Page 32 of Steel

Shit. How was I going to mention that to my son?

Dear God. I’d been so entrenched in worrying about myself I’d forgotten that my son had insisted on saving a puppy. A puppy. What was I supposed to do with a dog? We couldn’t keep him. The logistics alone would be a nightmare, let alone the last puppy I’d had experience with had been when I was Damon’s age.

And what about when we headed back to Los Angeles? Which at this rate could be the day after tomorrow.

Oh, this was bad. So bad.

Bracing for my son’s anger when I told him we’d be dropping the puppy off at the pound, I swung around to face him before I lost my nerve.

That’s when my entire world stopped cold. My son, the kid who had barely seemed interested in playing outside in the fresh air or making friends, the child who barely pulled his face away from his video games was lying on the floor with the puppy crawling all over him. And he was giggling his little heart out while the pup licked and nipped his face.

I must have done something horribly wrong in my former life. Breaking his heart would make me without a doubt the worst mother in the world. Gee. I already had the banner depicting me as such, why not a tiara as well?

“Honey, you know the pup might belong to someone.”

“Look at him, Mom. He’s skinny. He’s dirty. He doesn’t have a collar. We can’t give him back.” Damon’s tone was a mirror to mine in how I’d spoken with the gun-toting stranger with a body of a Greek god.

Shit. He’d been shirtless, his gorgeous chest more pronounced than in the picture, his abs chiseled to perfection. He had no right to look so fuck-hot while being such an asshole.

Even wearing unbuttoned jeans, he might as well have been wearing nothing given how the denim molded around his taut butt. I closed my eyes briefly, one too many wicked images comingling to way too many desires.

“Mom. Are you having a seizure?”

“Huh?” My eyes snapped open.

“You look like you’re having a seizure. You should probably lie down.”

My son was giving medical advice now? What I needed was a shot of tequila, but that wouldn’t bode well with going into town. “Your mother is not having a seizure.”

“You could have fooled me. Your face is all red. You don’t think Zorro belongs to that man. Do you?” A laugh came deep from within his chest as he sat up, the puppy still crawling all over him.

Ohhhh! This was a nightmare and a half. How was I supposed to crush his little spirit? Maybe I could try to figure out how to keep the little fluff ball. He was cute as a button. Right. As if my landlord, the jerk that he was, would allow me to keep a puppy.

“We need to get him some food. Maybe some hot dogs. I’m going to get a bowl of water. Can we pick out a collar and leash when we go out?”

My kid knew exactly how to work me. He was already heading for the kitchen with the pup trotting behind him like they’d been buddies for years.

“Uh-huh,” I managed while cringing deep inside. How many times had I done that since setting foot in Missoula? Enough that I was beginning to think being here was bad for my karma.

An ache had already formed behind my eyes. While I rubbed my temple and tried to crawl out of the fog, another prickly vision of my neighbor popped into the forefront of my mind.

He’d also been barefoot, his hair tousled as if… he’d just gotten out of bed. Unshaven and untamed, the short, dark stubble created a dangerous, brooding appearance.

Far too sexy.

Oh, no. He’d been bleeding, his lip split from where the branch had smashed against his face. There had been bruises all over him. What if his injuries were more severe than they looked? Oh, hell, it would serve him right. I couldn’t believe he’d tied up the dog. Maybe he hadn’t.

While I could hide behind protecting my son, which I would do again in a heartbeat, I’d injured a stranger living next door. And a man I was supposed to befriend. My life was hell.

What I did know for certain was that he’d likely never talk to me again.

And why had the jolt of electricity run down my arm when he’d touched me? I couldn’t be attracted to him. Not a chance.

I took several deep breaths to calm my nerves, finally able to do so after a full two minutes. Maybe the puppy had been sent to us. Maybe with any luck, I could keep Damon occupied while I…

Did everything in my power to regroup, recoup, and reduce the damage already done to the campaign.

“Mom. Mom. Mom!” Damon’s frantic cry had my heart in mouth just as it had been less than thirty minutes earlier.