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Handle Me
Kira Sinclair


Subject: K-9 Handler Ty ColsonMission: Deliver an injured war dog to the woman of his very naughty dreams.Savannah “Van” Cantrell is the girl Ty Colson could never have. She's also the sister of his best friend—and blames Ty for his death in Afghanistan. The last thing Ty needs is a reunion with Van. Or a reminder of their too-potent chemistry.Van wants to give her brother’s dog a loving home, but seeing Ty means facing the anger, the blame, and the electric current of sexual energy between them. And while Van trusts him to handle almost anything—including her body against his—she'll never trust her heart to a man determined to walk back into the line of fire.







Subject: K-9 Handler Ty Colson

Mission: Deliver an injured war dog to the woman of his very naughty dreams

Savannah “Van” Cantrell is the girl Ty Colson could never have. She’s also the sister of his best friend—and blames Ty for his death in Afghanistan. The last thing Ty needs is a reunion with Van. Or a reminder of their too-potent chemistry.

Van wants to give her brother’s dog a loving home, but seeing Ty means facing the anger, the blame and the electric current of sexual energy between them. And while Van trusts him to handle almost anything—including her body against his—she’ll never trust her heart to a man determined to walk back into the line of fire.


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RESCUE ME By Kira Sinclair

December 2016


Dear Reader (#ulink_bd6ab757-4b80-5c55-9b47-20213a702a27),

The minute I read an article about Military Working Dogs I knew I had to write a story highlighting these amazing animals and the soldiers who serve beside them. It takes a special kind of person to form that bond with a highly trained K-9.

For Ty Colson, working with dogs has always been easier than dealing with people. Unlike almost everyone else in his life, no dog ever failed him. For Van Cantrell, accepting the dog injured in the same bomb blast that killed her brother is a challenge. But the more difficult obstacle is confronting the complicated man who delivers Kaia...a man she wants to hate but can’t help loving.

And while it was easy for me to fall in love with Ty and Van, it was even easier to tumble head over heels for Kaia.

Military Working Dogs dedicate their lives to serving our country just like every other US soldier. But when they can no longer serve that purpose, their journey back to a normal existence and a family who can love and support them is often difficult. However, there are organizations that provide funds and programs to assist in this transition. If you’re interested in learning more please visit missionk9rescue.org/about-mission-k9-rescue (http://www.missionk9rescue.org/about-mission-k9-rescue).

I hope you enjoy reading Ty, Van and Kaia’s story! I’d love to hear from you at kirasinclair.com (http://www.kirasinclair.com), or come chat with me on Twitter, @kirasinclair (https://twitter.com/kirasinclair).

Best wishes,

Kira


Handle Me

Kira Sinclair






www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)


KIRA SINCLAIR writes emotional, passionate contemporary romances. A double winner of the National Readers’ Choice Award, her first foray into writing fiction was for a high school English assignment. Nothing could dampen her enthusiasm...not even being forced to read the love story aloud to the class. Writing about sexy heroes and strong women has always excited her. She lives with her two beautiful daughters in North Alabama. Kira loves to hear from readers at kirasinclair.com (http://www.kirasinclair.com).


For all the men, women and dogs who put their lives on the line every day to protect our country, our freedom and our way of life.


Contents

Cover (#ube4d15a5-89c0-5fff-9490-d9ce48d2181b)

Back Cover Text (#u6b9f8518-726e-58e7-8a39-8eb0d8343c01)

Introduction (#u778173f5-a7f8-52f2-a308-a21e46c34f84)

Dear Reader (#ulink_e8a98579-95b6-5c8b-ba91-e933b7e2c696)

Title Page (#uea750aee-f49f-56d9-b40a-0f25962efed2)

About the Author (#u218fb9d8-b484-57b0-a003-c3c7fd7c4f4d)

Dedication (#u2ddc5a1a-48d1-544a-a944-d43ff9d47736)

Chapter 1 (#ulink_3e7deeff-f675-5562-b579-e3bf87dfc189)

Chapter 2 (#ulink_c5e8065e-b7f3-5dee-80f1-aa9ee6ff9244)

Chapter 3 (#ulink_3430044e-feb6-571b-a435-a12a15b1a021)

Chapter 4 (#ulink_8630c00f-6161-53f5-a25f-57706aaaa8e6)

Chapter 5 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 6 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 7 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 8 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 9 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 10 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 11 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 12 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 13 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 14 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 15 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 16 (#litres_trial_promo)

Chapter 17 (#litres_trial_promo)

Extract (#litres_trial_promo)

Copyright (#litres_trial_promo)


1 (#ulink_d206dec5-b101-511e-9bff-3b55387a59b7)

THE MOMENT WAS HAZY. Surreal. Nothing about this day should be happening. And yet, it was.

Numbness, desperate numbness, had finally begun to spread through his body thanks to the expensive bottle of whiskey Ty Colson had brought to his best friend’s wake.

Ryan would be pissed at all the somber faces and tears. They’d served together, so had talked about what they wanted if the worst actually happened.

Ty always thought it would be him.

It should have been him.

Hell, there wasn’t a single soul in his life who would care if he died. At least, not now that Ryan was gone.

But his buddy... Ty’s swimming, unsteady gaze dragged across the crowd of people who’d forced themselves into Ryan’s parents’ home. His buddy had so many people who would miss him.

An ache centered in the middle of Ty’s chest. He countered the pain by pouring another shot of liquor into the glass beside him, then slammed it back.

“Is this really how you want to pay your respects to my brother?”

Savannah Cantrell’s smooth, smoky voice slipped down his spine. Another ache, a familiar one, centered much further south, kicked into overdrive.

His gaze dragged from the golden-brown liquid sloshing over the side of his glass, up the perfect black dress that hugged her body, across the pale skin of her face to eyes that were pinched, unhappy and full of judgment.

So what else was new?

Van had hated him for years. No doubt blamed him for Ryan’s death, too.

She wouldn’t be wrong. Not really.

“Yes, as a matter of fact it is,” Ty said, happy to realize none of his words slurred. A shit-ton of whiskey might be coursing through his veins, but he’d be damned if he’d let anyone realize just how wrecked he was.

Especially Van.

“Ryan wouldn’t have wanted this melancholy bullshit and you know it.”

Van’s mouth compressed. He expected her to start spewing a diatribe. Instead, to his utter shock, her chin began to quiver.

He hadn’t seen her cry once today. And that bothered him. Not because he didn’t think she was heartbroken over Ryan’s death—he knew she was—but because he understood, better than anyone, that she needed the release.

Van didn’t like anything messy or out of place. She liked her life perfect and controlled. He could have told her that was only an illusion, one easily killed by a single bomb blast.

Even now, her eyes glistened, but her jaw clamped tight, her will kicking in as she refused to let a single tear fall.

“Well, shit,” he growled. He couldn’t just let her stand there, fighting alone.

Ty reached for her, wrapping her in his arms. He offered her the only thing he had—comfort and understanding. Even as he braced for the inevitable rebuff.

Van hadn’t wanted anything from him in years.

But to his surprise, Van melted into him. Her body sagged as she buried her face into the crook of his neck. Her sweet, tempting scent ballooned around him. Something soft and feminine. Expensive.

Awareness crackled across his skin. He tried to ignore it, but that was difficult. Especially when she was right there, wrapped in his arms, his better judgment dulled by half a bottle of whiskey.

They stood for several moments, silent. She didn’t cry. That was a battle he’d always known she’d win. But her body trembled. The soft, almost imperceptible quiver running just beneath the surface of her skin as she fought to regain control impacted him more.

After several moments she breathed, “Get me out of here.”

She didn’t have to ask twice. Grabbing the neck of the bottle with one hand, Ty wrapped his other arm around her. He ushered her through the throng of people, effectively cutting off several who tried to engage her in conversations she couldn’t entertain, then headed out the back door.

He was in no shape to drive and it was already dark, so their options were limited. But there was a tree house in the very back corner of the huge lot. If nothing else, it would give her some privacy and a break from the well-meaning mourners.

He and Ryan had helped Van’s dad, Nick, build the tree house when they were younger. Ty remembered the heat, the pain of smashing his thumb with a hammer and the sense of pride when they’d all stood together after weeks of work to admire the finished product. One of Nick’s arms had been slung around Ty’s shoulders, the other around Ryan’s. In that moment, he’d felt like he belonged.

