Collared (Going to the Dogs)

by Dawson, Zoe

She didn’t respond. He gently clasped her shoulder. “Go make some coffee.”

  She stared at him for a moment as if she didn’t see him. Then she complied.

  Before he could do anything, there was a crash from the kitchen and he rushed in there. Her eyes were a wide, tortured blue.

  The coffee carafe was splintered on the floor.

  “This is my fault,” she whispered. “I set him off by seeing him, by pushing him before he was ready.”

  He gathered her in his arms. “Harper, it’s not your fault. He probably was already heading down this road. He’s hit rock bottom, and, fortunately, there’s nowhere to go from here but up. First, we need to take care of him and get him sober again. Find out what we can do to help him after that.”

  She nodded. “You’re right. I’m just so scared for him, Caleb. I thought that facing his deployment to Afghanistan was the worst of it. But then he got wounded and withdrawn. He hasn’t been my Aiden. Not the brother who left—and I want him back. I so want him back.”

  “I know. But Harper, he needs our unquestioning help and support right now. Do you have a spare carafe?”

  “Yes, we have several coffee makers here. I’ll take care of this mess. What about Aiden?”

  “He’s about to get a trip to the shower. Get the coffee going and then we’ll get him upstairs.”

  She nodded and he grabbed a broom while she made the coffee, sweeping the shards into the dustpan and dumping it into the trash.

  They left the coffee brewing and went back into the living room. Caleb slipped his arms around Aiden, who didn’t move or wake up. He maneuvered him into a fireman’s carry. His shoulder twinged a bit, but he ignored it.

  “Lead the way.”

  Harper climbed the stairs and Caleb followed with her brother’s dead weight across his shoulders. This Marine had lost his way. He knew what it was like to feel lost, but he was sure it was nothing like what Aiden had gone through.

  When they reached a bedroom, Harper led the way through into the bathroom. Caleb grunted as he lowered him slowly into the tub, clothes and all.

  “Aiden,” he said, before giving him a shock with the cold water, he wanted to see if he could wake him just using his voice, but Aiden was still unconscious.

  He turned on the tap and aimed the cold water right at Aiden’s face. He woke up gasping and spitting.

  “What the fuck?!” His body twisted in the tub to get away from the freezing water.

  Caleb turned it off and squatted down.

  Aiden tried to rise, but he was still pretty out of it.

  “Go get him some coffee. Leave it black, Harper.”

  Harper left.

  “Aiden.”

  Aiden turned towards him, trying to focus his eyes. “Who the fuck are you?”

  “Caleb Shaw. I’m here with your sister.”

  “Harper,” he groaned. “I wouldn’t want her to see me like this.”

  “She’s your sister and she cares about you.”

  Aiden ran his hand over his face.

  “We need to get you up and walking.”

  “Get the fuck out of here. I want to be alone.”

  “No, man. Not going to happen.”

  Harper came back in with the coffee cup, but when Caleb tried to get the heated liquid into Aiden, he swiped at him, spilling the scalding coffee all over Caleb’s arm. Caleb hissed and immediately turned the cold water on again. Aiden cursed and flailed.

  “Get another one and make more.”

  “Caleb…”

  “Do it, Harper. It’s time for tough love, here. If you don’t get him up and moving and get that alcohol out of his system, you can’t reason with him. He needs to get his balance back and the alcohol isn’t helping. I’ve dealt with many drunks. Trust me.”

  For a minute he thought she was going to argue. He wanted her to put her trust in him, to give him that piece of her that she’d been holding back. Letting him help her with Aiden was a big step, but maybe he had to be more patient. Not his strong suit. He had Harper pegged. She was afraid of giving herself over to him completely. He wanted that. He had to have it. He wouldn’t be satisfied with less.

  Regardless of her wealth, her class difference, her position. He wanted this woman. He would do everything he could to make it work out. But she had to meet him halfway. He was no one’s lapdog, and she already knew that. All he knew was that he wanted her in his life.

  “Caleb,” she squeezed his arm.

  He gave her a hard, direct stare. “Trust me.”

