Kate James - Sanctuary Cove

“Not really. Just an exceptionally busy one. We were booked solid, and Sherri, my assistant and all-around miracle worker, was off today. That means I had to do all the paperwork, too—not my favorite task.”

“If you’re busy, I won’t keep you. I just came to see...” Emma hesitated, wishing she knew the dog’s name.

Josh stepped toward her. That lazy smile and those warm brown eyes sent her pulse skittering.

“No problem. Our patient’s doing much better today.” He motioned toward the recovery room. “Let’s go see him.”

As they entered, the large dog gazed at Emma with guarded eyes. She remembered Josh’s warning about the unpredictable behavior of injured animals and glanced back. “Is it okay to touch him?”

“Go ahead. Our boy seems to have good manners.” To prove his point, he crouched down and let the dog sniff his hand before Josh stroked him. He checked the dog’s pupils and gums, then moved to the side to make room for Emma.

She knelt beside Josh and held out her hand. The dog raised his head, sniffed obligingly and his tail thumped against the side of the cage, causing a metallic clang. “He looks good...considering what he’s been through.” She smiled up at Josh. He was so close, she could smell the clean, fresh fragrance of his soap, see amber specs in his brown eyes and the faint stubble on his face. Hurriedly, she turned her attention back to the dog. “So he’s going to be fine?”

“There’s no reason he shouldn’t be. His condition is stable. He’s healthy other than for his injuries, and I’m no longer overly concerned about the possibility of infection.”

Emma nodded, but kept her gaze averted. “Have you been able to find his owner?”

“No. I’ve asked around, contacted other veterinary practices in the area, put a posting online. No one seems to recognize him, and he’s fairly distinctive.”

Through lowered lashes, she looked at Josh again. He’d shifted to his other knee and was even closer, their faces only inches apart. “If, ah...” She struggled to remember what she’d wanted to say. She transferred her weight to her other side, putting more distance between them. “I meant what I said before,” she replied. “I’ll take him if you can’t find his owner.”

Before Emma realized what his intention was, he tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. She jerked back as if singed.

“Sorry,” she murmured although she had no idea why she was apologizing.

* * *

SURPRISED BY HIS own action, Josh tried not to think of how smooth Emma’s skin had felt. Yeah, it had been impulsive of him, but she’d overreacted to his touch, as evidenced by the way she’d pulled away and the shocked expression on her face.

He straightened the dog’s bedding and refocused his thoughts. He, too, was concerned about what would happen to the dog. He couldn’t keep him at the clinic indefinitely. Once healed, the dog would need exercise and room to roam. He needed a loving home.

He’d dismissed Emma’s offer to adopt the dog when she’d first made it, considering it a knee-jerk reaction, perhaps driven by guilt, when he’d believed her to be responsible for his injuries. Clearly, she’d been serious.

“He’s a large dog, Emma. He’ll require space and considerable exercise. He might also need some training. If he’s part wolf, there might be a degree of unpredictability about him as well, and he might have an instinctive prey drive that could make it challenging around other, smaller animals.”

Watching her, Josh was struck by the many shades of gray her eyes could be, as they transformed from the color of storm clouds to a luminous silver. He felt the powerful pull of attraction again, and it brought Crystal and her antics to mind. Even so, he couldn’t keep his gaze from lowering to Emma’s lips as the corners curved up, and all thoughts of Crystal receded.

“Oh, I’m aware of the space and time demands of a large dog,” she said with a chuckle. “I already have a large one. Max, an Alaskan malamute. I suspect Max would enjoy the company.”

Josh had been so absorbed wondering how her lips would taste, he’d nearly forgotten what he’d said to her. Something about big dogs. Oh, right... “Okay. We’ll see how things go. We should let our patient get some sleep now.” He rose and held out a hand to help Emma up.

There was a slight hesitation before she placed her hand into his. He noted the skittishness in her eyes before she withdrew her hand and took a step back.

There was a shyness about her—an uncertainty—that seemed inconsistent with how beautiful and, by all indications, intelligent she was. She made him think of a delicate bird, injured in some way. He’d never been able to ignore a wounded creature, but it wasn’t just that with Emma.

“Thanks again for taking such good care of him,” she said, interrupting his musings.

When she glanced down at the dog and his tail wagged again, Josh could just about see her unease dissipate.

“Is it okay if I come back to see him?” Her smile lit up her entire face.

Stunning, he thought. The dog could make her smile with a simple flick of his tail and he made her nervous. “Anytime you like.”

She studied the dog thoughtfully. “He needs a name. Even if you find his owner, we need to call him something for the time being.”

“What do you suggest?”

She narrowed her eyes. “How about Theodore? Theo for short.”

Looking down at his patient, Josh considered. “Meaning God’s gift? From the Greek, right?”

“I have no idea. It just came to me.”

“Okay. Theo it is... Emma, you know if we can find his owner, the best place for him is his home. I don’t want you getting too attached.”

She nodded, but he could see the mixed emotions play across her face. It was probably already too late for that caution.

Josh saw her out, and noted the efficiency and confidence of her stride as she walked away. That confidence seemed to be at odds with how ill-at-ease she was with him. Those contradictions made her that much more interesting.

Intrigued, he would look forward to seeing Emma again and hopefully would have the opportunity to do so on a more personal basis... Crystal be damned.

CHAPTER FIVE

THE GARDENS AND forest were ablaze with color as summer neared its end. Emma had finished the brand proposal and accepted two more assignments from Pinnacle Communications. With each assignment she completed, she got more of her self-confidence back. She was working on a media strategy for an initial public offering for a toy company. This was the first time since she’d been let go that she could say she was enjoying her work. If at times she still lamented how her life had unraveled, turning her mind to her assignments encouraged her. Each day she spent several hours working in her office, with Max sprawled on the rug next to her desk, more often than not sound asleep.

Afternoons, weather permitting, she spent outside. The cooler temperatures meant that she and Max could comfortably take long walks along the forest trails. They both loved the exercise and being outdoors. They’d hike across fern-edged, moss-covered paths in the shade of the high canopy of decades-old growth. They’d follow the gurgling, crystal-clear stream to the river, and the river to where it spilled over the rocks into the lake.

The juncture of stream and lake was a perfect spot to rest. Cattails and tall, wild grasses danced gracefully with the light breeze.

Emma would sit on a log or a boulder, while Max waded in the water. Eventually, they’d wander along the shoreline back to the cottage. Every few days, she’d take out a small kayak and paddle around the lake, occasionally pulling up on the opposite bank.