by Ash Harlow
Marlo didn’t flirt. She wouldn’t become her mother and experience had shown her how easily that line was crossed. All Adam could offer was a drive-by relationship. Flying in, flying out. Temporary and hollow. She simply didn’t need it.
Throughout the week Adam became an observer, watching how Marlo handled not only the dogs, but also the staff and the students at the Sanctuary. Dogs of all breeds and backgrounds went through training drills from socialization to personal assistance tasks, tracking, and scent work. Some were destined for government organizations, others would work with social agencies and as assistance dogs, and many would become pets. The overriding theme was that although these dogs had arrived damaged, they would leave with a meaningful future.
He thought he was pretty good at reading animals, but Marlo took that right up to another level. She gleaned a lot of information from the dogs’ minuscule facial and body movements and was just as good at communicating back to them.
There was the flip side of her. The B side that was really her A side. The Marlo who dropped her guard and laughed, searing his edges with that fiery smile. In those moments, her little touches asked for a bit more until she realized she was out playing without her guard. In an instant the door was closed, the bolt slid tight.
He knew what that meant. His police training had made him aware of it but his undercover work gave him so many opportunities to observe it. It disturbed him that someone, or something, had affected her so badly, disguising her emotions had become her default behavior.
Thursday night was barbecue night at the main Sanctuary accommodation. What had started as an occasional get-together had become a weekly occasion that had grown in importance for the staff and volunteers. The Sanctuary attracted a fair amount of ‘people with issues’ and, for some, this regular gathering was the closest they came to having a sense of family.
The idea of inviting Adam had ping-ponged in Marlo’s head for days but she couldn’t find the right words to ask him. A bar in town was sure to be more exciting than the Sanctuary for someone like him. But she’d heard he spent his evenings in town socializing with the local police, so perhaps he’d like a change.
It would be good manners to ask him.
It might put him on the spot.
She had wrestled with the invitation until it sounded exactly right. She had worked on the words so that she wouldn’t sound presumptuous, or flirty, so that he had an easy refusal that didn’t leave a gaping awkward moment. Then she canned the idea and was filled with relief, until a quiet moment brought the idea back to life.
As she approached her office, Marlo could see Adam through the window, sitting on the corner of her desk and talking on his phone. He faced away from her. For a moment she enjoyed the back of him, broad, something she could shelter behind. The guy could fill a shirt in a way that would give total job satisfaction to a clothes designer. The sleeves were rolled to just below his elbow giving her full view of the muscles that played down his forearm when his fingers flexed.
A weird flickering started up behind her knees. Jeepers, the happy hormones were back.
She moved closer to the door, worrying her bottom lip. That single twist of hair sat inside his collar again. Her finger twitched. Why can’t he get a haircut so that I don’t have this constant need to ease that one lock over his collar? Why am I obsessing about his hair? She pulled back a smile. This is so not acceptable.
He turned and reached for a pen, and noticed her gaze. His smile showed pleasure at catching her scrutiny, as if he had eavesdropped on a wonderful secret.
Immobilized now, she tried to make a meaningful connection with her knees while her face grew hot and glowed, like a punished cheek.
She was way out of her depth.
She glanced at his hand that held the pen and its strength, its elegance, continued to fuel the happy hormones with twice the ferocity because, of course, he had two hands and that doubled the trouble. Powerful…they looked like hands that would protect. And pleasure.
What the heck would she know about that? With a steadying breath, she sent a quick message to her knees, telling them to harden up and show some support for the team. One trial step determined everything was returning to order so she entered the office and hurried straight through to the kitchen. She would distract herself with washing up the day’s cups and glasses.
Adam finished his call and came over. “Let me help with those,” he said, taking the corner of the tea towel from where she’d draped it over her shoulder. The way he slid it from her was like a long, slow caress.
But it wasn’t a caress. He hadn’t even touched her. All he’d done was remove the tea towel and now she was completely flustered and about to chicken out, again, on asking him for dinner.
