The Royal Hunter (15 page)

Stella was back in a flash. “Thank God. I thought—” She shook her head, then blew out a large sigh of relief. “I’m just glad he’s okay.”

“I guess he kept digging, trying to get it free, making it worse.” Talia checked his paws for other problems, then held the round ball of fluff up to her face. “Wore yourself out and fell asleep, did you?” The little dog shook his whole body, reaching out his tiny tongue to lick her face.

Stella laughed and reached out to stroke him. “You scared me, little guy.” Grinning, she let the dog lick her cheek and chin. “Do I have time to hold him?”

Still weak with relief, Talia gladly agreed. She could use a few minutes to gather her wits. She’d come too close to losing it and that scared her. She was going to have to find a way to deal with all this, but right now she just wanted to regain her focus on the job at hand. “Be careful with that spot he dug at trying to get free. It might be a little tender. Five minutes, okay? Then we really have to get moving.”

Stella nodded, all her attention on the dog. Talia did find a smile then. She’d been hoping to let the tiny mixed breed gain a bit more weight before placing him with an older person, someone without kids since the little one would likely not stand up to such rough play. But she recognized Stella’s expression. Her heart was gone. Talia suspected it wouldn’t be
too much longer before her employee worked up the nerve to ask to adopt him.

She’d have to give that some thought. Stella was certainly mature enough for her age to handle the responsibility, but she would also likely settle down and marry during the dog’s lifetime, with babies and all in her future. Talia was very specific about how she placed her animals and tried hard not to let wide eyes and overly soft hearts affect her judgment. But she had a feeling Stella would win this one.

She was still smiling when she stepped outside. The instant she saw Archer standing by her truck, her stomach knotted again. Dammit, she should have gone to her office, but it was too late to backtrack now. One look at him and everything she’d felt standing in front of that run came rushing back at her. The pom mix’s predicament was explained … but she still couldn’t explain her overreaction to Ringer.
I’ve been around Baleweg too long
, she thought.
I just need to step back and get myself back under control. I can be on top of this
.

She quickly moved to her side of the truck, hoping Archer would stay on the other side and let her regain her composure. Of course, he didn’t. He rounded the truck before she could even take a steadying breath

“Everything okay?”

“Fine, fine.” Not so sharply, she schooled herself.

“For someone who claims everything is ‘fine, fine,’ you sure don’t look it. Your face is white as a sheet.” He looked closer. “And your pupils are like little pinpricks.” He trapped her between the rearview mirror and the door. “What happened in there?”

“Nothing.”
Everything. I feel as though I’m losing my mind
. “The little pom mix we just got in from the pound managed to get his nail stuck in a mat of hair. He’s
fine. Problem solved. Stella is with him.” She was babbling. “I have things to do. Move.” She looked up at him. “Please.”

She knew she was lost the moment she looked at him. Archer’s brow was furrowed in real concern. “You’re trembling.” He looked at the kennel, then back at her. Now he looked fierce. “Was anyone else in there besides Stella?” He shook her lightly. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Oddly, it was the ferocity of his reaction that enabled her to find her own level of composure. “Nothing, Archer. I already told you. The dog is fine.”

“No one was in there but you and Stella?”

“Just the dog.”

He seemed to relax. Fractionally. “So what sent you running out here looking as if you’d seen a ghost?” Then his expression softened. Well, not softened exactly, but the hard line of his jaw wasn’t quite as hard. “The little bloke’s pain bothered you.”

She’d just found a tiny bit of balance and he had to go and knock her off it. “Don’t get all understanding on me, okay?”

Rather than look affronted, he looked amused. “Hey, I’m a sensitive guy.”

She snorted. But she also took the out he was offering. Until she’d had time to think all this over, find her balance, she didn’t want to talk about it. She wasn’t certain she’d ever want to talk about it. Yet—and this made zero sense—she had an undeniable urge to just lean into him and tell him everything, to trust him. As if he really were an understanding and trustworthy guy.
Yeah, right
. Still, she ducked under his arm and moved away before she could do it anyway. “I’ve got to finish loading the truck.”

