More Than a Rescue(5)

Racing for freedom, they sprinted off the porch and kept right on going. Daisy chased Boomer around the yard until Olivia wondered how they didn't get dizzy. Then she stopped abruptly then ran the opposite direction, leading Boomer on a mad chase.

She envied them their enjoyment in the simplest pleasures. A thrown ball. A full belly. A scratch behind the ears. A romp in the sun with a good friend and all was right with the world.

How long had it been since she'd been that happy? She couldn't remember. After she'd moved back to town a few years ago, she'd allowed work and the monotony of a daily routine to take over her life. She'd met Chris soon after returning home. She'd been content in their relationship, but thinking back, that's all she'd ever felt. A month after she'd canceled her wedding, and she'd yet to find a single serious regret. Not even a pinch of pain in her heart.

She loved her job, but she needed more. Adopting Boomer had helped. He'd gifted her with countless smiles and laughs in the short time since she'd brought him home.

But other than the emotions generated by Boomer's presence, the only other time in recent memory she felt anything blood-stirring was the evening Caleb dropped Daisy off at her house. His little girl had literally thrown them together and tied them in a human knot. He'd caught her in his strong arms and the delicious press of his hard body against hers brought to life all the memories of a budding young love. And if anything, the chemistry had only grown more intense with time.

She remembered the day she met Caleb. During the summer before college, she'd worked at the lake's resort, cleaning rooms. She'd been working her way down the row of lake view suites. She could still hear the odd squeak that one of the wheels made every single time she used it. When she'd come out of the last room for the day, she'd stopped, frozen in place by the sight before her.

Beneath one of the towering oak trees, a member of the landscaping crew stood, wiping the sweat from his forehead with his arm. When that hadn't done the trick, he pulled the tail of his tee free from his jeans and raised the hem to wipe his face. Her attention had caught on his rock hard abs, flexed tight above faded jeans that rode low on his trim hips.

When he dropped the bottom of his tee, hiding her eye candy from view, her focus moved higher, even as she mourned the loss. Muscled arms, tanned by a summer spent outdoors crossed over his broad chest. When her lazy gaze finally made its way to his face, she thought she might die of embarrassment.

Busted!

He stared back wearing an amused smirk, laughter dancing in his knowing eyes.

Heat flooded her face even as she'd given him a silly little wave. Caught and embarrassed, she'd turned to put her cart inside and finish out her day. As she'd turned the corner at the end of the sidewalk, one of the wheels caught on a pebble. In her haste to flee, she pushed too hard and the entire thing toppled over with a crash. Little bottles of shampoo and lotion rolled everywhere.

She bent and grabbed hold of the cart's side to try and turn the unwieldy beast upright.

"Here. Let me." From somewhere just behind her, he spoke. Close. Quiet. Maybe even a little amused. "It's the least I can do, you know. Since I distracted you."   





 

The blush spread all the way to her ears. "Thank you, but you don't have to."

"Scoot on over. I'll get it." He lightly touched her waist and maneuvered her out of the way. His biceps rippled and bunched as he easily righted the cart. She shook free of her dazed appreciation of his physique and turned to gather the bottles scattered all over the sidewalk and grass. When she'd dropped them into their little box on the top of the cart, he'd gifted her with another of those to-die-for grins. Without another word, he turned and walked away.

She'd assumed that was that, until he met her at the doors after her shift. He'd walked her to her car where he'd introduced himself. They'd spent nearly an hour talking. The next day they'd gone out for pizza and had been nearly inseparable until summer's end.

She'd been torn when the time to leave for college had come. She'd been excited to start a new journey. She'd wanted to be a teacher as long as she could remember. The time had finally come to take those precious first steps toward her goal. Even though she'd only dated Caleb a short time, she'd felt the loss for most of her first year away. Even when other men had expressed interest in her, she hadn't felt anything. Near the end of her freshman year, she'd entered into a steady relationship with a sweet biology major. Then life happened.

Boomer sauntered up and dropped his ball at her feet. He grinned and wagged his tail expectantly.

She'd forgotten to stop and enjoy the special things that made life worth living.





