by Kate Kinsley
I search block after block, but there is no sign of my furry friend. I spend three hours wandering the streets of Keansburg, but to no avail. Feeling defeated, I meander back to my truck. As I approach the spot I parked, my head is drawn toward the dog park once again. I saunter toward the fence and lean my arms over the metal bars containing the pooches. I smile as I watch the animals chasing each other in a seeming game of tag. It’s then a German Shepherd catches my eye. He stands still just long enough for me to recognize the white patch on his leg.
Achilles.
I’m frozen.
Is it an optical illusion?
Is my psyche playing games with my eyes?
Can it really be my Achilles?
“Achilles!” I shout across the field. The dog stops short and turns toward the sound of my voice.
My God, it’s really him.
“Achilles!” I call again as I run toward the entrance of the park.
His tail wags, but he doesn’t move.
Entering the park, I run straight for him. I stop a few feet short and drop to my knees. “Come, Achilles,” I whisper, tears streaming down my face.
It takes him a second to register, but once he realizes it’s me, he charges and knocks me over. I’m flat on my back and he’s licking the salty drops from my face.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” a voice from behind me demands.
Giving Achilles a gentle shove, I sit up and crane my neck. A tall brunette stands with her hands on her hips.
I stand to face her—Achilles taking a seat in between us. “I’m not sure what you’re asking?” I mutter. “This is my dog.”
“No, this is my dog.” She bends down and coos, “Come here, Lucky.”
“Lucky? His name is Achilles,” I snap, my patience wearing thin.
Achilles trots over to her and sits at her feet.
My mouth opens slightly as I witness my traitorous dog sit next to this mystery woman.
“Look,” I sigh, thinking I may need a new approach. “I’m Senior Petty Officer Robert Axelson and this is my dog Achilles. If you don’t believe me, check the inside of his left ear… you’ll see a letter and three numbers tattooed there.”
She bends down to check out Achilles’ ear. Standing tall, she counters, “That doesn’t prove anything.” She scratches the top of his head and adds, “I found him close to death and nursed him back to health. I even put up flyers. No one came to claim him.”
I shift my weight from my right to my left and chew the inside of my cheek. “That’s because I was still in Afghanistan. We were both injured and I had him sent home. He somehow got loose at the airport.” The airport isn’t that far from here, but if Achilles was injured it would have been a difficult journey. “I’ve only been back a month, and I’ve been searching for him everywhere.”
She frowns and furrows her brows. “He’s my dog now. I’ve even put in the paperwork with the city.” I didn’t notice it until now, but he’s wearing a dark blue collar with a bone-shaped tag that says, ‘Lucky’.
“He’s my dog,” I growl, growing tired.
People begin to stare as the two of us continue to argue back and forth. Achilles’ head bounces between us like a tennis ball.
I’ve had enough.
I want my dog, and I want him now.
“I don’t want to fight about this, but he is technically property of the United States Navy.” He isn’t anymore, but I thought I’d try to use that card. “Therefore, not legally yours.”
“I don’t care what you fucking say! He’s mine and there’s nothing you can do about it!”
Damn, she’s feisty.
And beautiful.
I didn’t notice how much until she started cursing at me. Her lips tremble when she’s angry, and I find it incredibly sexy.
I shake my head—I need to focus on Achilles.
“Maybe we can come to some sort of a… compromise,” I offer. “Like, visitation. Then, we can both be able to spend time with him.” I do work long hours, and it wouldn’t be fair to have him penned up in the house all day. “I work during the week… maybe I can spend time with him on the weekends?”
She seems to weigh the idea over as she chews on her lower lip. Another sexy move. “I need some proof before I agree to anything.”
“Fine. Will the flight manifest and his service record suffice?” I ask, a hint of sarcasm in my tone.
She smirks. “Yeah, that will do.”
“Fine,” I quip with a shrug. “We’ll meet back here Monday afternoon. Can I have your name?”
“Margaret Caldicott, but you can call me Maggie.”
“Alright, Maggie,” I repeat as I squat down. “C’mere, Achilles.” He stands and moves toward me, resting his head on my thigh. Scratching between his ears, I whisper, “I’ll see you in a couple of days. Be a good boy.” He looks up at me, then licks my cheek.
Good boy.
Chapter Five
Maggie
Who the hell does he think he is? Coming here and demanding I give him Lucky.
I watch him walk out of the park and get into a black pickup truck.
As he drives off, my mind begins to wander.
Just because he’s in the military doesn’t give him the right to demand I give up Lucky. I tried to find his owner—I put up posters. Now, I’m too attached to him to give him up… even if he isn’t really mine.
As angry as I am that this guy came out of nowhere and was so demanding, I can’t help but notice how good looking he is. I’m not a fan of the short haircut, but the emotion in his eyes… it was fathoms deep, yet carried the warmth and life of the sunlit surface. His irises had a thousand hues of blue with small touches of hazel radiating in soft swooping arcs.
They were captivating—I hope he didn’t catch me staring.
So, he wants visitation rights.
