Why was I a stick of dynamite where the wick had been pinched but still smoking?
Laughing, I tied the bag of trash, grabbing a new one and putting it in the holder. You never knew when a last crush of people would come my way. At least I could leave here feeling like a decent human being. Unlike the night before.
Hearing a slight woof, I realized I was back in business. I hurriedly fixed the bag, spinning around with a smile on my face. Oh, my God. No. There was no way the jolt of current was all about… him. Yet there he was, a godlike creature standing in all his glory.
And the scowl on his face was a clear indication he remembered the night before.
“You.” The word slipped from my mouth with ease and before I could dare try to keep the faux pas from occurring. Slipped? I spit it out as if winding up like an all-star pitcher.
As with the night before, there was no amusement or anger in the stranger’s eyes, his irises so intense I was at a loss for words. With the sunlight flickering through the tent, they seemed the color of smoldering topaz, catching the light in a way that infused danger with desire.
Blinking, I dragged my hypnotic state away and to the dog he was holding in his arms.
“Yeah, it’s me. The dog killer.” His voice held the same darkness but even more of an intoxicating, subtle timbre that reminded me of a predator. He placed the dog on the table in front of me, keeping his massive hands around the pup’s waist to stabilize him.
He even leaned over the table separating us, crowding my space to the point another bead of sweat trickled down my cheek. Of course he followed the salty bead with his seductive gaze, the scowl turning into a smirk as if he knew in his heart of hearts that he was the reason for my overwrought condition.
Damn the man. I wiped it away furiously, tossing out the same if not more pointed and nastier look he was giving me.
While the whole package, including being allowed to bask in his sculpted abs peeking through his tight tee shirt was incredible, the condition of the puppy snapped the electric tether shared for a few angry seconds.
I’d seen those movies where the couple who supposedly hated each other drew the invisible line in the sand, each one daring the other and refusing to back down. While this had all themarkings of a perfect movie moment, we weren’t destined to be lovers. Forget about it. No matter how sexy he was, I refused to crawl between the sheets with someone so… so…
Gorgeous.
Huffing, I casually brushed hair from my face, reminding myself I was a professional. “I hope you didn’t bring your dog here because of respiratory issues.”
He huffed and puffed and I could tell nasty words were on the edge of his tongue, but he closed his eyes instead. “I was only in the store for five minutes. I would have kept the engine running if I had a second set of keys. Can’t be too careful about the criminals around here.” When his eyes opened again, I was stuck by the flecks of gold sparkling around his irises.
And he’d leaned further over the table, his chest rising and falling as if in distress.
The pup whined, moving closer to me.
Oh, my God. The pup smelled to high heaven. “Whoa,” I muttered, my eyes watering.
The mystery man was studying me carefully, daring me to toss out something else I might regret.
“Well, at least you didn’t leave him on the side of the road.”
“Wow. A compliment. I feel special.” His voice was gruff and alluring, the combination and the deep tone sending vibrations deep within my core. Returning to his full height, he placed his hand over his heart. Goddamn, the look on his face was one I wanted to wipe off.
And not with my lips.
The man was goading me, maybe expecting me to say I was sorry.
Nope.
I wasn’t into providing apologies especially since he had locked the dog inside a hot truck, even if for a good cause. So I turned my full attention to the situation. “Who is this little fella?” I gently placed my hand on the pup, the mama bear inside me furious with whoever had either starved the puppy or had tossed him out like trash.
“Sailor.”
Whoever the handsome stranger was, he certainly wasn’t in the mood to risk telling me too much. “Ah, Sailor. Okay, little guy. Let’s check you out. Can you tell me anything about him?”
“Nope.”
“Where did you find him?” I touched Sailor’s tummy, thankful neither the pup nor the man snarled.
“A road.”
