“Whatever. Judge Judy is on.” Baba turned on her television and turned away. The conversation was over. Cherri had to go walk the dog.
If she had to walk the dog, she was glad she lived in such a good place to do it. Durant was dubbed a walker’s paradise. It was a college town nestled in the middle of a mountain range, populated by a mixture of former hippies, New York City transplants, and people who could trace their history back to the first settlers. And because all of those people cohabited, it made for a pretty cool-looking town. Historic buildings were mixed with colorful modern ones on the tree-lined streets. Coffee shops, independent bookstores, and funky art galleries were mixed in with little mom-and-pop shops.
And as she came upon the big open space that was Elder Park she knew she couldn’t leave this place. For weeks she had been looking for jobs as an art teacher. Yesterday evening she finally found one. It was nearly an hour away. But the pay was great and they wanted her to come in for an interview as soon as possible. One of her former professors’ husbands was the principal. The job was hers if she wanted it.
But it was an hour away. Not close enough to get to Baba if she needed to. Too far away from Durant to ask Baba to move with her.
Plus she really didn’t know if she wanted to be an art teacher. She liked kids. She loved art, but she wasn’t sure that’s what she wanted to do with the rest of her life.
You’re just scared.
The money would come in handy. She loved Ellis and Belinda. She loved Size Me Up, but she needed benefits and sick days and a salary. And …
“Is that my favorite escaping dog?” She looked up at the sound of Colin’s voice. Rufus did, too, and bounded toward him, nearly pulling her arm out of its socket as he did.
She let go of his leash as he leapt up to put his paws on Colin’s chest.
“Hold on, boy.” He gave Rufus a rough pat before he gently pushed the dog away. “You almost yanked her arm clear off.” He approached her, placing his bare hand on her cheek. “You okay, love? I thought you were going to topple over for a minute there.”
“I hate him,” she said without heat.
Rufus whimpered, clearly hurt by her words.
“She don’t hate you, boy. You’ve just got to calm down a bit. She’s a lady. You’ve got to have a soft touch with her. Trust me, if you do she’ll be eating out of your hand.”
“I can just see you saying that to your son. But I’m afraid that’s not true. For most women it takes more than just a soft touch to make us melt. We’re all not that easy.”
“No?” He stroked his thumb over her cheek. He leaned in and placed a very soft kiss on her other cheek.
She shivered and not from the cold. Her eyes almost drifted shut and she was tempted to lean into this warmth, into his kiss, but she didn’t. It would give him too much satisfaction. So she forced her eyes up to his. “Maybe the women you date are, but not all of us are. Some of us have standards.”
“Maybe that’s why we are just friends and not lovers.” He stroked his thumb over her cheek again. “You’re way too smart for me.”
She blinked at him, confused by his words, by his actions, by the way he looked at her as if they were more than they were.
She thought back to the kiss he gave her. It was innocent. She kept telling herself that, because if it wasn’t an innocent kiss …
She didn’t like that that he made her feel confused, that he made her feel uneasy. This was not their relationship. They were friends. Kind of. Sort of. They were supposed to be comfortable around each other. She was a social disaster with nearly everybody else. She refused to be that way with him. So she did the only thing she could think to do. She teased him.
“Why is it okay for men to go around doing everything with a pulse, but it’s not okay for women to do that? Can you enlighten me? Is it like a secret male gene that we don’t know about that gives you the undeniable urge to stick your poles in every honeypot that’s open.”
She had gotten to him. The slight smile he had melted off his face. “For fuck’s sake, girl. Why are you going on about that?”
“It’s just not fair. Women have urges, too. And needs. We see hot guys on the street and think Hey, I might like a piece of that. Why isn’t it okay for me to go up to a guy in a bar and take him home?”
“Because he could be a bloody murderer, that’s why!”
