by Lynn Stark
“I just bet he did.”
Since the door was still slightly ajar, Camilla poked her head back in. She blushed as she looked at them. “You two look very good together. Actually, the three of you do. Merck’s a very handsome man. Now, I just came back to tell you that your father is here to pick me up. Mink appears as though he has survived. I suspect you will hear from your father this evening. It’s unavoidable, I’m afraid.”
Piper nodded. “I know. Just don’t let him get too worked up about it. There are a lot of people looking out for me. I’m quite safe.”
Those words filled Jace’s heart. Her absolute trust was a gift he wouldn’t treat lightly. When her mother left again he put a crooked finger under Piper’s small chin and lifted her face to his.
“Have I told you today that I love you?”
“You did. But it was a very, very long time ago. I could hear it again, if you would like to say it.”
“I love you.” Jace rubbed his nose against hers. “Mmm, I like saying it.”
“I like hearing it. I love you, too.”
Lowering his head Jace captured her sweetly bowed mouth with his, moaning as he tasted the unique flavor of her soft, moist flesh. Her mouth opened, allowing his tongue to tease hers. He explored and as he did so his desire flared to life, not that it was ever far from the surface when he was around either Piper or Merck. With his hands tightening on her, and the kiss deepening, he wondered if he could get away with making love to Piper here in the office.
That plan was nixed when Mink knocked on the door. “Hey, Sis, can you come out here?”
Both he and Piper sighed as they slowly ended their kiss. Then she was taking his hand and leading him out of the tiny office. He would have to remember to build his new office big enough to put a very large couch where they could take lunch breaks together. He’d sound proof it, too.
When they got out to the front of the center they discovered a woman there with a large box containing seven mixed breed pups. Since the center was working in conjunction with a shelter, as well as the pound, he knew she would begin making calls. Before that, however, they would have to get their shots and a health check.
After the woman signed the papers surrendering the puppies, as well as taking an application to get her bitch spayed, he helped Piper and Mink sort through the next few steps in the process.
An hour later they were on their way to the vet’s office. The vet would examine them, test them for worms and other parasites, give them their shots, and then the woman from the shelter would meet them there to pick up the puppies. If they were deemed healthy enough to be placed in new homes they would be featured on the help center’s webpage.
By some miracle they were finished earlier than any of them expected. The whole process was over in less than an hour. The only problem they encountered was that Mink wanted to take them all home.
When Jace thought Piper was about to give in, Rafe McNeil, the veterinarian, stepped in. The man was as tall as he was, but a leaner build. Not thin, but definitely didn’t have Jace’s bulk. He guessed Rafe was somewhere in his mid-thirties and had a wicked handsomeness.
“You don’t want to do that,” Rafe told Mink gently. “You can’t possibly keep or save every animal you’ll encounter at the help center. If you think you can, you need to stay away from it. Your sister and Evelyn will be sure to find them good homes. Besides, these dogs are all going to grow into those big feet. Do you have a place to keep a large dog?”
Seeing the shine of tears in Mink’s eyes, Jace felt like punching the guy. Mink shook his head. “No. I’m going to be living with my sister and her men because I can’t keep my rabbit in my apartment.”
There was a snort. “Let me guess. It was dropped off and you wanted it the moment you saw it.”
Mink ducked his head. Jace scowled and stepped forward. “That’s enough. Mink’s got a heart of gold. He’ll learn soon enough that he can’t take home every animal he sees. Don’t be so rough on him.”
“I’m just trying to save him some heartache. I have a lot of bad days myself when there’s an animal I can’t do anything for. I had to put down a horse today that had a severely fractured leg. The whole family was there crying. Yeah, sometimes life just sucks.”
“Thanks,” Mink said. “But if I find the right dog for me, I’m going to keep it.”
Rafe laughed. “You do that, Melvin. Just be sure it’s the right one for you.”
