Page 2 of Midnight Rain

Austin spun, horrified when he saw Lila peeing on the stranger’s boot. “Lila, no!” Setting his coffee back on the counter, Austin snatched her into his arms, mortified that she’d tinkled on someone. “I’m so sorry. She normally doesn’t do that!”

“She needs to be on a leash,” the guy behind Austin snarled. “Now I’m going to smell like dog piss.”

“You don’t have to be rude about,” Austin argued. “Accidents happen. Unfortunately it happened on your boot.”

Austin was confused, because Lila had never peed on anyone before. She started barking wildly at the stranger, wiggling in Austin’s arm like she wanted to attack the guy.

“You could have left her in your car,” the guy growled.

“It’s hot outside. What monster would do that to a poor animal?” Austin grabbed his drink, ready to get out of there, but the asshole wasn’t going to let it go.

“There’s nothing wrong with leaving your AC on for her if she’s in the habit of marking someone,” the guy said. “Or you could have left her at home.”

Austin drew closer, glaring up at the guy who had to be at least six-five. “I’m not from here, jerk. I just got to town literally ten minutes ago. I’m exhausted, need a shower, and my sparkling personality is absent until I drink this coffee, so save your lectures for someone else, bub.”

After being stalked by a guy who couldn’t take no for an answer, Austin wasn’t taking shit from anyone else. Of course, he understood why the stranger was upset, but he didn’t have to be a dick about it.

To make matters worse, Lila was still barking, and now growling, at the brute. Austin’s eyebrows shot up when Lila wiggled enough that she got free. Austin dropped her, along with his coffee, as she went after the guy.

He’d never seen her act this way toward anyone. “Lila, no!”

Just as she was about to clamp her teeth on the man’s pantleg, Ajax came around the counter and picked her up by her scruff.

“Don’t hurt her!” Austin was beside himself. She kept wiggling around like a windup toy, but Ajax rested Lila against his chest, talking softly to her.

Lila immediately grew quiet.

“Her scruff is a natural place to pick her up,” Ajax said quietly as he ran his hand down her back. “That’s how her mother carried her.”

Austin was in shock. Although she’d never acted this insane before, she normally didn’t like strangers. Now she was curled against the guy’s chest, trying desperately to lick his face.

“She can smell your cat,” Ajax said.

“I don’t have a cat,” Austin replied.

“Not you. I was talking to Cormac.” Ajax held Lila out, staring her right in the eye. “You can’t go around marking people just because you don’t like their smell. If you’re going to be in here, you have to behave.”

Lila whimpered, wiggling around until Ajax handed her back to Austin, who immediately took her and cradled her to his chest. She was more than just his dog. Lila was Austin’s emotional support right now.

“Let me clean up this mess and then I’ll make you another coffee, on the house.” Ajax walked through the door behind him, leaving Austin alone with Mr. Grump.

With a deep sigh, he turned around to face the guy. “I swear she’s never done that before. I’ve never had her around any cats, and Ajax said she smelled yours, so again, I apologize for her behavior.”

“Having a dog is a huge responsibility,” Cormac said. “Even if she’s never done that before, you should still keep her on a leash in public.”

Austin groaned. “I don’t need a lecture. I’ve had her for a few months. I know dogs are a responsibility.”

Exhaustion had already set in, and Austin wasn’t in the mood for a speech from some random guy, even if the guy had been peed on. Austin wasn’t normally so defensive, but after the hell he’d been through, and his long drive, he wasn’t himself.

“Here you go, again,” Ajax said from behind him.

Austin gave Mr. Grump, who was sexy as sin in a rugged sort of way, one last look before he thanked Ajax and walked out, praying he never saw Cormac again.

* * * *

By the time Austin pulled into Aunt Paloma’s driveway, he was seconds away from falling asleep. He’d told his aunt that he was going to get a motel room last night, but he’d drunk two Red Bulls and thought he could push through.

But now he was ready to fall into a coma. He cut the engine off, grabbed Lila, and got out. “I swear, you better behave in her house. She’s been nice enough to let me stay here until I find us something more permanent.”

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