She looked at Chewie, lying beside Mac. “I’ll have to leave my boy here. He’s not on patrol with me yet, obviously.”
“Hey, it won’t be long.” Alex’s voice had gone soft and deep. He laid his hand on her upper arm and zing! Electricity shot through her. “I mean it, you’re doing great.” Now he was back to an even lower growl and there was definite color in his face. “Let’s get these guys inside. I have to feed the others and let them run around for a bit, then I can clock out and we can go. Though I never really clock out, either.”
They called the dogs and started inside. “So you’re on-call too?”
“Twenty-four seven. What’s nice though is that I’m staying on the hill. My job provides a little house just outside of the gates so if there’s an emergency with one of the dogs, I can be here in five minutes.”
“A house. Nice bonus.”
“Especially around here, housing prices being what they are.”
“Yeah, don’t remind me.”
They entered the kennels where several dogs waited for dinner. The dog in the farthest kennel on the end looked like a monster compared to the others, mostly Malinois with a lab here and there. The name on his kennel said “Buster” and the name looked fitting. He was some sort of mix, maybe some pitbull, maybe Rottie. But he cowered like a frightened pup while Alex and one of his assistants, Jodie, took care of him.
Sylvie and Alex kept the subject to dog training and taking care of Chewie. With another person there, Sylvie felt self-conscious the whole time, which was completely unlike her. George and Cynthia had taught her from day one to take pride in herself and never feel intimidated just because of her previous circumstances, that she was the equal of anyone.
When they finished, Alex told his assistant to have a good night while Sylvie was giving Chewie extra pets before closing up the large kennel. She realized it was their first time apart overnight since she’d gotten the dog as a puppy.
“Everything all right?” Alex asked as he knelt beside her, his voice gentle.
“Yes. No.” She smiled sadly and shook her head.
He placed one hand on her shoulder and stroked Chewie’s head with the other. She moved her hand down to the dog’s ruff under his chin. Her good boy looked like he was in heaven—about how she felt with Alex so close. If only it were under better circumstances.
“He’s going to be just fine here tonight. He’s right up next to his buddy.” Alex nodded at Mac in the adjacent kennel. “I’ll leave Mac here tonight so that Chewie can settle in.”
She looked at Alex. “You don’t need to do that.”
His eyes softened. “It’s not a problem. Mac’s just as happy here as he is at the house, probably more since he’s with his buddies. I’d rather Chewie be as comfortable as possible, especially since he’s training.”
She bit her lower lip. “I hope this doesn’t screw everything up.”
“Hey.” Alex leaned in closer. How could he possibly smell this good after a day of training dogs? But the clean scents of fresh air and pine and salt lifted from his skin and filled her senses and she fought not to bite her lower lip. “There is no doubt in my mind that you’re gonna make it onto the K9 unit.”
“Frank’s really good, too.”
“He is, no question. But I think you want it more.” His eyes darted to her lips for the briefest moment, sending a shiver through her.
Alex abruptly stood, depriving her of his warmth, touch, and good scent. Then, he offered her his hand and helped her up. He let go too quickly for her taste.
Whoa. Keep it professional, Madden.
“I know Chewie’s in the best of hands here. I’m more afraid of how I’m going to do tonight without him.”
She’d intended to be humorous, but Alex studied her, his eyes serious and intense.
“I get it,” he said, and she knew he really understood. His intensity heightened her arousal.
He motioned for her to go ahead of him and they headed for the parking lot. They decided to drive separately in case she got a call. “Guess you don’t want to ride in the back seat of my car anyway, huh?” she asked as she opened the door to her police cruiser. God, why am I being so lame?
But at least he laughed good-naturedly. “Not if that’s your only car.”
“Actually, it isn’t. My baby’s a beauty.”
He stopped dead before stepping into the black Watchdog SUV. “You like cars, huh?”
“That’s putting it mildly.”
He gave her a quick once over that made her spine tingle despite the heat. “Now I know what else we’re going to talk about over dinner.”
And they did. Over a platter of loaded nachos, they discussed the merits of various muscle cars versus trucks until Sylvie’s radio crackled all too soon, breaking the spell. Ironically, it was a call about trouble at the bar they’d joked about going to earlier.
“Damn. That’ll teach me to order an appetizer and a main,” she said as she pulled out her wallet.
“No way am I letting you pay.” Alex fixed her with the same intense stare she’d been enjoying for the last painfully brief twenty minutes. She couldn’t decide if his eyes were closer to the color of dark, wet river stones or the grey storm clouds that tumbled over each other on their way over the foothills on late summer afternoons.
“But that’s not fair to you. I’m not even staying for dinner.” She stood up and he rose from his chair as well.
“Doesn’t matter. You have tomorrow off, right?” he asked as he walked with her to the front of the restaurant.
“Right. My partner’s been on vacation, and between that and training Chewie, my shifts are thrown off at the moment. Anyway, I’m bringing Chewie’s things up first thing.”
“New plan. I’ll meet you at your place tomorrow morning with leftovers you can throw in the fridge and I’ll drive you up to Watchdog to take care of Chewie. And then we’ll…just see where the day takes us from there.”
She stopped at the door, turned, and looked at him. “Nope.”
His face fell, much to her joy.
“No?” he asked.
“No. I’m driving you.”
“Uh-uh. No way. You’re not driving me.”
She braved a wink. “You won’t say that when you see my baby.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Alex parked in front of Sylvie’s townhome the next day. She lived north of Boulder in a neighborhood full of cookie cutter houses and duplexes—nice, but a bit soulless, and not what he expected Sylvie to go for. But what would be more her speed? He realized he didn’t really know. She liked dogs and classic cars, so he imagined her someplace with land around it and a stunning view of the Flatirons.
Gonna imagine a big bank account for her, too?
Housing was not cheap in Boulder County, and had only become more expensive as people relocated to Colorado. Like himself.
He grabbed the white paper bag with her to-go container of enchiladas and what was left of the nachos, and started up the walkway to her front door. Alex had been tempted to bring both Mac and Chewie with him just to piss off any nosy neighbors peeking out the blinds, but realized that would only make things more tense for Sylvie.