the ears.
She wrinkled her nose, a deep sigh slipping past her lips. “You’re not an asshole. Arrogant, yes, but it would seem you actually give a damn about something other than yourself.”
I fought to keep from laughing at her comment. “The one thing the military teaches you is that you’re nothing but worm sweat. That was a tough lesson to learn, especially for a guy like me.” I expected another huffy remark, but she remained quiet for a few seconds. When she spoke, her tone was far softer than before.
“Everyone has worth.”
“Not according to the military, at least not until you are able to follow their rules.”
Danni acted as if she wanted to say something, but when she clenched her jaw, my frustration level shot through the roof. For some dumbass reason, I thought I was breaking through the thick coat of armor she had encased around her. Guess I was wrong.
“You know what? You need your space. I’ll be outside.” When she didn’t say anything, I stormed my way out of the clinic, not bothering with grabbing my coat. The last few days had been exhausting, my mind rattled from the constant nightmares. Now this. As I walked off the porch, I studied the moon that seemed to be hanging low in the sky. There was even a blue haze shadowing the eerie glow, the way a few clouds passed over giving the giant orb an ominous appearance.
I couldn’t take my eyes off the sky for a few minutes, trying to process everything that had happened over the last couple of days. The odd nagging remained in my gut that for all Danni’s pontificating, there was a distinct reason for her concern.
However, why the hell did she continue to have an attitude? I knew there was more to what limited information she’d allowed me to hear. She was far too intelligent and thoughtful to be so jaded, or so it seemed given her love of animals. Still, Danni and I were like oil and water. My rational brain told me nothing good would come of attempting to pursue what we’d shared before.
Then why did I remain so freaking turned on?
I thought about leaving but the truth was I cared about the welfare of the dog, maybe more than I should. With no identification, the only other option was taking him to the pound when he was fully recovered if an owner didn’t come forward. Nope. That wasn’t going to happen. I also wanted to break through Danni’s barriers, finding out what she remained so guarded about. While I’d questioned the foreman about her baseless accusations, Tanner didn’t seem to want to be forthcoming in his answers. Was there a presence in town who’d put the fear of God into the majority of the ranchers?
After a solid fifteen minutes, I walked back inside, shaking my head at the sight of the way she was leaning against the dog’s cage. At least she seemed at peace and the dog was resting comfortably. “Danni, it’s late. Maybe I should go, but I want to know the dog’s condition. I’ll give you my phone number so you can call me if there are any changes.”
When she didn’t answer, I couldn’t help but grin as I walked closer, leaning over. She’d fallen asleep. I pressed my finger against my lips when Zorro got to his feet. I studied her serene face and slightly open lips, the way her eyelids continued to shimmy, as if she hadn’t fallen into a deep sleep just yet and I suddenly felt as if I needed to protect her.
“Jesus.” I glanced down at Zorro, lifting my eyebrows. “What should I do, buddy?”
His single woof gave me a smile.
“Yeah, you’re right.”
The moment I gathered her into my arms, she moaned, nuzzling closer. Inhaling, the scent of her was all I needed to have another jolt of electricity searing every nerve ending. “Let’s get you out of here.” She felt perfect in my arms, as if she was always meant to be there. Hell, I could get used to her incredible intoxicating scent reverberating through every muscle and tendon.
Seconds later, she slapped her hand against my chest, struggling to open her eyes. “What…”
“Shush.”
“No, I… I need to stay,” she muttered, still in the same defiant tone I was used to.
“It’s all right. I don’t think you can do anything else for the baby. I’m going to take you back to your house.” The feel of her in my arms was exhilarating,