  Her breath hitched in her throat. “Don’t you let me down,” she said softly. She turned and left the bathroom. When she came back with more coffee and more cups, he force-fed them to Aiden. When he clamped his mouth shut, Caleb unleashed the cold water again.

  After he got three cups into him, Caleb pulled Aiden out of the tub and started to force-walk him. He resisted at first, but Caleb kept him going. Every few laps he would force-feed him more coffee.

  Finally, he was coming around. “Get me four Tylenol and water. Lots of water.”

  Harper came back with the pain meds and three bottles of water. He ordered Aiden to take them and then stood there while he downed all three bottles.

  “You are a pushy fucking bastard. Worse than my basic training sergeant.”

  “Aiden.”

  His focus shifted to her as he looked at her blearily. “Harper, I’m sorry,” he said. She went to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Oh, sis,” he said, softly. “Don’t cry. You’re killing me.”

  She just held him tighter. “Why didn’t you come to me or Dad? We would have been there to support you. You scared the crap out of both me and Faith.”

  “Oh, damn, Faith. I owe her an apology.”

  “It’s tough when you have people who care too much about you to let you go through this alone, huh, buddy?”

  He looked at Caleb over Harper’s shoulder. “Were you in the Marines?”

  “No. Cop.”

  “Ah, that explains it.”

  Harper let him go. “Shower time,” Caleb said.

  “You going to wash my back, copper?”

  “Whatever you need, Aiden,” he said wryly, then he looked to Harper. “Can you cook?”

  She looked at him indignantly. “Yes, I can cook.”

  “Eggs, toast, dry, no butter.”

  Caleb grabbed Aiden’s arm and pulled him into the bathroom. “Do you need help?”

  “You were pretty high-handed with my sister. She doesn’t usually react well to that.”

  “Don’t I know it, but she’s trusting me in this.”

  “What is exactly going on between you two?”

  “We’re working that out.” Caleb gestured impatiently. “The clothes, Aiden. Do you need help?”

  “No, I got it.”

  He stripped while Caleb ran the water. Once inside Aiden said, “Harper needs a strong man in her life. She eats most men for lunch. I got a feeling she hasn’t been able to steamroll over you.”

  “Except for a panama hat, nope.”

  “A panama hat…I’m not going to ask.”

  “It was for the Fairy Tea Party.”

  “Shit, man, she roped you into that? I bet that was brutal.”

  “I know this isn’t any of my business, but you seem reluctant to talk to your family. Why is that?”

  There was silence, the whooshing of the water was the only sound.

  “I feel like everything is jumbled up and alien since I came back. Being part of my father’s real estate business just doesn’t work for me. I can’t see myself in the boardroom anymore.”

  “If that’s how you feel, why don’t you just tell your father and be done with it? Guilt and stress only make it more difficult for you. Your sister and father deserve that honesty from you, Aiden. They are your family and they love you. That has to count for something.”

  “I know.”

  “The alcohol only makes things worse, believe me.”

  “Be
en on a few benders yourself?”

  “Yes, I’ve seen some shit, being on the force. If you ever scare your sister like that again, I might have to kick your ass.”

  “Ha! I think it might be fun going a few rounds with you, man.”

  “Oh, yeah, there’s a sparring gym called Gloves.”

  “I know where that is. You’re on.”

  Harper opened the door and handed Caleb a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt. He took them from her hands. Her eyes were warm and open and grateful. He caressed her jaw, his thumb brushing along her cheekbone. He smiled softly. “It’ll be okay, princess,” he whispered.

  She backed out and closed the door.

  After Aiden was out of the shower and dressed, Caleb forced him to eat. After that, Aiden went to bed.

  Harper took his hand and pulled him into the master suite. There she stripped the filthy shirt off him, her hands sliding over his chest. It was really late and they were both tired. He dragged her against him and held her. “Sweetheart, best to get some sleep. I’ll stay up and watch over your brother.”

  “Caleb.”

  “No, go ahead.”

  She nodded. “Thank you.”