From the ground, Ty watched Van climb up the pieces of wood nailed crookedly to the trunk of the huge tree. More memories flashed through his mind. Van, her dark brown hair in a single long braid, twisting around and sticking her tongue out at him. She’d tattled to her mom because he and Ryan wouldn’t let her up. Margaret had come out and given them both a lecture about how they should treat little girls.

But now, he broke every one of those rules as Van’s skirt belled out from her legs, flashing a glimpse of round curves and pale skin covered in black lace panties. A gentleman would have looked away; Ty couldn’t claim that title, no matter how many lectures Margaret had given.

His body responded with purpose at the tantalizing view. No whiskey dick for him.

This wasn’t a good idea.

Ty thought about turning around and heading back into the house when Van tipped backward and looked over her shoulder. “You coming or what?”

There was something taunting about her tone. Something that spurred him into action.

Grasping a rough-hewn board, Ty hauled himself up the tree and through the entrance they’d cut in the floor so many years ago.

The memories of building this place were some of the best of his childhood. At the moment, they were also some of the worst. Knowing his friend could never come up here again hurt like hell.

Here, the past assaulted him more than anywhere else, weighing him down with regret. Until his unsteady gaze drifted around, finally landing on Savannah.

The past and the present merged. Maybe it was the alcohol, or the day, or his grief. But he could see the child she’d been lurking inside the strong, stubborn, successful woman she’d become.

Savannah Cantrell was the girl he’d always wanted. The woman he could never have.

Van reached out and grabbed the bottle of whiskey from him. He hadn’t remembered he’d tucked it under his arm. She lifted it to her deep pink lips and took a big gulp.

She sputtered, grimaced, sucked in air, then did it again.

“Easy, princess.” Ty moved for the bottle, but she pulled it out of his reach.

“I need to catch up.”

“You need to slow down or you’re going to end the night with your head hanging over the toilet.”

Savannah stared at him for several seconds, her expression blank. Then she tipped her head back and laughed. Belly-clutching, rolling laughter that was so out of place it felt ragged and painful.

All Ty could do was growl at her, “What the heck is so funny?”

“Do you know I’ve never gotten so drunk that I puked?”

“I’m pretty sure that’s a good thing.”

“I’m thirty-two years old, Ty, and I’ve never been really drunk. I’ve never had a one-night stand. Hell, I can count on one hand the number of men I’ve slept with. And I promise you most of them weren’t worth the effort.”

What the hell was he supposed to say to that?

“I’ve spent my entire life doing the right thing. Making the right—safe—decisions. Working hard. Hell, I save lives for a living. But what goddamn good is that when Ryan is dead?”

Van grimaced and tipped the bottle back again. Ty wanted to wipe away the grief that sharpened her words and dulled her gorgeous eyes. But he couldn’t.

“So, tonight I’m going to get knee-walking drunk. I’m entitled. Feel free to go if you don’t want to watch the show.”

There was no way in hell he was leaving her alone. Not like this.

“For God’s sake, at least tell me you’ve eaten something today.”

Her lips twisted into a bastardized version of her smooth smile. “Nope. At least nothing that counts.”

She was going to hurt in the morning. But then, she was going to hurt tomorrow no matter what she did tonight. Ty understood the desire to drown the pain in alcohol at least for a little while. Wasn’t that what he’d been doing not thirty minutes ago?

“Fine, but you can’t drink alone.”

“Whatever.”

A breeze swirled through the open square windows. A shiver racked Van’s body. Ty could see the goose bumps spreading across her naked shoulders and arms from across the tree house.

Shaking his head, Ty walked over to the large plastic bin sitting on the far side of the small space. Lifting the lid, he found several old quilts and a couple of worn throw pillows Margaret had donated to the cause years ago when she’d remodeled.

They smelled of dust and age, but were dry and clean thanks to the well-sealed bin. Dragging them out, he spread one blanket across the floor, threw the pillows against the bin for support and left the second blanket in a pile so Van could wrap up. It might be early spring in Texas, but the nights could still feel like winter.

“Sit.”

Ty could tell the whiskey was already hitting her. Steady, perfect Van tottered as she tried to lower her body gracefully to the ground.

Instinct had him reaching for her, but she shoved his helpful hands away.

With a sigh, he settled beside her. Almost shoulder to shoulder, but Ty made sure not to touch her. Not just because it was obvious she didn’t want him to, but because he wasn’t really interested in torturing himself any more than necessary.

They sat in silence for a while, passing the bottle back and forth. She didn’t seem to notice that he barely took a sip when it was his turn. Or maybe she did and didn’t particularly care. Either way, the heavy silence didn’t last.

After about fifteen minutes Van broke it. “Do you remember that time you and Ryan crashed my slumber party?”

Of course he remembered. That was the night he finally realized Van was no longer the little sister who’d followed blindly behind his best friend, but a young woman with breasts and hips and soft pink lips he suddenly wanted to crush beneath his own.

He could have stopped her from sharing more—should have—but he didn’t.

He needed the good memories right now, because the bad ones felt like they were going to crush him.

A laugh fell from her parted lips, not quite bright, but not quite broken. “God, I was so pissed at y’all. I’d worked hard to get Kelley Morgan and Julia Price to come over. You guys scared the shit out of us and they both went screaming home in the middle of the night. Ruined my fifteenth birthday.”

That wasn’t the way he remembered it. “We didn’t ruin a damn thing. Kelley had a thing for Ryan and was only there because she thought you were her ticket into his pants. We were doing you a favor.”

Van shoved his shoulder, pushing him sideways. “You don’t think I knew that? Hell, I promised they could bump into him in the hallway after his shower, wearing nothing but a towel.”

Ty slowly turned to face her. “You pimped out your own brother just to get those girls to come to your birthday party?”

She shrugged. “What can I say? Not my finest moment. And you can’t convince me Ryan would have cared.”

No. No he wouldn’t have.

Shaking his head, Ty said, “God, I’ve missed you.” He had no intention of saying the words aloud, but apparently the whiskey had lubricated his tongue.

She grinned, her gorgeous pink mouth going wide and a little lopsided. Her gaze was blurry and bright, her movements sluggish as her shoulder bumped his and her head rested against him. “Me, too. Sucks, you know?”

She swayed slightly. Ty wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her against him to stabilize her. He stared down at her, a jumble of emotions tangling inside. Maybe if he’d been sober he could have sorted them out, but right now, that ability was lost to him.

What he did know was that she was beautiful and in his arms. Exactly where he’d always wanted her, but never expected her to be.

If she’d kept that aloof edge she used as a buffer he might have been able to resist. But her expression changed. The laughter melted away to something deeper, darker. Something he recognized because he felt it, too.

Need.

God, he couldn’t be good when she was looking at him that way.

Without thinking about it, Ty leaned down and kissed her, something he’d wanted since that summer she’d turned fifteen.

He couldn’t have her back then.

Hell, he couldn’t really have her now.

But the way she responded to him...he couldn’t let her go, either. Not tonight.

She made a sound deep in her throat, a strangled cry mixed with a whimper. The echo of it shot straight to his cock, as her fingers clenched in his shirt, wrinkling the fabric. But he didn’t give a shit. Because she wasn’t pushing him away, she was tugging him closer.

Her head fell back, offering her mouth, opening to give him more.

He couldn’t remember how it happened, but one minute they were sitting next to each other, the next Van was stretched out on the floor, the length of his body pressed tight against hers.

His hands trembled as they raced over her curves. He tried to memorize every sound, every reaction, before something could take them away again.

He wasn’t built for nice. Didn’t deserve beautiful. And Van was both of those things.

She arched into his touch anyway, silently begging for more.

Her pale green eyes flashed, tempting him as she watched his every move.

He shouldn’t be doing this. Wanting her was wrong before, and it was wrong now. Even more so, because the whiskey was clouding her judgment. And his for that matter.

He tried to pull away, to put some distance between them, but Van’s grip wouldn’t let go.

“Don’t,” she whispered, the word low and fierce.

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t you dare stop, Ty Colson.”

Tangling their fingers together, she closed his fist around the hem of her dress and tugged upward.