Mink jumped like someone had slapped him. He stared at the veterinarian. “My name’s Mink. Please don’t call me Melvin. Anyway, how did you know?”
“I asked your sister. I must have forgotten that you don’t like to be called Melvin.”
Mink stomped his foot and Jace choked back a laugh. “Don’t call me that.”
“Or what?”
“I’ll…I’ll…” He growled in his throat and glared at the much taller man. “I’ll think of something.”
Rafe winked. “Be sure to make it good, cutie.”
That was enough for Mink. He stared at Rafe, blushed, and then went quite pale. He shot out of the exam room without looking back.
“Your brother’s hot,” Rafe told Piper, smiling in what could only be described as a rakish manner.
Yeah, he’d read a few historical romances in his day. Rafe would make a great pirate.
“My brother isn’t some hot little twink for you to toy with.”
“I never toy with anyone.”
“See that you don’t.”
“Or what?”
“Oh, I have no problem knowing what I’ll do if you hurt him. I’ll neuter you and hang your balls out in the sun to dry.” She left the room, long silver curls twitching across her back.
Jace couldn’t help it. He roared with laughter. The expression on the handsome vet’s face was priceless. Rafe joined him a moment later. When they both quieted Rafe said, “I’d never expect something dirty to be spoken with such a sweet voice. She’s got something of a potty mouth.”
Shaking his head he grabbed the box of puppies and headed for the door. “You have no idea.”
The director of the local shelter was in the waiting room when he came out with the puppies. Piper had said her name was Evelyn. He greeted her with a smile.
She smiled back then looked into the box. She shook her head. “It’s too bad. Now there are seven more little sweethearts needing homes. I do what I can. Piper, you don’t know how happy I am that you’ve started the help center.”
“I’m glad to help out. If you need anything, you’re to call me, okay?”
After that they returned to the help center. Once they were through the door Mink threw himself into cleaning. Jace and Piper helped, though they seemed to get in his way more than anything else.
When the last client left the doggie spa at ten minutes before six they were all ready for a hot meal and a bed. They called Merck and told him that they would be home after they stopped at Mink’s apartment to pick up a few of his things. A dozen boxes later they were on their way home.
Piper turned in her seat. Jace glanced at her and he saw the concern on her beautiful face. “Hey, Mink, how are you doing back there? Tired?”
“I don’t remember the last time I was this tired. I’ll probably sleep like the dead tonight.” There was a pause, and then he giggled. “Unless someone starts screaming the roof off again and wakes me up.”
Piper turned back in her seat. “Funny. I’ll remember that, Melvin.”
Mink made a strangled sound in the backseat but didn’t say another word. The more time the two spent together, he thought with a smile, the more they became like brother and sister. It was good for them both.
They rode the rest of the way home in silence. Everyone had had a long day. Keeping a watch on the doggie spa for Piper, and working on the plans for his own new business, had taken more out of him than he’d expected. Or maybe it was the fact that none of them had gotten much sleep the past couple of nights.
Jace was
looking forward to making love to his partners again that night. He couldn’t get enough of them. Though he knew they were burning off pure lust at the moment, each time he was with them he felt their bond tightening.
Soft fingers touched his forearm as they turned into the lane leading up to the ranch house. Light pouring from the windows was welcoming. Once they were in the garage Mink jumped out of the truck and ran inside, nearly colliding with Merck as he came to the door to greet them.
“I guess Mink needs a bunny fix. The damn thing has been making a racket in there.”
“Well, it’s not a very big cage,” Piper offered. “We can get him a larger one tomorrow.”
Jace waited behind Piper as Merck stopped her for a kiss. He rolled his eyes and sighed as it turned out to be a very long one. He could appreciate it, but he wanted to get inside and relax.
He cleared his throat. Merck grinned and stepped around Piper. “Want one, too, my sweet?”
