by Zoe Dawson
“You heard the man,” she said, trying to ignore the way Owen tracked her as she stepped out of the shed.
#
Callie had just dropped the keys on her hall table when she heard a noise from her kitchen. “Who’s there?” she called out. She glanced at Jack, but he didn’t growl.
The rest of the day with Owen had been fun, but strained. He hadn’t said anything during the drive home about the kiss, so Callie let it go. Callie simply couldn’t get involved with Owen. She was already much too interested in him personally, which was even more dangerous than sexually. She realized she couldn’t seem to disconnect the two, and that could only lead her to heartache.
“It’s your brother, and he’s hungry. Don’t you ever keep any food in this place?”
She smiled as she walked into the kitchen. “I haven’t had a chance to go shopping. I forget how grumpy you get when you don’t eat, Ian.”
The fridge door was open and her brother had his six-foot-four frame bent over, peering inside. “Yeah, and I’m sure your tummy is full of mom’s good food. Did you bring any cobbler home?” He absently stroked Jack as he searched.
The container she was carrying did have a serving of cobbler in it. Her brother’s eyes lit up, and he straightened and grabbed for it.
“Yes, I did.” She pulled it away from his grasp. “But it’s for Brooke.”
“Oh, damn. Then I’m out of luck. I swear you’re more loyal to those women then you are to your own brother.”
“If I had known you would be dropping by, I would have brought some home for you, too. Did your meeting end early?”
“A bit.” He eyed the container, but Callie gave him the stinkeye as she put it in the fridge and firmly closed the door.
“How about we order pizza?”
His eyes lit up. “That sounds good.”
Callie picked up the phone and put in the order. “So did you just show up for food?”
“Not exactly.”
“That sounds ominous.”
“There have been a few thefts in the building. The tenants think it’s someone who lives here. It’s not good for business, so keep your eyes open and be careful.”
“Yes, I heard some women talking the other day about a stolen pillow. I thought it was an isolated event.”
“No, there’s been more, a quilt, a hand-woven rug, and a dinosaur comforter off a kid’s bed.”
“Sounds like someone is opening up a soft goods store.”
“Well, I thought about hiring security. But it’s a thief of opportunity. One woman braced her door open to bring in groceries, and the other woman’s kid left his ajar when he went to a neighbor’s to play.”
“Do you think security is necessary? So far this person hasn’t been violent.”
“Maybe not. I don’t like my tenants to be uneasy.”
“Listen to you. Mr. Landlord.”
“Shut up,” he said good-naturedly, grabbing her around the neck into a headlock. “I have a vested interest in this property, sure, but when I first bought it, I also wanted to create a place where people feel safe, secure, and comfortable.”
“Your vision was a good one.”
“I actually thought about making this whole floor one big loft. In fact, I had plans of knocking out that wall over there and combining these two lofts, but decided the income would be better than the space.”
“Well, Owen McKay loves his loft, so no breaking out any walls while he’s living there.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it. He’s a good tenant.”
“I should tell you. You’ll find out sooner or later, but his dog is pregnant and Jack got her that way.”
“What the hell? I thought they were waiting for Jack to mature.”
“I’d say he’s matured.”
Her brother chuckled. “So this was planned?”
“No, it was an accident, and Owen feels so bad.”
“Owen, is it? You know that guy is a major player.”
“I know, and don’t go all protective older brother on me. I have no intention of getting involved with him.”
“Hmm,” he eyed her. “The best laid plans…”
“Now it’s time for you to shut up.”
The doorbell rang and her brother reached for his wallet as he headed for the door, “Saved by the bell. Well, be careful is all I have to say in both situations.”
#
After spending an uneventful Sunday, Callie was ready for work on Monday. At eleven on the dot, Owen and Jill entered her training facility. Callie was finishing up her puppy class, and as she said goodbye to her students, she kept an eye on Owen.
He looked good today, with the tail of his shirt tucked into dark jeans and the cuffs rolled and pushed up his forearms.
After the last student left, Owen came over to her. “Are you ready for us?”
She wasn’t sure she was ready for Owen and the potency of his presence, but she was ready to teach his unruly dog some manners.
She nodded and walked over to a bench in the ring where she taught most of her classes. She settled down and patted the seat next to her. “Let’s chat first about Jill.”
“All right.”
“So, I gather she was pretty much indulged from the time she was a puppy. She hasn’t been taught the basics.”
“That’s right. I can’t even get her to sit, but she did offer Poe her paw. So my Aunt Tilly must have taught her that.”
“I can guarantee she’ll sit on command before you leave today.”
“I have no doubt. This is, after all, Sit Happens.”
She shook her head as she fought to ignore his charming banter. “Most humans don’t realize that dogs are not people, too. Dogs are dogs and they’re pretty simple. Their natural instinct is to want structure, rules, and boundaries. That’s why there is a hierarchy in packs. They each know their place and where they stand and how to behave. When they step out of line, the pack leader makes corrections. That’s where you come in. You’re the pack leader. Right now, Jill doesn’t respect you. She won’t listen to you because you haven’t taught her you’re the boss.”
