Show Me, Baby:A Masters of the Shadowlands Novella(21)

Rainie exchanged glances with Kim and said, "Gabi, Andrea will be fine."

Kim added, "I'm not so sure about you. Is something wrong? Are your parents causing trouble?"

"No." Gabi grimaced. "Not really … aside from constantly adding more  guests and demanding fancier food. But since they're not paying for the  reception, they lack any leverage."

"So … ?" Rainie prompted.

Gabi scowled. "They're unhappy about the ‘double' wedding and about a  ménage being included, so they're really cold to Sally. And worse,  Galen's mom is just plain nasty and constantly criticizing Sally. "

Kim winced. "Sally's pretty vulnerable to parental disapproval."

"Yeah." Gabi slumped in the chair. "No one is openly rude. Sally-and  I-could fight that-or the guys would. But Galen and Vance are out of  town, and Sally won't rock Galen's relationship with his mother, so she  hasn't told her guys anything. And, dammit, I figure it's her decision  to make. Only I'm so frustrated."

"I don't agree since-" Rainie bit back the words. How would she react if  someone interfered in her relationship with a lover? "No, I'm wrong.  It's not your choice. But ugh, just imagine-Sally'll have to celebrate  holidays with that woman." Galen's mother was the coldest person  Rainie'd ever met. One glare from her and mice would flee a cozy heated  building in the dead of winter.

Kim nodded glumly. "Guess we'll just have to shield Sally."

"As much as we can." Gabi scowled. "Just because Sally wasn't born to  some rich East Coast family, Mrs. Kouros thinks she's not good enough  for Galen."

Rainie's anger at the unfairness was slowly undermined by her dismay … and  depression. Sally's handicap was merely from growing up on a small Iowa  farm. What if Mrs. Kouros faced a slum-raised daughter-in-law like  Rainie? The woman would go off the rails entirely.

Rainie thought of her wonderful night with Jake and how he seemed to  enjoy having her in the clinic. He never treated her as something … less.  Then again, he was a special sort of man. Maybe his years in the  military had changed his perception of what was important.         

     



 

However, if Jake's family thought their precious son might date a woman  like Rainie, they'd undoubtedly react just as cruelly as Mrs. Kouros.

Rainie's chest constricted as her resolve deepened. Once her time at the  clinic ended, she'd hunt for a job far away, maybe in the Northeast.  When she eventually found someone to love, her manners and attire would  be perfect-just as Miss Lily had advocated-and her past would be left  far, far behind.

And she'd never return to Florida.





Chapter Eight



With Mrs. Morelli's miniature poodle cuddled in one arm, Rainie stood in  front of Jake's pale yellow, two-story house and pressed the doorbell.

No one answered. As she breathed in the moist green scent of freshly cut grass, she listened.

No footsteps. The "horse country" was so quiet, she could hear the  rumble of cars on a distant highway. The birds cheeping in the trees.  And the thumping of Rhage's tail.

Hoping Jake would unload some of his grief, Rainie had tied Rhage on the  shaded porch. He sat on his own special blanky, watching her closely.  After being abandoned once, he wouldn't trust easily again.

She knew how he felt.

At the low whine of the dog she carried, she sighed. When Saxon had  asked her to deliver Guido, he'd said Jake planned to spend his Saturday  off at home. A truck sat in the driveway, so Jake was here.

But everyone at the clinic knew he didn't always carry his phone.

She turned in a circle. Tightly woven fencing enclosed the house's  acreage. In the long expanses of green, colorful patches heralded the  gardenias and azalea bushes beneath the oaks. But no Jake.

Maybe behind the house? Didn't he have a pool? Since no fence separated  the front from the back, Rainie walked around the side of the house.  Maybe she'd get lucky and find him sunbathing in the nude.

The poor excuse for a joke didn't lighten her mood. She was sad and even unhappier she'd have to break the bad news to Jake.

Behind the house, a screen-caged octagonal pool sparkled in the  sunlight. Bright red-and-white striped deck chairs were scattered around  the patio. Under the shade of the overhang, Jake slept on a lounge  chair. He wasn't naked, unfortunately, although the bare chest was a  good start.

