Page 31 of Savior

Struck dumb, I can only stare as she crouches down to run her hands over the dog’s soaking wet fur. “You have a dog?”

She glances up at me, one hand still stroking over him. “I do now. I adopted him from the shelter today.”

“I’m an idiot.”

“Most men are,” she says offhandedly. “Did your aunt need something?”

“No, she uh—” I pull my gaze away from the dog and catch her curious look. “I wasn’t going to come here,” I say, still standing on the other side of the screen.

“Then why did you?”

I rub a hand over my closely cropped hair and then over my neck and roll my shoulders impatiently. “I wanted a beer.”

She opens her mouth. Closes it. Shakes her head with a confused laugh. “You wanted a beer?”

I take a step closer. “Do I have to stand on the porch talking through the door? This is becoming a bad habit of yours.”

“What?”

“Making people talk to you through a door.”

She takes a step back. I wonder if it is intentional or instinctual. All I know is that it makes me want to follow. “It’s the smart thing to do,” she says, and she’s probably right.

I pull the screen open then remember the locks and wait for her to undo them. When she does, I take a step forward. “Let me in, Sienna.”

“Logan, I—”

“I’m not here to get in your pants.” I grin at her when her mouth presses into a thin line, the color drains from her face, and I swear I see the walls around her fly back into place. Something about what I just said has her closing off again, and I don’t like it. “Well, that’s not true, but not tonight.” I try to back pedal, but she just closes into herself a bit more. I’m screwing this all up, so I switch my approach. “I just need to get out of my own head for a while. Will you help me do that?”

She hesitates for a second, arguing with herself. While she thinks it over, I hunker down to offer the dog a hand to sniff. He does so hesitantly, unsure of me. “What’s his name?”

“Rocky,” she says.

“That’s a good name for such a manly guy, huh?” I stay down until he licks my hand, ignoring the scent of wet dog. “He looks like he could use something to eat.”

“He was abandoned. They gave him a bath at the shelter, but when I got him home, we decided to do another just in case. He is in pretty bad shape.”

“I’ve always wanted a dog.” I give him a gentle rub, which is all he allows, and then stand.

“What kept you from getting one?”

I shrug. “I joined the Marines right after high school. Moved around too much and wasn’t home enough to keep one. Then after I got married, my wife never wanted one.”

She blinks at me. “You are married.”

“Was. Young and stupid,” is all I say. “We got divorced after I left the Marines. She didn’t believe fidelity applied when I was overseas.”

She studies me for a few long seconds, her blue eyes thoughtful as Rocky butts up against her legs. “I have some leftover casserole. Are you hungry?”

“I could eat, but only if it’s not out of pity.”

Her lips pull into a reluctant smile, and I know I’ll be finding more excuses to come to her house after work in the coming days.

“Pity you?” she teases. “Never.”

Piper

Iopen the fridge, grab the dish, and glance back over my shoulder to find his eyes on me. “You said you wanted a beer?”