by Lori Foster
CHAPTER FOUR
NATALIE BLINKED AT HIM. “I hope you’re kidding.”
“Maybe.” Jett could tell she didn’t take him seriously. True, he wasn’t in the habit of killing for personal reasons, but after seeing the hurt in her eyes, he wouldn’t mind a little physical retribution against the one who’d caused her pain.
But now that she’d admitted she hadn’t loved the ass, maybe he could just beat him up real good. “Want to give me a name?”
“No!” She smacked his shoulder and laughed. “You’re outrageous.”
Some other guy had broken her heart, hurting her enough to make her wary of commitment. That fact gnawed on Jett. Didn’t mean he wanted the bozo to show back up or to make amends. Hell no.
“Pricks like him always have stuff they want to keep hidden.” Kissing her throat, Jett breathed in the scent of her skin, the perfume of sensual female. “What do you say, sweetheart? You want me to dredge up all his dark, dirty secrets? Maybe drag the schmuck’s name through the mud a little?”
Smiling, Natalie put her fingers to his mouth to hush him. “Not necessary. Believe me, Jett, he stopped being important to me long ago.”
If that was true, she wouldn’t still have her barriers up. But he was working on that.
Holding her gaze, Jett opened his mouth enough to draw in one fingertip. Natalie’s eyes flared, her lips parting.
He licked the tip of her finger, drew it deeper into his mouth, curled his tongue around her.
Her eyelids drooped in carnal awareness.
He knew damn good and well the images she’d have, of him at her breast, sucking gently; him between her soft thighs, eating her toward an orgasm.
His breathing deepened; he loved the taste of Natalie, the intensified scent of her body, how wet she got and how quickly she responded to him.
Needing her again, he released her finger and leaned her back on the couch. Her legs naturally parted for him to settle between them.
Already hard, he growled, “Damn, I want you. Again.”
“But…we just—”
In a rush of need, he went to work on the buttons of the flannel. “Doesn’t matter.” The truth caused him no small measure of alarm. It didn’t matter how often or how thoroughly he had her. “I always want you.” He worked his jaw. “Every fucking second of every day.”
His gravelly tone, bordering on resentment, gave her pause. “That’s a…bad thing?”
Forcing himself to stop, to think, Jett closed his eyes and cursed. “No.” Two breaths, a third, and he had a meager grasp on his control. “No, it’s not bad. It’s just…” He didn’t have an appropriate word to define the loss of control and pounding need, so he said, “Unsettling.”
“You don’t want to want me?”
Wanting her wasn’t the problem, he could deal with that. Hell, he’d wanted plenty of women throughout his lifetime. Then he had them, one time or a dozen times, and that was it. The wanting ended.
With Natalie, everything was different. Exactly how different, he didn’t know. Jett met her gaze.
The pizza guy had impeccable timing.
His knock saved Jett from trying to come up with a plausible reply. “There’s dinner.” He kissed her then sat up, hauling her up with him. “Stay put. I’ll get it.”
Natalie clutched shut the front of the flannel. “Jett! You have…” When he looked back at her, she nodded at his lap.
“A boner, I know. Trust me, the pizza guy won’t mention it.” Jett felt her watching his every move as he got his wallet and went to the door. Always cautious, he looked out the peephole before turning the locks.
The delivery guy wasn’t alone. Hunkered down on the floor a few feet behind him sat a very cute, very dirty little gray dog with white markings and anxious eyes.
Jett frowned at the unkempt condition of the animal. With accusation, he sized up the delivery kid. “Your dog looks hungry.”
“He’s not mine.” The young man glanced back at the animal with a worried frown. “He was out front and followed me in.” Then hopefully, “I thought maybe he belonged to someone in here.”
That got Natalie’s attention. Shirt now decently fastened around her voluptuous breasts, she came to the door and leaned around Jett to look out at the cowering dog.
Immediately she said, “Ohhhhh….” in the softest tone Jett had ever heard from her.
Both he and the delivery boy looked at her with male awareness.
When Jett realized that, he scowled at the kid. “He’s not our dog.”