He tugged her back and turned her face to his. Then he leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips. Her eyes widened. He let her go and stepped back.

“What was that for?” she asked warily.

He grinned. “Just wanted to put some color back in your cheeks.”

“Well.” When she realized that was the best she could come up with, she gave up and turned tail for the kennel.

Archer watched Talia run away, and grinned despite himself. Christ but he was getting soft. And he thought he’d only been joking about being sensitive. She hadn’t gotten to him, he told himself. Not really. It was just a momentary lapse. He was merely antsy about getting done with this thing.

And if that wasn’t a crock of shit, he didn’t know what was.

He thought about her all the time, and, truth be told, many a time it had nothing to do with the mission and everything to do with his growing … what?
Respect
was the word that had come to mind.
Admiration
was close behind it. And a balls-aching amount of plain healthy lust all the damn time. His fingers all but itched to touch her. How he’d kept from pulling her into his arms when she’d first come out of the kennel he had no idea. But Talia Trahaern was a strong one. She wasn’t one to go bawling to a man with her troubles. Which just made him want her all the more.

Ringer chose that moment to show up. What was one more headache to deal with? He looked down at the mutt. “Best you stay that way today, mate.” Ringer merely plopped down beside him, obviously without a care in the world. He should be so carefree. The sooner this day was over, the better, he
thought. “And the sooner you get your head back on lookout, the better, too,” he muttered.

The hairs on his neck had been at full alert all morning. Talia had assured him it was a simple trip to a local park area and she’d be in one spot the entire time with flocks of people about. What could possibly go wrong in the middle of a crowd like that? she’d asked him more than once. Archer grimaced at her naïveté. It might be a simple few hours and they’d return here where he could keep a closer watch. But he didn’t think so. He rubbed a hand over his neck. He had a bad feeling about this.

Baleweg materialized beside him. “Under way, are we?” he asked calmly, reaching down to scratch Ringer between the ears.

Archer put a bit of distance between them. The man liked to crowd a person far too much for his liking. “She’s loading the last of them up now.” He looked over at him. “You know I’m not at all comfortable with this little trek today.”

Baleweg surprised him by looking a bit troubled himself. “I can’t say as I’m enthusiastic, either.”

Oh, wonderful. Now Archer’s instincts really clamored. “Well, why in the hell didn’t you tell her that? She thinks I’m being an overprotective pain in the ass. A word from you would have gone a long way to making my job easier.”

“I pondered that, as well.” He turned a baleful eye on Archer. “I’d expected you to make more progress in earning her trust.”

“And I’d expected you to make more progress teaching her.”

Baleweg didn’t react to the jab. “It would be best for her to succeed in placing these orphans of hers. It will help to ease her mind when we must leave.”

Archer caught something in the old man’s tone. “You know something I don’t?”

“It will be soon, Devin.” He looked at him fully.

He tried to ignore the weird feeling it gave him to have the old man call him by his birth name. It felt sort of … well, good. Jesus, he really was going wonky. “How soon?”

“Soon.”

“And you’re upset because you think she won’t go?”

“That.”

“And?”

Baleweg looked away, and for the first time, Archer was truly afraid that something was going to happen, something he wouldn’t be able to control. “What’s got you all snakey, mate?”

“She’s going to need someone to count on, someone to be there for her.” He left that statement to hover in Archer’s mind as he turned and disappeared back toward the house.

“Aren’t you coming with us?”

Baleweg shook his head. “I’ve done what I can. Now it’s up to you.” He paused long enough to look back at Archer. “Don’t fail her. Or yourself.”

T
alia waved good-bye to Mr. and Mrs. Hubert. They’d be a good match for the last pup. Stella was beaming. “We done good.”

“We sure did.” It had been an outstanding day. She had prospects for all of the puppies, and the little tabby. Best of all, her two older dogs would likely be going to the same family. “It will be busy these next few days. We’ve got a bunch of people coming.” She didn’t release any of the animals to their new owners the first day. All of them had to agree to come to the kennels where she could observe them with the animal in a more relaxed setting and question them further. Plus, it gave the impulsive hearts a chance to have second thoughts. She didn’t want anyone regretting their decision. But she had a good feeling about every match she’d made today.