He could fight himself, maybe. But he couldn’t fight her. He’d never been able to deny Van anything.

If she wanted this—needed him tonight—then he’d give it to her. And deal with the inevitable fallout later.

Ty dragged her dress up her creamy thighs, over her hips and then off over her head. Her bra matched the black lace panties he’d glimpsed earlier. Of course they did. Everything about Savannah Cantrell was sophisticated and put-together.

“God, Van, do you have any idea how gorgeous you are? The men in this town must be complete idiots.”

She laughed, a brief burst that was gone before it was really there. “I’m too busy for the men in this town.”

Ty shook his head. “That wouldn’t stop me, if I was around.”

Reaching down, Ty flicked open the front clasp of her bra, letting her generous breasts spill out. He didn’t wait, leaning in to suck one deep into his mouth. She whimpered, arching into his caress. Her fingers scraped against his scalp, grasping his hair, holding him right where she wanted.

He liked that about Van. When she wanted something, she didn’t hesitate to take it.

But he was used to being the alpha in any pack. Ringing her wrists with his fingers, he pulled her hands away, then wrapped them around the handle on the storage bin behind her head.

“Hold on, princess.”

If this was the only time he was going to have Van Cantrell, he was going to make it memorable...for them both.

He spent the next twenty minutes torturing her, not to mention himself. His mouth and hands touched every inch of her body. Her skin was so soft and smooth, fragrant with the understated scent of her perfume and the heady fragrance of her arousal.

When he finally slipped down between her open thighs her skin was flushed and her hips writhed. Her sex glistened with need. And he was hungry to oblige.

He nibbled and teased, swirling his tongue close to her entrance before slipping up to lightly brush across her clit.

“Please, Ty. Please,” Van nearly sobbed. He relished in knowing he could make her beg. Make her forget.

His tongue speared deep inside as his finger found the tight knot of her clit. It barely took anything for her to shoot off.

She clenched around him. Her thighs clamped against his ears. He expected a scream, but her mouth opened on a silent cry as her eyes screwed tight. Her entire body shook with the force of her orgasm.

Satisfaction filled him, even as his dick throbbed painfully behind his zipper. God, he’d never been so turned on in his life.

Reaching into the pocket of his pants, Ty pulled out his wallet and the condom he always had stashed there. It’d been in there for months; he seriously hoped the thing was still good.

Dropping his pants to the floor, he ripped open the packet and rolled on the condom.

Standing above her, he looked down at Van, legs spread wide on the floor at his feet. Her body seemed boneless. He’d done that to her.

She watched him with half-lidded eyes, her gaze eating him up in a way that made him want to give her a repeat performance. But he knew he couldn’t survive another round, not right now, not without losing his mind.

Dropping to his knees, he reached for her, positioning the tip of his cock at her hot, wet entrance.

He waited for her to change her mind, or tell him to fuck off, but she didn’t. Instead, she reached for him. Her hands cupped his ass and pulled him closer, her hips bucking and eager.

She opened her thighs wider, silently inviting him to take whatever he wanted.

God, he wanted it all. Not just now. He wanted anything he could get forever. Pain lanced through his chest, but Ty beat it back. He knew there was nothing more than tonight.

Hell, this could very well be the last time he ever saw her.

That thought sent him into a frenzy. The need to leave his mark on her in some way was so overwhelming he couldn’t logic it away.

His hips slammed against hers, claiming her in one quick, deep thrust.

Van gasped, her lips parting as her head tipped back. Her fingers dug into his ass, urging him to give her more.

“God, you feel so good, Van. Unbelievable.” Ty dropped his forehead against hers. His lips brushed across her temple. Hers found his throat. She kissed him, the soft touch blending into something more when her teeth nipped at his skin.

She sucked, drawing his pounding pulse into her mouth. She was going to leave a mark of her own, but Ty didn’t give a damn.

His hips pistoned against hers in deep, smooth strokes that made the world gray around them. The only thing that felt real was him and her. Together. Finally.

Her labored breaths puffed against his skin, and her mouth found him, licking and leaving rows of tiny teeth marks across his shoulders, throat and collarbone. Each tug sent a jolt straight to his cock.

She was right there with him, meeting him stroke for stroke. He could feel the walls of her sex tightening around him, so close. Ty held on, delaying his own release, which threatened to blind him.

Van whispered mindless, garbled words, but his body recognized exactly what she was asking for.

Reaching between them, Ty found her clit and thrust deep, filling her as he stroked the swollen bundle of nerves.

Her body exploded. This time his name echoed off the wooden walls around them. A surge of satisfaction pounded through him as she clamped down around him. It was more than he could take.

Burying his face in her throat, Ty allowed his release, holding tight to her as a storm raged through him. He thrust hard, drawing out the pleasure as long as he could, selfishly savoring every last drop.

Collapsing to the floor, Ty didn’t notice they were lying on plywood covered with a blanket. He didn’t care that he could hear the faint sounds of people leaving the house, car engines firing.

The only thing that mattered was Van in his arms. He tangled their legs together, tucked her head against his chest and grabbed the other blanket, wrapping it around them.

She didn’t protest. Instead, she curled into him, letting her body melt against his.

Happiness and pain mixed together in his chest. The story of his life. Nothing good ever happened without being accompanied by a kick in the gut.

Van was silent, but not distant. She didn’t pull away. Tonight, he’d take small favors wherever he could get them.

His hand stroked the soft fall of her hair, tangling in the strands as they slipped between his fingers.

“I should probably go back inside, be there to say goodbye to everyone.”

He could tell by her tone that she didn’t really want to. And he didn’t blame her. All day he’d wanted nothing more than to run away from this place...at least, until an hour ago.

“Why bother?”

“Because my parents need me there. Because it’s what I should do.”

“Says who?”

“Every etiquette manual in existence.”

“No one would blame you for disappearing. No one will fault you for needing an escape.”

“But I shouldn’t. It wouldn’t be right.”

Ty shifted, tipping her head back so he could look into her eyes. “No one expects you to do the right thing all the time.”

“I expect it.”

He shook his head. “You’ve always put too much pressure on yourself. Just once, let yourself do something unexpected.”

Her mouth quirked up on one side, not quite a smile. “Pretty sure that’s what we just did.”

Her gaze slipped away from his, focusing on something over his shoulder. He wanted to draw her back. Every instinct inside him yelled that if he wanted anything further this was the moment to push.

But he couldn’t.

As much as it hurt, Ty knew exactly what tonight had been. It wasn’t like he didn’t have plenty of experience carrying around pain, hiding it so no one else could see.

Shifting to get more comfortable, Ty tightened his hold on her. “Go to sleep. In the morning you can blame me for your disappearance. Everyone will believe I was drunk off my ass—” like mother, like son “—and you had to pour me into bed.”

Her body stiffened, but after a few seconds she relaxed, a sigh slipping through her parted lips.

It didn’t take five minutes for her breathing to even out and her body to go limp against his. The floor felt hard against his back, but it wasn’t the first time he’d slept on something uncomfortable.

Ty’s arms tightened around Van. He tipped his head back, found the sky through the window in the wall beside them and squeezed his eyes shut.

Just one more thing you’re going to have to forgive me for, buddy. But, I’m going to be honest—I don’t regret a damn moment.

* * *

SAVANNAH GROANED. Her entire body hurt. Her brain felt fuzzy and slow. God, would she never learn that sleeping on the tiny cots in the hospital’s on-call room was a bad idea?

Shifting, her hand grazed something cold and plastic. A groan rolled through her chest as memory slammed home. She wasn’t at the hospital. This pain was all self-inflicted. Though it was fuzzy, she could remember knocking back whiskey from a bottle she’d swiped from Ty.

Van’s eyes popped open.

Ty.

Oh, shit.

Van rolled onto her side and pushed against the hard plywood floor. Her stomach bubbled unhappily. The walls around her wavered.

But a creaking sound filtered through her misery.

For the first time, she realized she was alone. And she hadn’t fallen asleep that way.

The sky was mostly gray through the large window, with fingers of pink and orange just starting to streak across. Van crawled over and used the ledge to lever herself up—just in time to see Ty, his shirt hanging from the pocket of his slacks, shoes dangling from his fingers, sneaking across her parents’ lawn toward the back gate.

