Page 8 of Hearts Colliding
Tina, several feet away, looked up from her snuffling, before bounding away and heading straight for the house.
Noooo… “You idiot dog.” But it was him who was the idiot, for keeping her off her leash when they were skirting the Love estate.
He had no choice, he was going to have to go after her, trespass or not. If he could just get close enough, catch hold of her collar and attach the lead, Alex would never know he’d been anywhere near the place. Tina flopped down on the edge of the gravel drive and scratched hard at a patch behind her ear. It was the chance Ryan needed, and he lunged.
“Gotcha!”
Tina answered with a round of eardrum shattering barks.
Ryan struggled to attach her lead as, tail wagging hard and wriggling to escape his hold, Tina barked loud enough to wake the dead.
“This isn’t a game, you stupid dog.” Tina’s tail wagged harder and, still barking, begged to differ.
The door of the New House flung open.
“Who’s there?”
Shit, shit,shit. Stuck on the drive, there was nowhere to hide as at last he secured the leash to the collar. The second encounter he didn’t want on Love land was about to happen, Alex’s disdainfulkeep to the public path in futureringing in his ears. Ryan breathed deep. Might as well get it over with.
“It’s Ryan. From The Fisherman’s Arms. And before you ask, yes I am on your land. Again. But I’m going, okay?” Ryan winced. He hadn’t meant to sound quite so defensive, but something about this man made him feel like he was on the back foot.
Alex came down the steps from the house, and frowned.
“I believe we’ve already had this conversation, so—Henry, no.”
The dachshund’s sharp, yappy bark cut across Alex’s words, as the dog rushed out the house, scampered down the steps, and made a beeline for Tina.
“You and your dog seem to make a habit of trespassing.” Alex came forward, crunching his way across the gravel, and stared down at the two dogs sniffing and yapping around each other, both their tails wagging like windscreen wipers on full speed.
“She ran away from me, before I could reattach her lead.” He needed to cut this short and get the hell away, but his feet refused to move.
“Well, now you've reattached it. Perhaps you should keep it on a lead permanently when you’re out in public if you have such little control over your animal.” Alex scooped his own dog up in his arms, and nuzzled at his neck.
It…Anger ignited Ryan’s blood. Alex Love could have a go at him until the cows came home, but no way was the prick going to get away with having a dig at his pet. “Itis a she, and her name’s Tina,” he ground out. “She’s high spirited, that’s all, and full of character.” And obstinate, pig headed, downright disobedient, and dim as a low wattage bulb, but Alex effin’ Love didn’t need to knowthat.
Ryan peered at Henry, tucked up in Alex’s arms. “What the hell have you done to that dog?” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.Fucking hell…Just something else to piss the tosser off with. But seriously, a set of super hero dog pyjamas?
“He’s a small dog so he gets cold.” Alex’s voice was snappy and defensive, as he hugged Henry to him as though he were a protective shield.
Ryan ground his teeth. He’d apologised for his trespass, his second in just a couple or so days —thanks, Tina —and he’d make damn sure it would be the last time. All that was left was to keep his daft dog on a short lead, and leave. It was the sensible, adult thing to do. But as he and Alex glared at each other, it felt too much like backing down.
At his feet, Tina flipped onto her back and wriggled around, gangly legs flapping as she made throaty sounds of pleasure. In Alex’s arms, Henry answered with a yap and a wriggle of his own.
“Henry, stop being a little squirmy wormy.”
Squirmy wormy? Alex had just called his dog asquirmy wormy? Ryan narrowed his eyes. It was either a flush washing over Alex’s face, or the reddening rays of the setting sun. He knew which bet his money was on.
Alex cleared his throat. “Making unfavourable comments about another’s pet. It’s like being critical of somebody’s children, no matter how awful they are. So not done. What is she?” Alex nodded towards Tina, who wriggled some more before her spaghetti legs pushed her up onto all fours, tail whipping hard from side to side.
For a second or two Ryan was struck dumb. Not only had Alex’s unexpected question thrown him off-centre, but so had his sort-of apology. They were supposed to be glowering at each other, but instead Alex’s lips lifted in a crooked smile as he put out his hand for Tina to nose before she gave him a tentative lick. Alex scratched the top of her head and she whimpered in pleasure. Cradled in his other arm, Henry, in his stupid super hero outfit — which Ryan refused to admit made the cute little sausage dog even cuter — wriggled to be put down, but Alex held on tight.
“There must be whippet in there somewhere, eh Tina?” Alex’s smile broadened when Tina gave him another lick.
Ryan stared down at his smitten dog.Traitor…
“Erm, great dane and staffie. terrier as well. And poodle, we think.”
Tina flipped onto her back again, and Alex sank to his haunches, obliging her with tummy rubs. Ryan smothered his sigh. The ungainly, ugly puppy from the rescue centre had grown up into an ungainly, ugly adult dog who melted the heart of everyone who met her, even icy Alex Love who was telling her what a good girl she was.
