Darke Heat (22 page)

“Everything is fine,” she said, slamming pans and cartons onto the counter.

He didn’t know what was causing her distress, but he knew he didn’t like it. He crossed the kitchen and grabbed her around the waist, locking both of her arms in the hold. She didn’t protest. All the spark seemed to go out of her as he held her.

“What is bothering you?” he asked when he finally got her attention.

“Why would you think there is anything wrong?” she said, her voice sounding angry.

“Paige, what is it?”

“It’s you,” she said.

He allowed her to turn in his arms and he could see tears swimming in her eyes.

“What have I done?” he asked in confusion.

“Nothing,” she answered.

“But…”

“Bryce, go away and give me a moment. Please,” she said with her head bowed.

He didn’t know what to make of this.

“Please,” she whispered.

“Okay, Paige, but there are only so many more times I’m going to let you put me off,” he said, leaving the kitchen through the back door.

Put him off? Was he out of his mind? He was the one putting everything between them: the job, the dogs, her brothers. He just didn’t want anything of any permanence with her. She couldn’t believe how much it hurt. A cold blade driven into her chest wouldn’t hurt any more than this slow torture. She needed to leave or have him go. She really couldn’t take much more of this. The phone in the kitchen rang.

“This is Paige Conner,”

“Hello, my name is Van DeMere. I’m looking for a trained bomb-sniffing dog. I was told you are one of the best trainers and that I should give you a call.”

“Well, I’m glad for the referral. I hope whoever told you about me also mentioned I have an extensive background check and vetting process. I’m very careful who gets one of my dogs.”

“I totally understand. I’m glad to know you’re careful. I’m very interested. When could I come by and check out what animals you have available?”

“Next week would work for me. What does your schedule look like?”

“Hmm, I could be there say, next Tuesday. Does that work for you?”

“That should work out fine. If you call ahead, I could have the dogs ready to go through their paces.”

“I look forward to seeing them in action, Miss Conner.”

“All right, Mr. Van DeMere. I’ll see you on Tuesday.”

She hung up the phone with mixed feelings about the prospect of one of her dogs finding another good home. She’d reserve judgment on whether the applicant would be a good fit, but she liked to think most would. This was a better way to deal with the day than rehashing why she and Bryce would never be a fit. The next thing she had to do was figure out if he could be persuaded to move, otherwise it might be best if she made an adjustment to her schedule, so she wouldn’t have to run into him and his latest love interest. She’d done that before, and was not looking forward to reliving it any more now than she did then.

Paige went to her en-suite where she splashed cold water on her face. She just needed to get her emotions under control. There was no new revelation here. She’d always known where Bryce’s interest lay…anywhere but with her.

Time to get back to work
. She looked into the mirror and wondered if everyone else saw what a fool she was. There was nothing for it but to brave it out. She picked up her phone to check messages. There was one from Officer Jenkins. She listened to him explain how he’d be down next Tuesday during the day if it worked for her.

She returned the call and left a message that Tuesday would be fine and she would be expecting him.

When she went back outside, she was once again the composed trainer in charge. Jamie pulled in, just as she was heading toward the kennel. Good, now she could focus on work.

“Jamie, if you’ll take care of Sheba and her pups, I’d like to put Deeogee through his paces. I’ll be in the barn going through his training, then out to the course. You good?”

“Yep, those puppies are so cool. Even if they are mixed, they are going to be awesome trained dogs.”

“Yes, I’m believing we can get them disciplined enough to do their jobs.” She grabbed Deeogee’s leash and headed out.

It was good to be back into the training. These dogs saved lives, and by her training them, she saved lives. It made what she did important, and every person saved was one less victim of violence.

It had been her personal mission to save as many people as she could by training dogs that were loyal and ready to help…ever since her first dog saved her.

Now she could help the military and the police avoid possible explosive traps by training her dogs to sniff them out.

She was deep into Deeogee’s second run through when Bryce came in. She was sweating and smelled of barn and dog. Deeogee was proving excellent at staying focused on the smell of Semtex. He would make an awesome crowd dog. He wasn’t distracted by the smells of other animals and food. It was hard to get a dog to stay focused when there were lots of stimuli to distract them. Added to that would be the noise, say at a parade. And Deeogee was a champ. She couldn’t be happier with his progress.

Bryce, however, was a big distraction to her. The dog only looked at him briefly, then went back to work. She wished she had the same level of focus. Instead she was thinking about how disheveled she looked and how she must smell. “Was there something you needed?”

“No, just wanted to see the training in action. I think you’ve a great set-up here. Are the explosives real?”

“Yes, but they are missing fuses, so there is no way they can go live,” she answered. She gave several sharp commands that the dog executed perfectly. She rewarded him with a hug and an, “Atta boy.”

“You don’t give them treats for a reward?” he asked.

“No, most of my dogs will be in combat situations and treats may not be available, plus I don’t want the dogs to accept bribes of food. Their first loyalty is to their partner.”

“Have any been bribed or betrayed their handlers?”

“Of mine, no, but it is possible. My training is to make it so they aren’t tempted by bribes because the satisfaction in a job well done is there.”

“Are you going to let me have one of your pups?” he asked in a quiet tone.

“Yes, Bryce. I’m going to let you have one, but if you don’t live up to the care of my dog, I will take him back,” she said.

“Fair enough,” he responded.

“Deeogee, come.” The dog immediately obeyed. She left Bryce and headed for the kennel to return the dog.

The heat was getting to everybody. Even the dogs were panting extra hard to keep cool. After putting Deeogee through his paces, she decided it would be a great time to give him a bath. He loved his baths. It was all great fun to him. In the current heat wave, it would be refreshing.

