AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“About four years ago, that fuckin’ Dog showed up. She wouldn’t have anything to do with anybody but me. Would not leave me the fuck alone. I didn’t know anything about dogs outside of what I’d learned in the Army, but I decided to learn about her breed. Got caught up in huntin’. Dog’s a natural. Just like Cherry. Only instead of hunting explosives, we hunt racoons and squirrels. Got pretty good at it too. At least, Dog did.” I buried my nose in Blossom’s hair and inhaled deeply. God, the woman smelled good!
“Are you sniffing my hair?”
“Busted.” I tried to chuckle, but it died in my throat. The memory of Cherry’s body so mutilated by the blast hit me like a ton of bricks. I was battered on the inside. “You want to know something funny?”
She looked up at me, her face inches from mine. Her eyes were like glistening, fathomless pools. Dark blue like the night sky. Moisture spiked her lashes as she met my gaze with hers. Without thinking, I raised a finger to catch one clinging teardrop. Her lips parted, but she said nothing. Only nodded her head slightly.
“All these years, I thought losing Rebecca was the hardest thing that happened that day.” I shook my head. “It wasn’t. I thought I loved Rebecca. It hurt, sure, but…” I shook my head, trying for the first time to examine my feelings about the woman I lost almost two decades ago. “We were high school sweethearts, but I’m not sure I ever truly loved her.”
“What happened? I mean…” She glanced away. “It’s not really my business.”
I smiled down at her before leaning in to kiss the tip of her nose. Why I did, I have no idea. It was intimate. Too intimate for our current level of association. I’d been a bastard to her, and she didn’t trust me. But, Goddamnit, I’d been denying myself a sweet, caring, desirable woman because I was afraid of losing her. Why? Because I wasn’t nearly good enough for her. Add to that the fact that I was a moody, crabby bastard, and I didn’t have a chance in hell of hanging on to this girl.
“She didn’t like me being away in such a dangerous job. Said she worried too much, and it wasn’t healthy for her.” I shrugged. “Doesn’t really matter now. I don’t get close to people. Or animals.”
“You love Dog,” she accused. “You don’t act like it sometimes, but I know you do. And she respects you.”
“She’s a huntin’ dog. It’s in her breeding, but I nurtured that side of her so I didn’t have to show her affection. She gets fed, watered, housed, and praised when she does her job, but she’s not a pet.” I snorted. “Except with you. You’re the only one she tolerates besides me.”
As if on cue, the puppy whined. She stretched up to lick Blossom’s chin but still wouldn’t leave her place on Blossom’s lap. When I gently stroked my thumb over Blossom’s cheek, the pup growled and barked at me.
“Protective little thing.” I chuckled before sobering. “I’m so sorry I tried to take her away from you, baby. The two of you belong together. Truthfully, I thought if I ignored your feelings or you altogether, I wouldn’t care about you. Taking the puppy was a surefire way to push you away. I think I nearly managed it.”
“I never told you why I singled you out, Walker.”
“Wondered about that.” I grinned down at her. “Pretty sure it was my charming personality.”
She snorted. “Actually, it was. I figured if I could get you to like me, maybe you’d be as protective of me as you were of your club. I wanted someone big, strong, and maybe a bit mean. You could take on my father and beat him. You could keep me safe.” She shrugged, but there was a catch in her voice. “But getting you to like me was a bigger job than I first thought.”
“No, it wasn’t, baby.” I shook my head. “Not at all. I was pretty much gone on you the first few times you came here. Mainly because I saw how much everyone here thought of you. It ain’t just the old ladies either. Some of the club whores love you to pieces, as well as my brothers. I wasn’t lying when I said you spread sunshine and rainbows wherever you go. When you’re here, everyone smiles. Whether they want to or not. You have that much power, girl.” With a shake of her head she tried to deny me, but I wasn’t allowing that. “You’re not like anyone else here, baby. I know I haven’t been the best guardian for you here, and you have every reason in the world to choose someone else for this role. But I’d be damned proud to have you as my woman. My old lady.”
