The Money Man. Carolyn McSparren

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СКАЧАТЬ on its own and didn’t use diapers. He definitely was not used to scooping poop, and he doubted the expensive yard crew that did his gardening would appreciate stepping in it. He wondered whether he could pay them extra for the service.

      “Come on, sweetie,” Sarah said, dropping to her haunches and clapping softly. “Let’s go see your new home.”

      Twenty minutes later Sarah knelt on the quarry tiles of Mark’s largely unused gourmet kitchen and watched the pup nibble at her dry dog food. The lights overhead reflected on Sarah’s still-damp hair and turned it to antique gold. Mark longed to reach down and touch it, to see if it felt as silky as it looked.

      “What’s her name?” Sarah asked.

      He drew back his hand without touching her. “How should I know?”

      “She’s your dog.”

      “She is not.”

      “Sure, she is. What are you going to call her? Dow Jones?”

      “How about Merrill Lynch?”

      “Yukk.”

      “Ameritrade? Paine Webber?”

      “None of the above. She’s not a stock certificate.”

      “How about Phoenix? She’s definitely been reincarnated.”

      Sarah sat back on her heels. “Better, but I always see the Phoenix as this huge, ugly bird with a really loud voice and big claws.” She touched the pup, who moved over to lean against her knee.

      “The way she slides along the ground, I ought to call her Lava.”

      This time Sarah laughed. “Not Lava. How about Pudding?”

      Mark hunkered down beside her. “Here in the south, that would be Puddin.”

      “Oh, brother. I can hear it now. ‘Isn’t ’um the sweetest ole puddin?”’

      “I refuse to have a dog called Pudding. How about Nasdaq?”

      “You’re kidding, right?”

      Suddenly the little dog shook the entire length of her body in sheer delight and let out the faintest hint of a bark.

      This time both Sarah and Mark laughed out loud. Mark stood and reached a hand down to Sarah. “Nasdaq it is.”

      She took his hand and came to her feet close to his chest. They grinned foolishly at one another for a moment. Slowly, the smiles subsided. Their eyes locked.

      Mark could feel his heartbeat against his chest and see the answering pulse in Sarah’s slender throat. He felt as though he’d suddenly been struck dumb. Dumb and breathless. Sarah’s blue eyes were deep enough to drown in, and that’s what he longed to do.

      He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her to him, bent his face to hers, felt the touch of her lips like flaming velvet against his mouth. She felt good in his arms—not soft and boneless but lean and supple. A woman who would bend to him only if she chose. Suddenly, fiercely, he wanted her to choose. He wanted her body beneath him, wanted to ignite the passion he sensed beneath that cool exterior. Wanted—

      The doorbell buzzed—an ugly brap sound that went on until he couldn’t ignore it.

      Neither could Nasdaq. She cowered between their feet, her body flattened against the tiles, her eyes staring up imploringly.

      “Damn!” He released Sarah. “Must be the pizza.”

      The instant he released her, Sarah sank to the floor again and gathered Nasdaq’s shivering body into her arms. “It’s all right, baby,” she crooned, knowing that it had very nearly not been all right. “Now, you listen to me, dog,” she continued, “I am starting a new life. I have sworn off males. I have just dumped one man who tried to run my life. I am not about to take on another.”

      Nasdaq listened attentively with one ear perked, the other drooping slightly.

      “I swear you understand. I don’t think you’ve had puppies yet, but I’ll bet you’ve done some fast running to escape the boys, haven’t you.”

      She panted eagerly.

      “Pizza,” Mark announced from behind her.

      “Great, I’m starved.”

      “You want a glass of wine?”

      “Not when I’m officially still on call, and I do have to drive home.”

      Mark wanted to tell her that she didn’t have to drive anywhere—not on his account, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to suggest she stay. The moment they had shared seemed forgotten, as she casually accepted her pizza.

      Nasdaq sat at their feet expectantly, but when Mark pinched off a bit of pizza to offer it to her, Sarah put her hand over his. It felt incredibly warm. And insistent.

      “No, you don’t. She’s probably had too much food for her stomach as it is.”

      “So she’s going to throw up?”

      “Possibly, but I doubt it.”

      She was reaching for another piece of pizza when the telephone rang. “Oh, heck.” Sarah grabbed for her shoulder bag, dug into its depths and answered the phone. “Dr. Marsdon.”

      She listened for a moment, then said, “Okay, I’m on my way.” She clicked off the phone. “Well, Mr. Scott, you got your wish. We’re going to see whether we can make do with what we’ve got. We just had a client roll in with a walking horse with a bad case of colic. Dr. Grayson thinks we may have to do an emergency bowel resection. God, I wish I had that ultrasound!” She grabbed her purse. “Open your garage for me.”

      “Sure. But can’t Eleanor handle it?”

      “It’s a very complicated and delicate surgery, and recovery rates aren’t that good at the best of times. We may even need to call in Mac Thorn.” She knelt to rub the dog’s head. “Look after our girl. See you tomorrow.”

      Mark stood in the garage and watched her drive away. Nasdaq sat at his feet—no, on his feet. Rain had begun to spatter the road once more.

      “Okay. One more bathroom run, and then you get in your nice new carrier and go to sleep. That’s what I’m going to do.”

      As a precaution, he laid papers around the carrier in the corner of the kitchen, and put Nasdaq into it before he latched its door. He hadn’t taken two steps before she began to whine—softly at first, then with increasing insistence.

      “Be quiet. That’s your new house. Get used to it.” The whining increased to a low wail.

      He turned out the kitchen light. “Go to sleep,” he said in what he hoped was his authority-figure voice.

      She didn’t seem to be impressed. He listened to her cry while he brushed his teeth and stripped for bed. Then he gave up. “How can one little dog be so much trouble?” he said СКАЧАТЬ