Baby By Chance. M.J. Rodgers

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СКАЧАТЬ been unbearably bleak. She would always be grateful for that day he came into her life, and her heart.

      As she stood and switched on the light, she saw with sudden dismay that Honey’s paws and nose were thick with mud. He was up to his old tricks, digging holes in the backyard. He’d gotten the mud all over her, as well. A thick glob was hanging from her bangs.

      She sighed. That was love for you. So damn messy. And what was this affinity males had for mud?

      She dropped her shoulder bag and keys onto the brown bear figurine and picked up the squirming terrier. “Shower time for us both, little guy,” she said as she carried him up the stairs.

      She would be lucky if she even had Honey dried by seven, much less herself. She hated being late, even if she wasn’t the one who’d set the schedule. Of course, men were seldom on time. David might not even show up until eight.

      But whenever he did show, one thing was for sure. If he came around expecting food from her tonight, she’d hand him a bag of dog kibble.

      DAVID RANG SUSAN’S doorbell at exactly seven. He knew she was home. He’d already glanced through the window of her garage and had seen her green SUV inside. Lights shone through the glass panels above the front door of her town house. A dog barked from somewhere within.

      David let a minute go by before pressing the doorbell again.

      Almost immediately the door flew open and a small, white terrier charged out. Since David had two dogs of his own, he was well versed in the proper etiquette when entering their territory. He stood still and let himself be sniffed. The dog efficiently circled his legs, wagged his tail happily and let out a welcoming bark. David leaned down to give him a pat.

      The dog was a cute little guy and openly affectionate, if a little damp. He rubbed his head against David’s hand, obviously expecting a lot more than just a passing pat. David indulged him, rubbing his ears and back and getting a blissful little moan in response.

      “You’re making a mistake,” Susan said. “He’s not going to let you alone for a minute now.”

      David turned his head. The first thing he saw from his crouched position was her bare feet. Slowly his gaze followed the lovely curved bone of her ankles, long shins and cute knees. But when he got to the middle of the firm flesh on her slim thighs, the edge of a white terry-cloth robe suddenly intruded to spoil the rest of the view.

      The robe was securely fastened around her waist and drawn closely over her chest. A white towel covered her hair. She was not happy he was here. The firm set to her mouth made that very clear. But as her eyes followed his hand still stroking her dog, there was a softness in her expression that he had not seen before.

      She stepped back for him to enter. “Honey will have to entertain you while I get dressed.”

      David stepped through the jungle of her entryway, the dog trotting happily at his heels. He noted the shiny hardwood floors, the large bear that held her shoulder bag and keys, the whimsical frog wastebasket.

      When she stepped past him to close the door, he caught a whiff of her freshly washed skin and hair. He reminded himself that the sudden tightening of his stomach muscles was normal, natural, nothing to be concerned about.

      “The living room is that way,” she said with a casual wave of her hand. “I’ll join you in a moment.”

      She padded across the bare wood floor and easily sprinted up the spiral staircase to the second floor. She was lithe and agile and displayed none of the physical clumsiness that had plagued her that morning. He felt reassured. He didn’t want to worry about her, but he had.

      He’d decided to meet with her at her home because he wanted to get a deeper sense of who she was. Understanding a client was important. A woman’s home often reflected her more strongly than any other aspect of her life. Especially a woman who lived alone.

      He already knew of her struggle to be taken as a serious professional, her hard-held independence, her deep need for privacy. Still, he had a feeling there was a lot more to know.

      David thought he’d prepared himself for whatever he’d find, but when he entered her living room, he hadn’t expected to be walking into a shrine. From floor to ceiling, the walls were covered in dramatic, larger-than-life photographs of wildlife, giving him the impression that he’d been transported into the wilderness.

      A majestic eagle soared over a diamond-blue waterfall. An elk herd fed on dewy grass in the dawn light. Furry bobcats ran across snow-covered forests. White-tailed deer glided through golden meadows. A brown bear lunged at pink-bellied salmon leaping up an emerald stream. The room vibrated with movement, with wild beauty, with life.

      He barely noticed the furnishings. A nondescript couch and chair, a coffee table and several throw rugs—all in muted greens, grays and umber. Nothing distracted the eye from the dramatic scenes on the walls.

      And that was when he knew. This was the living room of a woman with a deep respect, reverence and love for nature. Those beautiful pictures were not an extension of her work. Her work was an extension of herself.

      SUSAN SHOULD HAVE KNOWN that David would be one of those rare men who actually showed up when he said he would. She rubbed her wet hair with the towel, well aware the effort was futile. An hour under the blow dryer would be required to dry the long strands in the humid air. She didn’t have that kind of time.

      She settled for rubbing the moisture out of her bangs, and swept the rest into a golden scarf, tied turban-style around her head. She pulled a pair of clean black sweats out of her closet and hurriedly put them on.

      Just because he was in dark-blue slacks and the collar and cuffs of a dress shirt peeked out of his blue sweater, there was no reason for her to dress up.

      Damn, he did look good, though.

      Still, this was her home. She had a right to be comfortable. She was not going to change anything just because he had the bad manners to invite himself over. But instead of reaching for her comfy, beat-up slippers as she normally would have, she opted instead for a pair of socks and her new walking shoes.

      When she came down the stairs a couple of minutes later, she found David sitting on the couch with Honey beside him. His face was turned toward the dog, so she couldn’t read his expression. But there was a relaxed set to his shoulders and his long legs were comfortably stretched out in front of him. He was stroking Honey.

      She stood at the edge of the living room silently watching them. She wanted to be put out with David, but she found that difficult. He was being so nice and attentive to Honey. A man who liked her beloved pet couldn’t be all bad.

      “Is he a good watchdog?” David asked, obviously aware she was standing there although he hadn’t taken his eyes off Honey.

      She stepped into the room. “I doubt he’d do anything to a burglar except beg for attention.”

      He glanced up at her, the look on his face almost friendly. The edge of his lip twitched. Was that the beginning of a smile?

      She waited expectantly, suddenly very curious to see what a smile would do to his face. But none was forthcoming.

      “He’s munching on my fingers,” David said. “I think he’s hungry.”

      “We eat at this time,” СКАЧАТЬ