Chapter 3





As Caleb knocked on Olivia's front door, he realized how much lighter his mood was. He'd enjoyed his time away, but had been just as eager to return home. Prior to this weekend, how long had it been since he'd looked forward to anything at all? He couldn't remember.

The wedding had gone off without a hitch, and his best man duties had been fulfilled. Never having been much of a talker, he'd dreaded the toast, but when he'd finished and everyone had raised their glasses high, saluting the couple, he'd felt as though he'd done right by his best friend.

David and Shauna had looked from Caleb to each other and smiled brightly. Shauna, with telltale dampness in her eyes, and David bursting with pride in his new bride, kissed with enough heat to burn down the church.

Most everyone had laughed and there had been a few catcalls, but wasn't that the way it was supposed to happen? A ceremony full of joy and excitement? A couple eager to begin their lives together?

He couldn't help but think about the contrast between his friend's ceremony and what should have been Olivia's. When he'd hugged Shauna goodbye and told her she was glowing, she'd laughed and said that her face hurt from smiling so much. She'd never known that being so happy could actually hurt.

If Olivia's intended hadn't been able to give her that same joy, in his opinion, it was best that she'd called things off.

When no one answered the door, he knocked again. Olivia's car was in the driveway and he was on time. Maybe she was doing laundry or something and couldn't hear him? Hoping she was okay and he didn't have to barge in unannounced, he raised his hand to knock a third time, but before he landed the first blow, he heard faint laughter coming from somewhere outside. He followed the sound to her backyard where he came to a tall fence. "Olivia? It's Caleb."

"Come on back."

He unlatched the gate and entered the yard where he found the trio. Daisy dropped a blue ball and ran straight for him, tail wagging so fast it was a wonder she didn't take flight, helicopter-style. "Hey, girl. How's my Daisy?" He bent down to give her a rubdown. "How did she do?" He hoped the pup hadn't given Olivia too hard a time.

"She did great. We only had one accident in the house and Boomer was happy to share his stash of chew toys. We discovered that caring for two dogs isn't much harder than one, especially when they play so well together."

He gave Daisy's shoulder a final pat and stood so he could give Olivia his full attention. She sat on the next-to-bottom porch step, bare legs and feet stretched out in the yard before her. Dressed in cutoff camouflage shorts and a black tank top, she shouldn't be so damn pretty. Yet she was unmercifully so. "So they got along alright?"

Boomer brought the ball back to Olivia, and she patted his head in thanks. "I think they've become best friends, or maybe boyfriend and girlfriend? I'm not quite sure how that works with dogs, but they've been inseparable. They played together so much that they tired each other out both nights. We've had a busy day, so don't be surprised if your girl is exhausted later."   





 

"How's Boomer doing? Any more trouble?"

"Nothing too bad. I've had more time to spend with him and it's showing." She stood and walked up the steps. "Come on in. I have her things ready to go." She opened the door and called the dogs in.

Was she that eager to be rid of him and Daisy? He jogged up the steps and took the door, holding it for her. When he neared, he caught the subtle hitch in her chest and stifled a grin.

Nope, not unaffected. He'd bet his last dollar that she felt the same pull of attraction he did. The only question was, when could he act on it? A month's break after a canceled wedding and ended engagement wasn't long enough, was it? He didn't want to rush things and ruin his chance for something he was becoming more certain by the minute could be special. But something nagged at him, urging him not to waste any time. Maybe it was the post-wedding vibes, but he didn't think so.

He didn't want to wait any longer.

Following her inside, he watched the subtle sway of her hips. They'd grown a little wider than they'd been years ago, but if anything, the fuller curves had only grown more attractive. His hands itched to grab hold and pull them close. He wanted to feel the sweet heat of her body pressed against his more than he wanted his next breath, but not more than he wanted to come off as an inconsiderate asshole.

He'd been thinking quite a bit about the summer they'd dated and each time another precious memory surfaced, it urged him to not let Olivia get away.

At the end of the hall's end, she stopped beside an entryway table and turned to him. "We enjoyed having Daisy. She's welcome anytime you need a sitter. I don't know what Boomer will do without his new friend."