Have courage. She snatched a quick breath of bravery and asked, “Would you like to stay for some dinner? I mean, down at the main Sanctuary accommodation, not at my house.” Heck, she’d made it sound like she didn’t want him at her house. Fix it. Her laugh was squeaky and nervous. “On Thursdays we have a barbecue at the main Sanctuary accommodation. It’s Thursday…barbecue day.” Oh, great, now she was rambling. She looked into the sink and started scrubbing at a perfectly clean mug. The soap bubbles were vanishing as fast as her nerve.
She carried on, filling in the silence gap. “Tonight Jeff, one of the local vets, and his tech, Sally, who is a friend of mine, are coming over. I mean, well, it’s okay if you don’t want to. You’ve probably got other things to do—” Her voice was a mash-up of apology and anticipation. Awkward silence coming up.
“Great, I’d love to.”
She lifted her head, eyes widening. “Really? Are you sure?”
“You sound surprised. Do men usually turn you down? You’re not the Halo Peak Poisoner, are you?” He nudged her gently.
“Me? God, no.” Out popped the nervous laugh again. “I thought you would probably have more interesting things to do.”
“World domination can wait another day. Tonight, I’d be very pleased to have dinner with you…and the ‘family’.”
She’d done it; he was coming. Every part of her slowed. Not rambling now. “That’s great. If you want to come up to the house we can shower before we go.”
“Can we now?” Adam grinned. “I’ll enjoy that.”
Marlo lifted the dish brush and knocked it against the edge of the sink, knowing it would spray water at him.
“Looking to start a war, there, Miss?”
She laughed and as she raised the dish brush a second time she looked directly into his eyes, challenging him. Without breaking the gaze Adam grasped her wrist. It was a surprise move, like a snake strike. Like a cop.
He squeezed. Not enough to hurt, but a demonstration of strength and Marlo opened her hand, letting the brush fall to the sink. Her thrilled heart battered her chest. The initial burst of fright had been like a single startling firework. Bright and beautiful, gone before you could capture it.
Finger by finger he released his grip but his gaze kept her still. It swept briefly over the soapsuds speckled across his shirt front, then back to her. “I thought we were going to shower at the house.” His voice had a rough edge.
She looked to her wrist. Like a prisoner uncuffed, her fingers traced where he had held her. The skin still warm, tingly.
Looking up at him, her lips parted slightly. She couldn’t stop staring. His eyes were filled with warmth, a playful smile shaped his mouth, and nothing there frightened her. Wow. Staying right with it she reached into the lukewarm water and released the sink plug. The water gurgled down the drain. Her heart had steadied with her breath. “Give me a moment to wipe up and we’ll head to the house for that shower.”
Chapter Five
A few minutes later they approached the house and were greeted by excited barking. “This is Fala, another rescue.”
Adam crouched to greet the dog. Fala sniffed him before sitting and leaning against him, her head resting on his thighs.
“Hey, Fala.”
He gently rubbed her ears and the side of her muzzle. “Are there any more pretty females locked away in the house?” Fala’s tail thumped against the ground. Adam rubbed more vigorously; the tail accelerated its rhythmic beat on the dry earth. He stopped rubbing and the dog pushed her head back into his hand. “Ah, you like that, don’t you, old girl?” His voice was gentle and his hand moved back to the sensitive place, stroking her cheeks before they slid back and found the sweet spot behind her ears. “Yeah, that’s the spot. Up behind the ears and around the back of the neck. All the girls like that.”
Marlo shivered as if Adam was speaking to her, stroking her neck and soothing her. She looked at Fala again. The old dog was normally circumspect around strangers, but with Adam she had forged a quick connection. What was this guy doing to the females around the place? “Okay, let’s go.” Her voice caught in her throat. Any more of this and she would be panting as much as the dog. She set off for the house, expecting Adam and Fala to follow.