She should be grateful he was walking away so she wouldn’t have to face him.

But she wasn’t.

Hurt, anger and indignation slammed through her, causing her sick stomach to roil even more.

God, she would never drink again.

Part of her wanted to go after him. To yell at him, for leaving, for making her feel amazing last night, for dragging her brother into a situation that had ended up killing him. For letting her get drunk and then taking advantage of her.

She wanted to blame Ty Colson for every single thing that was wrong with her life.

But she couldn’t.

Last night, she might have been drunk and reckless, but Ty hadn’t pushed. He hadn’t done anything she didn’t want. As much as she wanted to paint the man as an asshole, she knew him well enough to realize that if she’d said no at any point, he would have stopped.

Instead, she’d begged him for more.

Oh, God. Van sank back down onto her haunches and dropped her head between her knees. Sucking huge gulps of air through her nose, she willed her stomach to settle.

She would not throw up. She would not throw up.

This was better.

Ty had given her something last night that she’d desperately needed. Solace, laughter, release. A chance to forget, even if only for a few moments.

The fact that she’d never felt so whole and connected with anyone else was something she’d simply have to deal with. And get over.

On the bright side, she could mark one-night stand off her bucket list. And with the boy she’d had a teenage crush on. Oh, look, a twofer.

In the quiet silence, she could hear the engine on Ty’s rental turn over. The sound of his tires crunching across pavement, picking up speed as he fled from her neighborhood. From her life.

It hurt. Not that she’d necessarily wanted to wake up with his strong arms cradling her close. That would have been infinitely more awkward than sitting there alone in her misery and embarrassment.

This way, she didn’t have to confront what she’d actually done. It was a little late in life for her to be adding stupid experiences to her resume, but maybe better late than never.

Besides, with Ryan gone, she’d likely never see Ty Colson again.

And that was the way she wanted it.

Really, it was.


2 (#ulink_83270bd3-749a-5c60-a8c9-895bd49f819c)

Four months later

TY STARED AT the perfect house in front of him. Exactly the kind of place he’d expect Van Cantrell to own.

The street was quiet, a subdued neighborhood full of older homes. The kind with gentle laughter, sunny yellow walls and a kitchen with a mom making waffles and chocolate chip cookies.

The kind of home he’d never had.

The kind of life he’d never realized was possible until he’d met Ryan in the second grade. And learned that sporting bruises and going to bed with a rumbling belly weren’t normal.

The neighborhood seemed sluggish. Ty missed the normal weekday rush of people leaving for work. The kids who would likely be running up and down the cracked sidewalks in a few hours were still snuggled under their sheets, dreaming of lazy summer mornings and the remaining weeks with no homework.

Two weatherworn rocking chairs sat on the wraparound front porch, swaying in the hot Texas breeze. Just waiting for someone with a steaming mug of coffee to curl up against the wooden slats and enjoy what little respite the morning offered before summer’s oppressive heat seeped in.

A memory burst through, one he’d been pushing back for months.

Van, sitting in that exact spot, her feet pulled up underneath her. Body slumped, shoulders rounded with grief. A beautiful, golden sunrise gilding her exhausted, tear-stained face.

He’d sat there in a different car, on a different day, and been a voyeur to her pain. He’d wanted to comfort her then. But he’d fought the urge to go to her, wrap her in his arms and wipe each of her tears away.

Because he’d known it was better that way. For both of them. After the night they’d shared together in that tree house...

In that moment, being close to her and seeing the anger and accusation in her eyes again would have destroyed him.

Now silence settled over him, harsh and heavy, pressing tight against his chest. He should get out of the SUV he’d rented at the San Antonio airport—get this over with—but he couldn’t seem to make his body move.

This was the moment he’d been dreading for the last several weeks. But it was as inevitable as it was filled with regret, and guilt, and a grief so bone-deep he couldn’t begin to exorcise it.

The only way he’d gotten through that last trip home was by numbing himself with whiskey...and Van.

Ty’s stomach churned and his hands, still wrapped around the leather-covered steering wheel, went white with tension. Sweat that had nothing to do with the heat trickled down the back of his neck.

God, he didn’t want to walk inside. Didn’t want to look into her gorgeous, pain-filled eyes.

There was no way to fix what was broken—for either of them.

But that didn’t stop him from wishing he could roll back time and change everything. He’d give anything—absolutely anything—to bring Ryan back.

A soft whimper sounded from the backseat and a cold, wet nose nudged against his shoulder. Ty pulled a sudden gulp of air into his lungs, grateful for the jolt, which prevented him from spiraling into a familiar mental tailspin.

The last thing he needed was for Van to find him stalling in her driveway. She knew he was coming this morning. Hell, he hadn’t even bothered to check into his hotel first. Better to get this over with.

Carefully unwrapping his fingers from the wheel, Ty reached back and scratched behind Kaia’s ears. She let out another sound, only this time it was full of pleasure. Leaning her head against Ty’s shoulder, she angled her body for a deeper rub.

“I know, girl,” he whispered. “You’re almost home. It’s almost over.”

At least he could make things better for her. Kaia had been through as much trauma and grief as he had. As Savannah had.

He was really hoping that Kaia’s presence would give Van some small measure of comfort. He knew the dog desperately needed some love and affection. He’d fought for months to bring her home because he knew it was what Ryan would have wanted.

Kaia let out a short, sharp bark.

Pushing out a gush of air, Ty tried to laugh. The sound was off, rusty and forced. “I guess it’s time to get this over with.”

Forcefully pulling his gaze from the house, Ty climbed from the car. He opened the back door wide and gave the command for Kaia to jump down. He didn’t bother with a leash. A Belgian Malinois, she’d been trained as an SSD, a specialized search dog, and had spent the better part of five years scenting for explosives and bombs, primarily following voice commands. She was extremely intelligent and very obedient. All of their dogs were.

It was hard not to be partial to his own partner, Echo, waiting for him back in Afghanistan, but he was just as comfortable with Kaia.

The dog’s long, lithe body stretched forward, then didn’t hesitate, bounding from the SUV, and landing on the ground with a stuttered gait. The loss of her left front leg barely even slowed her down.

But Ty remembered. The sight of Ryan’s soot-covered, broken body in the rubble. Kaia, her fur matted with blood—Ryan’s and hers—lying over him. Protecting him. Unwilling to move even as a burning fire raged just feet away, her hair smoking from the heat.

Ty recalled the pain and sadness that had filled her eyes when he had finally reached them, pulling his best friend and the dog who’d tried to protect him to cover—it had been too late to save Ryan. And Kaia had almost lost her life as well.

Weeks of surgery and therapy. Months of waiting for her to be medically cleared, released from service and then pronounced adoptable before he’d been able to even make the argument she should be sent home to Ryan’s family. A trip that he’d paid for out of his own pocket since the military didn’t cover the expense of transporting retired dogs to their new homes.

Worth every goddamn penny. It was the least he owed his best friend.

Ordering Kaia to heel with a simple hand gesture, Ty turned from the car, but then stopped a step away. The dog followed his lead, even without a command, pressing her shoulder against his thigh to compensate for the loss of her limb.

The porch was no longer empty. Van stood there, arms crossed over her chest, watching him. Watching them both.

Her expression was...unreadable. Distant and closed. But that wasn’t unusual when he was around. Did she remember the last time they’d seen each other? Or had she been so affected by the alcohol and grief that the memories had disappeared?

Those memories, the way her body had felt against his. The scent of her skin. The tangy, tempting taste of her mouth... He remembered every second.

But, even if she did remember, he fully expected Van to pretend she didn’t. Because they both knew that single night was a...well, mistake was the wrong word because it implied he hadn’t wanted it to happen, which definitely wasn’t true. That night had been a fantasy, even as he’d known Van was grieving and wanted nothing more than a physical release from the pressure of her loss.

It was clear from her expression that the remote, disapproving woman he’d grown to expect was back today. Van hadn’t always been that way with him. There’d been a time when he’d considered her as much a friend as Ryan. But it had been a long while since that was true.

Her skin was still creamy pale. Her hair, loose and blowing in the soft morning breeze, a rich, dark brown that bordered on black. Her eyes were a pale green and he knew, up close, they had flecks of golden brown shot through them.

