by Cindy Kirk
“I didn’t.” Seth shifted and pointed the truck toward home. “I wasn’t surprised to see her. That woman has a knack for showing up where you least expect her.”
He flipped the heater to high and warm air filled the cab of the truck.
Lauren settled back against the seat and banished the pastor’s wife to the far reaches of her mind. Perhaps it was the two beers she’d drunk. Or the fact she and Seth were finally alone. Whatever the reason, she felt wonderfully content.
She loved parties, loved seeing and talking to everyone, loved reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. But she liked this kind of one-to-one conversation, and being part of a couple, more.
Okay, so she wasn’t really part of a couple. Still, when she was with Seth, the connection seemed more personal than just business. When they were home with Ivy at the kitchen table or reading books in front of a fire, it was as if she was part of a family, his family.
It was a household vastly different from the one she’d grown up in. When Ivy talked, Seth listened. He always appeared genuinely interested in what the little girl had to say, and that interest extended to Lauren, as well. She’d never had such a home life. Her parents had always talked at her rather than to her.
“Penny for your thoughts.” Seth’s words broke through her reverie.
Lauren shifted in her seat to face him. “I was just thinking how much I enjoy being part of your family.”
A look of surprise crossed his face.
“This has been such a great break for me,” Lauren said quickly, backtracking.
“Are you still planning to take a position on the East Coast?”
“That’s the plan.” Lauren resisted an urge to sigh. “My father has a lot of contacts and he’s been putting out feelers.”
“Adam Nordstrom is at Brown.” Seth’s eyes remained on the road. “Do you see him fitting into your future plans?”
They’d long ago left the lights of Sweet River behind. In the dimness of the truck cab, it was difficult to read Seth’s expression. Lauren shrugged. “Hard to say. One thing’s for sure, my father would approve.”
Her lips couldn’t help but curve into a smile. Another black mark against Adam.
“Your dad would hate me.”
Lauren tried to envision her father and Seth in the same room. The picture refused to come into view. Probably because she knew the meeting would never happen. “It doesn’t matter what he would think of you.”
“Why do you say that?”
She met his gaze. “You’re unavailable.”
“You’re right.” Seth spoke brusquely. “It doesn’t matter.”
Lauren had the feeling she’d offended him, though she wasn’t sure how. Before she could ask he punched a couple of buttons on the steering wheel and turned up the radio volume. The station was a popular one, playing “all love songs, all the time.”
The smooth tones of Barry Manilow filled the cab of the truck. Lauren leaned back and let the music wash over her. Back-to-back Barry tunes were interspersed with several commercials. Lionel Ritchie had just begun to sing when Lauren saw it.
Up ahead.
On the edge of the road.
A dark shape just to the right of the headlight beams. The size of a bag of laundry.
“What is that?”
When Seth glanced her way she pointed to the object. They were still too far away to identify it, but when it moved, fear shot up her spine. That was no discarded laundry.
“I’m not sure.” The smile that had been on Seth’s lips vanished. He slowed the truck and wheeled it to the side of the road. “But we’re about to find out.”
Chapter Thirteen
Seth was out of the truck before Lauren even unbuckled her seat belt. She ran to catch up with him. The wind’s icy fingers clawed at her face and her worry escalated with each step. Whatever was on the ground had to be nearly frozen.
“Oh, no.”
It wasn’t so much what Seth said, but the compassion in his voice that told her this was serious.
In seconds, she stood at his side. When she glanced down, her heart rose to her throat. The animal’s hair was matted with blood from a large laceration.
“Oh, no,” she echoed.
Though Lauren was no animal expert, the black-and-white dog huddled on the shoulder of the road appeared to be some sort of collie.
“What do you think happened?” Lauren wasn’t sure why she was whispering. They were the only people around for miles.
A muscle in Seth’s jaw jumped, and in the dim light his blue eyes were gunmetal gray. “My guess is someone dumped him and he got hit by a car.”
