quiet for a few seconds. “Rattler Wills it is. You know what? I think you just adopted him.”
When she ended the call before I could say anything, all I could do was stare at the screen. Hell, there were worse things than adopting a dog. Right? I shook my head and shoved the phone into my pocket before tipping my head toward the sky. It was definitely going to snow.
Great.
Chapter 9
Danni
Lies.
While I technically hadn’t lied to Mustang, I certainly hadn’t told him the truth, at least not in the entirety. I had a feeling he’d go ballistic if he knew about my mysterious caller after the auction. I’d made a few inquiries, calling around about the ranch I’d been lured to. The place was in foreclosure, now owned by the bank. However, in checking the records, the original owner had been Robert Cooper, now deceased. I’d been hoping to find that the holding company held the title, although that wasn’t a smoking gun, just another question that had no answer.
Nothing was making any sense. Had the ranch simply been used as a temporary holding location for the steer? Every other call I’d made had been futile. I wasn’t even certain what I was looking for.
I finished writing notes on the computer regarding the patients I’d seen earlier, pleasantly surprised that I’d even gotten a walk-in based on a recommendation. Maybe things were looking up. I pulled up Rattler’s file, finally adding his name, smiling from the last tests. His bloodwork was good, the sutures doing nicely.
I’d even taken the time to check online in case the pup had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, the owner actively searching for him. Not a single animal matched Rattler on the missing animal boards. That angered me almost as much as the close-range shot the pup had been forced to endure. After turning on the computer, I walked back into the small room, leaning against the doorway. The pup was certainly gorgeous, his markings suggesting a mix of yellow Lab and Golden Retriever.
The perfect dog for a burly man like Mustang. I brushed my fingers across my lips, thinking of the last kiss. Sultry. Controlling. Nope. I couldn’t continue to do this.
Then there was the way he’d fucked me, long and hard, rough and tumble style.
I was losing it. Laughing, I gazed out the window at the thickening clouds, a chill trickling down my spine. While I hadn’t wanted to express my concerns to Mustang, I was unnerved as hell from the tire incident. That meant someone had been outside before.
I watched at Rattler managed to eat some dog food. While he remained somewhat lethargic, his actions slowed, at least his tail was wagging.
“You’re doing really well, Rattler.” I almost laughed saying the name out loud. Why choose that name? I knew there had to be a story. After he lapped up a significant portion of water, I selected a collar, attaching a leash and taking him outside. The temperature had dropped a solid ten degrees since I’d gone into the clinic, the hint of sun now hidden behind a glorious amount of fluffy white clouds. There was snow in the forecast, a significant amount. At least the previous owner had left a pile of wood for the fireplace and I had enough supplies to last a couple of days, including dog food.
My thoughts drifted to Mustang, my excitement surging. I was actually looking forward to him coming over. As far as his dominance? The jury was still out, although the second I envisioned his face, another rush of electric sensations coursed through every muscle and cell. I’d had no intention of falling for anyone, including a sexy cowboy with a heart of gold and a controlling attitude, but…
Sighing, I heard Zorro barking for attention from inside the house and smiled. I also wondered whether the two dogs would get along. That is, if the brooding cowboy decided to keep the pup. After Rattler was finished, I took him back inside, guiding him to the cage again.
“Don’t worry, buddy. If you continue to improve as fast as you are, you’ll be out of here in no time.” The second I closed the door, I heard the sound of my phone and a smile immediately broke out.
Geez, I was like some high school girl waiting by the phone for a call from the quarterback of the football team. Sadly, that had been true all those years ago.