“And I can’t be? It’s unfair. Men get to have all the fun. They get to have all the sex and be all the serial killers. And you know what? Women line up to marry those suckers while they’re in prison. Why don’t you see men lined up at women’s prisons? Huh? Nobody ever thinks about that.”
Colin shook his head, looking more chagrined than she had ever seen him, and then he pulled her close, placed his lips on her forehead and gave her a kiss. “Sometimes I find you damn adorable, Cherri Rudy, and sometimes you drive me so fucking nuts I think about dunking you in that lake over there.”
“Really?” She looked up at him, rather pleased with herself. “Not the lake part, but the adorable part? I’m six feet tall. I don’t think anybody has ever used that word to describe me. Not even when I was a baby. You know I was born with size-nine feet? I bet you I’m in the record books somewhere.”
“Shh.” Colin slid his hands up to her shoulders. “Just be quiet, beauty. You’ll drive a man batty.”
He called her beauty. He probably called all women that, but it didn’t stop the rush of pleasure that traveled through her. He was looking at her again, studying her face, drinking her in almost, and right then she would have paid a million dollars to see into his mind, to get a tiny glimpse of what he was thinking. She would also pay a small fortune to close the little gap between them and press his lips to hers. They looked warm on this cold day—in fact, right now they looked the way a warm blanket felt.
“I finished the stool,” she blurted, trying to snap herself from those thoughts. They were dangerous. “I can drop it off.”
He looked taken aback by the rapid subject change but nodded absently. “I’ll swing by later to get it. How are you, love? You look beat. How’s your gran? I forgot to ask.”
“Baba?” It took a few moments for his words to sink in. “She’s been her normal pain-in-the-ass self.”
“That’s good,” he said softly. “You love her very much.”
She nodded. “She’s my world. My mother left when I was a kid, so it was just me and my grandparents, and then when Papa died it was just me and her.”
“Where’s your father?”
She shrugged. “Don’t know him. Baba says he went to the university, but she never told me anything else. I don’t think my mother told her much more than that. But we do know Natasha had a thing for football players. It makes sense considering my linebacker build.”
“You’re built like a woman, love. Trust me. You don’t look anything like a football player.”
“I wasn’t fishing for compliments,” she said seriously. She’d rather he not give them. It only confused her more. They were silent for a long moment. “You know all about me. But I know very little about you. Tell me about your family.”
His expression grew guarded, and for a moment she thought she had touched on a raw nerve. “There’s not much to tell. I never knew my mum. I get along with my pop but we never see each other and my sister only calls me once a year on my birthday.”
“You’ve got a sister?” Her eyes widened at the news. “I never knew that about you.”
“Well, not many people know. I haven’t seen the little thing since she was a kid. Her mum lived with us for a year.” He shrugged. “I liked Mary. I thought she would have stuck around, but my father was too much of a womanizer for her. So she left and married some English chap. They live in London now. The last time I saw Rebecca was when I stayed with them the summer before I came to America.”
“Do you miss her?” It was none of her business and yet she had to know. Colin was always a mystery to her, so far away and yet so close. Le
arning about him made him real to her.
“As much as a man can miss his near-stranger half sister. It would have been nice if she had stayed near. I’m sure she’s a good lass but I feel like it’s my duty as a big brother to scare the bloody hell out of any man who comes near her.”
“How old is she?” Cherri asked.
“She’ll be twenty-one in June.”
“Oh, so we’re close in age.” That explained a lot.
“You are.”
“Is that why you treat me like a kid?”
“I don’t treat you like a kid all the time,” he said gruffly. “I know all too well how grown you are.”
“Oh.” She didn’t know what to say to that so she changed the subject. “Do you have plans for Christmas Eve?”
“Mike and Ellis invited me over for dinner but I’d rather chew off my leg than sit through dinner with those two again.”
“But Mike’s your best friend,” she said, surprised at his answer.
“Yeah, but when he’s with Ellis he ceases to be an individual person. They tend to morph together into a creature with one mouth and four arms.”