“Who would leave him way out here?” Lauren’s voice rose then broke. She glanced around, taking in the pastureland that seemed to go on forever. “It doesn’t make sense.”
“Dumping domesticated animals in the country happens more than most think,” Seth said through gritted teeth.
“There’s nothing for him to eat.” The food Lauren had consumed earlier turned to stone in her stomach. “Or drink.”
“I know.” Seth blew out a harsh breath. “This fella didn’t stand a chance.”
The finality in his voice scared her.
“We can’t leave him here.” Lauren clenched her hands into fists.
The animal turned his head and met Lauren’s gaze. When he thumped his tail against the ground, tears sprang to her eyes.
“I wouldn’t think of leaving him.” Seth squatted next to the dog but made no move to touch him. “I need you to go to the truck, grab a blanket from the backseat and a flashlight from the glove compartment.”
Lauren hesitated. “Shouldn’t we get him into the truck? Out of the weather?”
“This animal is hurt. I’m not sure how badly. I want to check him out first.” Seth brushed the snow from his face with an impatient gesture. His frown deepened when the dog shivered. “We do need to move him as soon as possible.”
Lauren ran to the truck. By the time she returned Seth’s hands were already moving over the dog with a confidence that brought her a measure of comfort. He took the flashlight and shone the light into the animal’s eyes and ears before checking his mouth.
Lauren raised the collar of her jacket as the snow continued to fall. “How is he?”
“Doesn’t appear to have any bleeding from the nostrils or ears. Gums are pink. Pupils are reactive and equal. Other than the nasty laceration, the only thing that worries me is his back leg. It appears to be just a sprain, but I’d feel better if I had an X-ray.”
Seth took the blanket from her hands and wrapped it around the animal.
“Where’s the nearest vet?” Lauren asked.
“Big Timber. But Doc Burkey is visiting family in Phoenix.”
“Then we’ll take him somewhere else.”
“No vet is going to be in the office on New Year’s Eve.” Seth handed Lauren the flashlight and lifted the dog into his arms. “We’ll take him home. I’ll see what I can do.”
In the short time since they’d stopped, the wind had picked up and the snow had begun to fall in earnest. Lauren hurried ahead of Seth and opened the door to the backseat. With a gentle touch, he laid the dog on the leather with the blanket wrapped around him.
Bile rose in her throat. “He wouldn’t have lasted much longer.”
“Not in this weather,” Seth agreed.
“He’ll be okay, right?” Growing up, Lauren had never had a pet. Animals, according to her parents, were messy and unnecessary. She was surprised she felt such an affinity for this one.
“If he doesn’t have any internal injuries, I’d say yeah, he’ll make it.” The matter-of-fact tone was at odds with the worry in Seth’s eyes. He slipped the phone from his pocket. “Mind if I make a quick call?”
“Not at all.”
It didn’t take her long to figure out that he’d rung the house to check on Ivy. After a few questions, he explained about the dog. “We’ll go straight to the clinic, so don’t w
orry when you hear the truck drive up.”
He slipped the phone back into his pocket and smiled. “Ivy was asleep by nine.”
While he drove, Seth updated her on the little girl’s evening. Lauren kept one eye on the collie. Though it seemed to take forever, they finally pulled into the lane leading to the ranch.
Seth didn’t spare the house a second glance. Instead he wheeled the truck in front of the metal outbuilding and shut off the engine. In seconds he’d unlocked the door and returned to the truck for the dog.
Lauren followed him to a room in the back and glanced around the spotless interior. “This is amazing. It’s like your own vet clinic.”
Seth had already placed the animal on the metal exam table and was busy pulling supplies from the cabinets.
“When Dad had the building put up, it was with the knowledge that he and Mom would eventually be moving south and I’d be taking over the ranch,” Seth explained. “He thought it would be convenient for me to have my veterinary practice right on the property. Since I didn’t finish the program, I’ve never fully utilized this portion of the building.”
