Chapter 5
Jax bumped along down the narrow dirt road with Bella at his side as he steered his truck around a pothole the size of a small lake. As far as the duty officer knew, the two of them were with the vet for follow-up treatments and testing.
Technically, not a lie.
Not that it would save his ass if his superiors found out he’d taken Bella off base without approval. But screw it. They’d already threatened him with Diego Garcia, if he stayed in. How much worse could it get?
Bella, on the other hand, was still young at seven and had years left of active-duty service. If he could get her head back into the game. If not, her fate lay in the hands of someone he didn’t know or trust. His trusty sidekick stood on the bench seat, strapped in so she couldn’t tumble off, and stared at the world passing by. Her ears were forward and they twitched as if she were trying to catch and process every new sound. With her tail up and mouth closed, she was obviously checking things out and looking for signs of danger.
It was the first sign of her training that he’d seen from her in weeks.
Jax turned a corner, and a small farmhouse came into view. It couldn’t have been more than a thousand square feet or hld more than two bedrooms. And it looked like home.
Not his home. The house where he’d grown up had a few clunkers rotting on the side, a falling-down shed, overgrown field grass that passed as a lawn, and looked like no one had lived there for a decade or two.
Looks could be deceiving. While the outside of his mama’s house looked neglected, inside the place had been spotless. They hadn’t been allowed to leave their shoes in the living room or drop their backpacks and coats near the door. There were never dirty dishes in the sink, and the whole place smelled like flowers.
People pick and choose their battles. His mama had picked the inside and won. Which battle did Risa pick? Or was she one of those wonder women who tackled it all and won? The outside looked like her. She’d painted it fire engine red, with white trim on the porch railings and window frames. On the side was a dog’s water bowl, near a door Jax guessed led to a mudroom. She had a rabbit hutch not far away and the beginnings of a horse paddock off to the side.
The front door sported a bone-shaped sign that read: Dogs Welcome, People Tolerated.
Jax laughed and turned to Bella. “Looks like we’re in the right place. You stay while I check the place out.”
Risa came out the front door wearing shorts and a loose sleeveless top that showed off tan, strong arms. She leaned against the post as he approached.
“So how do you want to do this, Doc? You’re in charge.”
Her eyes widened and sparked with interest. “I do like a man who isn’t afraid to let a woman lead the way.”
“But do you believe in equal rights?” he asked.
“Definitely. Everyone should get their turn on top.”
She walked past Jax as he tried to pick his jaw up from where it’d hit the ground and stopped short of the truck. He’d left the windows down so Bella wouldn’t overheat. Even a few minutes in an enclosed vehicle was too long in this heat.
“Hey Bella. Remember me?” she asked, careful not to encroach on the dog’s space.
Bella whined in response, her tail wagging and ears up, while her tongue hung out. All good signs. Risa continued to talk to the dog in a soothing tone as she took small, slow steps closer to the truck. Jax was impressed that the doc understood his dog considered the truck her property and her job to protect it.
“Jax.” Risa looked over her shoulder to him. “I don’t want to overstep my bounds here. Can you unhook her and set her on the ground, please? We don’t want her jumping down and possibly causing more damage.”
Jax helped the dog out of the truck. Bella sat next to him, alert for her next command. Risa studied her.
“What do you say we give Bella a chance to check the place out first? Athena and Eir are inside, so we can take a walk around the yard, and you can look for clues or whatever to the fatal tire slashing.”
“Whatever you say, Doc.” He didn’t bother looking for evidence. Whatever might have been left had been trampled, blown away, or contaminated. Instead, he focused on why her, why this place, and what could be done to prevent future attacks.
Jax gave Bella the release command and together the three of them approached the front of the house, where he studied the layout. “Where’s your bedroom?”
“At the back of the house. This is the living room, with a spare bedroom on the right. The recessed area,” she nodded to the left, “is the kitchen and mudroom. My room is directly behind the front bedroom.”
He glanced down to see Bella leaning against Risa’s legs, not the typical behavior of a military working dog. He could snap his fingers and have her performing a number of commands, but she seemed happy. So, for the moment, he let her be.