* * *
Cherri threw her head back and laughed. “Oh my God, you’re right! They’re all over each other.”
“It’s a bit sickening,” he said absently. She had such a rich laugh, it changed her whole face. Her eyes sparkled. Her cheeks grew pink. It made her pretty, and for a moment he was so caught up in listening to her, in trying to ignore the stirring that had been going on in his groin since he’d first walked up to her, that he almost didn’t hear Rufus whimpering beside him.
“What is it, boy?” he said as Rufus rubbed his head against his thigh. The dog was a reminder that he was getting too close to her. He must be in a sorry state. He found her chatter adorable, the innocence in her eyes refreshing, the way she got under his skin alarming and charming.
The only way he could describe it was like he was going through life seeing everything in gray; and then she came along, and she was like brilliant blasts of vivid color.
Look at you, you wanker. You’ve turned into a bloody poet.
He pulled his eyes off her and stepped away, hoping to clear his nose of her sweet, soft scent. “You feeling neglected, old man?”
“I’m supposed to be walking him,” she said, looking down at her charge.
He always knew she had a lot on her plate, but he’d never realized how much she actually did. And alone, too. She had no one to lean on. Most twenty-two-year-olds had their parents to guide them, but Cherri didn’t. She had her grandmother, but Cherri did more for the old woman than the old woman did for her.
She didn’t need to be taken care of, but he wished that she had somebody to do so. “I don’t think he needs to be walked. I think he needs a good run around.” He picked up a nearby stick and gave it a mighty throw. Rufus took off after it, his leash flying in the wind. “Let me get that off him before he chokes himself. We’ll play a nice game of catch. I’ll make him good and tired so he’ll be a calm boy tonight.”
“You don’t have to do that, Colin,” she said softly.
“I do.” He gave her arm a squeeze. He needed to get away from her just for a few moments, to clear his head and think of all the reasons that he shouldn’t want her.
She’s lovable.
She needs to be loved.
He wasn’t the man for the job.
“I don’t mind. I like the bugger.” He trotted off after the dog who was sitting about twenty feet away with the stick in his mouth, just staring at Colin. “I thought the point of playing fetch was that you’re supposed to bring it back?” Colin said to the dog when he reached him. He removed the leash, but when he went to reach for the stick Rufus turned his head so that he couldn’t get it.
“Give it here, mutt.” Rufus got up, took four steps away from Colin, and sat, looking up at him expectantly for his next move. “Oh, so we’re playing that game.” Colin took a step forward. Rufus took a step forward. Colin lunged. Rufus darted. “I want that stick, dog.” Colin ran full-speed at him and Rufus took off like a shot, running halfway across the park. He knew that there was no way he could catch the dog, but he ran after him anyway. It was a long time since he had played with a dog. It was a long time since he’d had fun like this. When he was a lad he used to chase after his granddad’s dog, Lucky, until they were both panting and exhausted. That’s what Rufus needed, a child to play with, to chase after.
Suddenly the dog stopped, dropped the stick, and growled, but not at Colin, at something behind him. Colin turned around to see what the matter was.
He nearly growled, too. There was a man with Cherri.
* * *
“That is one fast dog.”
Cherri looked away from Colin and Rufus and smiled at Dr. Brightworth as he walked toward her. “I know. It’s kind of surprising with all the heavy food Baba feeds him. The other day I caught her giving him éclairs.” Her cheeks burned. “I shouldn’t have told you that. You of all people! Oh yes, Mr. Veterinarian, we feed our dog chocolate and fried foods, but you already knew that. You’re probably going to call the ASPCA as soon as you leave here.”
“Relax.” He took a step closer, touched her shoulder, and looked into her eyes. “Everybody needs a little sweet something sometimes.”
She blushed again. She knew his words were innocent, but the way he said them—well, they didn’t sound so innocent. “You’ll give me a pass this time,” she said, taking a step to the side so she could watch Colin and Rufus play, “but I know how this works. You’ll scold me for not feeding him that fancy dog food that your staff keeps trying to push on me at every visit.”