An hour later Seth had cleaned the debris from the laceration and sutured it shut.
Lauren frowned as he carefully inspected the animal’s hind leg. “How bad is it?”
“There’s some swelling.” Seth’s expression gave nothing away. “The joint appears strong and functional.”
“That tells us...”
“That it’s probably not broken. I don’t think he damaged any ligaments.” Now relief flowed through his voice. “We should be okay with some anti-inflammatory medications and a short-term splint.”
Seth gave the sedated dog a pat and grabbed a bandage from the cabinet. He bent over the exam table where the dog lay snoring and began wrapping the bandage around the injured leg. “Not fancy but it’ll do.”
Since he’d used the ether sparingly, by the time Seth secured the bandage, the animal was already stirring.
Lauren glanced about the room. “Where will he sleep tonight?”
Seth leaned over and pulled a large wire cage from under the counter. “This should work.”
Lauren’s heart sank. She’d pictured the collie on one of those fluffy dog beds she’d seen on television, not in a wire prison. “I hate to see him in a cage."
“If he has too much freedom, he could reinjure himself.” With expert hands, Seth settled the animal inside the cage, latched the door and straightened. “Give him time and he’ll be good as new.”
“Thanks for sticking around.” His gaze locked with hers and she saw gratitude— and some other emotion she couldn’t identify—in the liquid blue depths. “Having that extra pair of hands really helped.”
Unexpected warmth flowed through her. While she’d always received kudos for her academic achievements, this one was personal. “My pleasure.”
“What a way to spend New Year’s Eve.” Though Seth shook his head, a tiny smile played at the corners of his lips.
“I can’t imagine a better way to end a year.” Lauren gazed at the sleeping dog and her heart swelled with emotion. “It’s not often I get to help save a life.”
“It feels good.”
“Good? That word hardly seems adequate.”
“You’re right.” Seth grinned. “There’s nothing like it.”
“You’ve got a gift, Seth.” She touched his arm. “You should be so proud of yourself, of what you did here tonight.”
The tips of his ears turned red, but she barely noticed. It was his eyes that held her mesmerized. The emotion she’d noticed before had returned, only stronger and more easily recognizable. Her body responded, sending heat thrumming through her veins. Despite the late hour, she was suddenly wide-awake.
“I suppose we should head inside.” She shifted from one foot to the other, waiting for him to make his move. She waited. Then waited some more.
His eyes darkened. For a second she thought he was going to kiss her again. Instead he moved to the stainless-steel sink, turning his back to her.
She watched silently as he took an inordinate amount of time washing his hands. When he turned back surprise flashed in his eyes. It was as if he hadn’t expected to see her still standing there.
“I need to get some ice on his leg.” He spoke brusquely. “I’ll have to continue with the neuro checks. Make sure there’s no brain injury. The signs don’t always show up right away.”
“I’ll stay and keep you company,” Lauren began to offer, but he started shaking his head before she’d even finished speaking.
“You’ll have Ivy to care for in the morning.” He wiped his hands on a paper towel and tossed it into the waste can. “You need your sleep.”
“What about you?” For a second concern replaced desire. “You’re still recovering from the—”
Without warning he stepped close and pressed a finger against her lips. “I’ll be fine.”
Her heart fluttered in her chest like a trapped butterfly. Though his hand dropped back to his side, his gaze remained focused on her.
Seth had long ago discarded his jacket and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt. Stubble covered his cheeks and signs of fatigue edged his eyes. In her mind he’d never looked sexier. The fact that he would stop and care for an injured animal with such compassion only added to his appeal.
Ignoring the red flags popping up in her head, Lauren took a step forward and placed the flat of her hand against his chest. She could feel the solid thud of his heartbeat beneath her palm, the heat of his skin through the fabric of his shirt. So she was playing with fire. Send her to hell. The desire that flared in Seth’s eyes told her louder than any words that she wouldn’t be heading there alone.
