Paws for Love

by Mara Wells

  Danielle let Flurry and Luna off their leads, too, watching as they loped off to the other side of the roof. “That’s the thing about dogs. They don’t need a reason to love you. They just do.”

  The softness and longing in Danielle’s voice caused an ache in his chest that he absently rubbed with the heel of his hand. “Unconditional love is a rare thing these days.”

  “Isn’t it? You shouldn’t take Sarge’s devotion for granted. Sometimes dogs know better than we do where they belong.”

  There was that relentlessness again, but he had to admit it worked for him. “I hear you. I’ll fill out the app as soon as escrow closes on the house.” He’d taken a look at the application last night, and it was surprisingly long and thorough, not something he could dash off as an afterthought.

  “Don’t wait. He’ll get the all clear from my dad soon, and then I’ll have to treat him like a regular foster. We had a number of families interested in adopting yesterday. I’m supposed to follow up with two of them later today.” She smothered a yawn with her hand. “Maybe after a nap, though.”

  “They were interested in Sarge?” Knox didn’t like the jealousy that rose in him at the thought that Danielle might give Sarge to someone else.

  “Adoption in general. But he is one of the fosters, and I do need to find him a home.”

  “How many fosters do you have?”

  “Personally? Just Sarge. We have another four with foster families in the area.”

  Knox’s shoulders relaxed. There were plenty of dogs to adopt. Danielle didn’t need to start with Sarge. He still had time. Time for what? He shook his head at his own thoughts. He wasn’t ready for a dog, was he? Not until he had the house. Another thought occurred to him. It was no big deal to put the house up for sale, but what would he do with Sarge if he reenlisted? It was a long shot, his dream of returning to active duty. Getting a dog meant admitting his days as a gunnery sergeant were well and truly over. Was he ready to accept what the doctors had been telling him all along?

  Sarge trotted back to him, collapsing on the ground in such a way that he curled around Knox’s feet. Knox might not be ready for a dog, but the dog was clearly ready for him. Like he had with the house, Knox pushed aside concerns about the future and followed his gut instinct. Sarge needed him now. The Marines didn’t need him at all. At the end of the day, it was some pretty simple math.

  “About the bet?” Danielle was doing something with her short hair, scraping it back and twisting it into a messy knot that she attempted to secure with a tiny scrunchie. Some hair stayed back, but most of it fell forward again, brushing her cheeks. “If it’s not safe to have Sarge on-site today, we can reschedule your day with him. I was caught up in the moment yesterday and didn’t think about the possible problems of having a dog in the middle of a construction site.”

  “We’ll be fine. I’m helping out today with painting trim in one of the finished units. It’ll just be me and Sarge, a bucket of white paint, and a teeny-tiny paintbrush.” Knox patted his thigh, and Sarge stood, seemingly eager to have his leash clipped back on. “Speaking of, we should probably get going.”

  “The paint fumes might not be good for him.” Danielle chewed her lower lip in worry.

  Knox immediately shut down the image of chewing on her lip for her. His teeth, her plump lower lip. Memories pushed to be let out, but he kept that door slammed shut. “It’s a simple trim and touch-up today, and I’ll open all the windows.”

  Danielle squatted down and took Sarge’s muzzle into her palms. “Be good. I’ll miss you.” She kissed the tip of his nose, and Sarge nudged her hand. Luna and Flurry showed up, ready for affection, which Danielle offered through long strokes along their backs.

  “Do you want me to bring him to your place tonight?” For some reason, it felt like a cheesy pickup line. He hoped she didn’t hear it that way. “To save you a trip, I mean. I can drop him off. It’s not a problem. I have a big truck.” Why couldn’t he stop talking? His men would laugh to hear him fumbling around like this. He bit back the next words that wanted to tumble out of his mouth.

  Danielle’s raccoon-ringed eyes crinkled in amusement. “The girls love Fur Haven. I’m happy to come back this evening to get Sarge. Shall we say five?”

  “Sure.” He forced himself to answer with one word. He checked Sarge’s leash and led him toward the exit.