My head tells me no way, but my heart says otherwise. I saw the way Lucky reacted to seeing him, and it gives me all the feels. His tail wagging a mile a minute and I swear he smiled. I know they were together at some point, but I’m just not ready to give him up—even for a former military owner.
Now I need to mentally prepare myself for having to share Lucky.
I know if this guy really pushes the issue, I may lose him for good.
So sharing it is.
Chapter Six
Axel
The next two nights, I sleep much better.
The fact that I slept without a nightmare is a step in the right direction.
I did, however, have a dream about Maggie.
We were at the dog park playing with Achilles… together.
Maybe this is a sign of things to come.
Maybe… she’ll cooperate.
As much as I love Achilles, I only want what’s best for him—even if it means being with her and not me.
I show up at the park a half an hour early to find she’s already there. It’s empty for this time of day with only a couple of other dogs romping through the grass.
I gather the paperwork and enter the park, taking a seat next to her on a bench.
“Here is the paperwork you requested,” I murmur. As I hand it over, my eyes meet hers. From under her wavy chestnut hair peek eyes of hazel and honey. They shine like sunlight on polished stone and hide a wealth of well-justified mistrust. Her thin fingers graze mine as she reaches out for it, and in that split second every nerve in my body and brain is electrified. My skin feels warmer where we touched—a feeling that spreads up my hand and reaching my shoulder.
It’s been years since a woman’s made my heart beat a little bit faster, and I can’t believe it’s happening now.
I need to concentrate—make sure she likes me enough to be willing to share Achilles with me.
My eyes shift from her glancing over the paperwork to Achilles chasing a Labrador around the park. He’s having so much fun. It makes my heart happy to see he has a life besides being a military dog.
After a few mi
nutes, she hands the stack of papers back. “Wow. I didn’t realize he’s a decorated war hero,” she murmurs.
“Yeah. He saved the entire team from being blown to pieces. He was one of the best bomb-sniffing dogs I’ve ever worked with.” I smile, remembering the day I was told he’d be awarded the medal of bravery. “Achilles was involved in at least a dozen operations for high-value targets. He was used to conduct…” I stop for a second, trying to remember the exact number. “Twenty-seven raids for high-profile individuals and lead us during building clearings.”
“Sounds dangerous,” she gasps.
I nod. “Yeah. But he’s the best of the best, and I trusted him with my life and the lives of my team.”
As she looks at me, her eyes soften. Normally I wouldn’t want anyone’s pity, but if it means I get Achilles then so be it.
“How long was he a part of your team?”
I think for a minute. “Six years… but it’s not that he was a part of our team. He was family—he is family.”
Maggie glances at Achilles playing and then back at me. “How do you want to do this, Robert?” she asks on a sigh.
“Axel,” I correct her. “Please call me Axel.”
Her lips twitch. “Fine. How do you want to do this, Axel?”
The emphasis on my name doesn’t go unnoticed, and I narrow my eyes with a smile.
“I’m not really sure,” I admit. “I work and live on base, but I usually have the weekends off. Maybe he can spend the weekends with me?”
Achilles trots over to us and places his head on my thigh. Something he used to do all the time. She looks at him and smiles. “Yes, I think that could be arranged.”
“But,” I add, remembering the weekend trainings I need to instruct for the next month. “I can’t take him until the end of next month. I have work stuff on the weekends.” I frown. Why did I agree to weekend assignments? Now I won’t get to spend quality time with Achilles. I could have taken him, but it wouldn’t be fair to him—keeping him locked in the house all day.
She smiles. “Sure. I’m glad to see you’re putting Lucky first.”
As she stands, her heal gets caught in a crack in the sidewalk and she stumbles sideways toward me. My instincts kick in, and I catch her before she hits the ground. “I’ve got you,” I whisper as she dangles above the pavement, trying really hard not to think about how good she feels in my arms.
“Thank you,” she whispers as I gently lift her back to vertical. Once I know she’s steady, I release my grip.
Trying to hide my embarrassment, I chuckle. “Careful, those things are dangerous.”
She gives me a weak smile as she smooths out her dress. “S-so did you want to come t-to the park and play with Lucky? I come here every day at this time.”
My face lights up. If I can’t spend the weekends with him for a while, at least I can spend some quality time with him here. “That would be fantastic. Thank you.”
“Sure. So I usually get to the park around four o’clock.”
I nod. “Perfect. I’ll be here.”
“Great.” She nods as she bends to put Achilles’ leash on. I can’t help but to switch my gaze to her tight, curvy ass. She catches me staring and I turn away. “C’mon Lucky, let’s go home,” she murmurs to Achilles. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” With that, she turns and they walk out of the park.
I take in a deep breath and exhale hard as I flop back down on the bench.
Damn, this woman is spectacular.
I don’t know why I didn’t see it before.
She’s going to give me a run for my money—I know it.
Chapter Seven
Maggie
Lucky leads me out of the park and toward my car. It’s a good thing too – my head is spinning and I don’t know what my car looks like at this point.
I can’t believe I tripped… and he caught me!
The look in his eyes as I lay underneath him hovering over the sidewalk was that of a predator stalking its prey.
And it was hot.
