Maia’s gaze jumped to his. Held there. “A young boy dragged from the stable, kicked, beaten around the head and shoulders. Something thin and long hitting the child over and over. The boy screaming. The man was about your height, but thinner. Once he dragged the boy out by his hair. He slapped him repeatedly in the face.” She swallowed, rubbed her hand over her face as if to clear away the memories. “The boy was Jase and the abuse didn’t just happen once.” She pressed her fingertips against her eyelids again as if she could shut out the vision. “I hate that I know these things because there’s never anything I can do about it.”
Cole’s palm curved around the nape of her neck, his fingers massaging the tension out of her. “It never occurred to me that animals would be witnessing crimes.”
“Just because they can’t talk doesn’t mean they don’t see things.”
Cole turned over her revelation in his mind, over and over. It was a fascinating premise. Could it be true? He had his hand on her, could feel the tension running through her body. She was waiting for him to scoff at her, yet the idea that she could really “see” memories of an animal was bizarre. She could easily have guessed the things that had happened to Jase.
“What about the attack on the horse? Who drove him into the fence?”
“A large man, tall with wide shoulders. It couldn’t have been Jase. He’s small and thin, and Wally likes him.”
“Tall like me, you mean,” Cole said, his voice cool.
“Yes, but Wally likes you too.” It sounded so stupid. Utterly ridiculous. Maia shook her head, her face flaming. “I know it sounds weird. Go ahead, tell me I belong in a mental institution.”
The pad of his thumb absently stroked her pulse. Each brush sent small tongues of fire licking over her skin. Electricity seemed to leap from his skin to hers. She forced air through her lungs, waiting for him to react. Waiting for his condemnation.
“Who told you that you were crazy?” he asked quietly.
She flinched. She tried not to, but she couldn’t prevent her reaction. “Does it matter? It does sound crazy.”
“I think so.”
She lifted her chin, her turquoise eyes blazing into his. “A man I dated. Another vet. I thought we were close, and he asked me how I managed to figure out what was wrong all the time with wild animals, and I was dumb enough to answer him.”
“And he said you were crazy?”
“I don’t blame him. Unfortunately, he told everyone at the clinic, including the pet owners, and I was out of work. That I did blame him for.”
Cole leaned in close and brushed his lips, feather-light over hers. Her heart somersaulted. “He was the idiot, Maia.” He pulled back slightly, blinking so that her attention was drawn from his mouth to his lashes. He was so masculine, but for those incredible eyelashes. She wanted to touch his face, to feel his skin. Cole Steele was totally mesmerizing, and she could see why women fell so easily under his spell.
“You’re way out of my league, Steele. Sit over there somewhere and stop touching me.” She pointed to a chair across the room.
“Am I getting to you?” A ghost of a smile flickered over his mouth for the briefest of moments.
Maia’s heart stuttered in reaction. She’d never seen him smile, and she couldn’t actually call the curve to his lips a smile, it hadn’t lit his blue eyes, but it was enough for her to know if he ever did, she would melt. “Yes.”
Cole didn’t move, his gaze going hot as it moved over her face, focusing on her mouth. “It’s about time.”
“Stop that.” His mouth was only a scant few inches from hers. She could feel the warmth of his breath. His body leaned into hers, his chest bumped against her knees. His palm was still curled around the nape of her neck, and his thumb swept over her jaw. Her stomach tightened. “You’re dangerous.” Her voice came out in a whisper. An ache.
“I thought I was, but I’ve changed my mind.” His lips brushed a second time over hers. Teasing. A caress that wasn’t quite a caress. “I’ve decided you’re the dangerous one. I tell myself to stay away from you, but I just can’t seem to do it.” His lips tempted hers again. Firming. Coaxing. His tongue stroked across the seam of her mouth. His teeth tugged on her lower lip.
Maia gasped and let him in. Let him stake his claim. His mouth pressed firmly against her, hot and moist and all too expert. Somehow he wedged his body between her legs, pulling her close, his arms strong as they wrapped around her. Her body went boneless, the heat leaping like a wildfire between them.
His fingers snagged in her hair and she yelped. They pulled apart, staring at one another, Maia gulping for air. His fingertips moved gently over her scalp. “I’m sorry, I got carried away.”
“I’ll say you did!” Jase’s voice was stern.
Cole turned to find the boy leaning his hip against the doorway, his arms across his chest, a frown on his face.
“Would either of you like to tell me what’s going on?” Jase asked straight-faced, effectively reducing his older brother to a teenager caught necking.