“It’s good-quality food. I feed my own dog that stuff, but let’s not talk about work.”
She glanced at him. “What would you like to talk about?”
“Colin O’Connell.”
She gave him her full attention. “You know him?”
“Yes. He’s done work for my family for years. My mother cried when she saw the restoration he did on her great-grandfather’s writing desk. He’s actually the reason I’m in the park today. I wanted to get his opinion on restoring the fountain at the north entrance.”
“I don’t think Colin does that kind of work.”
“Maybe not, but he knows the best people who can. I want his contacts. I also want to know if you’re dating him.”
“Colin?” She nearly snorted. “No. We’re definitely not dating.”
“Are you seeing anybody else?”
For a moment she didn’t answer him, she was so taken aback by his question. “No. I—I. No, I’m not seeing anybody.”
“It’s a shame. You’re very beautiful. I would have thought you would be snatched up by now.”
“I thought so, too,” she said with a shake of her head. “But then again it’s kind of hard to snatch a six-foot-tall girl. Don’t you think?”
“I could snatch you up. All six feet of you.” He smiled at her. “What would you say if I asked you out?”
Holy crap.
He was interested in her. She never thought of Sean Brightworth as a man. Only as Rufus’s doctor. The man who treated his ear mites. But now as she stood in front of him she noticed how handsome he was with his all-American looks and subtle charm. He was a man a lot of women would kill to go out with, but he was asking her.
And it freaked her out. “I would say that would be weird. You’re my vet. It would be … awkward.”
“Only if it didn’t work out. But you could always take him to Dr. Richards if that happened. I’ve heard good things about him. Come out with me.”
Barking prevented her from answering. Rufus was at her side a moment later and then he sat in front of her, right between her and Dr. Brightworth. Then he growled.
“Rufus,” she scolded. “It’s Dr. Brightworth. You know him.”
“He might still be a little upset with me from the last visit. I had to give him three shots. Dogs don’t forget that.”<
br />
“Nope.” Colin walked up, stepping in between them, too, resting his large hand on Rufus’s head. “Dogs don’t forget anybody who’s a threat to them.”
“I’m not a threat to him. I only help him.”
“Well, if you jabbed three needles in me I wouldn’t be fond of you, either. I can’t blame the lad. You’re with his owner. He’s just trying to protect her.”
“I don’t need protecting.” Cherri stepped out from behind Colin’s big shoulders. “He’s being ridiculous.” She shot Colin a look.
“Listen, Cherri. I’ve got to go,” Dr. Brightworth said. “I hope to speak to you soon.”
He walked away, leaving Cherri with two growling jackasses. “What the hell was that?”
Colin said nothing to her. He just bent down and kissed Rufus’s head. “You’re a good lad. Always protect her. Always.”
“Colin.”
He walked away from her, Rufus immediately following. “I’m going to take you home so I can pick up my stool, but first we are going to stop and get your gran some sweets.”
She followed him silently, but only because she couldn’t gather the billion thoughts that were spinning around in her head.
Maybe she had misinterpreted what just happened. Maybe she misread him, but she was pretty damn sure he had just acted like a macho jackass and chased Dr. Brightworth away.
But why?
He made it clear he only saw as a sister.
She stared at him the entire ride to the bakery. He was stonily silent and with each passing moment she was getting more and more pissed.
“Colin.” She broke the silence when he stopped at the bakery. “What the hell is going on?”
“I’m bringing your gran some sweets. In my country you bring a person a gift when you go ’round to visit them.” His words were clipped. His face unreadable. He was pissed off.
But what right did he have to be?
He just looked at her for a long second and walked away.
She sat in the car fuming. And when he came back he didn’t even acknowledge her, just turned to Rufus, her traitorous dog, and gave him a large dog biscuit.
“What the hell just happened?”
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