Page 2

Chapter two

Rhett

Can’t say that I expected to spend my night having a standoff with a black and grey puppy with the floppiest ears you’re ever gonna see, but here we are.

“Listen, little lady, there’s no gettin’ around it. You’re gonna do your business before you come inside.”

Her head cocks to the side, and I’m fighting a grin at how dang cute she is.

“C’mon now, let’s get this over with,” I cajole, crouching down to scratch her ears. All that earns me is a wet tongue along my forearm. I chuckle and straighten to stand before gently tugging the leash to get her walking.

“Fine, let’s try somewhere else.”

Swear on my mama’s heart, if the guys saw me sweet-talking a puppy, they’d die laughing. I’m a charmer, I don’t try to deny it. But normally my talents are best used on gorgeous women. Not dogs.

It takes a few more minutes, but finally, the little princess squats down and takes care of things.

“There you go, little lady,” I murmur, scooping her up into my arms. “Now we can go inside and get you some grub in that belly of yours.”

I carry the pup into my building. She whimpers at the elevator, but Evie had warned me she was nervous of them when we left Yami’s.

Evie. Now there’s a gorgeous woman. Long, cascading black hair, delicate features on a face that shows every emotion, a strong body, yet soft in the right places. She’s short, I noticed that yet again when I was standing next to her earlier. She’d fit perfectly under my arm. And fuck, she smelled like jasmine floating in the breeze on a warm summer evening.

But none of that matters. She’s my best friend’s little sister. That alone makes her off-limits.

Which is what I have to remember, at all costs. Even if after six years of knowing her, she’s no longer a teenager but rather a stunning young woman. One so full of compassion and fire, and one who has me struggling to stop imagining all the forbidden ways I want to get to know this grown-up version of her.

The ding of the elevator reaching my floor breaks me free from the dangerous direction my thoughts are headed. I stride down the hall, unlock my door, set the dog down, and close and lock it behind me before sinking to the floor.

The puppy immediately clambers back up into my lap, front paws landing on my chest. Her wet tongue is soft on my skin, but I don’t push the dog away.

Until she licks my ear.

“Okay. That’s enough of that.” I set her down in my lap, gently guiding her to lie down so her head is on my knees, her belly stretched out in front of me. She wriggles from side to side as I tickle her belly, her adorable antics providing the distraction I hoped she would.

Agreeing to take the dog was one thing. Agreeing to have Evie stay here? That might be the first sign I’m slipping into madness. What the hell was Yami thinking? The problem is, I know exactly what he was thinking. He figured his best friend was the perfect person to help his little sister out, because in his mind, she’s like a sister to me, too.

Except the feelings toward Evie that I’ve been trying to ignore for years?

Definitely not brotherly.

My phone starts to vibrate in my pocket, and I twist to the side to pull it out, already knowing who it is.

“Hey Mama.” I grin as her face fills the screen.

“Hey, baby, how’s my favorite boy?”

“I’m fine. Had dinner with Yami and his sister.” I lean back against the door, holding the puppy out of sight for now. I know exactly how she’ll react, and I’d rather have a bit of conversation first.

“Oh, how nice. How are they doin’?” Mama’s on her old couch, a cup of tea in her hand. It’s late in Tennessee, but she calls me like clockwork every week at this time.

“Good. Evie just finished her degree.” I debate telling her about my new roommate situation but decide not to. “Yami’s the same as always. A pain in my ass.”

Mama laughs. “You two always were trouble. But that Evie, she’s one smart cookie.” My mom’s met Yami and Evie, and their parents, a couple of times over the years. It was inevitable with how long Yami and I have played ball together.

I nod. She is. Smartest woman I know, not that I’ll say that to Mama. Of course, the puppy chooses that moment to decide she’s done being ignored and digs her razor-sharp teeth into my finger.

“Ow, you little rascal, that ain’t cool.” I pull my finger free and examine it. There’s puncture marks but no blood. Still, I scowl at the puppy who’s got an innocent look on her furry face.

“Rhett? Who are you talking to?”

My head lifts to look at the phone. “Sorry, Mama.” I lift the puppy in my arms, but she’s not content to stay still, wriggling back and forth, slipperier than an eel. “Evie found this little lady on the road this mornin’. Since Kai can’t have pets at his apartment, I’m the lucky one who gets to hang on to her for now.”