Entering through the mudroom, she kicked off her sports shoes and socks, pressing her feet onto the cool tiled floor. Inside was hotter than the summer day outside, and she moved about the house, flinging open windows and the sliding patio doors that turned the living room into a large open-plan area. Her shirt clung to her body and she was keen to shower.
Adam had followed her into the house and was close behind her, taking up way too much space. She cleared her throat. “You take first shower. Do you need washing stuff?”
He watched her for that long moment before answering. “Let me check the car. At the very least I should have a clean shirt in there.”
While Adam went to his car, Marlo hurried to the bathroom. She laid out a towel and washcloth and checked the shower for plenty of soap and shampoo. She heard him come back into the house and called to him but he was already coming up the hallway, and they practically collided at the bathroom door.
“Sorry,” she said as they bumped into each other, then both moved in the same direction again.
Laughing, he took her by both elbows and held her still. “Are we conserving water?”
She liked the supporting cup of his hands at her elbows and she fought the desire to lean slightly into him. Was she crazy? And did that conserving water in the shower thing mean the same in New Zealand as it did for her? She took a step away from him. “It’s okay,” she told him, “there’s plenty of water.”
“What a shame.” He teased, steering her out into the hallway and releasing her.
She was slicing tomatoes when she heard him enter the kitchen. “Better?” she asked, keeping her focus on the knife.
“So much better. Thanks for that.”
She stole a quick glance. His wet hair looked volcanic, glossy like obsidian. And oh, hell, if that weren’t enough check out the cologne…and the more than six feet of man blocking any sunlight from reaching beyond him and up the hallway. He wore fresh clothes and looked, well, hard. All over. Except there…don’t look there.
His feet were bare. Naked. It looked sexy and, yup, if a man with bare feet liquefied her insides, she needed to get out more.
Marlo put the knife on the board and wiped her hands on the legs of her jeans. “I’ll take my shower.” Her voice had pitched too high.
“Give me a job to do while you shower. I’m handy with a knife, vegetable peeling, chopping big things into little things—anything, really.”
She pointed to the knife. “You can keep working with this salad if you want. There’s beer in the fridge, so help yourself.” Without looking at him again she escaped up the hallway.
Adam took a long, thirst-quenching draw from the beer bottle. He was skilled with the knife, taught at an early age by a mother who had been of the opinion that men should not be redundant in the kitchen. His mind hurtled rather than wandered toward the image of Marlo taking her shower, the floral-scented suds skipping down that little body as she washed away the day’s grime. He acknowledged, then dismissed the image when he felt a stirring in his groin.
Something tickled his neck and when he reached up he found that the thin gold chain he wore was loose. He grasped it just as it slipped free. The wedding ring the chain had been threaded through dropped to the floor. He caught it with his foot as it bounced and rolled across the kitchen, stuffed the broken chain in his pocket and slipped the ring onto his finger. So, Em, was that a message from afar to say you didn’t appreciate the carnal thoughts?
Since Emma had died, his sex life had been on a “need-to-go” basis, no emotional attachment, no morning-after, no promises. But that woman in the shower had given his feelings a good rattle.
Marlo had a careless grace and vulnerability that could be enticing if he allowed her in. Although she was adept at reading the body language and signals of the dogs, she appeared completely unaware that she constantly gave out clues about herself. His professional hunch was that she was suffering some sort of post-traumatic stress…but hey, wasn’t everyone these days?
Emma, on the other hand, had been confident. With none of Marlo’s grace, she was sturdy and dependable, and like him, born from generations of farming stock. Quick to laugh, with an open face and eyes that always filled with light, she never appeared vulnerable, and this was very likely a contributing factor to the reason Adam had been unable to protect her. Hard to defend someone who doesn’t have an enemy—but, he hadn’t considered he had enemies, either.
“Are you ready for some more chopping?”
He swung around. Oh, brother, she looked amazing. When he went to speak he hoped his voice would cooperate. “Wow, look at you! You look gorgeous.”