But it was the tilt of her chin that always got him. The cool, calm bravado she approached everything with. Competence and confidence. Van’s philosophy was very much to fake it till you make it.

Nothing ruffled her feathers, least of all him.

A stinging pain lanced through his chest. Ty stopped himself from reaching up to rub at it, the motion a pointless reflex. He knew by now that nothing would take it away.

He took a step forward. Kaia lurched up, hop-stepping in time with his movements, staying perfectly even with his hip as he moved to close the gap between them.

Something sharp flashed through Van’s gaze as she watched the dog’s halting progress. Her body swayed as they reached the front steps, as if she wanted to reach out. Help.

But she didn’t.

Ty didn’t stop at the bottom. He didn’t even pause at the top. He kept moving until he could feel the heat drifting from her body. Leaning down into her personal space, he pressed his lips to her temple. Her body stiffened. He wasn’t touching her anywhere else, but he could still feel it. Her tension radiated out like a magnet flipped to its opposing pole, trying to push him away.

“It’s good to see you, Van.”

She didn’t respond. Didn’t have to. He knew she didn’t agree.

Pulling away from him, her gaze skittered over his face for several seconds, then down his body, tracing each arm, his torso, legs and feet, until it came to rest at the dog sitting patiently beside him.

“Kaia?” she finally asked in her soft, smooth voice, the one that always sent a wave of longing washing over him. Today was no different.

Ty nodded, placing a hand on the furred head at his hip, scratching behind her ears.

Van slowly sank in front of him. She didn’t reach out to the dog. Instead, she wrapped her arms around her own folded legs, hugging her body into a tight ball. The two stared at each other for several seconds, neither of them moving.

Finally, she extended a hand. Her fingers trembled. If he hadn’t been watching he might not have noticed the tiny crack in her smooth exterior. Van was good at bottling her emotions. Until she wasn’t, and then the explosion...

He’d experienced her anger and passion on several occasions. It was a sight to behold.

Her wide mouth tugged down at the corners, the hint of a frown.

“I’m so sorry,” she breathed out, her fingers slipping hesitantly over the spot where the vet had sewn up Kaia’s leg. The dog didn’t flinch or move, just sat quietly.

Van’s hand drifted upward, coming to rest on the fuzzy head. She looked straight into Kaia’s watchful gaze and whispered, “Thank you.”

Ty fought against the lump forming in his throat. He wanted to look away, but the motion of Van standing up pulled his attention back.

This time her gaze flicked over him quickly, there and away. She turned her back to him, tossing words over her shoulder. “I guess you should come in.”

* * *

VAN DIDN’T WANT him there. Didn’t want him in her home.

She didn’t bother to look back to see if he was following her inside. She didn’t have to. She knew.

Where Ty Colson was concerned, she had a sixth sense and always had. Growing up, he’d been a fixture in her family. Ryan had been his shadow, following his lead into whatever trouble the wild boy could dream up.

And, oh, Ty could dream up a shit-ton of trouble.

She’d been the annoying little sister relentlessly tagging along. The high-pitched voice of reason always cautioning that they were going to get caught and punished. Quick to say, “I told you so,” when her predictions came true.

But somewhere along the way, her childish fascination with him morphed into something more. An adolescent crush that made her feel awkward around the boy she’d known most of her life.

To her, Ty Colson was perfect. Adventurous. Wild and uninhibited. Remote to almost everyone...except her. There were times she’d envied the freedom he always had, even as she realized it meant no one at home cared enough to rein him in. She’d seen his wounds and wanted nothing more than to soothe them.

Until his antics got both boys in real trouble and sent her brother’s life careening off course.

Her simple, innocent attraction to him had gotten muddled up with resentment and blame. Not that those emotions had stemmed the physical awareness.

So damn frustrating.

Even now, Van could feel him, walking several paces behind her. She could sense the motion of his body as he tempered his gait to match the wounded dog at his side.

She couldn’t seem to turn off the relief she’d felt when he’d first walked up, her gaze devouring him, searching for signs of wear and injury. There’d been a pressure in her chest until she could see for herself that he was okay. Even as her brain told her she shouldn’t care.

God, what was wrong with her? Ty had gotten her brother killed. Maybe not directly, but he was responsible. Ryan never should have been in Afghanistan. Never should have become a dog handler, searching the unforgiving terrain for explosive devices just waiting to maim and kill.

Van walked straight back to the kitchen, which looked out onto the yard. When she was growing up, her family had always gathered in the kitchen. Now, in her own home, the kitchen gave her peace—it was the place she came to when she needed a break from the storm her life could be.

It was the only place where she felt like she could breathe deeply.

Out of the corner of her eye, she registered Ty standing in the middle of her doorway. Just there, watching, waiting. For what, she wasn’t sure. And that left her restless.

Needing something to do, Van lifted the mug of coffee she’d left on the counter when she’d heard Ty drive up and took a sip, making a face when she realized it had gone cold.

Nothing worse than cold coffee.

Dumping it out, she popped another pod into the machine, pushed the button and let it run.

This day was going to require copious amounts of caffeine.

Not only was she an emotional wreck, but she’d just gotten off back-to-back shifts at the hospital. They’d had a late-night trauma call, gunshot to the abdomen. The guy had coded on her table twice before finally stabilizing enough for them to transport him to surgery.

Even now, she had no idea if he’d made it or not. One of the downfalls of ER medicine. She patched them up, sent them either out the door or on to someone else and then rarely knew what happened next.

But the rush of saving someone’s life...worth every second of exhaustion.

While her coffee was brewing, Van reached into a cupboard and pulled down a bright turquoise Fiesta bowl. She filled it with water and placed it on the floor near the sink.

“Do you have food for her?” she asked.

There was no point in pleasantries with the man who’d sauntered closer and was now leaning against the edge of her kitchen island. Way too much history between them to bother.

“In the car. I’ll get it in a bit.”

The low timbre of his voice slipped across her skin, giving her goose bumps. He might as well have touched her, given the effect he had.

Dammit.

Clenching her teeth, Van turned. Better to get this over with.

“How long will you be in town?”

There was a part of her that didn’t want to ask. Didn’t want to know when he’d be returning to the same dangerous place that had taken her brother. But the rest of her needed to know just how long she’d have to deal with the tension stringing her body so tight she was afraid she might snap.

“I’ve got two weeks. I figured I’d stay here for a bit. The town council asked me to ride with Kaia as marshal in the Fourth of July parade.”

Great. They’d asked her to as well. Not that she’d expected to avoid him the entire time, but she was hoping to minimize their interaction.

Van just nodded, keeping the information that she’d be there, too, to herself. Maybe she could find a way out of it. If he was there, what did they need her for?

It was bad enough that they were going to be honoring Ryan. She wasn’t sure she could deal with the pain of it all again. Losing him was still too raw.

“I’ll see how you and Kaia are coming along with your training. If you guys are good then I might head to a beach somewhere for a few days before I go back.”

“Training?”

A frown creased the spot right between his blue-gray eyes. She’d always been fascinated with them. The color was so...unusual. And it changed depending on what he wore or what mood he was in.

When she was younger, she used to make up excuses to loiter in the same room as the boys, pretending to read a book or watch a movie. In reality, she’d observed him. Noticed how he guarded himself with everyone—except her family.

As a teenager, she’d watched him go through girls, and fought against the jealousy she couldn’t quite conquer. He’d take them out. Treat them like queens. But never really give them anything of himself. No girl lasted more than a few weeks.

In high school, he’d gotten a reputation for being aloof, but stellar in bed. Details she really hadn’t wanted to know—because it only made her fantasies about him worse—but couldn’t quite escape. Van had gotten sick of being the go-to girl for information and advice on how to catch him. Everyone seemed to think she held the code.

And maybe she did. She had to admit, it’d felt amazing to have him come up to her during a football game, sling his arm around her shoulder and include her in whatever conversation he had going.

As far as she knew, he’d never had a long-term relationship. Not that his career really offered the opportunity to find love.

That was a laugh. Because neither did hers. Eight years of college and medical school, four years of residency. Long hours in the ER and plenty of stress. She’d tried dating in her mid-twenties. Had a solid relationship that lasted about eight months.

