Bride in Training. Gail Martin Gaymer

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СКАЧАТЬ I mainly run the office and take care of the dogs when I’m needed, and I own a dog-sitting and walking business.” She hadn’t meant to tell him that, but it was too late now. The problems Nick had experienced with his brother skittered across her mind. Martin leaned on everyone but himself. He needed to learn to take care of his own animals. Too late. His face had brightened, and Emily knew she was in trouble.

      He rested his hand on the desk. “I—I might like to use your dog-walking service if you could fit me in. Some days I work long hours, and I hate to leave an animal alone for that long.”

      Emily gazed at his hand, noticing his long fingers with neatly trimmed fingernails. “I’m filled up right now.” That was the best she could come up with quickly, and there was truth to her response, though she always tried to squeeze in every new costumer…except this time.

      The brightness dimmed on Martin’s face. “I’d still like your card if you have one. You never know.”

      She knew. She could handle dogs, but she couldn’t handle Martin Davis. Even his hands intrigued her.

      She dug in her pocket, pulled out a business card and handed it to him.

      “Thanks.” He eyed the card, then tapped the edge of it against his thumb. “Will you call me if you get an opening?”

      Emily swallowed and forced herself to be firm. “I doubt that will happen. My customers stay with me a long time. They rarely drop the service.” When she looked at his expression, she wished she’d been more gentle. But she had to stay in control.

      Martin slipped the card into his pocket.

      “You can call Molly about the training.” She tilted her head toward his pocket. “The shelter’s number is on there too.”

      He didn’t look back. He grasped the knob and marched outside. Apparently Martin wasn’t a man to accept the word No.

      Martin bounded toward his car, trying to figure out what had gone wrong. I doubt it. Short but not sweet. Direct. No ifs, ands or buts. Though he’d always been able to manipulate people to do what he asked, he’d failed with dogs and obviously women. He’d never go to Molly or Steph for training. He’d feel uneasy. Feel stupid was more like it. He excelled in things. Martin Davis didn’t fail. But he had. He’d thought he could intimidate Emily a little, but apparently he’d been wrong about that, too.

      He stood outside a moment drinking in the fresh air as Emily’s image filled his mind. When he’d first seen her, he’d taken a full sweep of her slender frame. She was tall like a reed. Thin and straight. She wore a long skirt that hung nearly to her ankles with that pale gray shirt that looked too big, as if she were drowning in her clothes. Beneath all that loose clothing he imagined a pretty woman with a nice figure who didn’t want people to notice. She aroused his curiosity—his interest—and that scared him.

      A question sizzled in his head. Women never attracted him, so why did this one? Perhaps he felt safer with her. She was younger than his forty-three years. Barely in her thirties, he guessed. He was too old for her even if he were interested, and he wasn’t. He grabbed the door handle and pulled it open as he glanced into the backseat.

      His pulse soared. “Nessie, no.”

      The terrier sprawled on the rear seat, gnawing on the handle of his attaché case. “What are you doing?”

      She looked at him with innocent eyes. So had Emily.

      Martin slammed his door and opened the back. Pushing Nessie aside, he jerked out his case, feeling the teeth marks embedded in the handle. “Bad dog.” He shook his finger in her face.

      She licked it.

      He lowered his hand and wiped it on his pant leg. “Nessie, I wanted a quiet, little companion. Don’t do this to me.”

      Martin tossed the attaché case on the floor, lifted Nessie in his arms, dodging her tongue, and placed her on the passenger seat. “We’re going home. Be a good dog.”

      The terrier wagged her tail, and Martin took that as a yes.

      If only he could have Emily eating out of his hand, but she’d nipped at it instead. She’d given him little hope. No hope. He started the car and backed away from the building. No hope? That was unacceptable.

      Chapter Two

      Martin leaned over his dining room table, staring with blank eyes at the paperwork he had brought home. He usually never lugged work home. He stayed in his office to provide a good example to his employees. They needed to understand what devotion to a job meant. But he couldn’t concentrate there. All day his mind flew back and forth to Nessie at home alone, fearing what she might do to his house. He had given up and come home at noon.

      If Emily ran her own dog-walking business, she should have been able to squeeze Nessie in sometime during the day. She had encouraged him to adopt the dog but didn’t want to help out otherwise.

      Her face filled his mind, that impish look that was more a mask. At least when he smiled or frowned, that’s how he felt and everyone knew it. He’d heard his sister-in-law say dogs were honest. If they liked a person they wagged their tails. If not, they let him know with a bark or a nip. Emily had an innocent, vulnerable look, but underneath, she had a sink-in-the-teeth bite. He should have guessed from that determined handshake.

      Martin glanced into the living room and spotted Nessie curled beside the low front windows where the sun spread along the carpet. Emily had been right about one thing. Inside the house, Nessie seemed to behave.

      He pictured Emily’s slender hands, the way she kept her arms close to her sides with a slight swing, almost protective. He leaned back and closed his eyes, trying to relax and hoping to get her off his mind. The documents he’d brought home needed action on Monday. Since tomorrow was Saturday, he had the weekend to delve into them and be home with the dog. Hopefully Monday would start a better week.

      Nessie gave a yip, and Martin opened his eyes. Her tail wagging and her ears perked in attention, she rose and headed toward him. He looked over his shoulder, hearing the sound.

      When Nick strode into the room, Nessie skittered to him and sniffed his shoes. “I heard you had a new friend.”

      “Rumors travel fast.” Martin rose to greet him.

      “No rumor. This looks like a real live dog to me.” He swooped the ball of fur into his arms while Nessie swiped his hand with kisses. “You cute little thing.” He glanced at the terrier’s belly. “Female, I see. You seem to have a dangerous bent toward women.”

      “It’s a dog, Nick.”

      His brother chuckled. “You’re asking for trouble when you bring a female into the house. You don’t get along with them, remember?” He set Nessie on the floor.

      Emily’s face flashed through his mind, then Steph’s. “You can’t forget anything, can you?”

      Nick strode closer and gave his shoulder a hug. “Just pulling your chain, bro.”

      “Fine, but enough’s enough.” He turned away and strode to his recliner with Nessie following him with a longing look as if she wanted someone to play with her. One day he wanted to know about the dog’s last owner. As he sank into the СКАЧАТЬ