Feeling a little less tired, Jace smiled and nodded. Warm, firm lips tilted over his, the tip of a tongue searching, seeking entrance. He opened his mouth to Merck’s questing tongue, moaning as it slid over his own with practiced ease. Strong arms held him tight, welcoming him. Their hearts pounded together. The man certainly knew how to kiss. He could feel his toes curling in his combat boots.
Then Merck was letting him go and stepping back with a smug grin on his face. “There, don’t you feel better?”
“Much better.” He sniffed the air. While the garage was cold and the scents were a mix of oil, lube, and old rubber, the normal scents for a garage often used for making repairs to vehicles, a mouthwatering scent was wafting out through the door, tantalizing him. “What the heck smells so damned good?”
Jace never got the chance to find out. A female voice came through the house as a nerve-ripping screech. “Merck Rushton, what have you done to my pig?”
He looked at the blushing man. “What did you do, Merck?”
“Nothing much. Just gave the damn thing some obedience lessons.”
“What did you do?” Jace asked again, pushing past Merck to go into the house. He dropped Mink’s belongings on the kitchen floor as he went into the living room.
Piper was standing in the middle of the living room staring at Sparkle, who was sitting in the corner with her snout pointed toward it. She didn’t move a muscle.
“Why is she in the corner?”
“She’s in a time out.”
“Why? And how did you make her do it?” There was amazement in her voice, which was once again producing ear-pleasing sounds.
“Because she got into the refrigerator and ate half the vegetables before I caught her. And I taught her to sit in the corner. She’s smarter than any dog I’ve ever trained.”
“Well,” Piper said, hands on slender hips. “Make her stop. She won’t even come to me.”
Mink, who was sitting on the couch with his rabbit, was giggling with amusement. “I’m glad I don’t own a bad pig.”
“Wait until your rabbit chews a big hole in something. Then you’ll both be in the corner.”
“Sparkle, come.”
Sparkle was out of the corner in a split second, running across the living room to sit in front of Merck. She smacked her lips, obviously expecting a treat. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a treat. He gave it to her before scratching her on the head.
“Okay, go play.”
As soon as she was free to go Sparkle went to her mommy, squealing and grunting, as if telling her everything that had happened that day. Piper fussed over her pig, kneeling on the floor so she could hug her.
“We have a surprise for you,” Merck said. “Sparkle, come along. Let’s go outside.”
Piper was abandoned again. There was a sour expression on her face as she got to her feet. Sparkle ran through the house to the back door. They followed. Jace rubbed her shoulders comfortingly as they went out into the backyard and discovered a piggy playground built behind the garage.
Someone, or several someones, had spent the day putting up a high fence all the way back to the line of trees which formed a windbreak. There were double strands of electrified wire on the top of the eight foot fence. Merck certainly wasn’t taking any chance of wildlife getting into the area and snatching one of the small pets. He supposed they’d have to watch for the kind that could fly, but he doubted the silly monkeys would be out by themselves.
Sparkle ran over and picked up a spongy orange ball. She carried it over and put it through the hoop of a child’s basketball hoop. She did it again and again before she went to Merck for a treat. Then he was walking her over to a small A ramp. It wasn’t steep. She climbed up one side and down the other. Then she went to a painted tire placed upright on the ground. She went through then trotted across the yard to a teeter totter. She went to the center and carefully tipped it before walking down the other side. There was a cloth tube and other little obstacles for her to go over. At the end there was a small post with a bell suspended from it. Sparkle grabbed the rope and pulled, ringing the bell. After that she was waiting for another treat and generous praise from Merck. The man had certainly been busy while they’d been gone.
“Now go to the piggy pen.”
“The piggy pen?”
Judging by the speed Sparkle achieved running to the end of the yard it was her favorite spot. There was a small fenced area with a large black tub in it. The sides were low, only a few inches, but Sparkle was already in it and rooting and sliding down onto her side, grunting happily in about eight inches of mud.