Ty shifted, his hips sliding against the counter behind him. God, he looked good. But, then, he always had. His biceps bulged against the tight sleeves of the faded T-shirt he’d thrown on this morning. Ink snaked down his right arm, stark black against the golden tan of his skin.

His thighs were huge. She’d bet she couldn’t wrap both hands around the circumference of one. She’d kill to see him in a pair of running shorts, the ropy muscles bunching and straining with movement. She was definitely a leg and ass girl.

“I had to sign an agreement, on your behalf.”

It took Van several seconds to realize what Ty was talking about. Oh, yeah, they were discussing the dog...and not Ty Colson’s fine physique.

“Kaia can no longer be used for security or patrolling, but she knows plenty of commands, most of them you shouldn’t need. Since I’m here, I wanted to teach you the few that would be useful.”

Van’s eyes went wide. Honestly, when her parents had first told her Ty had contacted them about adopting Kaia she hadn’t known how to feel. Conflicted was really the only choice.

She’d heard Ty tell friends and family at the funeral about how Kaia had stayed with Ryan at the end, draping her body over his in a valiant attempt to shield him, despite her own injuries. She was a soldier, willing to die, and deserved to be rewarded for her service.

But every time Van’s gaze met Kaia’s, taking in her dark brown, watchful eyes and missing leg, a blast of grief shot through her chest. The dog was going to be a constant reminder of Ryan’s death. One she wasn’t sure she was strong enough to endure.

She’d actually been talking about getting a dog for months. She was out of her residency and established in her new career. Tired of coming home to an empty house. She’d mentioned it to her parents, knowing she’d need their help on the days she worked long shifts.

She’d been ready to pull the trigger, but her plans had been put on hold when they’d received word that Ryan had died. And since then it just hadn’t felt right.

But now, how could she say no to taking Kaia? Just thinking about it had made her feel guilty as hell.

Although, if she’d known agreeing would include training sessions with Ty, she probably would have worked harder to find a reason to refuse.

If looking at Kaia had her conflicted, looking at Ty was so much worse.

She hated him. She cared about him. She wanted to hurt him the way she was hurting. She wanted to make sure he was okay.

Honestly, she had no idea what to do with the man and the jumble of emotions he made her feel. It was so much easier just not to deal with them...or him.

But that plan wasn’t going to work for the next couple weeks.

Shit.

“Fine. I took a couple weeks off work to get Kaia settled. I’m sure we can find some time to go over things. Why don’t you give me a call after you’ve checked into your hotel and we can set something up for tomorrow.” Might as well get this over with.

Ty nodded, a soft curl of dirty-blond hair flopping over into his eye. Her fingers tingled with the need to reach over and push it out of the way. Instead, she tightened her grip on the counter.

Silence pressed in on the moment, uncomfortably filling the space between them.

Words she didn’t want to say crawled up the back of her throat. But she swallowed them down. They wouldn’t change anything. Wouldn’t bring her brother back. Couldn’t purge the anger and grief, frustration and accusation. Or the unwanted desire and hot memories that had been haunting her dreams for the past four months.

So, as always, she stayed quiet, bottling it inside until the emotions were one big swirl of confusing sludge sucking at the center of her chest.

After several minutes, Ty said, “I’ll go get Kaia’s things,” and turned to walk away.

Van heard the front door open and close. Kaia’s ears pricked, but she didn’t move from her sentry position beside the doorway.

God, it was going to be a very long two weeks.


3 (#ulink_b6533c12-5aaa-5e41-a4df-370882d1f95f)

“AGAIN.”

Ty watched frustration pinch Van’s mouth. Given any other set of circumstances, the expression might have been endearing. It wasn’t often that Savannah Cantrell struggled with anything. She was a brilliant ER doctor and one of the most intelligent women Ty had ever met.

She’d always been better, smarter than he was. Hell, too wrapped up in his own anger and shitty life, he’d barely graduated high school.

The problem was, she wasn’t the only one suffering.

Kaia, already struggling to compensate for her missing limb, was desperate to prove herself to her new owner. But Van kept giving the poor dog mixed signals. Kaia wasn’t sure what Van wanted...mostly because Van didn’t seem to have a clue what she wanted the dog to do, either.

Van’s bangs flopped against her forehead as she blew a stream of frustrated air from her mouth.

“Let’s be honest, Ty, I don’t think doing it again is going to help.” He watched her expression, now wary and guarded, flit over Kaia. “Maybe taking her isn’t such a good idea.”

Nope. He had to shut that train of thought down.

Stalking across Van’s sunny backyard, he stopped several feet from Kaia. Gaining her attention, Ty lowered his voice and issued a single command. “Heel.”

Kaia immediately obeyed. Her ears perked up and her body practically vibrated as she moved into the correct position.

“Watch her body language. She wants to obey. She needs you to assume the role of alpha and tell her what to do. Kaia lives to please. Some dogs respond to food or toys. This one laps up praise. It’s part of the reason she and Ryan had such a close bond.”

Van shook her head. “I don’t know that I can do this.”

“Yes, you can. You can’t stand there and tell me you treat the staff in your ER with kid gloves.”

“Of course not. We’re all professionals and we have a job to do.”

Ty nodded. “So does Kaia. Her job is to obey your commands. If you walked into the ER while a patient was coding and whispered, what would happen?”

Van crossed her arms over her chest. “Nothing.”

“Exactly. Everyone would be too busy, upset or lost in their own thoughts to pay attention. Kaia is the same way. She’s a highly trained animal. She’s constantly evaluating her surroundings, which can be a good thing. But not when you want her attention. You have to be louder, stronger and more authoritative than anything else—including her instincts. So, try again.”

Van pulled a huge breath in. She held it for several seconds before letting it go.

A few moments earlier, her body language had been frustrated and unsure. Now she was in control—of herself and hopefully Kaia.

“Kaia, heel.”

This time, Van’s voice was low and strong, holding the bite of authority.

Kaia rolled her eyes up at him, but Ty sat unmoving. Reinforcing the command Van had just given would countermand everything they were trying to accomplish. Van needed to find her voice and Kaia needed to recognize her as the new authority in her life.

After a moment of hesitation, Kaia limped over to Van’s side. She sat on her haunches, nudging her nose against the fist Van had clenched near her thigh.

“Praise her,” Ty murmured.

“Good girl, Kaia,” Van nearly whispered.

“You can do better than that. Kaia craves affection. Give her what she wants when she does something right.”

Van held back for several seconds before turning to the dog and lavishing her with attention. The difference in both the woman and the animal was astonishing. The minute Van’s hands surrounded Kaia’s face, rubbing against her soft fur and giving sweet words, both of them began to shine.

For a brief moment, he wondered what it would take for him to get that kind of affection from Van again.

What a stupid thought since he already knew the answer—generous amounts of whiskey.

“Good, good.” Ty had to clear the tickle from the back of his throat. “Let’s try something a little harder now. Walk with her to the other side of the yard. When you get down there tell her to sit and stay. Use the hand gestures I showed you as well. And then walk back to me.”

Again, Van hesitated and that hesitation caused Kaia to look to Ty for guidance. He purposely averted his gaze and waited for Van to find her confidence again.

Finally, Van did what he’d told her. She fumbled with the hand gestures, but they were close enough that, along with the verbal commands, Kaia knew what was expected of her. And thanks to her training, she responded beautifully.

Kaia’s gaze never left Van as she slowly walked back across the yard. Van stopped several feet away from Ty. The move was intentional. She’d been putting space between them since the moment he walked in the door. For the briefest moment, he thought about calling her on the bullshit.

But that wouldn’t accomplish anything productive.

Clenching his jaw, Ty said, “Do you see how she’s watching you? Her body is strung tight. Even from here, I can see she’s vibrating with excitement and attention. That’s what you want when you’re working with her. And you’re going to need to work with her on a regular basis. She’s used to having a job. She needs that.”

Van nodded stiffly.

“All right, call her to you. And don’t forget to praise her when she obeys.”

Van did what he said and Kaia followed her commands perfectly. But it was obvious Van felt completely out of her element. He’d hoped that as she worked with Kaia, she would get more comfortable. But almost an hour and a half into their first session she was still struggling.

Apparently, he needed to adjust his expectations.