As expected, my mother’s squeal is high-pitched and beyond excited. She’s retired now but was a veterinary assistant when I was younger, so we always had dogs running around. And chickens, cats, even a couple of goats at one point. My grandparents had some land outside Knoxville where Mama and I stayed for a couple of years after my father passed, and they had horses, along with all our other animals.

“Look at that gorgeous little face,” Mama croons. “Hold the phone still, Rhett, I want a good look at my grandpuppy.”

“Mama,” I groan, rising to stand so I can prop the phone up against the basket of fruit on my kitchen counter. “She’s not mine, don’t go getting attached.”

But even as I say that, I dutifully hold the puppy as still as I can manage, so Mama can get a good look at her.

“Oh, she’s so sweet. What a good girl, yes, you are, you’re the very best girl.”

My smile is unavoidable. Making my mother happy is always my goal. Has been ever since Dad died, leaving the two of us alone. He told me to take care of her, and I have. Always will.

“Listen, I need to get this little one fed, and then figure out where she’s gonna sleep. Evie’s stopping by tomorrow with some supplies, but for now, it’s just me and her.”

“You’ve always got cooked chicken in that big ol’ fridge of yours, heat some of that up with some sweet potato or rice. And make sure you give her a comfortable space of her own, maybe the bathroom. She’ll be happier in a small room.”

I smother my chuckle at how quickly she moved into animal welfare mode. “Yes, Mama. I know.”

Her face melts back into one of pure adoration. “Of course, you do. You’re a good boy, Rhett. You’ll take good care of her.”

I haven’t been a boy for a long time, but I don’t remind Mama of that. “Yes, ma’am.” We say goodnight, and I set the puppy down as I move into the kitchen. Just as Mama predicted, there’s containers of diced chicken breast and sweet potato already in my fridge, precooked and labeled, thanks to my obsession with meal prepping for the weeks when I’m at home.

Scooping some of each into a plastic container, I mash it together, add some warm water to make it easier for her puppy teeth, then set it on the ground. Seeing as all Kai had earlier that was safe for a puppy to eat was some eggs we scrambled up quickly, I’m not surprised when she devours the food quickly now.

“Hungry girl,” I say softly, running my hand down her back. “No more or you’ll make yourself sick. But we’ll get some proper food tomorrow. ”

Now that she’s fed, I turn my attention to figuring out sleeping arrangements. But once again, mother knows best. I grab some old towels and lay them out on the floor of my en suite bathroom before removing anything she could get into.

I go through my own nighttime routine quickly with the puppy pouncing on my toes the entire time. Guess she didn’t get the memo that it’s bedtime. Too bad, because I’m exhausted and tomorrow’s a long day of practice and a game in the evening.

“Good night, little lady,” I say when I’m done, turning the light down low and closing the door.

Her whimpers are audible through the door, same as the scratch of claws against the wood. I stay silent for a few minutes to see if she’ll settle, and after a minute or two, it seems she does. Turning onto my side, I close my eyes.

I open them again, barely a handful of minutes later, when the whimpering starts again, this time escalating into a louder whine.

Tossing off the covers, I climb out of bed and open the door to see her sitting there, tail wagging back and forth.

“Listen up, it’s bedtime,” I say firmly. “That means no whining, just sleeping. You’re safe, you’re warm, you’re fed. Now hush.” Closing the door again, I wait with only the tiniest bit of hope that she’ll listen.

This time, I manage to get back into bed, pull the covers up, close my eyes, and start to drift off before she starts up again.

With a growl, I get out of bed once more. When I open the door again, she darts through my legs and tries to jump onto my bed. Her attempts are cute, her little tail wagging as she looks over her shoulder at me.

“You’re trouble, aren’t you,” I rumble, giving in to the inevitable. I know Mama would scold me for spoiling her, but damn it, I need sleep.

I lift her up onto the bed before climbing back in myself. She immediately makes herself at home, curling into a little ball next to me before letting out a big yawn.

“You pee in this bed and we’re gonna have a problem,” I mumble, but it’s too late. Her little puppy eyes are already drifting closed.