Home > Age Of Ava (Vested Interest : ABC Corp #4)(7)

Age Of Ava (Vested Interest : ABC Corp #4)(7)
Author: Melanie Moreland

He frowned and tapped his leg. “Cash, come here.”

The dog trotted to his side, gazing up at him with adoration. Hunter crouched down, running his hand over his neck. “How did you get off your leash?” Then he shook his head. “Where the hell is your collar?”

“That’s what I was wondering. He could have been hurt or taken,” I reprimanded him.

He narrowed his eyes. “He has one. He keeps getting off it, dammit.” He walked toward the huge oak tree closer to the house. He bent and picked up a long lead, a collar dangling from the end. “How is he doing this?”

“You didn’t notice he was gone?”

“When I checked him fifteen minutes ago, he was asleep on the porch, collar intact. Nothing indicated he had moved.” He narrowed his eyes at Cash. “You little bugger. That’s twice.” He glanced up at me. “I caught him yesterday and tightened the collar.” He held it up, and I took it from his hands, examining it.

“Um, this bit is broken.” I showed him. “It looks like it’s fastening, but all he has to do is yank it, and he’s free.”

Hunter stood and shook his head. “Well then, I guess he’s housebound until I get a new one.”

As if he knew what Hunter had said, Cash flopped down onto the ground, exhaling a long, low whimper.

Without thinking, I unbuckled my belt and pulled it from the loops. I bent and wrapped it around Cash’s neck. “If you cut this and add a hole here, this would work temporarily. You can clip the lead here.”

Hunter frowned. “It would ruin your belt.”

I laughed. “It’s old, and I don’t care.” I patted Cash’s head. “I hate to think of him cooped up in the house on such a great day.”

For a moment, Hunter said nothing, then he stopped and took the belt. He walked away, and I watched him covertly, admiring the way his jeans hugged his ass and thighs. He grabbed some tools from his truck and returned a moment later, the belt cut, a new hole in place. He fastened it around Cash’s neck.

“Say thank you to Ava. The Little Dragon saved you from being locked inside, you pain in the ass.” But his words were said without venom, and he stroked Cash’s great head, his touch gentle.

He stood, his gaze lingering, then he frowned. “Why is there blood on your jeans?”

I glanced down. “Oh, I tripped coming up the path.”

One moment, I was standing. The next, I was in his arms, being carried to the back of the truck.

“What the hell are you doing?” I yelped, clutching his shoulders.

He sat me on the edge of the open truck bed, pushing up my jeans. “Jesus, that’s a deep cut,” he muttered. He leaned across me, pressing me into his body as he rummaged behind me. His heat soaked into me the same way it did the other day. His scent filled my nose, warm and rich. I tried not to whimper.

He opened a first aid box, muttering the whole time. He refused to let me move as he cleaned and dressed the scrape. I gasped when the iodine hit my skin, and he muttered a terse apology, bending low and blowing on my knee. The pain faded as he lifted his gaze and our eyes locked.

He stilled, his eyes becoming liquid fire. They mesmerized me, stopping all coherent thought. Who he was, why he was here, didn’t matter. All that mattered was he was close and I wanted him closer. As if he knew what I was thinking, he stepped nearer, his body crowding between my legs. He settled his hands on either side of me, trapping me fully with his body.

“Should I kiss it and make it better?” he murmured, his voice raspy.

I lifted my arms, draping them over his shoulders. I slid my fingers into the thick hair that swept the back of his neck. He shivered and pushed closer, his mouth hovering over mine. “I think I need to make sure everything is in working order.”

I pulled him to my mouth. “Yes, yes, you do.”

His lips touched mine, and everything else disappeared.

He wrapped his arm around my waist, dragging me close to his chest as he kissed me. He tasted of coffee and mint, his lips slightly damp and salty from sweat. His tongue stroked along mine, exploring and possessive. He spread his hand wide on my back, his fingers pressing into my skin. He slid his other hand under my ass, lifting me closer. I felt his need pressing into me, driving my own up into a frenzy. Our tongues dueled and fought, retreated, and met again. He groaned low in his throat, and I whimpered as his hand slid closer to my center, the heat pooling and swirling in a whirl of desire. I gripped his neck, tugging on his hair, craving I had never experienced making me crazy.

Until a long, low howl came from the porch, and Hunter startled, stepping back. Our eyes clashed, desire burning. He ran a hand through his hair and cleared his throat. He broke our gaze to look over at Cash, who had somehow wrapped his lead around the broken post column and was trapped half on and half off the porch.

“You crazy mutt, why don’t you ever stay where I put you?” he muttered and headed over to free him.

I slid off the truck end, my legs shaky and breathing uneven. What the hell was I doing kissing Hunter?

Again, a little voice in my head whispered.

I had no idea who this man was. Or why I kept letting him kiss me. I knew better. The man was a stranger and, for all I knew, trespassing.

Reality returned, and I marched over to him. He straightened as I approached, my belt in his hand, Cash lying on the porch, looking happy to be free of it.

“Who are you anyway?” I demanded. “Why are you on Mr. Owens’s property?”

He narrowed his eyes. “I think the question is, why are you on my property?”

“Your property?”

He settled his hands on his hips. “My property. I inherited it from my grandfather.” He glanced in the direction I had come from. “The beach down there is private property as well. Why were you on it?” His narrowed eyes became a fierce glare. “Who the hell are you?”

Mr. Owens had a grandson?

“I’m Ava Callaghan. I knew your grandfather,” I offered, trying to understand.

“Callaghan?” he repeated. A deep frown crossed his face. “You’re her. You’re also one of them.” He shook his head. “The property isn’t for sale. Stop snooping around. Get off it.”

You’re her? What the hell did he mean by that?

“One of them? Snooping around?” I gasped. “I was bringing your dog back to you!”

“Well, you’ve done that, so you can leave now.” He turned his back, clearly dismissing me. His voice had gone from low and warm to furious and cold. His shoulders were stiff with tension, and he walked away. “You’re not welcome here, Ms. Callaghan. Leave my property,” he called over his shoulder. “Don’t come back.”

Furious, I stomped away, not looking back.

What an asshole.

I stopped at the top of the pathway. “If I had known who you were the other day, I wouldn’t have helped you!” I yelled.

“I wouldn’t have let you either,” he snarled back.

“I damn well wouldn’t have kissed you,” I mumbled, somehow knowing that was a lie.

I muttered all the way down the path and across the beach. I was so angry, I did it in record time, not slipping once. When I reached the large rock that jutted out and separated the two coves, I turned, surprised to see Hunter standing on the bluff, watching me.

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