The pizza guy started stammering. “Yeah. Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to let in a stray. I thought… you know…maybe he was…”
Seeing the guy go all tongue-tied over Natalie spiked Jett’s discontent even more. “Here.” He shoved a few bills at him.
The young man looked at the money and started to fumble for change.
Jett shook his head. “Keep it.”
“But…” Going agog at the hefty tip, he said, “That’s twice what you owed.”
Reluctantly, because he did want the guy gone, Jett said, “You did good letting the dog in. I appreciate it.”
Struggling to keep his gaze off Natalie, the guy swallowed. “You’ll take care of him?”
Jett nodded and saw the pizza guy let out a long breath of relief. The young man’s concern was enough that Jett felt like giving him 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 him to 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?�
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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 that moment, 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 dog’s antics, his heart nearly broke. The little fellow badly wanted the attention, but he was afraid to trust it.
Sort of like Natalie.
But in the end, Jett knew that his will would win over them both.
“Natalie, how about grabbing some lunch meat out of my fridge? I think a little food will help earn his trust.”
Within seconds she was behind him with not only the packaged meat but a dish of water, too. The dog’s ears shot up and his nose quivered as he sniffed the air.
“Thanks. You can set the water inside the door there.”
After Natalie had backed up again, Jett tossed a slice of meat to the dog. It landed right under his chin, and still he watched Jett warily as he bent to snatch up the food then wolfed it down in one gulp. The pup sat up straighter, anxious for more.
“You liked that, did you?” Grinning, Jett tossed the next piece a little closer to his door, and the next closer still. Making a trail that led into his apartment, he baited the dog and then waited.
As if starved, the dog chowed down on his way in. Jett could see his ribs sticking out; the thinness of the young dog made his paws look that much bigger.
Sitting down on his ass, Jett again held out a hand. Speaking in an even tone, he said, “Now that you’ve eaten all my deli meat, how about letting me pet you?”
Tail going like crazy, the little dog sniffed his hand, licked his fingers and came in close to devour the rest of the lunch meat. Jett emptied the entire package. The dog was too busy inhaling the food to object as Jett stroked him along his back.
After the dog finished it all, he sat back in expectation.
Jett shook his head while cautiously scratching near the dog’s left ear. “You’re a little glutton, aren’t you? Well, that’s all there is for now. I don’t want you barfing all over my floors.” He nudged the water bowl closer. “Come get a drink while we let that settle, and then we’ll see how you do.”
As Jett spoke, the dog’s ears twitched this way and that. He did investigate the water and made a sloppy mess lapping it up.
When Jett reached out to pet him again, he didn’t seem to mind at all. In fact, he was overjoyed by the sign of acceptance.
Natalie came closer. “He’s so adorable, isn’t he?”
“If you say so.” Mostly floppy ears had tinges of white on the tips. A marbling of white ran down the oversized straight nose, over his chin and throat, and blossomed out in a diamond pattern on his chest. Two paws were white, and the long tail ended with a white streak.
Jett stroked the dog and although he could feel his bones, he didn’t find any burrs or noticeable injuries. “He needs a bath, a brushing and a lot more food.”
“And he needs someone to love him.” Kneeling down, Natalie reached out for the dog.
Surprised by the quaver in her voice, Jett bent to see her face. Dampness spiked her lashes and left her eyes glistening. Feeling very indulgent, he asked, “Hey, are you crying?”
She sniffed and shook her head. “No.”
Yes she was, and the purely female reaction had a dual assault on his senses. Her tenderness made him feel like the macho protector; she was so quintessentially female that it stirred him on a basic level. Another part of him ached at seeing her upset, because he suspected the reason.
In so many ways Natalie was an enigma, independent and forceful one minute, vulnerable and achingly sweet the next.
She wanted acceptance, but was afraid to trust—much like the abandoned animal.
Seeing her distress left an ache in his chest. “Ah, baby, he’ll be okay.”
Her smile wobbled. “Thanks to you.”
To shore up that statement, the dog curled up next to Jett. He rested his head on Jett’s thigh and let out a lusty sigh.
Natalie reached over to rub his ear. “Poor little guy is exhausted.”
Rather than make a big deal out of her teary-eyed emotion, Jett tried to lighten her mood. “I like his crossed eyes.”
