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But then a soft whimper drew her attention to the thin strip of road next to the wheel well. Knowing there was a flooded ditch along the shoulder of the road, she stayed close to the truck. Crouching down low, she reached a hand out and literally felt her way alongside the road. Her fingers skittered over mud and puddles of water until her hand encountered wet, slick fur.
"Oh, shit,” she said. All traces of erotic sensations instantly vanished. Guilt settled deep within her in its place.
She really had hit one of Pete's dogs. Scooting a bit closer to it while still crouched on her feet, Serena let her hand travel over the dog's soft coat. Oddly, he felt bigger and a bit furrier than one of Pete's Shepherds. Still ... she had to help him.
"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hit you. I didn't see you.” The animal let out a low growl and she snatched her hand away. “Okay, look,” she reasoned, raising her voice above the thunder and the pelts of rain that fell all around and on her. “You've got two choices. You can lie here and die, or you can help me get you into the back of the truck.” She paused a moment, waiting for a flash of lightning to illuminate the night sky and give her a little working light. It wasn't forthcoming.
"Oh, for crying out loud,” she said in disgust. “Give me a little something to work with here!"
But the night stayed dark. No moonlight. No lightning. She let out a long-suffering sigh. “Okay, fine.” She reached out to the dog once more and ran her hand lightly up to his neck. “You'll be fine if you just stick with me.” Large drops of water streamed down her cheeks and pooled under her chin, dripping to the ground. She could barely see an inch in front of her.
She swiped at the water around her eyes then used both hands to try to coax the animal to its feet. “Come on, now. I'm freezing to death and I'm sure you are, too. I can't lift you or carry you to the back of the truck, so you're going to have to work with me.” She tugged at his neck. He moved in the thick mud, but didn't get to his feet.
Serena groaned. She stood, but then bent over the injured animal. Hugging him to her chest, she forced the animal to shift and roll from his side to his stomach. Then she gripped him just a bit tighter, ignoring his low growl. He could protest all he wanted, as long as he didn't bite her. If he did, she was leaving him here in the mud.
"Here we go,” she said as he unsteadily came up on all fours. The dog whined and whimpered, but she managed to guide it to the back of the truck. “Hold still now,” she said as she reached for the handle on the tailgate.
She paused for the briefest of moments, wondering if she'd get zapped again. She'd left her jacket on the hood of the truck, so she'd just have to chance it. One finger placed against the metal latch proved the truck no longer held a charge. Relief washed over her. That was one less thing she had to worry about.
When the heavy metal gate was down, she urged the dog toward it and helped him up so he could place his front paws on the platform. Serena straightened and tried to draw in a full breath. The rain fell on her, hard and unyielding. The thunder still rumbled, but she found it odd that the lightning had ceased completely. And the moon had taken full leave.
Wiping the back of her hand across her forehead, she steeled herself for the most difficult task of all. Getting the dog into the bed of the truck.
"You're gonna have to put some effort into this,” she said. “I can't lift you, and even if I could, I'd probably slide in the mud and we'd both end up on our asses.” She grasped the animal by his hindquarters and felt the sticky, goopy pool of blood under her right hand. The dog growled in pain and she shifted that hand. Clearly, that was where he'd connected with the truck and the headlight.
"I told you I didn't mean to hit you,” she snapped. “So stop growling at me. You're the one who jumped out of the night in front of my truck. You can't blame me for your injury."
The dog groaned, as though her complaining nauseated him.
"You've got a bit too much attitude for my taste,” she grumbled. “Alright. Here we go.” She coaxed him up with her hands. In one swift move, the dog leapt onto the tailgate, then let out a low howl. She couldn't see him very well, particularly with his dark coloring, but she heard his body collapse onto the bed of the truck. He whimpered softly.
Serena's heart wrenched. She loved animals and it broke her heart to know one was in pain. Worse was knowing that it was in pain because she'd hit it.
Guilt swirled around in her belly again. She pulled the tarp she kept in the bed over the dog and then pushed the tailgate into place. Hoping the dog survived until she could get Pete to come get it or get the vet out to her place to help, she returned to the cab of the truck and slipped inside, immediately reaching for the switch to the heater and cranking it to high. Water ran into her eyes and the bench seat was instantly soaked.
She took a moment to compose herself. What a bizarre night this was!
Her hand shook when she reached for the steering wheel. Gripping it tight, she held it steadily as she shifted the truck into gear with the other hand. Pressing her foot against the gas petal made the truck lurch forward. Her soaked jacket slid off the hood and she murmured a low curse for forgetting about it.
The tires slipped in the mud, but she made her way down the road. With the one good headlight, she managed to find the turnoff to her house. Two miles down the road and there was her cottage.
Pulling into the narrow carport, she shut off the engine, but left the single headlight on. Either the bulb that hung over the doorway to the cottage had burned out, or the storm had knocked out the electricity. Regardless, she breathed a sigh of relief as she set the emergency brake. She'd made it home alive.
Hopefully, she could say the same for Pete's dog.
Climbing out of the truck, she worked her way to the back and lowered the tailgate. Rain dripped from every inch of her and she shivered as a cool breeze swept through the carport and chilled her bare, soaked skin.
The moon was still shrouded behind gray clouds, but with the high beam hitting the wall of the carport and softly illuminating the narrow space, she had ample light to see the lump beneath the tarp. Unfortunately, it wasn't moving. Groaning, Serena reached for the corner of the thick material and tossed it back.
"Holy shit!” She gasped.
There was no dog in the bed of her truck.
What Serena found, instead, made her head reel and her body vibrate with shock. Her gaze grew wide as she stared at the figure before her.
It was a man, curled on his side.
And he was bare-assed naked!