“I get it. A dog responds to the owner’s ability to understand him and give him what he instinctually needs as a dog.”
“Correct. Once you start setting some boundaries, it’ll get better. Let’s start with teaching her how to sit.
“Here is a treat,” Callie continued. “Hold it in your hand, but let her see it. Keep saying sit until she obeys, then give her the treat. This will probably take several tries.”
She watched as Owen worked with Jill and was impressed by his patience. It was too bad she couldn’t forget how his mouth felt on hers or how she reacted to him as a man. But she would be either an idiot or a fool to believe that a relationship with him could go anywhere.
It was time to find something lasting and real. Flings were something for a younger woman with less experience. She wanted mutual trust and commitment. By Owen’s own admission, he could give her neither.
There was just that niggling doubt. Could it be because he’d had such a tough life when he was young? Could it be that he was afraid to take those steps because he’d been hurt and abandoned?
The thought gave her pause, and she did conjure up Brooke’s stern face to help her. But Brooke didn’t know his circumstances. She knew her nurturing friend’s face would soften after hearing Owen’s story.
She watched as Jill almost got it, but Owen tried one more time, and then she did it and the look on his face was priceless. Callie cheered and clapped. Owen rose in one powerful push of those thighs and wrapped his arms around her. She hugged him back, caught up in the simple breakthrough.
Then the hug changed. She felt the tension in his body and the innocent moment of victory changed into something lethally charged. He felt so wonderful, as if he was the intricate, hard-to-find puzzle piece that just…fit. She didn’t want to let him go, but she knew she must. He pressed his face against her, the warmth of his skin and b
reath seeping into her pores and igniting a raging fire. Trying to hang onto her control, she closed her eyes against a rush of passion so intense her whole body clenched.
They turned their heads at the same time, seeking what each of them craved. His lips brushed across hers. Warm, a little soft, but the right amount of firm. He slid his fingers along the back of her neck, beneath the heavy braid that swung there, sending a delicious little shiver all the way down her spine.
He dropped another whisper of a kiss across her lips, then another, inviting her to participate, clearly not sure how she felt. But she wished that he wouldn’t be tentative, wished he would make the decision final and then she wouldn’t have to berate herself later. He lifted his head just enough to look into her eyes, a silent question in his own.
She met intensity with intensity, but she knew that it would be a mistake to get involved, even though the man made her body literally hum.
He saw her refusal to continue and backed off. “We should have talked about this…thing between us.”
“You mean the chemistry?”
“Is that what it is?” he said with a smile.
“Isn’t it? We click. That’s all. I just need something…more.”
He nodded. “I understand. But I have to say I have regrets.”
“It’s better than me ending up with a broken heart. I said I understood the ground rules. But I think I’ll pass instead of play.”
She took a deep breath. “So, now that that’s settled, let’s focus on Jill. The most important, best thing you can do for her is take control and keep it. She will test you. That is her natural instinct. Pack leaders lead, and that’s what you need to do. If she exhibits any type of behavior that you frown on, teach her the behavior that you want instead. She really does want to follow you. Exert that control. You’ll have a much happier dog, especially now that she’s going to have puppies. She wants to make sure her environment is safe. Also, I want you to consider something.”
“What is it?”
“I think Jill would benefit from agility training. She has a lot of energy, can jump like a dream, and has a lot of coordination for a Dane.”
“Agility training?”
“Yes, it’s an obstacle course. There are even competitions.”
“No kidding.” He paused. “Okay, I’ll consider it. But would it be safe for her while she’s pregnant?”
“I wouldn’t have her hurdling, but she looked pretty comfortable jumping over your couch. I would suggest some basic stuff. I think she gets into trouble because she’s active, intelligent and bored a lot of the time. It couldn’t hurt to start teaching her the very basics. All I’m doing is asking you to consider it.”
“I will, seriously. So next week, the same time?”
Callie nodded. “I’ll see you then,” she said with feigned brightness. When he walked away, all she felt was longing, and most likely the same regret he was feeling.
#
She arrived at Cibo Molto Buono, a high-end Italian restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen. Brooke was already seated, but Harper and Poe hadn’t arrived yet. She waved to Brooke as the maître d nodded and escorted her to the table. When the waiter asked her for her drink order, she requested a glass of Merlot.
“You’re drinking wine.”
“So?”
“Something’s up. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“You only drink wine when you’re upset.”
“I’m not upset.”
“Why is Callie upset?” Harper said as she sat down and flagged the waiter.
“I’m not upset,” Callie insisted.
Poe came to the table and noticed the tense atmosphere, then eyed Callie’s glass of wine. Callie wished she’d just cancelled the dinner.
“What’s up?”
“Callie ordered wine.”
“Oh, no. What’s wrong?”
“Spill it,” Harper said.
“Oh for the love of Pete,” Callie said. “I kissed Owen McKay.”
“Where?”
“On the mouth.”
“No where were you when you kissed him?”
“I took him to my parents so they could check out Jack’s pregnant girlfriend.”
“Oh, cozy family home. That was bound to happen.”
“Well, you got it out of your system. Now you can move on. There’s a cute doctor I could set you up with.”