  “See you later.” Danielle’s voice followed him into the elevator. Sarge’s ears perked, but he didn’t look back. Knox envied him. It seemed anytime he was around Danielle, all he wanted was to look back into a past he had no business remembering.

  * * *

  “Good Lord, Knox, what is going on here?” Adam’s deep voice made Sarge pick up his head from where it currently rested on a rolled-up tarp. Knox set the small trim brush on the rim of his paint can and descended the two steps of the ladder he was standing on. He’d completed the bottom of the window trim and was nearly done with the top.

  “Trim.” Knox inspected his work. Darn professional looking if you asked him. “What’re you doing skulking around the place?”

  “None of your business.” Adam strolled in on long legs until he was in the center of the empty living room. He swiveled his head, taking in all the decorative touches—mosaic tiles on the island that separated the living area from the kitchen, the arched opening into the short hallway that led to the two bedrooms. “Carrie told me these pendants would work. Hate to say it, but she was right.” He pointed to the ceiling where a brass fixture managed to look both modern and classic Art Deco.

  “Above my pay grade.” Knox didn’t hate the light fixtures, but he didn’t love them, either.

  Adam disappeared down the hallway, and when he returned, he seemed to notice Sarge for the first time.

  “Hey, you can’t bring a dog on-site.” Adam crossed his arms over yet another sweater vest, this one in dark green. “Not even when a pretty girl asks you to. So you’ve already adopted the dog, huh?”

  “No, not yet.” Knox propped himself against the ladder. “I lost a bet is all. Dog spends the day with me, but he goes back to Danielle tonight.”

  “She’s wily.” Adam toured the newly renovated living room, stopping every so often to double-check details that even Knox couldn’t see. “I’ve heard that when she decides someone needs a dog, they get a dog.”

  “It’s just for today.” Knox intended to adopt Sarge; he simply didn’t like the implication that he’d somehow been manipulated into it.

  “Mmm-hmm.” Adam bent down from his over six-foot height and ran a finger along a baseboard. “These could use another sanding before being painted. Want me to tell Lance to get one of the guys on it? Last I saw, he was out in the lobby.”

  “I can do it.”

  Adam looked pointedly at Knox’s leg. “You sure you should be crawling around the floor like that?”

  “I said I could do it.”

  Adam straightened, tugging at the bottom band of his vest. “I’m sure you can. You don’t have to is what I’m saying.”

  They stared at each other long enough that Sarge clambered to his feet to stand between them. The defensive posturing made Adam smile. “Not your dog, huh? Want to put some money where your mouth is?”

  Knox looked from Sarge to Adam and back again. “Not really.”

  Adam laughed. “You’re smarter than you look, you know?”

  “I hear that a lot.” Knox picked up the paintbrush. “Can I get back to work?”

  “Yes, let the man work.” Mr. Cardoza entered the room, his hair wet and carefully combed straight back from his face. “Caleb says this is the one my Isabella can rent. I’ve come to make sure it’s suitable.”

  “Your girlfriend from Spain?” Knox’s tone was light, teasing, but Mr. Cardoza’s shoulders stiffened.

  “She is an old friend. A widow. I’m only trying to help her with her tr
ansition in a new country.” He smoothed back his already smooth hair.

  “Of course.” Adam gestured Mr. Cardoza further into the room. “Let me give you the tour and tell you what finishes Carrie picked out for this unit.”

  Sarge settled back onto the tarp with a huff, and Knox balanced himself on the ladder again. He had to admit, he liked Sarge’s company better than most humans’.

  * * *

  Sarge acted thrilled to see Luna and Flurry, as if they’d been separated for weeks instead of a handful of hours. The three-way sniff went on and on while Danielle looked on fondly.

  “He doesn’t seem the worse for wear. Perhaps painting agrees with him.” Danielle’s hair was clean and tamed, falling straight to her chin, and her eyes were covered in oversized blue sunglasses.

  “Spent the day napping while I did all the work.” Knox tried to sound indignant, but it came out more amused. It was easy to imagine Sarge keeping him company while he worked on his own house, sticking his nose in cans of things he shouldn’t and napping on the drop cloths.

