“What I don’t understand is why your tutu encouraged you to take dance lessons. She had to know you in a loincloth was not going to be good for local morals.”
“To the contrary. It’s a Hawaiian tradition. She’s very strong on tradition. I’ve been dancing since I was ten. She told my parents it would keep me off the streets and out of gangs.”
“I guess it worked. Does Law know about your talent?” He scowled at her and Yardley chuckled in delight. “Oh, now I’ll have leverage with you.”
“Nothing new about that.”
She watched for a few moments longer, wondering why he hadn’t brought it up. “Don’t you have any questions about why I’m here?”
“Oliver told me a woman was coming to us for a job as a handler. I’m guessing that’s you.”
“I need a job.”
“You need to explain that.”
She did, quickly, about Law deciding he wanted to settle down and making plans for marriage, and how it coincided with her desire to take a break from Harmonie Kennels.
He watched her with a careful eye, giving away nothing of his feelings in his expression. “Hm. You don’t have a job? I’ve always been attracted to strong independent working women.”
She tried to match his laid-back attitude. “That’s why I thought I should sign up with a SAR organization. I’ve always wanted to see the world. Work alone with a dog.” She sat up. “Oleg!”
“He’s with Oliver. Or rather, Oliver is with him. He texted during the night and sent his thanks. He slept in your hotel room last night as payment for his dog-sitting services.”
“How would he—?”
“He’s Oliver. He can talk nearly every woman out of her panties. I’m sure getting a key to your room wasn’t a stretch for him. Nor making friends with Oleg. He’s a dog man.”
“Remind me, I owe him a big fat kiss.”
“Over my dead body.”
Yardley just smiled.
Kye smiled, too. “As it happens, BARKS is always on the lookout for competent people. Of course, you’d have to pass muster with the bosses.”
“Oliver says you do all the hires.”
“So I guess you’ll have to get in good with me. How about you move in and we’ll discuss it?”
A cloud sailed past Yardley’s blue-sky smile. “It might be too soon.”
“I was thinking about those twelve years we wasted. But if you want more time.”
“No.”
She moved to straddle him in his chair, scissoring her legs so that his erection, poking up from the towel he’d wrapped around himself after a shower, could find her groove. “Show me the muscle dance again.”
He gazed down his good-as-new nose at her. “This is getting to be a habit with you.”
“Gee, I hope.”
She scooted up tighter and kissed him, hearing the stomp and rhythm of lust pulse in her blood. A rhythm as primitive as time.