We ate dinner, and I savored the teasing at the table, the easy banter. Kendall and Jude’s dog was here tonight. A goofy three-legged husky named Travis.
“Travis is such a good boy,” Kendall said from my side as I idly stroked his head.
“He is,” I returned.
“He likes you,” she pointed out.
“I think he likes everyone,” I added, and Kendall grinned down at her.
“He is a friendly guy, but he also thinks you’re special. He hasn’t left your side,” Kendall replied.
Tommy glanced over at us as he walked by, putting his now-empty plate in the dishwasher. “Have you ever had a dog?” he asked.
“I actually haven’t. I always wanted one.”
“Well,” Jude teased, waggling his brows, “if you would like a pet, just say the word.”
“What do you mean?”
“Kendall runs the large animal rescue, but you know, she has an in with the main rescue program. Tiffany is always trying to find the latest sucker,” he said with a chuckle. “There’s no shortage of strays.”
I glanced among them, uncertain, but also so wishful for a pet I couldn’t even say it aloud. “When I met Tiffany at Firehouse Café, she tried to persuade me to adopt a dog.” My mind spun to the photo she’d sent me.
“After we get back from Katmai, I’ll take you out to the rescue,” Cole said from my side.
Maybe I should have protested, but the thought of the dog that I’d never been able to have when I was little made my heart ache.
That night, I fell asleep with Cole again, my body sated and relaxed because he played me like a fiddle. I tried not to let myself ponder how much I was savoring so many things about being with him. It was so much more than desire.
Chapter Twenty-Five
COLE
Who’s more stubborn?
“This is incredible,” one of the women in our group breathed as we stood on one of the overlook areas at Brooks River in Katmai. We started the trip here because it was an excellent starting point and we could get all of the current updates available from the local staff who managed this famed area, a feeding ground for brown bears.
She glanced up at me with a flirtatious smile. I smiled in return, careful and polite. I was so in over my head with Adele that I could barely even notice another woman. Beyond that, I didn’t get entangled with guests. It wasn’t like there were rules about that, but none of us wanted there to be a problem.
“It’s always amazing,” I offered casually.
I moved along the walkway, stopping beside Adele. She glanced up, her eyes bright. “I’ve seen grizzlies and browns plenty, but this is pretty freaking incredible.”
I chuckled. “Hard to beat.”
We watched as one of the large brown bears deftly snatched a salmon out of the falls.
“They do the fat bear contest, right? I vote for Holly,” Adele said staunchly.
I grinned. “She’s one of my favorites.”
“So we stay here for what, one night?” she asked.
I couldn’t resist curling my arm around her waist. I simply enjoyed touching her. Oh, she was sexy as hell, and I wanted her pretty much all the time, but it was more than that. I liked the connection, the way I felt close to her.
“Yup, then we start the hike,” I replied.
“How many miles do we cover?”
