Obsession Falls (The Haven Brothers #1)

“Okay, Max. Let’s go home.”

He happily obeyed, falling in step beside her as she started picking her way through the pine needles.

Limping. In her heels.

I was at the top of a big-ass hill with a dog covered in either shit or the rotting remains of a dead animal, or both, with a woman limping in her heels who was absolutely not my problem.

Except she was. She really, really was.

Damn it.

“Audrey, wait.” I moved in front of her, so I was on the downhill side, and bent my knees. “Hop on.”

“You don’t have to carry me.”

“Just get on.”

She put her hands on my shoulders and jumped up. I caught her legs around my waist and hitched her up so she was secure on my back. Then I started down the hill.

Fortunately, Max the stinking dog trotted along with us. Maybe it was my imagination, but he seemed awfully proud of himself.

I was a lot more aware of the instability of the hillside on the way down. Rocks rolled downhill and the bed of pine needles felt slick under my boots. The last thing I needed was to drop her or fall on my ass.

We made it to the bottom in one piece with the dog still following. He ran to a tree in her backyard and peed on it, which seemed both natural and an oddly appropriate end to our dog rescue mission. He had no idea the problem was only half solved. Now we had to figure out how to get him clean.

I set Audrey down.

“Give me two seconds,” she said. “I don’t want to do this in work clothes.”

“He better not run off again.”

“I know. But I’m not letting him in the house like that.”

“Just hurry.”

She ran around the front while I eyed her dog. He seemed content to sniff the grass. How he could smell anything but himself was beyond me.

A few minutes later, she came out the back door, dressed in a t-shirt and cutoffs. Her feet were bare and she had a bottle of dog shampoo and a big blue towel.

The house did have a hose. Max wanted to attack the water and since neither one of us wanted to grab and hold onto him, we did our best. At least he seemed to be enjoying the process. Once he was somewhat clean, Audrey took off his collar. It was caked with shit or dead animal or whatever it was. She tossed it aside.

“I have an extra in the house. I don’t think that one’s salvageable.”

“Agreed. Toss it.”

After a good rinse, it was time to soap him up. That part he loved. Not surprising, considering it was like having two people pet him all over simultaneously.

“You better be careful,” I said. “He’s going to do that again just to get a bath.”

“He does love his baths, although usually they’re not with freezing hose water.”

“I’m just glad he’s not running away again.”

“Oh my gosh, same.” She leaned in and sniffed her dog. “I can’t tell if the smell is gone. I think it’s just in my nose now, but I’m not sure.”

I got close and inhaled deeply. “I don’t smell it anymore.”

“Are you sure?”