“You should trim these bushes.” He pointed to the two plants flanking the front stairs. “Right now they’re the perfect size for a thief to hide behind. Is that a motion-sensor light?”
“Nope. Just your standard porch light, although it does have one of those cool yellow bulbs to repel bugs.”
“What about the one on the side of the house?”
“Same thing. Standard issue, yellow bulb.”
“You should think about having security lights installed. Preferably ones that are motion sensor and cover all sides of the house. Thieves will think twice about breaking in or messing around if the place is lit up, which is probably one of the reasons they picked you.”
“I’ll call my dad and have him take care of that for me. What else do you see?” She looked around as if seeing her home for the first time.
“How many doors lead into the house?” He headed toward the side door to test the lock.
“Just the two.” She matched his gait easily.
The mudroom door was half-wood, half-glass, had a crappy doorknob, and an even worse lock. To top it off, it was unlocked. “You should keep this locked even when you’re home. It’d be easy for one person to distract you at the front and another to enter through here. And didn’t you say your dogs were inside? How come they’re so quiet?”
“They don’t bark at me, but I wouldn’t suggest you try to walk in there on your own.” She sounded a little annoyed, but flashed him a smile.
Jax peeked into the window. Sure enough, both dogs were on guard and growling. Bella must have picked up the warning. She worked herself in between him and the door, ready to protect him at all costs.
“Good girl, Bella. Come.” He continued around to the back of the house. “Did the dogs bark when I pulled up?”
“Yes. They don’t bark when it’s my parents or best friend, Fiona. Otherwise, they will. If I wasn’t out here with you, they’d still be warning you off.”
“So how come you didn’t hear them bark when your tires were trashed?”
She looked away, but not before he’d seen twin flames across her cheeks.
“I think it happened while I was in the shower.”
“And you couldn’t hear them over the water?”
“No. I was…” She looked everywhere except at him. “Um, does it really matter?”
What could she have been doing that would cause her so much embarrassment? Only one thing came to Jax’s mind, and he really wanted to hear her answer.
“It could be the key to unlocking this whole mystery.”
She arched her brow and rolled her eyes, probably debating whether he was serious or just yanking her chain.
“Fine. I was singing.” She threw up her hands. “I sing in the shower, and my dogs bark and howl in response. So someone could have been out front slicing and dicing my tires and I would have assumed the dogs were behaving normally.”
“You can’t be that awful.”
She belted out a few lines from some old ballad. The dogs inside the house howled. Bella whined and put her head down, covering her ears with her paws.
He didn’t say anything at first, and she went from patient to frustrated to smiling. “You can laugh. My family and best friend do. They find it spectacularly comical.”
“Wow.” He laughed. “Okay, I admit it, you’re pretty bad. Maybe the worse singer I’ve ever heard, which is saying something. We had this one old dude back in Jacksonville, and every time he got drunk he’d wander around singing. The dogs would bark, but they didn’t actually howl. You know, we could probably record you and hook it up to a security system, so that when people came around it would scare them off.”
“Har, har. You’re so funny. Not.” She braced a hand on her hip. “So do you have any more helpful suggestions?”
“Besides stick to veterinary work?” He winked. “Seriously, Risa, you need to think about upgrading the doors and locks, along with the security lighting. Maybe even put in an alarm system, something that links to the local fire and police stations. This place is isolated even by a country boy’s standard.”
“Okay, I’ll give my dad a call later tonight. He’s really good at that kind of stuff… electrical, plumbing, home repairs.”
“I know you’ve got two dogs and think that’s enough to keep you safe—”
“Jax.” She laid a hand on his arm. “I said okay. I’ll get it done.”
He stood in shocked silence. If it had been his mom or sister or even his ex-fiancée, they would have argued with him. “Are you agreeing with me to shut me up?”
She squinted and looked at him like he was crazy. “Why would I do that? You’re the security expert, and I asked for your opinion. You wouldn’t argue with me on what’s the best way to treat Bella’s injury, would you?”
“No.” He smiled and stepped closer, so that they were within each other’s personal space. “I’d never argue with the doctor’s orders.”
“No, you wouldn’t, because you’re a boy scout.”
