Something woke her.
Mina snorted in a breath. When had she fallen asleep? Gray light poured in through the window, and a new fire burned brightly in the fireplace. She felt like she’d melted into the mattress beneath her. It was comfortable, which was not the norm for a pullout couch. Especially in daredevil Liam’s home. She never took him for the kind of man who’d put much thought into guests.
For now, she pulled the quilt up to her chin and closed her eyes again, trying to get her bearings.
Liam Wells’ cabin. From the light she’d seen in the window, the storm was still going strong. He was awake. But what had woken her? A minute later, her brain registered the sound—someone talking. Liam talking.
Her heart beat faster. Nobody else was in the cabin, were they? No. Couldn’t be. The storm was too incredible for anyone else to make their way out there. Maybe he was on the phone.
Mina slipped out of bed and padded over to his bedroom. The door was open, but when she peeked in, Liam wasn’t there. She followed the sound of his voice across the main room and down the narrow hall that led to the bathroom. Light streamed into the dim hall from where the door was cracked open. Yep—he was definitely in there. And was that water splashing?
She crept to the door, her heart pounding in her ears, and pushed it open another inch.
Mina stifled a gasp. Liam was in the bathroom, and he was talking to someone. That someone was Lucky. Water covered every inch of the floor, because Liam was giving Lucky a bath.
“You’re such a good buddy,” Liam said smoothly, working his hands through Lucky’s fur. “What were you doing out there in the snow? Did you have some kinda plan that got messed up by the storm? Lord, I know about that.” He reached for the bottle of shampoo and added a bit more to Lucky’s back. “Things don’t always go according to plan. But that’s all right. We learn to roll with the punches. But this isn’t a punch—this is just a bath. Gotta be clean if you’re gonna stay in here with me.” Liam laughed. “Which you are. Where else would you go? Snow’s still coming down something fierce outside, and there’s no way I can put you back out in that.”
Mina backed up against the opposite wall, her hand over her mouth. Her heart had gone soft, like a fluffy pillow that could be torn to shreds with a fingernail. Lucky whined a bit, and Liam answered him. “No, no. It’s all right. You don’t even have to dunk, if dunking isn’t your style. I’ll just pour a little over on your head. See? Not so bad.” Lucky shook and a new layer of water droplets coated the bathroom. The dog turned in the tub, butting his head up against Liam’s hand, and then stopped. Stiffened. Looked right at Mina.
With a tremendous splash, Lucky launched himself out of the tub. Liam tumbled backward onto his butt. Lucky’s tail wagged furiously, and he stuck his nose into the open crack of the door, then slipped out. He barked a jubilant bark, swept his wet body across the front of her knees, and went tearing out into the main room.
Mina ran. Lucky was too excited—he’d get everything wet if she didn’t stop him. This turned out to be easier said than done. “Lucky, wait!” She chased him around the foldout couch, but he only jumped on it and sprinted across. “How can you go that fast and still shake yourself off every five seconds?” Lucky stopped and shook, then took off like a rocket. He flew up into the armchair and thundered back through the main room, then rounded a corner. Water sprayed onto a bookshelf. Then he was in the kitchen, circling the table legs and barking.
Liam bolted out into the room and Mina’s heart stopped. He’d been bathing Lucky, she saw now, in a pair of boxer shorts. They were soaked. The fabric stuck to his skin. Heat rushed to her cheeks like he’d added ten thousand logs to the fireplace. Nothing was left to the imagination. Nothing. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight of him, muscular and dripping. “Well, what are you looking at?” A smile flashed across Liam’s face. “Get the dog!”
“I’m getting him!” she yelled back, but Lucky was already past her again, back to the living room. He circled the room twice before Mina could get hold of herself. Liam blocked the entrance to the kitchen.
“Okay,” he called. “When Lucky comes around again, we’re both going to corral him into the bathroom. It’ll take both of us, so be ready.”
“I’m ready,” she yelled, adrenaline spiking like a chorus of bells in her veins. “I’m ready. I got this—”
But on the next go-round, Lucky slipped right through her fingers. The dog was just too wet. Liam came running after, arms wide, his fingertips brushing against her collarbone. It lit up her body from the inside out. Mina wanted to sag against the wall and just breathe through the sensation, but no—no way. Not when there was a dog loose in the house. Not when she was supposed to be helping.
She got to the bathroom door a few seconds after Liam. Lucky circled his legs and tried to get out one last time, but Mina dropped to her knees, throwing her arms around Lucky’s neck. The dog licked her face over and over again, tail beating the floor. Mina laughed. She was not the type to let dogs lick her face, but this was for a higher purpose.
“Come on, Lucky, over here!” Liam clapped his hands, and finally, finally Lucky wheeled around and trotted back into the tub. Mina knelt down next to Liam and the two of them took turns rinsing the remaining soap from Lucky’s fur, all three of