“I’m going to go get a snow cone,” Stella announced. “You want one?”

Talia started to say no, but then abruptly changed her mind. It had felt wonderful to get away from the house. It was a gorgeous day and she’d made a bunch of people and her animals very happy. And she’d spent eight merciful hours not thinking about what lay ahead for her. She should celebrate with some blueberry-flavored ice. She deserved it. Feeling lighter of heart and mind than she had for what
seemed like forever, she linked her arm through Stella’s. “Okay, but I’m buying.”

“Buying what?”

Talia steeled herself against anything spoiling her mood. Including the wet blanket, otherwise known as Devin Archer. He’d been hovering all day. She’d tried to tune him out, but he was a hard guy to ignore. “Shaved ice. You want some?”

“You pay for ice? It’s such a commodity, then?”

Talia darted a look at Stella, but the girl was too busy fluttering at Archer’s accent to pay any attention to what he was saying.

“It’s flavored ice,” Talia clarified.

Stella nodded. “You’ve never had any? Don’t they make them in Australia?”

Archer shook his head as if he still didn’t get the appeal, but gestured with his hand. “Lead on.”

“I thought you might stay here and watch the dogs,” Talia said. “We’ll be just across the way.” She looked around. “Speaking of dogs, where is yours?”

“Here and about.”

Talia sighed. “I told you, you can’t just let him run loose in the park.” With Stella standing there, she was limited as to what she could say. “We have laws.”

“He’s fine.”

“Archer—”

“He’s sacked out in the back of Stella’s pickup, okay?” He winked at Stella, who all but swooned. “You can keep an eye on the dogs from there. They’re in their pens.”

Since he was unlikely to let her win this one, and Stella was moony-eyed, Talia didn’t bother to argue. The event was close to over, most people were leaving, so there was no line and they ordered their cones right away. Stella took her lime-green one and went off to check out what was left of the fair. Talia
ordered a blueberry one, then ended up ordering one for Archer when he would have refused. The vendor handed him the bloodred cherry ice and Archer took it gingerly.

Talia hid a private smile as they wandered toward the trees and strolled along the edges of the fair. He surreptitiously waited for her to bite into hers before tackling his own. “You really never had anything like this?” she asked.

He shook his head and analyzed his mound of ice as if looking for the best place to make a strategic attack.

She laughed. “Go ahead and bite it, Archer, it won’t bite back.”

He made a face at her.

She bit into hers, enjoying herself far more than she’d expected to. It tasted too sweet and the ice was so cold it hurt her teeth. Perfect. She took a few more bites, savoring each one, only to stop in mid-swallow when she caught Archer staring at her. She managed to choke down the rest. “What?”

“Nothing.”

She turned her head and licked her lips, hoping she didn’t have a blue ring around them. She looked back to find him still watching her. “You going to eat yours?”

He looked dubiously at the ice that was starting to drip over the side of the paper cup. She couldn’t say what made her do it, but she stepped closer, covered his hand with hers and guided the cone to his mouth. “Just take a little off the top. It’s easier once you make an edge.”

His eyes widened, then darkened as he leaned over the cone and sank those perfectly white teeth deep into the lush red ice. All the while his gaze remained locked on hers. She didn’t know who swallowed harder. Then he licked his lips and, when she
went to pull her hand away, covered it with his other one, and took yet another bite, then another. All the while looking at her.

“You’re right,” he said, his accent dusky and rough. “It’s quite good.” He dropped his hand, then took the one of hers that held the cone. “Now you.”

“That’s o—” The word ended as blueberry ice covered her tongue and lips. Then she simply let herself sink into the sensation of looking into his hot eyes while feeling something so cold and sweet slide down her throat.

Talia was searching for something to say when Archer’s expression suddenly went stone cold. “Shit!”

“What?” She swung around in time to see a man launch himself at her, his long black hair flying behind him, a deadly look in his eyes. Then Archer shoved her roughly to the ground, sending both their paper cups flying.