Page 14 of Sheltering His Second Chance

“Chow.”

“Is cutting off my circulation,” she said without missing a beat.

Raven had a white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel. “Chow, hop in the back.” The dog did as commanded.

“It’s interesting that he is now very well-mannered.” She snorted.

“Do you like listening to music?” Maybe that could prevent anymore talking. He had a lot on his mind and needed to think.

“If you want to listen to some that’s fine.” She stared through the side window.

He switched through stations, found a half decent song and zoned out on the road ahead. Until she shifted and the hem of the skirt lifted higher on her knees. She had nice legs, he’d give her that.

He almost laughed at the absurdity of his thoughts. What was wrong with him? He’d known her for less than twenty minutes and she was already on his last nerve.

No way did he find her attractive.

Okay…he did.

Beautiful. The woman was damn beautiful.

And sexy to bot.

“How much longer?” she asked.

“Forty minutes, give or take.” He turned up the music a notch.

“Just in case you’re wondering, I really don’t cry. At least not often.”

“I wasn’t.” He eased back into the leather.

“Thank you for lending me your shirt. It would have been a long, uncomfortable ride wearing a damp shirt. Of course, I could have fished something out of my luggage.” She plucked at a piece of lint on her skirt.

“At the time, it seemed like you wearing my shirt was the easiest thing to do. And this way, you won’t get Chow’s hair all over your clothes,” Raven drawled.

She twirled a loose tendril of her hair around her finger. “Why didn’t Bonnie come along?”

He glanced at her across the stretch of the seat. “You don’t know?”

“Know what?” She lowered her sunglasses back over her face.

“Bonnie’s in the hospital for a couple of days. She had some issues with her diabetes, and some other complications, and the doctor wanted to keep an eye on her.”

There came the frown again. “Bonnie is in the hospital?” She rubbed her forehead. “And no one thought to tell me?”

“Her assistant must have dropped the ball on this one,” he said sarcastically.

“I would have appreciated her assistant contacting me…oh wait, that was a joke, wasn’t it?”

He smiled. “It’s only a joke if you found it funny.”

“I just assumed you didn’t joke with strangers.” She reminded him of what he said back at the airport.

Raven cleared his dry throat. “No one told me I wasn’t picking up Edgar.”

“I’d go out on a limb and suggest that Edgar didn’t tell Bonnie that he wasn’t coming.”

He heard the frustration in her tone. “He seems like that type.” Of course, Raven didn’t know the man, but judging from what Bill said about Edgar, the two butted heads often.

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