“Not exactly.”
“But he’s real cute.”
“No, not the doctor part, Poe, the getting-it-out-of-my-system part.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Brooke asked.
“She kissed him again,” Harper said.
“I kissed him again.” Callie confirmed.
Brooke sighed. “When?”
“His lesson. He was teaching Jill to sit, and he got so excited he hugged me, and I hugged him, and then all of a sudden we weren’t just hugging. We were kissing. But I was firm afterward. I told him that a relationship wasn’t going to work.”
“There’s only one thing to do now,” Harper said.
“What?” the other three women asked in unison.
“You’re going to have to sleep with him.”
Chapter Five
You’re going to have to sleep with him.
Harper’s proclamation was still reverberating in her head as she returned from another dismal date. The cute doctor only wanted to talk about all the interesting surgeries he’d preformed in great and vivid detail. The jerk asked nothing about her job and nothing about her.
Letting herself into the loft, she responded to Jack’s greeting and then threw herself down on the sofa. With his usual uncanny ability to sense when she was down, he gently placed his head in her lap and gazed at her soulfully.
“It’s okay, Jack. Things will get better.”
Except that she hadn’t been able to find her Judith Leiber cream clutch. The last time she had used it was on her previous snooze date. She’d set it on the foyer table. But when she went looking for it to use on this date, it wasn’t there. She decided she must have put it back in her closet. She would have to search.
A knock on the door startled her. She looked at her watch. It was close to eleven. She called out as she got off the sofa. “Who is it?”
“It’s me, Owen.”
Her pulse jumped, but she tried to ignore it, and the way her heartbeat skittered.
When she opened the door, he looked worried.
“What’s wrong?”
“Jill. I think she’s sick.”
Callie had opened the door too wide, and before she could stop him, Jack slipped out and made a beeline for Owen’s loft and the open door.
“Jack!”
Callie took off after him when he didn’t heed her call. Inside Jill was dancing around him.
“Oh. She looks fine now. But she’s been off her food, and she was really lethargic today. I thought she was sick.”
“Well it looks like the big hussy just needed a shot of Jack.”
Owen chuckled. “Looks that way. I’m sorry to get you out of your apartment so late. You look nice.”
She blushed and smoothed her hands down the black scuba dress she wore. She liked the mix of sporty and chic. She would have thought as a grown woman she’d be over it, but, no. She actually blushed.
“I was…ah…on a date.”
“Really?” he asked. He frowned, held her gaze for a few more seconds, then looked away, his fist clenching. “Did you have a good time?”
“Poe set me up with one of the doctors at the vet hospital.”
He nodded. “A doctor. That’s great.”
His tone of voice conveyed how not great he thought it was. She wasn’t going to confirm for him that it hadn’t been great at all. That all she’d done the whole evening was compare the poor man to Owen. It was best to let Owen think she was involved, because, dammit, he was just as enticing now as he had ever been.
“I should get Jack and let you get some
sleep.”
“I’m somewhat of a night owl. I don’t open up the club until about six.”
“Oh. I see. I don’t open up until ten, so that gives me some leeway in the morning. It’s nice. Well, I should go anyway.”
“Do you have to? I mean, Jack and Jill need some bonding time. Maybe we could let them be together for a bit and we could play cribbage.”
“I’ve never played it.”
“I can teach you.”
“I have some crackers and cheese at my place. Should I get them?”
“Sure.”
Callie rushed next door to get the food and change her clothes, putting on sweats and a t-shirt. In the meantime, between episodes of kicking herself for being an idiot, she assured herself that the dogs did need some time together. Jack was looking way too droopy. It was all about the dogs. But a little unheeded voice kept saying, “Yeah, riiiiight.” It was only a coincidence that the voice sounded exactly like Brooke’s.
Owen greeted her with a plate and knife.
“Sorry to disappoint you, but I don’t have a cheese server. I guess I’m not that cosmopolitan.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say that. I’ve coveted this plate set from the Pottery Barn. Especially the skull one with the creepy saying, Midnight Dreaming.”
“That’s my favorite one, too. Does that say I have a little pirate in me?”
“I’d say there’s plenty of pirate in you, Owen.”
“Well, then get to chopping, wench, the crew be hungry.”
She tried not to be swayed by his devilish charms and excellent pirate inflection, really she did. “Aye, aye, captain,” she said with a mocking salute.
“Show some respect, woman, or it’ll be the plank for ye.”
She laughed and stepped away from him a bit—no need testing her swayability by putting herself in actual contact range—and sliced up the cheese and laid out the crackers. She kept her back to him, all the better to avoid being caught up in those deep blue eyes of his. “I should warn you that I’m a pretty fast learner.”
Owen came to stand beside her, picking up the platter of cheese. She put the knife down. She knew her limits. Bracing herself, she looked at him. Up close like this, almost as close as they’d been in the shed when he’d kissed her, it was impossible not to get caught up in his intensity. He didn’t even have to try. How he worked that lazy smile with those laser beam eyes of his, she had no idea. But anybody fooled by his easygoing demeanor was just that, a fool. “Is that a challenge?”