  Bare-chested, he went back downstairs and cleaned up the kitchen, the living room, dumping all the bottles out and cleaning up the floor. After that he went back upstairs and checked into the master suite. For a few minutes, he watched Harper sleep. The woman was definitely under his skin.

  He headed to Aiden’s room. Both Blue and Quinn were on Aiden’s bed. One dog on either side. Quinn raised his head when Caleb came in. He went over and patted the German Shepherd, who laid his head back down, his eyes on Aiden.

  “Protective old boy,” Caleb said.

  Blue whined and he petted her, too. “Good girl.” This pretty, pampered poodle was getting to him, too. Just like Harper.

  #

  When Harper woke up, she felt guilty for going to pieces on Caleb, but he’d been a rock. Usually she could handle just about anything, but when it came to the people she loved, she was a basket case.

  She pushed the covers off and got out of bed. Slipping silently down the hall, she went to Aiden’s room.

  She had to smile. Quinn lay across his hips and Blue was snuggled up against his head, both dogs snoring softly.

  When she looked for Caleb, her breath caught in her throat. The light from the sliding glass door fell across his body, emphasizing the length of his eyelashes, lush half-moons on his cheeks. He hadn’t put on a shirt, and his muscles were a golden hue in the early morning light, his handsome, Roman-god face was relaxed in sleep, tendrils of hair tumbling over his brow making him look like a fallen angel in repose. Tenderness and something else she wouldn’t name stole over her in increments until she was steeped in deep emotion for this man who had come into her life and turned it upside down.

  When he opened his eyes, he gave her a sleepy, heated look that made her insides tremble. She walked across the room and settled down on top of him, her hand caressing his jaw.

  “Good morning,” he said against her ear, sending shivering waves down her neck into her breasts and groin.

  She turned her head and met his mouth, giving him the kind of kiss that made it quite clear that she wanted him with everything she had.

  After she broke it, his gaze intensified. “You are making me freaking crazy, lady.”

  “That was the plan,” she whispered back.

  “Get a room, you two.” Aiden said his voice scratchy.

  Harper glanced over at him and was glad to see he looked much better. That desperate look seemed to be gone from his eyes. They were a sleepy blue.

  She got off Caleb’s lap and launched herself at her brother, scattering the dogs. “Cut it out, sis,” he said when she started to tickle him.

  Quinn padded over to Caleb and sat down watching the silly humans act silly. He cocked his head to the side and Caleb smiled at both the dog and them. Blue was at the corner of the bed, her tail wagging madly, clearly wanting to jump into the middle of all that fun, but unable to find an opening in the tangle of humans.

  “I’ll get breakfast started, but first I’m going to shower,” Caleb said, giving Harper and Aiden some privacy.

  “There are plenty of clean clothes in the master closet. Should fit you just fine.”

  After Caleb left, Aiden nudged her. “Don’t let me keep you. They say that taking a shower together saves water.”

  She punched him in the shoulder. “He was pretty amazing, you have to admit that.” She sobered. “Aiden, please don’t ever do that again. You’ve got to talk to Dad and get this resolved. I’m sorry I pushed you and caused…”

  “You didn’t cause anything, Harper. It’s been brewing for quite a while. I just needed time and, apparently, copious amounts of alcohol. Damn, I’m never doing that again.” He rubbed at his temple and pulled her in for another hug. “I’ll talk to Dad. Will you come with me?”

  “Of course I will. You’re my stupid little brother.” She hugged him hard.

  “Yeah, yeah, get going. I’ll make breakfast.”

  She didn’t need to be told a third time.

  The water was running when she entered the room. The shower was an open design with several jets embedded in the walls. When she walked in, he was standing under the spray, head back, washing all that glorious, dark hair.

  For a moment she couldn’t breathe. He was so intensely male. His eyes were closed. Without realizing she was there, he rinsed and then soaped his body. Her body tingled with awareness. She hadn’t realized how erotic it could be to watch a man take a shower. When the spray had washed away all the soap, he turned around and pressed his hands against the shower and bowed his head.

