew the three of us were meant to be.” She knelt down and both her babies ran over to inundate her with kisses while she continued to elucidate. “I’ve actually made good headway with their behavioral issues. They’re smart little buggers. Aren’t you,” she crooned, tickling them under their chins. “It’s just when their excitement gets to be too much, that they cease to read the room.”
“Another trait they take from you?” the astute man asked, but this time a lovely little dent formed on one perfect cheek as he asked.
“Crap on a cracker.” Jett’s mouth dropped open. “You have a dimple,” she spewed, almost falling over on her ass because…gorgeous. “It makes you looksomuch more human.”
He frowned, and she immediately knew she’d screwed up.
“Crappitty, crap. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean anything bad by that. It’s nice, actually. Really adorable. Andof courseI know you’re human. No alien could pull off looking so good.”
The lip twitch was back, thank God, but Jett couldn’t leave it at that.
“I really do apologize. It’s my big mouth. More often than not, I say what pops into my head and it pisses people off, but that’s rarely my intention. If I wanted to disparage you, believe me, you’d know.”
“Thanks for the warning,” he returned dryly, then as a cloud went in front of the sun, he flipped his sunglasses to the top of his head, and…
Oh. My. Lord.
Jettreallyhad to bite her tongue, hard.
Black velvet.That’s what his eyes resembled, and they were smoking hot.
She wanted nothing more than to immediately leap up and ask if she could have his babies.
With his entire face revealed, the man was even more magnificent than she’d first believed, which she would have thought was impossible.
Those eyes—mirrors to his soul—were dark. So dark. And they were framed by the longest lashes she’d ever seen on a man, which softened his otherwise overtly masculine features…or maybe it enhanced them.
Whatever, this male had her practically screaming to strip herself down right here and now, and bare every one of her hidden assets to him despite the winter cold.
“Are…you, uh, okay, Jett?” he asked, concern filling his voice.
She shook herself like one of the dogs.
Now was not the time.
“Uh, yeah. I was just thinking of…all the stuff we need to transfer from my plane to your truck.”
Right.Like that statement sounded true. But if she’d told him where her mind hadreallygone, he’d probably freak the hell out.
Jett gave a huge sigh as she stood and brushed off her damp knees, honesty bubbling to the surface again. “No. That’s not what was in my head. I mean itwas, because wedohave stuff to carry, but…”
How weird would it be if she just blurted it out?
Did she have a choice?
Nope.
“You are just so…much.” Her voice rose to excitement levels. “I don’t think I’ve ever met a man as good looking as you, and that’s saying a lot since I was in the Air Force around some of the most studly dudes on the planet.”
There.It was out in the open. She actually swayed with the emotional release of letting him know how he was affecting her, and would have stumbled it Trask hadn’t stepped up and grasped her elbow so she didn’t go down like a rock.