* * * *
Risa loved the expressions rippling across Jax’s face: shock, amusement, and finally smugness. She hadn’t expected the last one.
“That sounds like a compliment,” he said as she turned back toward the front of the house.
“Oh, it is. There’s nothing wrong with being a good guy. Bad boys can be fine and fun when you’re a teenager or those first few years after college.” She walked him and Bella around to the front steps and turned to face him. “However, there comes a time in your life where you just want a nice guy who will do the right thing and be there for you.”
“Is that what you’re looking for, nice and steady?” He stared at her mouth.
She swallowed a few times before answering. “You know bad girls like me need someone to balance them out. But the guy for me would have to have a little bit of a bad boy streak, or I might get bored.”
“I see, and just how bad does he have to be?” His gaze never lifted from her mouth.
She smiled and ran her tongue across her bare, dry bottom lip and bit down. “Well, now, that remains to be seen.” She stepped back. “If you wait here with Bella, I’d like to bring Athena out and see how Bella reacts to her.”
Risa stepped inside the mudroom and reached for a leash. Not that she needed one to control either of her dogs, but she would rather be safe than sorry. “Athena, sit.” She hooked the leash to her collar and glanced at Eir’s expectant face and smiled. “Next time, sweetie.”
She opened the back door. “Ready?”
“Bella, stay.”
Risa stepped outside with Athena at her side. The dogs looked at each other, and Athena wagged her tail. Bella cocked her head to the side as if studying the new arrival. It was a good start.
The two dogs whined and Athena looked up at her, pleading in her eyes, but not moving until Risa gave her the okay. At Jax’s nod, Risa let out the leash. “Friend,” she said to the dog. Athena cautiously approached Bella, tail still wagging, and stopped when they were nose to nose. Jax repeated the word to Bella and released her. The two went through the usual dog greeting, sniffing and such. After a minute or so, Athena dropped her to her front paws, butt in the air and woofed. Bella followed suit.
“They want to play.” Risa smiled at Jax. “That’s a really good sign, but Bella’s not ready to run yet.” She snapped her fingers, which made both dogs look at her. “Sit.”
They sat together, eyes on her, waiting.
She held up her hand. “Stay. Jax, can you go stand by the rabbit hutch, please?”
Then she walked ten feet away in the opposite direction. Both dogs continued to sit, watching and waiting. Risa ran them through the basic commands, pleased when Bella responded. Not once did the dog hesitate. She had Jax do the same and once again got positive results. Clearly Bella didn’t have an issue listening to either of them. On the contrary, she was eager to please and responded to praise by licking Risa’s hand.
“What’s your verdict, Doc?”
“Hard to say just yet.” If only dogs could talk. “Maybe she’s just tired of her routine.”
“Rebelling?”
“It happens to the best of us sooner or later. We get tired of following the rules, desire adventure, and fantasize about living on the edge.”
“Nothing wrong with that, as long as you balance out the bad with the good.”
She was pretty sure they weren’t talking about the dog and her issues anymore. Risa wanted to sink her fingers in his hair, to lean forward and taste his lips. She wanted to break all sorts of rules with Jackson Faraday. She bit down on her bottom lip.
“Why don’t you take Bella in through the front door. She did great with Athena, but I don’t want to overwhelm her with too many new friends at once. I’ll take mine and put them in their kennel out back so we can eat dinner. I seem to be starving all of a sudden.”
Those striking hazel eyes of his burned straight through to her soul… or somewhere down south in her anatomy. His playful smile promised a night of fun, if she so desired.
“Oh, and Jax. I hope you remembered dessert, because I’m craving something sinful tonight.” She turned and bounded up the short flight of steps before he could respond or she could get lost any deeper in his eyes.
She wasn’t sure what had overcome her. It really wasn’t like her to flirt or play with fire, but she felt like she’d run a circle around the pit… getting closer and closer, daring the flames to lick her.
It took her a few minutes to get her dogs settled in the kennel with food and water, but it was enough time for her to pull it together and corral the out-of-control hormones surging through her body. Jax and Bella were standing in her living room when she came back inside.
Poor Morpheus… he took one look at the new arrival, hissed his dissatisfaction, and stalked off to the bedroom with his nose and tail in the air.