  After a few moments, he shut off the water. She grabbed a towel off the rack and walked to him. When he saw her, he took a breath. She pressed the terry cloth to his chest, wiping away the moisture, and his eyes softened. She moved around him drying every inch of his muscular form. “Bend down.”

  When he did, she gently towel-dried his hair, getting behind him to dry his shoulders again. Then, dropping the towel, she finger-combed his hair. He’d gotten very little sleep, and must be exhausted. She pulled off her clothes and wrapped her arms around him from behind, pressing her breasts against his broad back.

  He groaned softly, taking a hitching breath.

  “Harper,” he said, his voice full of trapped desire.

  She kissed his back, “I’m sorry I was too late to wash your back, handsome.”

  “Geezus,” he said softly and turned in her arms dragging her against him. “There’s always next time,” he growled. “Right now I need something much more immediate.”

  His face was taut, his eyes locking on hers as he trailed a finger down her cheek, his touch tender and lingering; then he hooked his knuckles under her chin and lifted her face. His breath feathered across her lips for an instant, then his mouth touched her, with infinite gentleness. It was as though she was insulated from every other sensation except their kiss, and she closed her eyes, letting go of every conscious thought.

  His warmth and strength surrounded her, his touch like silk against silk, yet for all that softness, there was an underlying strength, a depth of feeling. When he made love to her, he always made her feel that, above all else, he was silently reaffirming his commitment to her. He would always be there for her, no matter what.

  And now was no different. It was like light amidst darkness. It was gentleness amidst strength. A fierce ache constricted her throat, and she tried to will it away, to be grateful that for now, at least, she was safe and protected.

  Drawing an unsteady breath, Caleb spanned her jaw with his hand and eased his face away as he tightened his hold on her. He held her, slowly stroking her back, then he lifted her in his arms, pulling her against his wide chest. He stood there holding her looking down into her eyes. Something cracked and fell away, and she let it go. Was it the wall around her heart? Was it the armor that had isola
ted her from this…this emotion, this crazy, beautiful jumble of emotion?

  He brushed his mouth against hers one more time before heading towards the bed.

  Silence and shadow cocooned the room and the bed sagged with their weight, cool sheets against her hot body. He covered her, molding her to his long, hard frame as he enfolded her in a secure embrace.

  She closed her eyes, an odd ache blooming in her chest as he slid his hand up the back of her head, freeing her hair from the elastic band. Splaying his fingers against her scalp, he turned her head, his mouth finding hers, binding her to him with threads of sensation, and she moved closer, wanting to soak up all the poignant feelings his tenderness awakened in her.

  And that was all she wanted right now. She didn’t want to have her senses distorted by the electrifying physical responses he could arouse in her, when she wasn’t aware of anything but the throbbing thickness swelling in her. She didn’t want to be immobilized by that feeling of being at the brink of unconsciousness as the pulsating pressure grew and grew, until her whole body started to focus and tighten, hovering on the edge as the pressure crested. She didn’t want to fall into that mindless void when that first paralyzing contraction took her, sending tremor after tremor though her whole body.

  She didn’t want to be so immersed in her own responses and sensations that she lost contact with his. She wanted awareness—awareness of him—awareness of the infinite gentleness in his every touch, awareness of the things he did to make her feel utterly cherished.

  Sliding her hand across his naked chest, she pressed him back, and he caught her head, holding her mouth against his as he yielded to the light pressure. He drew her with him, and his arms encased as her she straddled his hips.

  His breath caught, his voice so gruff it was barely audible as he whispered against her mouth, “Princess—babe, not so fast.”

  “Shh,” she murmured softly then, rising, she guided him into her.

  She felt him react, his whole body tensing as she slowly settled her weight on him, and on a ragged intake of air, he tightened his arms around her, molding her tightly against him.

  Aware of every breath, every heartbeat, and every move he made, Harper began to slowly work her spell, wanting to immerse him in a pleasure so intense it would swamp his senses. She didn’t care if she experienced the same explosive release. That wasn’t important. What was important was to experience the full measure of his need, to be engulfed in his gentleness and caring, and to fill his needs, heart and soul. She wanted to experience only that.