  Danielle took off the sunglasses, revealing a complete lack of raccoon ring under her eyes. Knox kind of missed it. She’d looked adorable this morning, all ruffled like she’d just woken up. That was one of the regrets he’d had, thinking of her after the breakup. They’d never woken up together. He’d always had to return her home by curfew, and although they’d been late more than a few times, they’d never stayed out all night.

  Danielle took a seat on the nearest bone-shaped bench. They were alone on the big-dog side of the park, although two Yorkies and a small mutt of many breeds enjoyed the small-dog side. Knox limped over and took a seat beside her, rubbing above the brace.

  “Did you overdo it today?”

  “Why?” He flattened his hand against his thigh.

  “I noticed—” Her face flushed, and she tucked her bangs behind her ear. “Sorry, it’s none of my business.”

  “It hurts all the time.” Knox surprised himself with the confession. He hadn’t even told his physical therapist about the constant pain. Maybe it was time. Acknowledging he wasn’t reenlisting also meant acknowledging the reality of his leg. And the reality was it freaking hurt.

  “I thought so.” She placed her hand on top of his. His thigh quivered, and not from pain. “Dogs can’t tell us how they feel, so I have to read their body language. You’re good at hiding it, but it’s in the way you walk, the way you hold your mouth. Have you talked to your doctor about upping your pain meds?”

  “I don’t take pain meds.” Knox’s fingers curled into a fist under hers.

  Danielle wrapped her palm around his knuckles. “It wouldn’t be the end of the world to have some time free of pain.”

  Knox lifted a shoulder. “I’m used to it.”

  “I’m not.” Danielle’s hand lifted, and he immediately missed it. She folded her fingers in her lap. “It’s hard to see you in pain. Anyone, I mean. It’s hard to see anyone in pain.”

  “Then don’t look.” He didn’t mean to be touchy. He didn’t mean to scare her off, but apparently those few curt words were all it took.

  Danielle stood. “It’s been a long day. I should take the dogs home.”

  “Sure.”

  She hooked them up with that weird three-way leash. Luna and Flurry paced beside her, but Sarge sat and refused to move.

  “Come on, boy,” she coaxed, but Sarge wasn’t having it. He turned his head, his liquid brown eyes pleading with Knox.

  “I can’t have a dog, big guy, not yet. My landlord would kick me out.”

  Sarge sighed and dropped his chin to his chest. Knox hated the feeling that rose in his chest, that protective urge reserved for new Marines too stupid to know what’s good for them. Like he’d been too stupid to listen to his doctors, but he’d lacked the imagination to picture a life outside the Corps. For the first time, though, the thought of never again being on active duty didn’t depress the hell out of him. It was time to face facts. Be realistic. Adopt this dog, flip his house, and figure out how to live as a civilian for the rest of his life.

  “I’ll walk you to the car.” Knox patted his leg, and Sarge’s head popped up. His tail gave a hesitant wag. Danielle wasn’t obvious about it, but he saw her hide a smile by ducking her head. Yeah, yeah, yeah, he was a sucker. It didn’t stop him from petting Sarge’s head and walking beside him all the way to Danielle’s SUV.

  Chapter 15

  No doubt about it. It felt right to have Danielle in his new house. Although all his belongings didn’t fill enough boxes to even pack the small sitting room at the front, Danielle’s presence somehow made the house feel full. It’d been difficult, only seeing her at the dog park for the past two weeks. He’d finally turned in the application, and adoption was pending Sarge’s health clearance from Dr. Morrow and Knox taking up residence in his house.

  In the meantime, he’d met up with Danielle and the dogs every evening. Danielle had taught Knox the basic commands Sarge knew, and they’d practiced, sometimes until the park went dark. Danielle was all business. No matter how he’d tried to thaw things between them, she kept her distance. Still, she showed up every night with her dogs, and he took that as a good sign. When he’d gotten the news that he could move into his house, his first text had been to her.

  Now she was at his house, dressed the part of rescue-agency volunteer in her Homestretch V-necked T-shirt that was supposed to be all-business but outlined her breasts so nicely that it was difficult to tear his eyes away from her.

  “I can’t believe you really bought it.” Danielle propped her hands on her hips, further straining the thin shirt fabric over her chest, and gazed around the room. “It’s not Eliza’s place anymore. It’s yours.”