“Oh my!” Piper exclaimed as they stood at the fence and watched the happy pig enjoy her beauty treatment. “This is terrific! Oh, Merck, you are wonderful!” She threw herself into their lover’s arms. The two men smiled at each other over her head. “You worked so hard and Sparkle is so happy! How did you get it all done so quickly?”
“A couple of my men helped, but mostly it was my family. By the way, they’ll be back over for a picnic on Sunday.”
Jace was looking forward to that. He’d met them several times already, but he couldn’t get enough of them. He loved the large families in the area and hoped Piper would want children eventually. As far as his own family went it was just his brother, their mother, and him. His brother was also single and childless.
“That’ll be fun. It’ll be a good way to relax.” She was frowning as she looked around. “Do we have enough tables and chairs? What will we feed them? I should probably invite my parents, too.”
They discussed the particulars as they watched Sparkle all but bury herself in the mud, her mud-caked snout about all that could be seen. When it was time to go in Merck called her out. She moved reluctantly, trotting across the yard. He turned on the hose and squirted her off, chasing her with the stream of water as she began playing again.
“I’m glad I don’t have a pig,” Mink said, lifting his huge rabbit from where it had been at his feet cropping the grass off and chewing enthusiastically. He shuddered. “That’s just too much mud. Who knew a pig could be so high maintenance? I suppose you’ll be doing her nails next,” he teased.
Piper ignored his teasing. She looked at his rabbit. “Have you named him yet?”
“Stormy.”
“Why Stormy?”
Slender shoulders shrugged. “It’s a good name for a bunny. And I like it.”
Jace laughed at his fierce expression. “Do you even know if it is a he?”
Mink gave him a blank look. Then he blushed. “Well, I just kinda assumed it was a male.”
“Anyone here know how to sex a rabbit?” he asked.
Everyone looked expectantly at the tall rancher. “Well, it’s been a while, but I can tell.”
He lifted Stormy by the scruff, which instantly got him a scolding from Mink. “It’s the right way to lift a rabbit. Now watch.” He turned the rabbit over and pushed through the fur between the rear legs. With an expert twitch of his fingers he was parting and exposing what was definitely gir
lie parts. “I’m sorry to tell you this, but Stormy is a female.” He ran his hand over her stomach, pressing gently, and then grinned. “I believe you’re going to be a grandfather soon. We’ll have to get a proper hutch made. She won’t want to be messed with much. And she definitely will want her babies where she believes they’ll be safe, otherwise she could kill them.”
“That doesn’t make any sense.”
Merck shrugged. “That’s the way things are. You don’t want to stress her out. We’ll build the hutch on Sunday. It can be a family project.”
“Can it be a nice big one?”
“Yes, of course. She’s probably going to have a dozen babies. They’ll need room.”
Mink went from terribly excited to stark raving mad with excitement in two point three seconds. “Really? A dozen babies? I’m going to have thirteen rabbits?”
“Well, it could be more. It could be less.” Merck handed Stormy over to the excited man. “Just don’t be surprised if she gets grouchy and doesn’t want to be handled too much. We really do have to get that hutch made for her.”
“Maybe we should have Rafe…I mean Dr. McNeil look at her,” Mink said, blushing to a bright red. He was looking everywhere but at them. The ground at his feet was particularly interesting.
“That would be a good idea,” Piper said soothingly.
They began to make their way into the house, only to discover Sparkle had slipped away. She was back in the piggy pen, muddying herself all up. They laughed as Piper ran to get her, securing the gate this time.
Pets were put away and they had all washed up, now eager to eat the food Merck’s mothers had cooked for them.
“I haven’t seen Rafe since he got back,” Merck said as he filled a large soup bowl with chicken and dumplings. “I’ll have to give him a call. Maybe we can have a guys’ night out. Mink can go with us.”
Obviously Merck had noticed how their soon-to-be brother-in-law had all but gone up in flames at the mention of the handsome veterinarian.
“Oh, I don’t need to go along. I’m good staying home. Besides, I might have to work at the Chicken Palace that night.”
