Pepper sat at his feet.
“How did you do that? He never listens.”
He dried Pepper’s feet with the towel, apparently ignoring the question.
“Labradoodle?”
You know dogs? She was intrigued by the dichotomy of him. He was sharp, brooding, and maybe even a little cold, yet Pepper followed him to the fireplace as if he were handing out doggy biscuits. Leanna couldn’t help but notice the way Kurt’s wet jeans hugged his body. His very hot body. He crouched before the fireplace, his shirt clinging tightly to his broad back, his sleeves hitched up above his bulging biceps, and she made out the outline of a tattoo on his upper arm.
“Yeah, Labradoodle. How’d you know? He looks like a wet mutt right now.”
He shrugged, expertly fashioning a teepee of kindling, then starting a small fire. “Where’s your place?” He slid an annoyed look at Pepper and shook his head.
“Um, my place?” she said, distracted as much by Pepper’s obedience as by Kurt’s tattoo. What is that? A snake? Dragon?
He looked at her with that amused glint in his eyes again. “House? Cottage? Campsite?”
“Oh, cottage. Sorry.” She felt her cheeks flush. “It’s about a mile and a half from here. Seaside. Do you know it? My parents own it. I’m just staying for the summer. I’ve known the other people in the community forever, and Pepper likes it there.”
He looked back at the fireplace, the amusement in his expression replaced with seriousness. “Come over by the fire. Warm up.”
She tossed the towels on the counter and joined him by the fire, shivering as she warmed her hands.
He kept his eyes trained on the fire.
“Did you drive here?” He picked up a log in one big hand and settled it on the fire.
“No. I biked.”
“Biked?”
“I bike here a couple times each week with Pepper, but we usually go the other way down the beach. Pepper just took off this time. I left my bike by the public beach entrance.”
His eyes slid to Pepper, then back to the fire. “I don’t know Seaside, but let me change and I’ll drive you home.” He headed toward the stairs with Pepper on his heels. Kurt stopped and stared at the dog. Pepper panted for all he was worth. Kurt looked at Leanna, as if she could control the dog.
Fat chance. “He’s not really an obedient pet.” She shrugged.
Kurt picked up Pepper and brought him to Leanna. “Hold his collar.”
Okay, then. She looped her finger in Pepper’s collar and watched Kurt go into the kitchen and wipe the floor with the towel he’d given her. Then he wiped the counter with a sponge before disappearing into the alcove by the kitchen. He returned with a laundry basket, tossed the dirty towels in, and then returned the basket to where he’d found it and climbed the stairs.
“Guess he doesn’t really like dirt…or dogs after all,” she said to Pepper.
Pepper broke free and ran up the stairs after Kurt.
Leanna closed her eyes with a loud sigh.
Just shoot me now.
Chapter Two
KURT STOOD IN the bright bathroom in a fresh pair of black Calvin Klein briefs, drying the remaining dampness from his arms and legs. His night of writing was shot. How was he supposed to concentrate on writing a dark thriller with a wet dog and an insanely sexy woman in the room? Her clothes clung to every curve of her womanly body, and it had taken all his focus to look away. And she was cute, too. Real cute, the way she fought him to save that darn dog. Pepper. Pepper? The dog was white, not an ounce of black on the thing anywhere. Pepper? How about Salty or Sugar? He shook his head, thinking about the way she looked up at him with those almond-shaped hazel eyes of hers, all flustered as she tried to wipe up the floor.
He ran his hand through his wet hair, tossed his drenched clothing into the rattan hamper, and went into the bedroom to get dressed.
“Are you kidding me?” Pepper was sprawled across his white comforter. “Get off there.” Pepper sat up and panted eagerly.
Great. Wet dog smell. Kurt tucked Pepper under one arm and tugged the blanket off the bed with the other, bundled it under his arm, and carried both downstairs.
“Here.” He handed the dog to Leanna and took the blanket to the laundry room, mumbling under his breath about his muse running away as he filled the washer and tossed the blanket in. He was about to head upstairs when Leanna’s stare stopped him cold.
“What?”
“Um. Nothing.” She crinkled her nose, dropped her eyes, and trapped her lower lip between her teeth.
Too darn cute.
He followed her gaze south to his briefs and realized he’d forgotten to finish dressing.
He uttered a curse and shook his head. “Thank Pepper for that.” He went back upstairs to dress and swore he heard her whispering thank you to the dog.
Kurt returned with a Duke sweatshirt and another dry towel. “Here.” He handed the sweatshirt to Leanna. “I don’t want you to freeze. You can change in the bathroom.”
“Thank you, but I only live a few minutes away. I don’t want to take your stuff.”
“Really, it’s fine.” He walked to the door and slipped his feet into his flip-flops. When he turned around, her bare back was to him, the thin pink line of her bra barely visible beneath her wet, dark hair. Kurt’s eyes followed her smooth, tanned skin down the graceful curve of her back to the flare of her hips in her low-rise shorts. A second later the pink, lacy bra fell to the ground and his sweatshirt slipped over her head, covering that beautiful back—and leaving him hot all over.
She turned around with a sweet smile and a sigh. “That’s so much better.”
He shook his head again to knock himself out of his gawking stupor. “I’m sorry. I thought…” He looked toward the alcove by the stairs. “The bathroom is right over there.”
“Oh, I’m not shy.” She swatted the air. “Besides, I had my back to you, so it’s not like you saw me naked. Thank you, by the way. This is so much comfier than my wet shirt and that awful bra.” She shivered.
Awful bra? “Are…?” He cleared his throat in an effort to clear the image of her bare back from his mind. It didn’t work. “Are you ready to go?”
“Sure. Thanks again.” She joined him by the door.
He looked down at her bare feet. “Shoes?”
“Oh gosh. I didn’t even notice. I think I lost them in the water. It’s okay. I have more.” She went out the door with a bounce in her step and ran through the rain to the passenger side of his liquid-silver Mercedes SL convertible.
Kurt carried Pepper to the car to keep his paws from getting muddy again. After Leanna settled into the passenger seat, he set the towel at her feet and placed Pepper on top of it.
“Stay,” he commanded. By the time he started the car, Pepper had inched his way across Leanna’s lap to the center console, where he put his fluffy white face on his front paws and breathed through his nose, blinking his big, dark eyes at Kurt.