He watched Van go through the motions for several more minutes without prompting her. When he was giving Van instructions she was okay, but on her own...she was clearly uncomfortable. And that tension was translating to Kaia, who was starting to act up.

If Van didn’t get a hold of herself, Kaia was going to take over.

“Stop!” Ty finally yelled across the yard.

Kaia immediately halted, her eyes darting straight to him, her body quivering with anticipation.

Van’s shoulders slumped. She blew a frustrated breath out of her mouth, fluttering the fringe of bangs hanging into her eyes. Her skin was flushed with irritation.

Not a good situation for handler or dog. “Let’s take a break,” Ty suggested, though it really was more of a command.

“No. I want to get this. I will get this.” The determination in her voice might have been endearing if it wasn’t so destructive.

“Van, sometimes it’s better to know when to walk away. You can’t power through everything...or be perfect at everything. Kaia’s had enough for the day. She deserves a treat. Let’s go for a walk.”

* * *

THE TENSION WAS giving her a headache. Ty’s expectations weighed on her. She was used to being top of her class, but at the moment she felt like a complete idiot.

How could she manage her ER staff with authority and ease, but not be able to command a single dog with any sense of confidence?

The more she floundered the more frustrated she became.

And the confusion she saw every time she looked into Kaia’s eyes wasn’t helping.

She had no idea what she was doing, and the more time she spent with Ty and Kaia, the more that was becoming obvious. While Ty commanded the dog with calm efficiency, Van was out of her element.

She didn’t like that sensation at all.

Anxiety coursed through her body, an electrical current crackling across her skin.

And it didn’t help that every time Ty came close, that energy doubled back on her, zapping her like she’d touched metal to a light socket.

She wanted him to touch her. She also wanted him to go away.

He did neither.

“I’ll only be here a little while, Van.”

She didn’t need him pointing out the obvious, especially when it made her stomach feel like a hollow pit.

“I saw a park a couple blocks over when I drove in yesterday. Why don’t we get a change of scenery? It’ll be good for both you and Kaia.”

Van nodded. What else could she do?

She’d lived in the neighborhood for almost three years now. Driven past that park thousands of times. But couldn’t remember visiting once. It wasn’t her kind of place, full of people and kids. Dogs. Women in their little running shorts and matching sports bras.

When she needed stress relief she preferred a nice, clean gym to exercising in the elements. Climate-controlled and structured. That’s what she liked.

Whatever.

“Let me change my shoes.” If they were walking, the sandals she’d slipped on weren’t very practical. Sitting on the end of the bed, she pulled out her running shoes and stared at the laces as she tied double knots.

The rumble of Ty’s voice reached her, not enough to understand the words, but the tone was clear. He was talking to Kaia. She could hear the animation in his voice, inflection that wasn’t present whenever he talked to Van. At least not today.

Four months ago...

The memory of him looming over her in the dark, whispering words against her skin, assaulted her. Dirty words that made her blood sing. Sweet words that had her body melting. Nonsense that actually made all the sense in the world—at least, it had at the time...

Shit.

Screwing her eyes shut, Van pushed the thoughts away. They weren’t productive or helpful. In fact, if she couldn’t get them under control they were going to sabotage her.

A cold nose against her bare leg startled her. Her eyes popped open and looked straight into the warm brown ones staring patiently back at her.

“Good girl, Kaia,” Ty said. He filled the doorway to her bedroom, his wide shoulders pressed against the jamb and his thick arms crossed over the expanse of a muscled chest.

Double shit.

“What are you doing in my bedroom, Ty?” The words came out much more harsh than she’d wanted, tinged with the fear that she wouldn’t be able to control herself with his close proximity to her bed.

“Kaia was getting impatient. Hurry up.”

His dictatorial tone made her want to snap at him, but she bit back the instinct. She would not take the bait.

Growing up, Ty had delighted in making her react. It was a game he liked to play. How quickly could he get her to lose her temper? Back then, the answer was very.

Now, she prided herself on her self-control and no one, especially Ty Colson, was going to make her lose that.

Standing up, she rested a hand on Kaia’s head and spoke to the dog instead of the man. “Well, then, let’s get this show on the road.”

Ty turned and headed back down the hallway ahead of her. Kaia gave a little whimper, her gaze swinging back and forth between the two of them, unsure as to whom she should follow, but finally settling on a position between them.

A plastic bag swung from Ty’s hand, a leash twined between his fingers. At the front door he paused long enough to reach back and clip the end onto the harness Kaia was wearing.

She tried to stay behind Ty and Kaia as they hit the sidewalk in front of her house, but Kaia kept turning around to look at her. Eventually, Ty slowed down, matching his gait to hers and placing Kaia directly between them.

The dog seemed much happier with that arrangement, so Van let it be.

They walked in silence, but that didn’t stop her mind from whirling ninety to nothing.

She could feel him...the masculine vibe that emanated from his entire body. He didn’t even have to try, it was just there.

He was a man. Always had been. Even as a gangly teenager, there’d been something about him...something older than any kid deserved to be.

Van racked her brain for something to talk about, but nothing seemed safe. She didn’t want to discuss her brother, which meant just about every memory, friend and acquaintance they shared was off-limits. And she sure as hell wasn’t going to discuss their interlude in the tree house.

Kaia’s shoulder brushed against her thigh. She watched the dog’s limping stride, and not for the first time felt awed by how completely she compensated for the loss of her limb.

Guilt swamped Van. She should have been paying more attention to Kaia instead of worrying about her own bad mood, and should have walked slowly so the dog wouldn’t have to put in so much effort. Not that it seemed to bother her.

“She’s completely healed?” Van found herself asking, although she hadn’t planned on going there. Thoughts of Kaia’s injuries inevitably led to thoughts of her brother’s death.

“She wouldn’t be here if she wasn’t. She had to be medically cleared and then psychologically evaluated to ensure she could make a safe pet before the military would consider adopting her out.”

“Oh.”

He’d said something about that before, but Van hadn’t really thought about the process. She knew it had taken some time, but just assumed most of that had been for Kaia to heal from her injuries.

“Are there any residual medical issues? Any medications? Therapy? How can I help her?”

Ty turned, his gaze spearing into hers. She got lost in those stormy-blue eyes for a second, her mind emptying of everything but him...and how he could make her body hum.

Shaking her head, Van tried to pull herself back to reality.

“Nope, she’s fully healed. Nothing you need to do except love her.”

Love her. Why did that thought cause nerves, grief and longing to mix uncomfortably in her belly?

They reached the park. From several feet away, someone called her name.

“Savannah! Hey, Savannah!”

She looked over to find one of her neighbors waving frantically.

Nadine lived two doors down. The week Van had moved in she’d shown up at the door with a plate of brownies and a big smile on her face. She was sweet, nosy and—it didn’t take Van long to realize—the self-appointed neighborhood gossip.

“Did you hear about Mr. Macintosh? Poor thing. He shouldn’t have been trying to clean those gutters himself, though. My son Eric would have been happy to help. I didn’t know you had a dog. And who’s this tall drink of water with you?”

Nadine finally paused, staring up at Van expectantly from where she’d crouched down to pet Kaia’s head.

But before Van could answer, Ty stepped forward. “Ma’am, you should never approach a dog without permission from the owner.”

“Oh.” Nadine blinked and then scrambled up. “I’m sorry. I suppose you’re right. I’ve just never met a dog I didn’t like.”

There was something about the mega-watt smile Nadine flashed that set Van’s teeth on edge. Along with the neighborhood gossip, she was also known as the neighborhood flirt.

“What happened to the poor thing?”

Van’s stomach rolled. For the first time she realized that this was a question she’d have to answer over and over again.

And that each time she did would be a reminder of Ryan.

She had no idea what to say. But luckily, Ty did.

“Kaia is a retired military working dog. She was injured in the line of duty.”

“Oh, the poor thing,” Nadine gushed, again reaching out to touch her.

“She’s been trained as an attack dog.”

Van had to admit a small part of her was gleeful at the way Nadine snatched her hand back, cradling it against her chest like Kaia had snapped at her. Kaia simply sat, patiently watching the flighty woman.

With a wide-eyed glance, Nadine’s gaze darted around the park full of people, taking in the mothers, fathers, grandparents and kids running, yelling and laughing.