Natalie gave a watery laugh. “They’re not really crossed. Just close together. And with his nose so big…” When she curled her fingers under the dog’s chin, he closed his eyes in bliss.
Making up his mind, Jett said, “You know what? I think I’ll keep him.”
Excitement brightened her eyes more than the tears had. “Keep him? Seriously?”
Jett rolled one shoulder. “Sure, why not? It’s pretty obvious that he’s a stray. And I don’t have a dog, so…” He said again, “Why not?”
She hurriedly settled herself cross-legged and leaned into his side. Smiling at the dog, continuing to stroke his ears, his neck, she admitted, “I’ve never had a pet.”
“Why not?” Growing up, he and his sisters had always had animals. They’d become members of the family, living into old age with a lot of love and affection.
Looking wistful Natalie shook her head. “Dad didn’t allow them when we were younger, and since I’ve been on my own, I figured I wasn’t home enough to give a pet the care and attention it would need.” She fidgeted, adding, “Besides, I’m not sure I trust myself to know what to do since I’ve never had any experience with animals. What if I did something wrong?”
“You wouldn’t.” Jett instinctively knew that Natalie would do anything and everything necessary to protect those dependent on her, whether it be a pet…or a child.
Thinking of her with a kid did something funny to him, something disconcerting because it was so pleasing.
“Jett?”
His right eye flinched. Hell, he’d barely gotten her to agree to see him out of bed and already his mind had gotten way off track.
“Caring is the biggest part of the job.” He put his hand over hers on the dog’s nape. “Because you care, you’d make sure he was fed and clean and healthy, and that he got exercise. That he felt secure. That’s all there is to it.”
Beneath his hand, hers trembled. She skirted his gaze. “You have more faith in me than I do.”
He released her hand to catch her chin, bringing her face around to his. “I’m a damn good judge of character.” And Natalie Alexander was golden, through and through.
“That’s why you got clocked with a keyboard by a female spy?”
Jett grabbed his chest, as if she’d dealt a lethal blow. Then he laughed and lifted both eyebrows. “That time doesn’t count because it wasn’t her character I paid attention to.”
Natalie shoved him with her shoulder, but her mouth twisted with a repressed laugh. “Jerk.”
“You brought it back up.�
� He smiled with her. “You’d be a great pet owner, Natalie. Take my word for it.”
“Thanks. But given my lack of experience, I don’t think I’ll test the validity of that on some poor dog.”
Jett could see her yearning, how badly she wanted to believe him. In the normal scheme of things, Natalie was such a confident woman. Seeing her like this twisted him up inside.
He conspired a swift solution that worked twofold; he could give Natalie a chance to accustom herself to the responsibilities of a dog, and at the same time he’d be building one more bond between them. “We’ll share him, okay?”
She went still then jerked toward him, her face flushing with warmth. “Share him?”
“Sure.” Most would consider that a chore, but Natalie acted as though he’d just given her an amazing gift. Her enthusiasm made him want her. Again.
Of course, he always wanted her. The woman could sneeze and it felt like a come-on to him.
Showing great restraint, he held himself in check.
Puzzling over his offer, she asked, “How would that work?”
“We both have full-time jobs, but between us he’ll get plenty of attention. That is, if you’re sure that you don’t mind helping.”
She looked thrilled. “I love the idea.” She put her arms around Jett and squeezed him tight. “Thank you!”
The dog caught on to her excitement and jumped up. With his tail going like crazy, he yapped, turned a circle—and lifted his leg to pee.
With a yelp, Natalie lurched back out of range, but Jett wasn’t quite so lucky. The bottom of his jeans got sprinkled.
He looked at Natalie’s face and knew she was afraid of how he might react. Did she expect anger? Outrage? Abuse against the poor animal for getting excited?
He’d have his work cut out for him, winning her trust.
Jett rubbed the dog’s ear. Deadpan, he said to Natalie, “This might be a good time to mention that there could be some messes until he gets trained.”
Relief left her giggling. One hand over her mouth, she scrambled to her feet and headed into the kitchen for paper towels. “He can stay at my place sometimes?”