  His house. He still wasn’t used to the words, but Eliza’d put in a few phone calls to people she knew and the house finally closed. She’d wasted no time moving into her luxury digs across the street and had even hired a cleaning crew to make the place ready for him. It hadn’t taken him long to pack a year of his life into boxes Lance and Carrie had helped bring over.

  The boxes stood stacked in the front room, a testament to his erroneous belief that his stay in Miami Beach would be a short one. Now, he was a homeowner with an entire wall of his garage dedicated to holiday decorations. The hairs on his neck stood out, like they did in MCMAP training in the rare cases when another Marine had pinned him to the mat. Not that he was trapped here. One phone call to Morales up in Atlanta, and he could start a whole new life. Caleb could handle selling this place for him, and Knox could be on the first plane to Georgia.

  But as good as Morales had made the offer sound on his follow-up call last week, Knox had still stalled, reminding him he wasn’t available until after the Dorothy was scheduled to be done. He’d blamed construction holdups that might keep him in Miami Beach until the end of summer. Morales said he wouldn’t wait forever, but for now he had enough guys to get the business up and running. Knox had bought himself a few months. He knew the smart move was to say yes to the job offer, and he would. Probably. Right now, he couldn’t think beyond his nervousness about whether or not he’d pass dog-adoption inspection. The place did not exactly scream “good home for a dog.” Not yet anyway.

  Knox eyed the stack of boxes. Maybe he didn’t need to unpack every single one immediately. It wasn’t like he was going to live here long. Probation, that was what he’d call it. Do a few flip projects, like new tile for the bathrooms and a kitchen face-lift, and put the house back on the market. He was only a probationary homeowner, not a permanent resident. Although adopting a dog was a serious commitment, it wasn’t tied to this house. He and Sarge could live anywhere, even Atlanta. But he wasn’t going to tell Danielle that, not yet anyway.

  Without Eliza’s furniture and knickknacks and stack of protest posters, the house seemed enormous. He needed to project forever-home vibes, which meant he sh
ould’ve unpacked more boxes before Danielle arrived. What had he been thinking, inviting her to a nearly empty house? He shook his head, becoming more sure by the minute that she wouldn’t give one of her precious dogs to him. The tile floors and high ceilings combined so that every sound was magnified. Could Danielle hear his pounding heart, or was that sound only amplified in his mind?

  Her sneakered feet took her on a tour of the house. Danielle poked her head into each of the three bedrooms and both bathrooms. She trailed a hand along the top of the granite kitchen counters. She stepped over the boxes in the front room, finally deciding to plop onto the floor amid the boxes, cross-legged. She propped her elbows on her knees and looked up at him through her pale lashes. The sunlight pouring from the front window painted her face in streaks, highlighting the freckles across the bridge of her nose. Damn, she was cute.

  He propped his hip against a stack of boxes. “What do you think? Dog friendly enough for you?”

  “I could hardly say Lady’s old house wasn’t dog friendly.” Danielle’s smile brightened the room more than the sunlight. “You seem to be missing some key objects, though. Like a couch. A table.” Color bloomed in her cheeks. “Maybe a bed?”

  “I have a mattress.” A lumpy one that rested on the floor in the master bedroom next to a box he planned to use as a nightstand. It was the same layout he’d used in his apartment, but it somehow looked wrong here.

  “A dog bed? Where will Sarge sleep? Those are the kinds of things I need to know during the home visit.” Danielle wiggled her butt and pulled a tiny notepad out of her back pocket. She flipped open the cover. “Where will he eat? What will you feed him? How often will he get exercise? How many hours per day will he spend alone?”

  “That’s a lot of questions.” Knox straightened, scanning his boxes like one of them might hold the answers. They didn’t. He knew it. He’d never had a dog, not ever. “I don’t know the answers, Dani.”

  The old nickname slipped out. He pretended not to hear the hitch in her breath. God, the memories were killing both of them, if he wasn’t mistaken. Why wasn’t she married with three kids? If she were unavailable, maybe this constant ache would go away. He doubted it, but maybe.