long ago given up trying to get any sort of tan.
“Hold up, Jack. You’re going to pull my arm out of its socket.”
Of course he didn’t listen. If Molly were here, he would trot obediently at her side. All he knew was they were approaching the stretch of grass where he could run until he collapsed or Sadie’s throwing arm gave out, whichever came first. It was their Saturday ritual. A late-morning run in the park, then a bath. She’d discovered bathing an exhausted dog was much easier.
They reached the edge of the grass and Jack sat panting over his shoulder at her, his silly tongue lolling out. He let out a happy bark and tried to wag his tail through the grass. She took his head between her hands and squatted to look him in the eye. “You’re such a goofball, Jack. Do you know this? Do you know you’re a goofball?”
He barked again and quivered in anticipation. She led him to the shade of a large oak tree and undid the leash. As she shook a tennis ball out of the tube, he began to run in circles at her feet, making her laugh. Adopting him had been the best idea she’d ever had.
“Okay, you ready?”
She threw the ball as hard as she could, but honestly, not very far. Jack didn’t care. He took off like a bullet, outpacing her throw and catching it neatly. He ran back to her and pretended to tussle over the ball. She threw the next one almost straight up. This allowed Jack to jump a fairly impressive distance into the air. As he did, she heard a little girl call out.
“Did you see that doggie jump?”
Sadie smiled at the little girl who had stopped her bike and was straddling it, pointing at Jack while looking back over her shoulder. Her hair was a shining wave of pure black falling halfway down her back. A man approached the girl. Her heart tripped over itself. Oh, great. It was Wyatt Anderson. He watched Jack run back and his gaze met hers the same instant Jack dropped the ball at her feet.
Oh, Jesus. Maybe he wouldn’t recognize her. Maybe he’d keep on going. Please, because dear God. Because he was wearing shorts and a sleeveless T-shirt and he’d been running and was all muscle and sweat and devilish goodness. He raised his hand in a wave and smiled and even from this distance, she could see those dimples. Jack yipped impatiently at the delay. She waved back. Perfect. Here he comes. Without business matters to hide behind, she was going to make a fool of herself. Because those hazel eyes made every brain cell she had melt into a useless pile of goop. And she wanted to press her lips to one—or both—of those dimples.
“Hey,” he said as they approached. The little girl left the bike on the side of the path and trailed behind him shyly. Must be the niece he’d mentioned.
“Oh, hi.” Going for casual, coming across as stupid. Brilliant. Jack was having his own meltdown and gave her an excuse to look away for a moment so she could throw the tennis ball. The little girl stopped to watch him run.
“Wow,” Wyatt said. “He’s fast.”
He turned his attention back to Sadie. She smiled up at him. He seemed taller. Wider. Her gaze slid along the curves and dips of the muscles of his arm. The man was cut. She eyed the front of his shirt. Wonder what’s under there.
Come on! Stop staring.
She looked back at him, and the faint smile on his lips made her cheeks burn. Jack ran back, dropping the ball and letting out a yip. She threw it again.
“It’s his favorite thing to do. He’d chase it until he collapsed if my arm could hold out long enough.”
The girl inched closer and he reached around to put a hand on her shoulder, pulling her forward. She pressed close to Wyatt and peeked up at Sadie with solemn dark brown eyes. She didn’t smile. A ping of sorrow ran through Sadie. She recognized that expression. It was the look of a child who has learned that the world isn’t always a safe place. Who was always waiting to see what was going to happen next. Wyatt had said he recently got custody, so something had happened to her. To her world. She squatted to be eye to eye with the girl.
“Hi. I’m Sadie. What’s your name?”
“Julietta,” the girl whispered.
“That’s very pretty.”
Jack came back and did something remarkable. Instead of another doggie meltdown because the ball throwing stopped, he sat quietly. Sadie put an arm around him. “This is Jack. Jack, this is Julietta. Can you shake?”
For the first time, Jack did what Sadie asked at once. His paw went up and Julietta turned her serious little face up to Wyatt. He squatted also.
“If you want to.”
Julietta took the offered paw and gently shook it. “Hello, Jack. It is very nice to meet you.”
Sadie smothered a smile. Her eyes met Wyatt’s and saw the same amusement there. She stood. Her knees would only take so much abuse. “Do you want to throw the ball for him, Julietta?”
The girl looked at Sadie in wonder. Her mouth fell open and she drew in a breath of air. “Can I?”
Her little voice, so carefully hopeful, sparked a wave of tenderness. “Of course you can, honey.”
Sadie got a dry ball and showed her how to throw it. Jack joyfully scooped up ground balls and ran them back to her in a black-and-white blur. Sadie sat under the oak tree with Wyatt and watched.
His fingers closed on her forearm in a brief, gentle squeeze. “Thank you.”
“For what? Letting her play? Saves my arm some wear and tear.”
He pointed at Julietta. The game of toss had morphed into a game of toss and tag. “This is the first time she’s played.”
She turned to look at him. He sat with his elbows braced on his knees. His gaze, full of relief, was on Julietta. He turned to her and grinned, shaking his head. “If she laughs, I may kiss you.”
A slow heat boiled up out of her belly and her breath hitched in her throat. Her eyes lingered on his lips. What would they feel like? Taste like?
Stop it, Sadie. He is an employee. Stop it now. She forced a return grin.
“Maybe you should kiss Jack. He’s the reason she’s playing.”
“I’d do it. God, you don’t even know what this means. She’s playing. Playing!”
Sadie watched the two romping figures. Julietta threw the ball and raced with Jack to retrieve it. The heat stirred by his casual remark about kissing cooled while she watched. Yes, she was playing. But she wasn’t laughing or shrieking like little girls did. She was calling out to Jack, but that was all. Her pretty face wasn’t as guarded, but her expression was still serious. Sadie laced her hands together to hide the tremble.
“What happened?”
Wyatt rocked back, his feet leaving the ground as he balanced for a moment, glancing up into the branches of the oak. He settled back, cross-legged. His eyes remained on Julietta.
“Her mother, Maddie, was a nurse in the emergency room. She’d done helicopter flight nursing but stopped when Julietta got older. But she loved it and still filled in from time to time.”
Sadie
