He genuinely didn’t know. I tipped my head, nodding with a smile. “You’re his family now.” The fact Viper seemed pleased, even proud of the fact an injured dog had found him desirable as a parent did unfreeze a few ice crystals in my bloodstream.
“How long will the procedure take?”
“Honestly, I want to keep him for a few hours.”
He looked away, his brow furrowing.
“Unless you have somewhere you need to be. Or you can come back.” Why was I hoping he’d stay? What in the world would I do with him? When a tickling sensation from naughty thoughtsdrifted down my legs, I bit my lower lip. Pain always worked to keep the filth away.
Not this time.
“No. I don’t have anywhere to go. Just… That’s fine.”
Wow. The statement held a sense of the forlorn, but I knew better than to ask him to clarify.
“How about this? I can make us some dinner. I mean, if you’d like.” I’d stopped at the store and picked up a few things, not that I was going to share that with him.
What are you doing? Are you crazy?
Well, now I couldn’t take back the invitation. That would be impolite.
With his snort, my annoyance was on high. “If that’s not too much trouble.”
“No, not at all. I didn’t warn you how long it would take. Why don’t you take Ellie May out and walk around? You can critique just how much of a dump the place is. I’ll join you when Sailor is settled.”
Yes, my voice held the tone of someone who was resentful, but I didn’t need a bitter, angry stranger to tell me I had my work cut out for me. I did that all the time.
“Sure. Do you mind if I take a look at the gate and see if I can do anything with it?”
As he rose to his full height, my eyes followed the trail with far too much heat and throbbing between my legs. Just like the swooning, the ridiculous longing I felt wasn’t like me and Iwas bound and determined to drive it away no matter the great lengths I needed to go to.
I had too much to accomplish and a lot to prove to myself.
And a goddamn killer to find since the police hadn’t made my parents’ murders a priority.
“You can find a few things in the barn by the corral. A few tools that were my dad’s and I did purchase a few fence boards already. I admit it. I’d make a terrible contractor.” There was something about Viper that allowed me to feel comfortable with him using my dad’s tools.
“Yeah, I can tell.”
“Thank you for the insult. I was fresh out today.” Even though I pretended to return my attention to the computer screen, I snuck a look at him every few seconds, hating the weakness.
He stroked Sailor’s head before heading to the door. “Come on, Ellie May. By the way. I wasn’t trying to insult you. You’re a damn good dog doctor. You weren’t meant to be a contractor. You should leave that to assholes who can’t do much else.”
I didn’t bother answering him as in my head, that would encourage his ungentlemanly behavior. Or maybe entice the desire that continued to furrow inside my overheated body.
“But I will tell you this,” he continued. “You’d be the most beautiful contractor in the state.”
When he left, I had to think about what he said before lifting my head. Just when I was strongly thinking I could learn to dislike him, he had to go and give me a compliment.
What did my body do in response?
The heated throb between my legs only intensified.
With a deep sigh, I glanced at Sailor, giving him the good news. “You’re a lucky little boy. You don’t have any awful diseases.” I knelt and he immediately gave me his paw. His scent filtered into my nostrils and when I leaned over, I was pleasantly surprised.
The pup had been given a bath.
Maybe there was hope for the grumpy man after all.
