Searching for Always

The last Chihuahua she’d met was named Pinky. She had a pink glittery collar, wore pink ribbons in her hair, and walked with a haughty dignity that reminded every other dog she was a queen. Arilyn’s heart squeezed at the broken creature in her arms. This dog deserved what Pinky had. Love and security made dogs confident. Maybe with Arilyn’s help and the name of a dog who had been well loved to remind her she was worth everything, there’d be a glimmer of hope. Sometimes it started with the basics. Safe shelter. Food. A bath. A name. All the things both animals and humans deserved in this life.

“I’m gonna get you out of here, Pinky,” she whispered. Then, tucking her close and zipping up her black jacket, she took her prize and jumped over the gate.

Right into Stone’s path.

Arilyn refocused on the scene before her.

“Put down the dog.”

He may be hot, and he may be pissed, but there was no way she was giving up Pinky. Besides being her protection, Arilyn wasn’t sure how the dog was going to handle being in her home. “She needs some time to transition.” The excuse sounded lame to her ears, and Stone didn’t buy it either.

“Trust me. Pinky will be safer on the ground right now.” His low growl reminded her of his intent to throttle her. Maybe this would be a great time to introduce some other skills to control anger management?

“Let me settle her on the dog bed.” He didn’t answer, so she took her time placing the dog down on a thick fuzzy mattress she kept in the corner. Arilyn grabbed two bowls, filling one with clean water and the other with dry dog food. She lay the bowls close to the bed.

The dog lay listlessly, staring into space. Her heart broke, but her next task was to get Stone Petty calm. She straightened up to full height, breathed from her belly, and reminded herself to radiate serenity. After all, she was his teacher.

“There. Better?” He lifted a brow. “This may be a good time to go over basics of anger management. Control your breath, control your life. Remember?”

He took a step closer. “Oh, I remember.”

“Envision yourself bathed in a pool of white light, calming each nerve ending. Envision yourself in peace.”

“Oh, I’m envisioning something right now.”

Arilyn swallowed. He didn’t look peaceful. He looked . . . hungry. She decided to try another tack before he closed the distance between them. If he caught her strange arousal, he’d use it to his advantage. She didn’t need weaknesses regarding this particular cop.

“Listen, Stone.” Her tongue tumbled over his name, knowing he preferred it to “Officer.” She refused to admit how right the sound of his first name felt spilling from her lips. “I know you’re upset and I know I broke the law. I never intended to steal Pinky, but in abuse cases, many times the organizations don’t have enough time to get the current animals out. I made an impulsive decision.”

The eyebrow lifted a bit higher. “You think?” he drawled. Primitive waves of masculine energy beat from his figure.

“Y-Yes. All I can say is thank you for not arresting me and letting me save her.”

“Don’t thank me just yet, little one. You may not like the price.”

A shiver built in her belly and flooded her bloodstream. Heat rushed to her face. She forced a shaky laugh. “What do you mean? What price?”

Stone leaned in and spoke each word slow and deliberate. “Whatever price I choose to exact.”

She couldn’t have heard right, of course. Sounded like one of those dark romances Kennedy was always trying to make her read. Unease slithered through her. “Well, if you’re thinking I’m going to be some kind of sex slave for you, you’re crazy.”

Her false smile slipped. He studied her with such depth and intensity, she knew right then he was seriously considering it. “Not a bad idea. But you’d need too much training.”

Her body sprung to life and wept for him to try. Her brain shut down in pure horror. What was happening to her? It was like some kind of voodoo sex spell came over her when he got near. “Hardy har har. Look, do you want to blackmail me? Fine. I’ll sign off on your classes if you force me to, but it’s wrong. I’m begging you not to use me in that way. You need to learn the techniques, and I’ll never forgive myself for giving in.”

“Now you’ve made me really mad,” he said softly. “What I should do is yank down those yoga pants and smack your ass for your insulting view on my character.”

Arilyn gasped. She’d never been spoken to like that. Yet she yearned in such a fierce, horrible way she didn’t know what to do. He closed the distance, grasped her upper arms, and kept her in his firm grip. He loomed over her with a dark, deadly energy that sucked the rebellion right out of her. God, she wanted his lips on hers. Dreamed of him taking what he wanted, with no endless questions if this was okay or that was okay. Fantasized of being woman enough to satisfy this male creature on every sexual level he chose to show her.

“That’s outrageous,” she finally managed to respond. “Archaic!”

“And needed for a little brat with a God complex. You think because you meditate and eat from the earth and bend your body like a pretzel, you’re the only one with morals? I’d never blackmail you or lie to my boss. I’ll finish every one of your ridiculous classes and prove your techniques don’t work.”

“I don’t think like that! And my classes aren’t ridiculous. I’ll prove they work by the time you finish the course.”