Rainie opened the patio's screen door, deliberately making enough noise  to waken him. Smart people didn't sneak up on war zone veterans.

He was on his feet before she had the door closed. "Rainie," he said  slowly. Absently, he rubbed the sexy dark stubble on his jaw. His day  off meant he hadn't trimmed his beard. He looked … rough. Dangerous.

Tempting.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I-" Her momentary lust disappeared as she recalled her reason for the  visit. God, how could she tell him? Her heart ached as she searched for  words that wouldn't hurt him. There were none. Mrs. Morelli passed on  last night.

Jake's brows drew together as he studied her face. His gaze dropped to  the dog. When his jaw hardened enough to draw the skin taut, she knew  he'd recognized Guido and why she'd come.

Grief filled his eyes for a moment before his expression smoothed out.  He walked over and took the dog from her arms. "Thank you for bringing  him."

"I'm sorry, Jake." She'd only met the tiny elderly woman once, but her sweetness had drawn Rainie in.

One of Jake and Saxon's first clients, Mrs. Morelli had requested they  care for Guido if anything happened to her. Like Miss Lily, she'd viewed  her mortality with equanimity.

"I appreciate you making the trip."

"Of course. I-"

"I'm sure you have things to do, and I should get Guido settled in." He walked away.

She stared at his back, surprised. Had she ever seen him so brusque?  Only, he wasn't deliberately being rude. His normally smooth voice was  almost harsh-as if forced through a tight throat. He made her want to  cry for him … because he couldn't.





Jake stalked into his house, knowing he'd been discourteous, wanting to apologize, but not trusting his voice.

Goddammit.

He wasn't prepared for this. At the hospital last night, Violetta's  doctor said she had a good chance of recovering. Apparently not.

"Take care of my Guido, Jake," she'd asked him. Her only concern had  been for her dog. God, Violetta. His chest hurt-ached like a fresh stab  wound.

At an unhappy whine, he cuddled the shivering dog closer. Yes, they both knew the world was a sadder place today.

Lonelier, as well. His footsteps echoed in the tile-floored room,  emphasizing the emptiness. "Hadn't planned on having a dog, buddy," he  muttered. "You'd better get along with cats, or we're going to have  problems."         

     



 

His two cats had hidden under his bed, but once they saw the intruder  was a small canine-rather than a human-they'd be out and ready for war.

Speaking of problems …  "I bet Rainie didn't give you a chance to piss,  did she?" After detouring to the kitchen for a leash, he took the dog  out the front door and stopped.

An ancient Civic sat in his driveway, and Rhage lay curled on a blanket  on the porch. Rainie hadn't left? Jake stopped to pet Rhage, then walked  Guido around the side of the house, retracing Rainie's path to the  pool.

And there she sat with her back to him, in his lounge chair. She was  watching the back door, probably hoping he'd settle before she knocked.

"Problems?" he asked.

She jumped a good foot-and had a fucking cute scream. Turning, she gave  him a glare. "You sadist, you almost gave me a heart attack." She patted  her chest, making her breasts jiggle in a way he had to appreciate.

For a full minute, he forgot his grief. "Sorry."

"I was worried about you," she said as he and Guido entered the screened area.

Once unleashed, Guido ran over to give her an enthusiastic greeting.

"You act like you haven't seen me for a month," she muttered, pulling the wiggling dog onto her lap.

"He's nervous," Jake said. "He knows something is wrong, and his person isn't here to fix it." Would never be here.

"Yeah." She snuggled Guido closer, murmuring, "It'll get better, honey."

Longing whispered through Jake. Lucky little pup to be the recipient of  her affections and soothing caresses. "I notice you didn't leave."

"Observant that way, are you?" She set the dog down and held out her hand, expecting Jake to help her to her feet.

Manipulative little brat. He pulled her up and smiled at the logo on her  pink button-up shirt: Audit Me  –  Audit Me Now! "What did you want to  talk about?"

"Nothing, actually." She slid her arms around him. "I've never seen  anyone so in need of a good hug, and I stayed to give you one."

He froze, almost hearing Gunny's snort of disgust, hearing him lecture: "Pussy Doms need comforting. Real men don't."