Those cerulean-glass eyes rimmed with thick, long, dark lashes that brush his cheeks every time he closes his eyes, seem to drill into me every time he looks at me.
I shake the thoughts loose and try to concentrate so I can get home in one piece.
There’s nothing more tragic than a dog who served multiple tours in a war to die in a car wreck because his owner is obsessing over some guy she just met.
The next month Axel shows up every day to see Lucky. He runs out onto the grass with Lucky and gives him commands. It’s really interesting to watch how Lucky responds to each verbal cue Axel gives him. I would have never realized how connected the two are without witnessing it with my own eyes.
When Axel isn’t messing around with Lucky, he’s telling me stories about the things the two of them would do together while on tour. His eyes light up when he speaks about Lucky, and I can see how much he loves him.
The unimaginable events the two of them have been through together—both the good and the bad is astounding.
I begin to understand a little more, the connection the two of them have and why Axel wants Lucky back in his life.
Problem is, I want Lucky too.
Every day Axel is here before I am, and every day my hostility toward him begins to warm.
The more I get to know him, the stronger the pull I feel toward him.
I’m becoming attracted to him with the kind of heady trance that brings a butterfly to nectar. It isn’t just the way he treats Lucky, although that’s a huge turn-on. For a large, muscular man, his voice is soft and assuring, and when he bends down and speaks in a baby voice to Lucky… my ovaries explode.
I’m able to gaze freely as he chases Lucky around the park, and it makes me smile. The more I watch him, the more I wonder… is there a possibility of having my cake and eating it too? Could Axel be my happy ending—the ending where I have my dog and the love of an amazing man?
It’s Friday and I’m on my way to meet Axel at the park. I have Lucky’s favorite toys and his dog bed, just in case Axel doesn’t have anything for him. As I’m pulling in to park, I notice Axel sitting on a bench—the same bench I almost took a nosedive from. Why am I not surprised that he’s here early?
Putting the car in park, I exit and open Lucky’s door. He jumps out and waits for me to pick up his leash. He’s such a good boy.
Lucky leads me to the entrance and pulls me toward Axel. Axel squats down to greet my excited boy and is covered in dog kisses. “How’s my good boy,” he coos as Lucky smothers him.
“I have his toys and bed in my car,” I whisper, barely able to get the words out. I was fine a minute ago, but now that the realization that Lucky is going home with Axel and not me hits, my emotions start to get away from me.
Axel glances up at me, his eyes softening. “That would be great.” He stands straight and sits back on the bench. “Not now, though. Take a seat.” He pats the spot on the bench next to him. That warm, raspy voice that possesses his cords sends nerves dancing up my spine.
“O-okay.” There’s something about Axel, a slight confidence and inflated ego, that has me muddling my words and blushing uncontrollably whenever he’s around. I unclip Lucky’s leash and watch as he takes off running after the retriever he loves so much.
“Sit,” he repeats, motioning to the spot next to him. Nodding, I do as he asks. I glance over as he stares at Lucky playing, a giant smile painted across his face. “Look at how much fun he’s having,” he whispers, pleasure exuding from his pores. I continue to stare, noticing how handsome he is from the depth of his eyes to the gentle expressions of his voice.
An all-around great guy.
The perfect guy.
His gaze goes from Lucky to me. “I want to thank you,” he murmurs.
“For what?”
“For taking such good care of Achilles. I don’t even want to think about what would have happened if you hadn’t found him when you did.” Reaching over, he grazes his f
ingertips across the tops of mine. His smile sends my mind into an uncontrolled, captivated spiral and his light touch lingers on my skin.
“Of-of course, but you d-don’t have to thank me,” I manage to spit out.
He pauses for a second and chews on his cheek. His brows furrow before saying, “I know this is unorthodox, but I have an extra bedroom… if you’re uncomfortable with leaving me with Achilles.” Before I can utter a syllable, he adds, “I promise, I’ll be a complete gentleman.”
I have no doubt that he will, but what if I don’t want him to.
Christ, what the hell am I thinking?
“Ummm,” I stammer, not knowing what to say.
“Just something to think about, that’s all,” he insists.
I never thought in a million years I would even be entertaining this question. I’ve known this guy a hot minute and he’s inviting me to sleep at his place. The only reason I’m even considering it is because I know he’s been in the military and dogs are an amazing judge of character.
“I don’t know,” I answer. “I need to think about it.”
Smiling, he says, “Take your time. Achilles is having a blast and I’m not leaving anytime soon.”
After about an hour, I follow him back to his house on base. I still don’t know if I want to stay, but I don’t know if I completely trust him yet either.
It’s a nice house, a bit big for a single man, but nicely decorated. I was expecting more of a bachelor’s pad considering what he does for a living.
“Would you like something to drink?” he asks as he opens the refrigerator.
“Sure. What do you have?” I sit on a stool at the end of the U-shaped counter.
“Beer, club soda, water…oh,” he says as he closes the door. “I have a few bottles of red wine I was given when I moved here.” Reaching into one of the upper cabinets, he retrieves four bottles of a California Cabernet I’ve never heard of before.