She dragged the galvanized bucket out to fill for the bath. Deeogee knew what the tub meant and he gave excited barks to show his delight. Maybe she should give all the dogs a bath. It was a thought, but she’d start with Deeogee, who was lathered from all the training she’d put him through.

While the tub filled with water, she got out the special dog soap and extra towels. In this heat, the towels might not be necessary, but she’d have them on hand just in case. After the tub was filled, she turned the hose off at the spigot and snapped on Deeogee’s leash to lead him to the tub, which was brimming with bubbles. By the time she was finished, she’d gotten a cooling shower as well.

From the kitchen window, Bryce watched her bathe the dog. He felt his breath hitch at the sight of woman and dog. Deeogee was obviously enjoying her ministrations with delight. He barked and splashed around in his enjoyment. She paid such apt attention to her animals. He had to assume she’d be just as attentive to her male partner or any children she might have. Having been the aforementioned partner once, he could only relish the possibility to explore all the different forms of attention Paige could give to her subject.

And as for any children she might have, he wanted them to be his.

What Bryce wouldn’t give to be the one under those capable fingers as they rubbed and massaged the soap into his hide. Oh yeah. He could just imagine how it would feel. He had to give himself a mental pep talk. Here he was getting jealous of a dog. She’d reduced him to the level of an animal. He stomped out onto the porch and into the yard, not sure what he wanted to say, but knowing he wanted her attention.

This was the second time he’d come outside, so there must be something on his mind. She wasn’t into rehashing things, so if he had something he wanted to say, she hoped to God he’d say it and then go away. She felt the sweat pouring off her. The smell mingled with the wet dog fur made her feel even more at a disadvantage with him standing there all clean and sweet smelling. For a moment, she wished she could mess up his appearance. Bring him down to her level.

She wasn’t sure what evil possessed her, but she turned the hose on him and sprayed it in his face. The stunned look he gave her said it all. In moments, his eyes took on the glitter of male outraged challenge.
What was I thinking to bait him like that?
He reached to grab the hose but she sprayed him again. He yelled and jumped over the tub to grab her. She’d anticipated his move and reared back taking the hose with her and spraying as she went. Deeogee thought this was a new and wonderful game and ran around them barking—his shepherd side trying to herd them.

Paige got tangled in the hose and tripped and fell in the now wet mud. Bryce took advantage and leaped on her to wrestle the hose away while Deeogee continued to bark and make mock growling noises. The dog kept jumping on Bryce’s back, all hundred and fifty pounds of him. The weight of the dog knocked the breath out of him, but he finally was able to grab the hose out of Paige’s hand and turn it on her, blasting the cold well water right in her face.

By then she was laughing and gulped a huge amount of water. Wanting to play catch with the water, the dog shoved at Bryce’s hand, so he aimed it at the dog, who chased it trying to catch it in his mouth. Finally, Bryce dropped the hose, his intent solidly on Paige now. Her tee shirt, plastered to her body, was showing the lacy bra she wore underneath. He held her so close she could feel his erection cradled in the juncture of their thighs. The pressure seemed to only increase the sexual ache in that most sensitive spot. She knew Bryce watched her face for her reaction as he moved his hips provocatively upon her. She moaned at the need building inside. His face was etched with sexual intent. Deeogee, not wanting to be left out, stuck his nose in between them to see if he could play.

“This is not over,” Bryce said through gritted teeth.

She could tell it was an effort to rein in the lust he must have been feeling. She knew it was going to take more that the hose to cool her off. Thank God, the dog had come between them or they would have been going at it in the yard like animals. Bryce got up and then leaned down to extend his hand and helped her up. They were now both covered in mud. There was some satisfaction in him in not looking so crisp and fresh, but she was so sexually frustrated, it wasn’t as satisfying as she would have liked. She turned to take Deeogee back to his kennel and go get herself a shower.

After she left, Bryce wasn’t sure if he’d won a victory or not. It was almost as if she were giving him the dog as a consolation prize. He was planning to take on the whole thing, her and her dogs. He’d build a new house and they would have dogs, and maybe a cat, if it was brave enough to survive all the dogs, and then maybe some kids. Yeah, he really liked the idea of them having a couple of kids playing in the yard with the dogs.

First, he had to remove the threat to himself and her. Then he’d resign and go in as more of a consultant and get out of the high risk assignments. He wanted to slow down and have more of a future. This last raid brought it home to him that it was a younger man’s job. He needed to get a life. What was it worth if he saved the world from drug lords, but didn’t have any one to share it with? He wasn’t naive. He’d never get rid of all the drugs, but he could be a part of cleaning it up, and then have a family to make it all worthwhile. Sharon had messed with his head big time, but he was putting her influence to rest. He would recapture the dream he’d had as a young man of a family with the redheaded Paige.

He walked back up to the house to talk to Dane and Colt and found Colt using his computer in his room. “Colt, can we talk about what the next step should be? I feel like we need to resolve this drug trafficking. I’m not feeling patient enough to wait on the locals to figure it out.”

Colt looked up from the desk where he’d been running some info into his computer. He turned with a relaxed, hooded look. “We know Libby is in it up to her neck as well as George, and Willy is running the dog fights.”

“How’d you get all that information?”

“We staked out this place while you and Sis were in the hospital. They both came out to the property looking for drugs, and a schedule that was left by the Slaters. Only the Slaters never made it to the retirement community in Florida. They are missing. So in a guess, I’d say they are dead.”