Page 13 of Hot Winter Nights (Bear Mountain Rescue 1)

“Aw, pumpkin, come here.” Without asking, she took the puppy from Dex, snuggling him close to her chest. “You are so freaking cute. Where did he find you?”

“I found him this afternoon. Someone had dumped him, probably because he’s got a deformed paw. He was a sad little pup at first, but after a couple of baths and some grub, he finally started to perk up.”

Allie held the puppy out, studying the paw, and he scrambled to get close to her again, his little tongue darting out toward her. Laughing, she let him lick her nose and hugged him once more. “What kind of dog is he?”

“My best guess is a sheltie. He looks like a tiny Lassie, right?”

“He does.” As Dex reached out and stroked Kermit’s head, his hand brushed Allie’s collarbone and they both stilled. Staring at each other over the puppy’s head, she said, “It was good that you stopped. He might have died out there.”

“I’d never leave an animal like that.”

“Just like you wouldn’t shoot the raccoon when you knew you could have him tranquilized and relocated.”

Was it the fire finally warming her or had the temperature suddenly amped up?

“I told you, I didn’t want the mess,” he said softly.

“I don’t believe you. I think underneath the dickish exterior, you’re a big old softy.”

Was she actually flirting with Dex?

Danger! Danger! Abort!

“That’s what you think, huh?” He leaned a little closer, and whether it was the lull of his voice or the whisky clouding her judgment, she did the same.

“

Yeah. Am I wrong?”

His lips were so close and he smelled so good that she licked her own.

“Absolutely.”

Allie closed her eyes, anticipation humming through her body.…

The loud pounding on the front door made her jerk back, and his hound started baying.

Dex sat back, his expression unreadable. “That would be Luke.”

Realizing what almost happened, Allie moved away from Dex on the couch. “You should probably get that.”

He stood up without another word and went to grab the door. Meanwhile, Allie kissed Kermit on the head, cursing herself. That’s it. No more whisky. No more raccoons. And definitely no more alone time with Dex Belmont.

Chapter 9

Dex walked out of the cabin with Luke, grimly. By the time they’d gone back inside Allie’s home, the raccoon was gone. They’d boarded up the hole with a piece of cardboard, but it was only a temporary fix. If the raccoons really wanted in, they could do it with very little effort.

Which meant that Dex either needed to repair it tonight or let Allie stay in his guest room and come over to take care of it in the morning.

Or she could just share my bed.

No, that was a bad idea. He couldn’t get involved with her, especially after what Hunter had said the other night. It was one thing to have a casual thing with his tenant—that’d be wrong in itself—but to screw over his best friend?

He wasn’t that much of an asshole.

After Luke left, Dex made his way back to his place and found Allie on the floor of his living room, playing with Kermit. When she looked up at him, he forgot for a second that Hunter had called dibs and she wasn’t meant for him.

What he really wanted to do was cross the room and kiss her, just to see what she tasted like.

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