Page 15 of Bond Strength

Petie wriggled out of my arms and leaped to the ground.

Not again.

“There he goes,” Carmen warned, but of course she made no move to go get him.

This clever little fucker loved to play Houdini, and in taking him out, I accepted the task of having to find him.

However, I knew a few of his favorite spots. He might be good at escaping but not so much at hiding. Petie’s tail wagged from the other side of the shelf in the back, where he hid. Thing was, he wanted to be found too because he loved the game. I stalked down the aisle, watching the swish, swish, swish of his tail. My heart warmed. As much as I’d been feeling stretched too thin, moments like these filled me right up.

I might not know who I was, but his little guy made me feel like enough.

I’d only ever experienced that around one other person…who was prickly as a pinecone, confusing as fuck, and captivating as hell.

Petie’s wagging tail gave him away, and I crept up nice and slow as his excited pants grew louder. I lunged forward but then did an immediate reroute, backtracked around the shelves, and swung around the other side. He was running forward and ended up colliding right into me. I wrapped him in my arms, covered his fluffy head in kisses, and carried him over to Carmen. He licked my face a few times before I handed him over, which got harder to do whenever I came and played with him.

“You know he doesn’t act like this with anyone else, right?” Carmen arched a brow as she dropped Petie in the cage with the other husky pups.

I squeezed my nape and avoided looking down into Petie’s yearning eyes. Because yeah, I wanted to take him home too. “Rude of you to employ my greatest weakness, the guilt trip.”

“I’m well aware,” Carmen said. “And I get it. I want to take them all home too. It just sucks you’re not in a place to have a dog cos the connection you have with this little guy is special.”

I gave her a nod and shoved my hands into my pockets. “Trust me, I feel that. I’ll see you around.” With that, I started for the exit.

“Hope you don’t get stuck in the storm,” she called. “It’s supposed to be a doozy.”

“It’s just a little rain.” I slipped out through the door and hopped into my truck. The engine rumbled to life, and I set to my destination: Declan Brannon’s. The one concern I did have with the approaching storm was the ramshackle state of his walls and how much water would likely get inside with heavy rain. Because the man who came from a family full of contractors had left calling a contractor too late.

The puffy white clouds from earlier grayed around the edges, and the air rolling in through my open window had a telltale thickness to it. My heart thumped a little faster on reflex, even though storms didn’t stress me out. I’d driven through pretty wicked ones, and unless these winds were hurricane levels, I wouldn’t worry.

I turned onto Declan’s street, and his house popped into view, a few down the road. Adrenaline coursed through my veins. From the impending storm or the sight of his house, who knew? I’d done a good job distracting myself for years. It wasn’t hard with how busy I usually was, and I only ran into him a few times a year.

However, the resurgence of Declan Brannon in my life these past few weeks had brought my crush back in a full frenzy. It was hopeless and out of control, and I had a better chance of becoming a five-time salsa dancing champion than getting Declan to notice me like that.

However, maybe I was a bit of a masochist because I kept pressing the bruise.

I pulled up his driveway, and his front door swung open. Declan emerged a second later, and I idled in my car, soaking in the sight.

He was barefoot, wearing jeans and a red shirt that fit his slender frame far too well. His thick black glasses offset his gorgeous deep eyes, and his chestnut hair was tousled. It looked intentional, but it wasn’t. Saliva pooled in my mouth, which was a me problem. But goddamn, he was hot as fuck.

Something about distracted, smartass, brilliant guys did me in.

I hopped out of the car and strode up to him. “No work today?”

Declan readjusted his glasses as he leaned against the railing along his front steps. “I worked from home today. Figured it’d make life easier for when you showed up to begin the project on…this.” He gestured at his house.

“Such esteem you have for your home,” I teased.

Declan shrugged. “I just need it to be functional.”

“I’m shocked your walls weren’t bare bones.” I shoved my hands into my pockets, restraining the itch to reach out and touch him. Being in his proximity drove me insane.

A slight smile tilted his lips. “That was Rory. No one expects it of him, but he’s got a talent for interior decorating.”

“I wouldn’t have guessed.” I settled onto the railing opposite him. “I liked setting my place up. Even though I’m not as great with figuring out paintings, picking out the colors, and updating the fixtures, all ofit is a blast. Besides, what’s the point in having a home if you don’t care where you’re returning to?”

Ouch, I’d hurt my feelings there. For as much work as I’d put in my house, I barely spent time in it.

“Well, I do care about where I’m returning to,” Declan said. “My room’s comfortable, and I know where everything is situated. I just don’t give a damn about the color of the walls.”

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