Page 18 of Puppy Kisses

Okay, that was adefinitelaugh coming from Adam.

“And you’ll have to keep coming for as long as it takes, mind. It’s not going to be easy, getting all this back in order. It’ll take hard labor and long hours and fingernails that look as though they clawed their way up from the gates of hell. You seem an awful lot like the kind of girl who quits as soon as the nail polish chips away.”

“Believe me, Mrs. Benson,” Adam said before Dawn could open her mouth to defend herself. “There’s a lot I could say about this woman, but if there’s one thing she doesn’t do, it’s quit.”

Despite the insult lurking in his words, Dawn’s spine straightened. Damn straight she didn’t quit. She’d tamed this cow. She could tame this woman, too, if given enough time. She was sure of it.

As for Adam Dearborn?

She gave in and peeked over her shoulder. Adam stood exactly where he’d been at the start of this conversation, stalwart and unmoving and so devastatingly handsome that she found it difficult to breathe. Every angle of him was sharp and strong, every line an architectural masterpiece. Long after the rest of the world crumbled away, he would be standing exactly like that.

No one can tame me, his stance seemed to say.No one can make me do anything I don’t want to. And woe to the woman who tries.

“That’s right,” Dawn said, unable to look away. “When I want something, there’s nothing in this world or the next that will stop me. And that, Mrs. Benson, is a promise.”

* * *

“I call dibs on the shower,” Phoebe announced.

“I guess that ruins my plans,” Dawn said. She leaped out of the driver’s side of the truck and watched as Phoebe trotted toward the ranch house without waiting to see if anyone planned on countering her claim. “I was going to try and lure you into something wet and steamy.”

“You can lure all you want,” Adam replied. He also stepped out of the truck, though with slightly more caution. “But it would be useless to get in the habit of cleanliness on your first day. You have no idea what you’ve signed on for. By the time you’re done helping Bea Benson, you won’t know where your skin begins and the dirt ends.”

Dawn laughed. Threatening words held no power over her when they were being uttered by a man who looked as cool and pristine as Adam. The only signs of exertion he showed were a pair of mud-splattered boots and a slightly rakish ruffle to his hair.

She hadn’t fared nearly as well, obviously, but that hadn’t stopped him from putting his hands around her waist and hoisting her into the truck when they left, his hold much higher—and lingering for much longer—than necessary. Clearly, a layer of dirt wasn’t too much of a deterrent for this man.

“I already know every inch of my own skin, thanks,” she replied. “And so do you, if we want to get literal about it.”

“I don’t.”

“Suit yourself.” She shrugged. “But I’m not the one who was trying to cop a feel while helping a poor, defenseless damsel into a truck. And while your sister was just a few feet away, too. Shame on you.”

Adam slammed the truck door. “Well, one of us has to have some shame, and it’s sure as hell not going to be you. What are you even wearing? Is that supposed to be a shirt?”

Dawn bit her lower lip to keep her laughter from escaping. The expression on Adam’s face was trying so hard to be outraged, but he mostly looked aroused. “It used to be one, at any rate. I’ll tack the dry cleaning bill onto my official Puppy Promise invoice.”

“This sounds an awful lot like extortion. Can’t you wear normal, machine-washable clothes instead?”

“I could, but what would be the fun in that?” She waited until Adam had walked around the truck and joined her before making her way up to the house. He knew these grounds well enough to walk without assistance or the cane he used in more public places, but she liked to be on hand anyway. “Where’d you leave the puppies, by the way? I’m a little worried about Gigi. Uncle is an absolute sweetheart when it comes to other dogs, but I’m not sure how socialized Gigi’s going to be yet.”

“Methuselahis in the kitchen” came his quick reply. “And if that Great Dane of yours did anything to hurt her…”

That made her laugh, too. One of the first things they did whenever they got a puppy in for training was make sure they got plenty of playtime with the other animals. For the past few weeks, Uncle had been the first face that all of the newcomers met. He was a giant, all right, but as gentle as they came. She’d walked into the kennel the other day to find him sitting patiently in the middle of the room with a Chihuahua dangling from each ear.

She didn’t know if it was her laughter that spurred Adam on to the kitchen or if it was genuine concern for the puppies, but he picked up his pace to a near-trot. As he pulled open the kitchen door, he also opened his mouth to call out to them, but Dawn forestalled him with a hand on his forearm.

“Don’t,” she warned. His muscle twitched under the press of her fingers, but he didn’t pull away. “I can see them from here. You’ll wake them up.”

“They’re asleep?”

“Soundasleep. Like a couple of babies. Gigi is all curled up next to Uncle’s belly, with her head tucked under his chin. It might be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.”

He hesitated. “You’re not making that up?”

“I wouldn’t do that, Adam,” she said softly. She’d do a lot of things to rile this man up, but lying about what she could see wasn’t one of them. “I told you Uncle is a keeper. He’s got really great instincts. He must have known what Gigi needed to feel okay.”

As if on cue, Gigi gave a sleepy yawn and began to stretch her limbs, whimpering softly when she strained too hard against one of the sores on her stomach. Adam showed every sign of wanting to leap to her aid, but Dawn held him back.