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“You do? For me?” He tugged his hand away, clapping both together as he giggled like only a kid could do.
I rose to my feet, giving Phoenix a sly smile. “Absolutely. Now, you have to promise me that you’ll care for him with all your heart, never letting anything bad to happen to him. Do you think you can do that?”
Justin nodded several times, his grin exactly like his father’s. Even his tousled hair was a reminder of the growly man, who’d I’d learned had a big heart.
Even if he didn’t want to show it.
“O-kay.” I opened the door, gathering the puppy into my arms. He immediately licked my face, obviously no worse for wear from the horrible experience he’d been through.
Justin’s squeal could be heard from several hundred yards away. As he held out his arms, Phoenix walked closer, acting as if he needed to interfere to make certain Justin didn’t hurt him. Somehow, I had a feeling the puppy was exactly what the little boy needed.
“Back off, Daddy,” I said under my breath as I handed Justin the pup.
While Justin giggled and squeezed, maybe a little too hard, the puppy didn’t seem to mind. His happy little yapping barks managed to take away some of the ugliness from before.
“Is he really mine?” Justin asked, laughing as the puppy licked and wiggled.
“Be careful with him, buddy,” Phoenix said.
“Can I play with him?” There was nothing like seeing the delight in the kid’s eyes.
“Just for a few minutes. We need to get a few things for the puppy before we go home.” Phoenix turned his head, giving me another stern look, but his eyes were twinkling with crackling lust. The man was so dominating he took my breath away.
“O-tay! Come, puppy.”
As they raced around the yard, Phoenix walked closer. “You’re a brat. You know I can’t keep the puppy.”
“I guess you have no choice.”
“Think of my work.”
“Yeah. I am.” I scooted out of his way before he could grab me. Then I headed toward Betty, holding out my hand. “I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Wren Tillman, a friend of Phoenix.”
She smiled and it was one of those smiles that had years of knowing behind them. As if she knew I was trying to be polite by telling a little white lie.
“Well, anyone who can make a hit with Justin is a pretty special person in my book,” Betty said, laughing. “The puppy is an interesting idea.”
Phoenix lumbered closer, the grin on his face highlighting a dimple on his chin I’d never seen before. Maybe it was because he rarely smiled. Or maybe the sunlight was hitting it just right. Or maybe the scruffy beard he was now sporting was to blame for my sudden awe.
Whatever the case, I couldn’t seem to take my eyes off his face, even if I felt like a terrible person for all the filthy thoughts racing through my head. Especially with Justin nearby.
“I kinda didn’t have a choice,” Phoenix said.
“How’s that?” Betty asked, still chuckling.
“We found him. He’d been abandoned,” I quickly said.
She frowned. “That’s terrible. That makes you very good people.”
“How did the partial weekend go?” Phoenix asked.
“Can I speak to you alone for just a minute?” she asked.
“There’s nothing you can’t say in front of Wren.”
His statement shocked the hell out of me.
“Very well,” Betty said, her voice turning more serious. “I’m not going to lie to you, Riggs. His behavior is getting more difficult, enough so I’m not certain I’m going to be able to handle him on a fulltime basis.”