“Is it safe to have her here?”

“Absolutely. She won’t attack unless ordered to.”

Nadine’s wary gaze returned to Kaia. “Gosh, she looks so sweet.”

“She is. One of the sweetest dogs you’ll ever meet.”

Nadine flashed another smile, this one a bit sickly, and then made her excuses to leave. Van watched her flit from group to group, no doubt relaying the message that Kaia was a killing machine everyone should protect their children from.

“Dammit,” Van whispered under her breath.

“Not like you could keep her history a secret, Van. At least this way she’ll spread the information for you so that you don’t have to answer questions every time you and Kaia step out of the house.”

Van looked over at Ty. He simply stared at her, understanding filling his gaze.

“Thanks.”


4 (#ulink_26b07eb6-ee08-5f8a-ae4d-6cdc4ab81be6)

TY’S LIPS QUIRKED up at the edge, his only acknowledgment of her simple words of appreciation.

It hit her hard that he understood, and without much effort, had helped her avoid an uncomfortable situation. Something soft and warm swelled inside her chest.

Not good.

Steering them over to an open field beside the park, Ty plopped down onto the thick grass. He didn’t wait for her to join him before rummaging in the bag he’d brought, retrieving a floppy fabric Frisbee that had seen better days.

“What the heck is that?”

“Kaia’s favorite toy.”

Van settled onto the ground beside him, drawing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. Ty unsnapped the leash from Kaia’s harness. The dog’s body vibrated and her gaze was glued to the Frisbee, tracking every movement.

Ty reared back and flung the toy across the field. Kaia sprang into action, her powerful body bunching as she darted after the spinning disk. Without hesitation, she bounded up and snatched it straight out of the air.

“That missing leg doesn’t slow her down at all, does it?” Van said.

“Nope, not really.”

She watched Ty throw the disk several times, and each time Kaia brought it back and dropped it right in front of him, panting expectantly.

Van rocked back and forth, not even aware of the motion until Ty reached out and placed a heavy hand on her knee.

“It’s going to be fine.”

She had no idea how that could possibly be true. Heat, his heat, seeped beneath her skin. The buzz was immediate and overwhelming. He’d only touched her leg, and for barely a few seconds, but her body felt like it had been hit with defibrillator paddles.

Uncomfortable awareness filled her. For her sanity, she needed to get away from him.

Pushing up from the ground, Van wandered closer to the playground equipment.

Kids, wrapped up in their summer fun, yelled and chased each other. On the sidelines, adults talked and watched, some read books or punched aimlessly at their phone screens.

Van let her gaze drift amongst the energy and activity. But then it stopped at the far side of the park. A guy she’d never seen before was just standing there, clearly out of place. Not that she necessarily knew all the neighbors. Or the people who normally frequented the park. But there was something about him that felt...off.

He was fidgety. His eyes kept darting around, never landing on anything for long. After watching him for several minutes, Van concluded he was alone at the park. At least, he certainly wasn’t with any of the kids.

Working in the ER, she’d treated enough junkies to recognize the signs.

She felt a presence beside her. Without looking, she knew it was Ty. “Are you seeing this?” she asked.

“Yep.”

She couldn’t just sit there and do nothing, especially when she had the resources to help the man. Straightening her spine, Van was about to head over to him and give him her standard speech about drug treatment options, but before she’d even taken the first step Ty’s hand wrapped around her arm.

“Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

His head swiveled and his only response was a cold, intense stare that had shivers snaking down her spine. Gone was the boy she’d grown up with, her brother’s best friend, and in his place was the hardened soldier who’d spent years in the middle of a war zone. She could see the experience and knowledge swirling in his gaze.

It bothered her that anyone would ever have to deal with the things Ty had seen. But it bothered her more that the wounded boy she’d longed to protect had grown into a man scarred by even more tragedy.

But she didn’t need a tortured hero; she was far from helpless. Placing her hand over his, she pried Ty’s fingers from her arm. “I deal with men like that all the time, soldier. I’ll be fine.”

His lips thinned and his eyes narrowed to unhappy slits. He opened his mouth, probably to lambast her, but the words stalled.

A high-pitched scream split the park.

Ty swore under his breath.

Beside them, Kaia’s ears pricked and her body went stiff.

“Someone stop him! That guy grabbed my purse from the stroller.” An attractive blonde woman, probably in her late twenties, was pointing at the junkie hightailing it away from the park. Several women crowded around her. Most snatched up their children and held them close. But none of them were in a position to run after the man.

Van didn’t blame them. She knew from firsthand experience that addicts who were tweaking for a fix could be highly unpredictable and dangerous, and none of them had experience dealing with that kind of thing. Besides, he had a head start.

On everyone but Kaia.

She didn’t see or hear the command, but it was obvious Ty had given it.

One minute Kaia was standing at his hip, the next she was streaking across the park in hot pursuit. And even with the loss of a limb, she was easily gaining on the man.

There was an audible gasp as Kaia leapt for him, snapping her jaws around his arm and holding tight as he spun on the spot, trying to dislodge her.

The man screamed, a piercing wail that sent chills down Van’s spine.

With his free hand, he began pummeling Kaia around the head.

And that’s when she got pissed.

Without another thought, Van took off across the park. Ty was already several steps in front of her. “Make him stop,” she yelled.

Kaia wrestled the man to the ground, using the weight of her body and her sharp teeth to subdue him. Ty waded in. He must have given another command because Kaia released her hold, scooted out of the way and sat back on her haunches.

Van could see Ty had the junkie well in hand as he rolled him onto his stomach, jerked his arms up high and placed a knee on his back to immobilize him.

Van skidded to a halt beside Kaia, quickly running her hands over the dog, looking for signs of injury.

“She’s fine, Van.”

“He was beating the shit out of her, Ty,” she spit out, anger flaring in her chest.

“She’s trained for that. I promise, she’s fine.”

Kaia sat quietly—she wasn’t even breathing hard—and let Van run her hands over every inch of her body. She stared at her with those deep brown eyes, full of calm.

A calm Van apparently needed.

She realized her own heart was racing, her stomach flipping around like someone had placed her on a roller coaster. Tears burned the backs of her eyes.

She stared into Kaia’s gaze, the last piece of her brother, and realized that after only a day it would devastate her if something happened to the dog.

The thought instantly made her more antsy and unsettled.

“Someone call 911. Van, I need you over here. This guy is the one bleeding.”

Van’s body jolted into action. She scrambled over to kneel beside Ty. “This nice woman is an ER doctor. If you’ll cooperate, I’ll let you up so she can look at your wounds.”

The guy moaned and nodded.

“If you try to run or do anything stupid, Kaia is right over there, just waiting to take you down again.”

The guy whimpered. “Jeez man, I promise. Just keep that psycho dog away from me,” he wheezed.

Van leaned down to his ear, “She isn’t psycho. She’s a highly trained weapon. So I suggest you move slowly and do exactly as I say.”

* * *

TY WATCHED THE HULLABALOO. He’d clipped the leash back onto Kaia’s harness, not because he expected her to run off or react badly to the commotion, but because, after the demonstration of her skills, the spectators had been restless.

He’d watched Van administer first aid to the junkie. And while he was a captive audience, she’d also taken the opportunity to talk to him about rehab and the options that were available for assistance in getting clean.

He really hoped the guy listened, but Ty wasn’t holding his breath.

He’d spoken with the officers who’d responded to the call. In the grand scheme of things, a thwarted purse snatching wasn’t a major deal. But Kaia’s involvement had brought extra attention...and scrutiny.

Thankfully, with her scheduled appearance in the Fourth of July parade in a couple days, the mayor and police chief were already aware of her presence. Not to mention her skill set.

Van smacked her palm against the closed door of the ambulance and then put her hands on her hips as she watched it drive away. The guy wasn’t severely injured, but he might need a stitch or two.

“You’ll be in town for a few days, right?” an officer asked Ty.

He pulled his gaze away from Van and nodded. “At least through this week. Maybe next.”

“I doubt we’ll need to get in touch with you again. There were enough witnesses. But just in case, please make sure you provide us with your contact information before you leave.”

Ty nodded and then wandered to where Van was standing with a couple of the women who’d hung around.




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