Risa told Jax to let Bella relax and roam as she finished up the dinner prep. Everything was ready—the lasagna sat on top of the stove, the salad was in the fridge, and the French bread was sliced and warming in the oven. She called Bella over, had her sit, and gave her a dog biscuit. When the pup took the treat without touching Risa’s fingers, she smiled. Risa then commanded her to lie, which she did without hesitation.
With Jax’s help, Risa transferred the food to the table and set out the dishes.
“Please, dig in.” She gestured to the table. Unsure about the emotions coursing through her, Risa turned the topic back to a safe zone. “How was Bella today at the kennel?”
“Quiet, according to Moore. Better than yesterday, but not interested in anything going on around her.” Jax held up the bread and, at her nod, handed her the basket. “She’s more relaxed around you. Happy.”
“I like dogs. They can sense emotions, and know when a person is good or just making a show of it.” She put down her fork. “Did you have pets growing up?”
“My mom wasn’t big on animals. Too messy. Once my parents split, my dad got us kids a dog for when we came to his house. A big yellow Lab my sister wanted to name Rosie, except he refused to answer to the name. So we went with Buddy.”
“Original,” she teased. “I don’t know what I would have done without my animals growing up. They may not have been able to talk back, but they were always there for me when I needed someone to listen.”
“What about your parents?” He’d polished off his first helping of lasagna and had gone back for seconds, while she’d barely touched hers with her stomach hopping all over the place. “Aren’t you close to them?”
“Not as close as they are to each other. Don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t neglected or anything… didn’t want for physical comforts, go hungry or naked. And when I needed a car—”
“They lent you the Beast. I believe that’s what you called it.”
“Do you remember everything I say?”
“Pretty much.”
She narrowed her eyes and studied him. “Are you one of those people gifted with a photographic memory, and ten years from now you’ll be able to quote me our first argument?”
His face froze in stunned surprise, as if he’d been caught in the act of doing something he shouldn’t have been. Then he grabbed another piece of bread and tore it. “Nah, not me, Doc. I’m just a good guy who pays attention when someone’s talking to them.”
For the next couple of minutes, they ate quietly. She hadn’t missed his deliberate use of her words, or the fact that he hadn’t denied he’d be around in a decade. They talked some more about their childhoods; non-important details like favorite shows, teen celebrity crushes, and music. From there, they switched it up to a heated debate over Doctor Who versus Star Trek, and which was better and the true pioneer of sci-fi television.
“I will concede that Rodenberry was a visionary, and we have him to thank for much of our technology we have today,” Risa said after about thirty minutes of arguing.
“And I concede the Doctor made bow ties cool again and has had some of the most talented actors ever on the series.” Jax bowed his head in mock defeat. “And as the loser of the battle, I’ll clear the dishes and bring over dessert. I hope you like strawberry shortcake with whipped cream.”
Before Risa could protest—after all, he was a guest in her house—he’d grabbed their dishes and quickly washed them before lifting the small cooler he’d brought. “Where are the bowls?”
“I’ll get them.” She started to get up, but he stopped her with a look.
“You made dinner. Dessert was my job.” He opened cabinet doors and drawers.
Resigned, she sat back down. “Cupboard to the left of the sink.”
To say it was strange to have someone else wait on her in her own home was an understatement. Even her mum and Fiona didn’t do that. Well, Fee helped herself, but she didn’t take over and wait on Risa, unless you counted handing her a slice of pizza or a glass of wine. She had to admit, being pampered was nice. Jax was nice.
He returned to the table and opened the cooler. First, he pulled out a giant bowl of fresh, sliced strawberries swimming in their own juice. Next came out two cinnamon scones, cut in perfect halves.
“Wait for it.” Lastly, he brought out the piece de resistance—the whipped cream.
She let him dish everything up and sit back down before taking her first bite. The sweetness of the berries exploded in her mouth with just the right touch of spice and cream. A slice of heaven.
“This is good. Where did you get the scones? They’re divine, and mine always come out too dry.”
“I baked them,” he said. “And, thank you.”
A dog lover with manners who could bake. How much more perfect could he get?
“You surprise me, Jax.”
