As far as Zeus went, Kurt would put money down that the dog had never been fought. His tail wagged too damn much when other dogs passed his kennel. Tomorrow, Kelsey was going to bring Orzo, a laid-back corgi, and if Zeus did well, Kurt would step up his socializing, including taking him on walks off the property. A few of the other dogs seemed ready for the same thing. If the court order was no longer in place, Kurt was starting to feel hopeful that within a month, at least five or six in the group would be headed for the shelter. He suspected the rest would take a while longer. A part of him worried that a few, like Devil, might never be ready to live as a pet in someone’s home. There were options for dogs like this, but Kurt wasn’t ready to spend time thinking of them. For now, he was committed to optimism.
To accomplish this, he’d turned one of the bedrooms into a private training room, and whenever things were slow, he’d head in there with one of the dogs. Instilling basic training in these animals was essential, and it went so much deeper than sit or stay. But he was becoming confident they’d get there.
A brilliant flash of lightning danced across the sky. Kurt could feel the electricity in the air, circling over his bare arms and neck. “I think it’s time we get them in.”
“Agreed.” Kelsey set a fresh bowl of water in Pepper’s kennel and followed Kurt down the back porch into the yard. Seeing them headed his way, Zeus made a move that looked an awful lot like a bucking bronco, then plunged toward the door of his run. The gangly dog skidded into seated attention, stopping just shy of slamming into the door.
Kelsey laughed. “I can almost imagine him finding his place in a circus.” She headed for Pepper’s run but waited for Kurt to head inside first with Zeus.
She was latching Pepper’s kennel door when Kurt stepped out of the house and joined her in the enclosed half of the porch.
“I’ve been a fan of thunderstorms since I was a kid, and I can confidently say that I don’t ever again want to live too long in a place that doesn’t get its fair share.”
“Where were you stationed?” Kelsey asked, joining him in front of the floor-to-ceiling screen.
The wind was picking up, and he could hear the rain pelting in the west. In the distance, he spotted the deluge headed their way. “Look, you can see the rain rolling in.” He fell quiet, watching it rush toward them at an angle. “Afghanistan mostly,” he said finally, responding to her question. “Texas with the army at first. I finished out in Central America. There, most of the time it’s like the rains are ruled by a light switch. It’s either raining heavily, or it isn’t but feels like it just did.”
“It would be cool to see more of the world, but I agree about thunderstorms. I’m a sucker for changing seasons.” A fresh blast of wind circled across the porch, lifting Kelsey’s hair off her shoulders. She shuddered. “I hope Mr. Longtail found his way inside.”
“I just saw him. He’s sprawled across the kitchen counter.” Unfazed by the storm, Pepper was curling into a ball to sleep. Her kennel was far enough from the screen to stay dry.
The circling winds stirred up Kelsey’s citrus-mint scent. Kurt resisted the urge to pull her close and breathe her in until he was sufficiently calm inside. Instead, he tucked his hands into his back pockets, palms facing out.
“So,” she said while he was still trying to block out her intoxicating smell, “I may not have known you long, but I’d bet a million dollars that you’re not the gabby type. However, I want you to know that I’m here if it would help to talk about whatever it is that’s bothering you.”
Kurt pulled his attention from the storm to look at her. It had been a long time since he’d met someone who could read him so easily. It had also been a long time since he’d brushed his lips against lips like hers, full and sexy and moist. And those eyes. They were the rich, soft brown of amber and just as inviting, and the lashes framing them were thick and long and sultry.
He swallowed hard. The energy of the storm matched the energy building inside him. Rain and bits of hail began to hammer the roof. The pretend box deep inside him where he locked things away seemed to have the lid stuck open. He realized it was kiss her or tell her everything, or quite possibly both. Coming here, he’d been so damned committed to keeping her at a distance. Could that possibly have been less than a week ago?
Dragging a hand through his hair and putting some necessary distance between them, he strode the length of the porch. When he returned, he made sure to stop a full arm’s length away.
“Turns out my mother went in for her first ever mammogram a month ago. They found a lump. Apparently not a nasty one, at least,” he added at Kelsey’s gasp. “She and my grandfather have spent
