gazes met. His was brazen, as if daring her to admit the attraction between them.
She took the challenge. Old habits needed to be broken. New city, new life. Heat soaked into her cold fingers and made her forget all about her fidgeting. And about letting go. “So . . . the group Zoe was with. Which one of them wanted to come here last night?”
“That’s what I’d like to know. We’re not part of the hip and happening club scene, and we’re too far from University City for overflow.” He steered her around a large crack in the sidewalk. “But her date was a Flyers fan, and we get plenty of postgame traffic. Still feels like too much of a coincidence, though.”
“Coincidences do happen.”
“True.” He squeezed her hand. “I’m sad your intern is missing, but I’m happy to see you.”
Nerve endings prickled over her skin at the genuine warmth in his words. Why did he have this effect on her? It wasn’t in her nature to simmer under a man’s attention. She dated and had had several short-term relationships. None had been serious. But then, none of her former boyfriends had been as intense or demanding as Conor.
He stopped in front of a white-brick building. The words VETERINARY CLINIC were stamped on the glass. “This is it.”
When he let go of her hand to open the door, she missed the contact. When was the last time a man had held her hand?
Never?
The men she usually dated didn’t lend themselves to intimate romantic gestures. They sent her expensive roses and bought her jewelry, all lovely but imperso nal. None of those gifts had made her feel raw and edgy and hot. Even her silk blouse felt scratchy.
A bell mounted on the door jingled as they went into the clinic. The air smelled of animals and antiseptic. The scrub-clad technician at the reception counter greeted them with a smile. Her hair was braided in small cornrows that lay flat against her scalp, setting off sharp, exotic cheekbones.
“I’m here for my dog.” Conor gave his name.
“I’m glad you’re here. She won’t eat for us. I hate to see such a sweet dog scared.” The tech grabbed a file and presented Conor with a bill. “I know it’s a lot, but you wanted her up-to-date on her shots. On the bright side, her injuries are superficial.”
“It’s OK.” He winced at the total and paid with a credit card.
The vet tech brought the dog into the waiting room. The animal’s head and tail hung low.
“Oh no. That poor thing. She’s so thin. Are those bite marks? Did she get into a fight?”
“More likely she was put in a fight.” Conor described how he’d found the dog the night before. “She looks better than when I dropped her off this morning.”
At the sound of his voice, the dog’s mangled ears pricked up. Her gaze landed on Conor. The stubby tail lifted and wagged back and forth.
“What horrible person would do that to an animal?” Louisa asked.
“The cops have been cracking down, but dog fighting is still a real problem in this city.” Conor took the leash from the technician. “A pink collar and leash?”
The vet tech laughed. “We thought she needed something girly. The way they butchered her ears gives people the wrong impression. Consider it a gift for not dumping her at the shelter.”
“Anything special I should do for her?” he asked.
“No.” The tech handed him a sheet of paper. “She’s been starved for a while, so reintroduce food slowly. If her appetite doesn’t pick up in a week or so after she settles in, then bring her back. We’ll also want to spay her, but I’d like to wait a couple of weeks and let her get stronger first.”
“Thanks.” Conor folded the paper and stuffed it into the back pocket of his jeans. He led the dog outside. On the sidewalk, he squatted and rubbed her head. “Bet you’re glad to be out of there.”
Louisa bent down. “Can I pet her?”
“You’re not afraid of her? Some people might find her scary.”
“Should I be? She looks
She took the challenge. Old habits needed to be broken. New city, new life. Heat soaked into her cold fingers and made her forget all about her fidgeting. And about letting go. “So . . . the group Zoe was with. Which one of them wanted to come here last night?”
“That’s what I’d like to know. We’re not part of the hip and happening club scene, and we’re too far from University City for overflow.” He steered her around a large crack in the sidewalk. “But her date was a Flyers fan, and we get plenty of postgame traffic. Still feels like too much of a coincidence, though.”
“Coincidences do happen.”
“True.” He squeezed her hand. “I’m sad your intern is missing, but I’m happy to see you.”
Nerve endings prickled over her skin at the genuine warmth in his words. Why did he have this effect on her? It wasn’t in her nature to simmer under a man’s attention. She dated and had had several short-term relationships. None had been serious. But then, none of her former boyfriends had been as intense or demanding as Conor.
He stopped in front of a white-brick building. The words VETERINARY CLINIC were stamped on the glass. “This is it.”
When he let go of her hand to open the door, she missed the contact. When was the last time a man had held her hand?
Never?
The men she usually dated didn’t lend themselves to intimate romantic gestures. They sent her expensive roses and bought her jewelry, all lovely but imperso nal. None of those gifts had made her feel raw and edgy and hot. Even her silk blouse felt scratchy.
A bell mounted on the door jingled as they went into the clinic. The air smelled of animals and antiseptic. The scrub-clad technician at the reception counter greeted them with a smile. Her hair was braided in small cornrows that lay flat against her scalp, setting off sharp, exotic cheekbones.
“I’m here for my dog.” Conor gave his name.
“I’m glad you’re here. She won’t eat for us. I hate to see such a sweet dog scared.” The tech grabbed a file and presented Conor with a bill. “I know it’s a lot, but you wanted her up-to-date on her shots. On the bright side, her injuries are superficial.”
“It’s OK.” He winced at the total and paid with a credit card.
The vet tech brought the dog into the waiting room. The animal’s head and tail hung low.
“Oh no. That poor thing. She’s so thin. Are those bite marks? Did she get into a fight?”
“More likely she was put in a fight.” Conor described how he’d found the dog the night before. “She looks better than when I dropped her off this morning.”
At the sound of his voice, the dog’s mangled ears pricked up. Her gaze landed on Conor. The stubby tail lifted and wagged back and forth.
“What horrible person would do that to an animal?” Louisa asked.
“The cops have been cracking down, but dog fighting is still a real problem in this city.” Conor took the leash from the technician. “A pink collar and leash?”
The vet tech laughed. “We thought she needed something girly. The way they butchered her ears gives people the wrong impression. Consider it a gift for not dumping her at the shelter.”
“Anything special I should do for her?” he asked.
“No.” The tech handed him a sheet of paper. “She’s been starved for a while, so reintroduce food slowly. If her appetite doesn’t pick up in a week or so after she settles in, then bring her back. We’ll also want to spay her, but I’d like to wait a couple of weeks and let her get stronger first.”
“Thanks.” Conor folded the paper and stuffed it into the back pocket of his jeans. He led the dog outside. On the sidewalk, he squatted and rubbed her head. “Bet you’re glad to be out of there.”
Louisa bent down. “Can I pet her?”
“You’re not afraid of her? Some people might find her scary.”
“Should I be? She looks
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