Page 29 of Ruff and Tumble

Although Cole’s chest gave a lurch at the picture she’d conjured up, he held himself firm. He was no monster; he already knew there was no way he was leaving this place without Philip. He wasn’t the dog Cole would have chosen to break his thirty-two-year stint of not having a pet, but there was something about the puppy’s fierce vulnerability that appealed to him.

That dog needs me.Not because Cole was a good quarterback and not because he could sell magazines and sportswear but because he had a heart in his chest and blood in his veins.

“He’s welcome to spend the next twenty-eight nights with me, but only on one condition.” Putting stipulations on his care of the dog wasn’t Cole’s best move, but it was all he could think of. If Hailey only cared about football and puppies, he’d have to leverage them. A man could only work with what he was given. “Well, two conditions.”

“You already tricked me into being your curse-breaker. It’s not a very magnanimous offer if there are more conditions.”

Cole couldn’t help laughing. Hailey obviously had no idea just how unmagnanimous he was about to get. “The first condition is that you and your team pull together a puppy roster—arealroster, with stats and bios and pictures so we can do our draft the right way. We have to make it look like a real competition, or it’ll never work.”

“For the last time, they’re—”

“Not football players,” he finished for her. “I know. But you have to admit there’s a certain charm to it. Draft day. Puppy against puppy. A battle for the best and brightest. The press will eat it up.”

Shedidhave to admit it—and if the way she pulled her lower lip between her teeth was any indication, she wasn’t happy to do so. “What’s the other condition?”

“Have dinner with me.”

Like the kiss, the invitation wasn’t the most sophisticated he’d made in his lifetime. He was too rushed and too eager, too uncertain of the outcome—a feeling that didn’t go away when Hailey’s eyes widened and she took a step back. Cole was no expert, but he was pretty sure a woman physically balking at an offer of a date was a bad sign.

“With meandmy sister,” he amended hastily.

Hailey was no longer trying to ward him off like an evil spirit, but she didn’t bear the look of a woman who was excited at the prospect of sharing a meal with the Bennett siblings, either.

“Why?” she asked, a wary expression pinching her brows. “What’s in it for her?”

Cole had no idea how to answer that question. In all his years as a professional football player—and as a normal, human man—he’d never had to work so hard to get someone to spend time with him. The idea that there had to be an underlying reason before Hailey would even consider saying yes was new and, frankly, a little lowering.

So he answered the only way he knew how. Honestly.

“Nothing’s in it for her,” he said, shrugging. “She likes you, that’s all.”

And so, he thought,do I.

It was a good thing Philip was still at his feet, because petting the puppy gave Cole something to do with his hands while Hailey deliberated with herself. He knew that was what she was doing because her thoughts flitted across her face like words across a page. She wasn’t pleased at the offer of a date, but she was even less pleased at the prospect of leaving this puppy at the shelter for one more night.

“Fine. We’ll do this your way.” She nodded at the puppy. “If you take that little guy home with you right now, I’ll set up your draft and work with your press team so you can smile pretty for the cameras. I’ll make sure you’re on the front page of every newspaper in America, encouraging people to fall in love with these puppies.”

Cole felt strangely disappointed at this capitulation. It made him an ass to admit it, but he didn’t want this to be about the puppy draft—or about the publicity. He wanted it to be about having dinner with him.

“AndI’ll have dinner with you and your sister,” she said. She added, almost defiantly, “But it will be at my house. My house, my food, my terms.”

“Agreed.” He extended a hand and held it out to her. She didn’t take it right away, eyeing his fingers like they were snakes. “If you don’t want to shake on it, we can always seal the deal with a kiss. You know I’m good for it.”

Her hand slipped into his with a speed that would have done his coaches proud. She shook and released his grip just as quickly, as if afraid lingering would lead to something more.

“It wasn’tthatbad, was it?” he asked, only half joking. “I won’t do it again if you don’t want me to, but I’ve never had any complaints before.”

She released a chuff of air that bordered on a snort. “Of course you haven’t. Who would critique the great Cole Bennett to his face?”

A week ago, he might not have known how to respond to that question, but he knew the answer now. Especially since she hadn’t forbidden him from trying again. “You.”

The oh-so-familiar color started to mount to her cheeks, but something stopped her telltale blush before it reached all the way. With a toss of her head, she said, “You may have a tendency to lose too many yards behind the line of scrimmage, but I will say this for you, Cole Bennett. You know your way around a kiss.”

Chapter 8

“Don’t ask.”

Garrett and Regina looked up from the table where they sat, their heads bent close together. As soon as they noticed Cole, they jumped as far away from each other as two peoplecouldjump when seated in separate chairs, shared expressions of guilt and annoyance on their faces.