It was that realization that gave Lauren the confidence she needed to slide her hands up his back and twine them together behind his neck. He was now so close she could see the flecks of gold in his smoldering eyes. He smelled of soap and an infinitely warm male scent that made something tighten low in her abdomen.
Before she could make another move, a tinny version of “Auld Lang Syne” filled the air.
“What is that?” Seth’s gaze never strayed from hers.
“I set the alarm on my phone for midnight.” Her pulse seemed to stall, then thump like a bass drum. “Happy New Year, Seth.”
“Happy New Year, Lauren.” He didn’t smile, but simply stood there looking at her, his eyes shadowed and unreadable.
She wasn’t sure who broke the stalemate. She wasn’t sure it mattered. All she knew was that his lips were finally, blessedly, locked with hers.
Lauren couldn’t remember ever having been kissed quite like this before. It started out slowly but changed the moment Seth’s tongue swept across her lips. Her hands dropped from his neck and she curled her fingers in the fabric of his shirt. Everything faded except the need to feel more of him, taste more of him, touch more of him.
When he pulled her close and his erection pressed against her belly, a dizzying myriad of sensual images of the two of them together flashed before her.
As he continued to scatter kisses along her jawline, a shivering, sliding sensation ran down her spine. Her breasts strained against the sweater and she heard herself groan, a low sound of want and need that astonished her with its intensity.
Without warning, Seth released his hold and stepped back. For a second Lauren thought he might kiss her again. Until she lifted her eyes to his face and saw the regret.
Seth took a couple of deep breaths and fought to gain control of his rioting emotions. Lauren’s groan had been a wake-up call. He’d let things get out of control.
Unexpectedly her arms looped around his neck and she inclined her head, resting her forehead against his.
“No regrets, bub,” she said in a soft, low voice that told him she’d managed to read his mind. “I don’t have any and you shouldn’t, either.”
“This shouldn’t have happened.” Seth lifted his head and stared into her emerald eyes. He never lo
st control. Never.
“It was a kiss.” Lauren smiled softly. “The tension that had been building between us needed an outlet. End of story. Nothing to beat yourself up over.”
She leaned forward and kissed him gently on the cheek. “I should go inside. Relieve the babysitter.”
Lauren lifted her coat from the hook by the door. He moved to her side and helped her into it, but he pulled his hands away when they wanted to linger.
“Where do we go from here?” he heard himself asking.
“Back to me being the nanny and you being Ivy’s dad.” Lauren lifted a shoulder and let it drop. “It was simply a kiss. No big deal.”
Seth woke the next morning feeling as if he had a two-thousand-pound bull sitting on his chest. He rolled over and grabbed the inhaler from the bedside stand. Pushing himself to a sitting position, he inhaled two puffs of the medicine.
He ignored the panicky feeling and waited for the medicine to work its magic. After a minute, his lungs opened up and his breath came easily, allowing him to relax and enjoy the sunlight streaming through the window.
It was amazing how much light there was for so early in the day. Seth glanced at the clock. He blinked once. Then blinked again. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d slept until eleven. It had to have been back in college. Before he had responsibility for the ranch and a child, and now an injured dog.
A dog that was probably wide-awake and ready to be let out of his crate.
Seth pulled on his clothes in record time, but when he reached the stairs, he slowed his pace. He’d learned it didn’t take much exertion to bring on the coughing. By the time he cleared the bottom step, his breath was coming in shallow puffs. He rested with one hand on the banister until he heard voices coming from the back of the house, and he followed the sounds to the kitchen.
He found his daughter seated at the table, a premade pizza crust in front of her, along with bowls heaped with cheese, pepperoni, green peppers and chopped-up mushrooms.
Lauren stood at the counter, studying a jar of pizza sauce. With the sunlight streaming through the window caressing her silvery-blond hair, she looked as close to an angel as he’d ever seen.