She glanced at the door as color tinged her cheeks. “Thanks…ah…I’ll pick us some salad herbs.”
Good, while you’re doing that, I’ll grab some self-control.
Through the large kitchen windows, Adam watched Marlo choose herbs from the garden. She’d wound her damp hair into a haphazard knot that begged to be loosened. He was certain she was unaware of how transparent her dress became when backlit by the late afternoon sun. How it broadcast that she’d taken care choosing her underwear. Her sports bra was replaced with something more…uplifting, which, dammit, was lifting more than her breasts. His cock stirred insistently this time. The algebra distraction he’d employed when Marlo showered had no lasting effect and he decided to progress to calculus. If that didn’t talk it down, he’d have to agree that math was sexy and move on to something more numbing. Except, he’d been numb for so long, he really wanted to stick with the thaw for a while.
About twenty staff and volunteers, along with an assortment of dogs, had gathered in the large courtyard. Outside were tables and seating, with another dining area indoors.
Marlo explained, “Basically, this is part of the communal living area. It’s modeled like a hostel or backpacker’s accommodation. Anyone wanting more privacy can rent cabins which are self-contained. Most tend to congregate here in the evenings.”
Lulah joined them, trailed closely by a small blue-and-white pit bull. “Calliope, say hello to Adam.” The dog sat and held a paw up.
Adam crouched and took the paw. “Pleased to meet you, Calliope.”
“Is Vince here?” Marlo asked, looking around.
“No, he’s had to go away for a couple of days so Calliope is staying with me.” Lulah bent and gave the dog a scratch. “Miss your daddy, don’t you, little girl?”
“Is he okay?” Marlo asked
Lulah shrugged. “I guess not. Something triggered him to head for the hills. He turned up yesterday evening looking all jumpy and handed me Calliope’s leash without a word. He gets this kind of pleading look, like he’s begging me not to question him. He gives Calliope a kiss on the head and walks off. He was carrying a pack; I’m sure he’ll be fine.”
Marlo sighed. “Until the next episode. Do you think they’re happening more often? He needs to get help.”
“Oh, good luck with getting him down that road. Marine, remember?”
“Are you
scared of this guy?” Adam asked.
Lulah laughed, shaking her head. “No, not at all. But Marlo used to be.” She gave her a nudge.
Adam turned to Marlo. “Why? Did he do something?”
“Yeah, he had the nerve to turn up here looking all hot.” Lulah was fanning her face with her fingers. “Didn’t he, Marlo?”
“Those tattoos are…intimidating.”
“Stereotyping, much?” Lulah teased.
“They look menacing.”
“Hot,” Lulah repeated.
“Lulah!” Marlo could feel her cheeks flaming. Although it seemed silly now, Vince had scared her a bit, at first. He was all broody silence and dark stares. Boy, was she relieved when Lulah made a breakthrough with him.
Adam cut in. “Have you had him checked out?”
“Lulah’s checked Vince out, haven’t you, Lulah?”
She grinned. “I’m not apologizing. Like I said, the dude looks hot, I like to look.”
Marlo’s eyes widened.
“What?” said Lulah. “Scoping a hot body’s not only for the guys, you know.”
Adam raised a hand and grinned. “Okay, let me put that another way. Have you done a background check on Vince? Marlo found him intimidating. He’s a Marine prone to anxiety attacks. Is he flipping out? Was he deployed? Does he have PTSD? He’s big, strong—and has a hot body—that’s for you, Lulah.”
There was a rapid tick in her chest. Adam’s probably right; she should have checked to see if they knew anything about Vince. They weren’t always stringent about checks on volunteers. Some people slipped through. “I’ll see if we’ve got something in the files. I’m sure he’s fine.”
“Get him checked out. At least know what you’re dealing with—anger, depression, fear, trauma. He might not be dangerous, but the guy clearly needs help.” Adam turned to Lulah. “So, Calliope is Vince’s dog, right?”