He stopped eating, brows drawn together. “How so?”
“You’re just not what I expected.” She licked her spoon clean.
“Let me guess. You heard the southern accent and thought my only interests would be fishing, hunting, monster truck rallies, sports, and drinking beer.”
“Actually, no. You sort of look like you’d be the alpha jerk. You know… all quiet and broody, muscled and everyone should bend to your will.”
“You mean I’m not? Here.” He leaned forward and wiped a bit of cream from the corner of her mouth.
“Not even close.” He cupped her cheek, making her warm and tingly inside.
“Do me a favor and don’t tell my crew.” His hazel eyes darkened and sparked with desire. “They think I’m a tough badass who will eat them for breakfast if they mess up.”
“I don’t think you’d eat anyone for breakfast. You’re too much of a nice guy.”
“Wanna bet?”
Before she could answer, his mouth claimed hers. His tongue swept past her parted lips. He tasted of sweet berries and cream and heat. It was full of promise and passion, and danger. Yet it was a soft, sensual kiss that left her wanting more.
“Risa, let me take you out to dinner this weekend on a proper date.”
It had been ages since she’d been out with someone other than Fee. The idea of getting dressed up and going somewhere, anywhere that wasn’t home, work, or filled with kids, thrilled her. And Jax was a great guy—nothing like her ex, who hated her animals and the fact that she had a career, because it meant she couldn’t wait hand-and-foot on him.
Plus, there was the baking thing. God how she loved a man who was good in the kitchen.
“I’d love—” She hesitated as Bella laid her head on Risa’s lap and whined. The words Risa had been about to say stuck in her throat. Talk about a sign from the dating gods. Here was a reminder she was about to break her number-one rule. Because no matter how much she liked Jax, it didn’t change the fact that he was military, and one day he’d leave. She smiled and reached for his hand. “I’d love to say yes, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Jax blinked and pulled his hand free. He looked like she’d slapped him across the face, and she instantly wanted to retract her words. The last thing she’d meant to do was hurt his feelings. He rubbed his hand across his face before picking up his barely touched dessert and depositing it in the kitchen.
He returned and put his hands on the back of his chair. “Risa, I’m sorry. Man, my mom would slap me upside the head right about now.”
She looked at him, confused. He hadn’t done anything wrong.
“You told me you don’t date military guys and I… I ignored you and interpreted the signs the way I wanted.”
She stood to look him in the eye and reached for his arm, only to stop short.
“There’s no need to apologize. You’re a nice guy—”
“Nice guys don’t kiss ladies when they say no.”
“So there is a bit of a bad boy streak in you after all.” She smiled, trying to lighten the tension. She was just as much to blame for that kiss as he was. “I do like you, Jax, so I don’t think you misinterpreted anything. It’s complicated.”
“Isn’t it always.” He gave a harsh laugh.
“It’s just… I’m the stand-in vet for the base, and if things didn’t work out, it’d be awfully awkward… and we’ve got Bella’s well-being to think about.” She took a deep breath. “And I’m rambling.”
“I get it, Doc. No worries.” He gave a quick tap to his leg, and Bella sat at his side. “I should get going, get her home before they think we’ve been abducted by aliens or something.”
She walked man and dog out to his truck, wanting to kick herself in the pants. He was so unlike anyone she’d ever met before. Why did she have to go and say no?
Risa scratched Bella’s ears and kissed her nose before Jax lifted her up onto the bench seat and hooked the seatbelt.
“I’d like to work some more with her, see how she does with the other handler. Moore, I think you said his name was?”
“Yep.”
“Would Monday be alright?” She hated the distance she’d put between them—that she’d made him feel he’d been less than honorable—because men like Jackson Faraday, true gentlemen, didn’t come around very often.
“I’ll let Moore know to be available for you.”
“She’s a good dog, Jax. From what I’ve seen here, and when you’re with her, one that wants to please, which is a good sign. Whatever was going on might have been a phase, or it could be something to do with the new handler. We’ll know more in a couple of weeks.”
“Just do me a favor, Doc.” He waited for her to nod. “If you find she needs to be sent back to Texas, let me know first?”
“I will. I promise.”