Page 41 of Hot & Bothered

Cal was driving home from Denver when he got a text message from Asher asking him to swing by the ranch. His and Nate’s niece, Hannah, was house-sitting for them over Christmas while Nate and Asher attended a wedding in Canada. Cal already knew this, and was on standby if Hannah needed any help, but he hadn’t been anticipating getting a message from Asher so soon.

But Asher just wanted Cal to pop in and introduce himself to Hannah so she didn’t feel so awkward calling a stranger if she needed a hand.

Luckily, the Harris Brothers Ranch was on his way home, so he swung down the driveway and rumbled his black Chevy Silverado toward the farmhouse.

He clomped his boots up the freshly swept porch steps, opened the screen door and rapped his scarred and freckled knuckles against the worn wood.

A bark from inside told him that Bruno was there.

He loved Bruno.

And Bruno loved him.

Well, Bruno loved everyone, as long as they rubbed his belly. But Cal liked to think he and Bruno had a special relationship. Bruno understood Cal.

Bruno just wanted belly rubs. He didn’t need Cal to talk up a storm.

A simple dog for a simple man.

Cal thought about getting himself a dog like Bruno, but so far, he hadn’t connected with a pup or even a rescue dog the way he did with his friends’ dog.

The door opened to reveal an amber-eyed beauty with dark, curly hair in a high ponytail.

“Can I help you?” she asked, her jaw having dropped and eyes gone wide when she first opened the door and gave him a thorough and appreciative once-over.

He scratched the back of his neck, but then dropped to a crouch and scratched Bruno behind the ears when the dog started rubbing his sides up against Cal’s leg for attention. “Name’s Cal. Your uncles told me to stop by and check on things.”

Her growl had Bruno glancing up at her in surprise. “Seriously? They’ve been gone like thirty minutes. Did they honestly think I was going to torch the place that quickly?”

Cal shrugged. “Just doin’ as I’ve been asked. Thought I should come and introduce myself.” He continued to give Bruno attention, even when the dog rolled onto his back and shamelessly exposed his belly for rubs.

“Well, as you can see, Bruno is fine. I’m fine. The ranch is fine. The horses and goats are fine. Everything here isjustfine. So,” she flicked her fingers in front of her, “you can go.”

He’d heard from Asher and Nate, as well as Asher’s wife Triss, that Hannah was a fiery one. And he could certainly see her spark.

The smile that tugged at the corner of his mouth from her sass had him wanting to stick around just to see if she could turn those sparks into flames.

But he also didn’t want to upset her. The harsh set of her jaw told him she was a stubborn woman and probably didn’t like that her uncles had secured her a babysitter.

Standing up to his full height, which elicited a mild whimper of disappointment from Bruno, he gave her a curt nod, kept his head down and turned to go. “All right then. You take care. Call me if you need anything.”

“I won’t,” she said haughtily.

“Hope not.” The gravel crunched beneath his boots as he made his way to the truck. Bruno lumbered down the steps behind him and was hot on his heels.

“Bruno!” Hannah called. “Inside, boy.”

But Bruno wasn’t done with Cal and his tongue lolled out the side of his mouth as he smiled up at Cal and trotted beside him. “I know, boy, I want more time with you, too. But the lady has sent me on my way.”

Hannah snorted from the porch steps, her arms crossed over her chest as she glared at him.

He bent down and gave Bruno another ear scratch, which just made the dog’s tail go berserk, then he opened the door to his truck.

“Bruno, come on!” Hannah called again.

Bruno glanced back toward her, then up at Cal, then back to Hannah, then back to Cal.

Hannah made a frustrated noise in her throat, ducked back into the house,and came out with winter boots on. She made a point of stomping dramatically down the porch steps, then across the gravel driveway with the clumps of snow scattered around. “Come on, Bruno, in the house. I’ll give you a piece of cheese when we get inside.” She bent over and reached for his collar and hooked two fingers around it, giving the dog a gentle tug.

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