Sanctuary Cove. Kate James

there was something about her that poked at him.

       CHAPTER TWO

      EMMA SCRAMBLED INTO her own vehicle and made a quick U-turn. As she followed the diffused glow of the Yukon’s taillights, Josh’s departing comment registered.

      He thought she was responsible for the dog’s injuries! She was more likely to drive off a road and into a tree than hurt an animal.

      It didn’t matter what the judgmental veterinarian believed, Emma consoled herself, as long as he saved the dog.

      She spent well over an hour in the veterinary clinic’s reception area.

      She’d hung her windbreaker on the hook by the door to dry. There was a coffee machine on a counter, and she took the liberty of preparing a pot. She sipped the cooling coffee from a paper cup and listened to the metallic clang of instruments from behind the closed door of the examination room. She could also hear the quiet murmur of the veterinarian’s deep voice, although the words were indistinct. The fact that he was talking to the animal, whether he was heard or not, pleased her. It showed compassion. That emotion was in stark contrast to his harsh treatment of her. Maybe he was one of those people who was good with animals and not with humans, she mused.

      When the examination room door finally opened, Emma was on her feet by the time he stepped out.

      She observed again—with an uneasy feeling—Josh’s quick perusal of her that she’d noticed at the side of the road when they’d first met. But she also saw the weariness and the unmistakable worry on his face.

      He’d removed the baseball cap he’d worn earlier, leaving his dark hair curling just above his collar. He wiped his hands on a damp towel as he approached her, and she saw the towel was streaked with red.

      Too much red.

      Emma felt her stomach clench. She pressed a hand over it and tried to ignore the blood-soaked towel. She moved forward hesitantly. “How is he?”

      “He’s still heavily sedated,” he responded. “I’ll keep him that way overnight, but he’s doing well under the circumstances. I surgically inserted a metal plate to repair the fracture and stitched up the laceration. It looked worse than it was. There’s no muscle damage. There are no signs of internal trauma or bleeding. If I’m right about that, he should recover fully.”

      Emma blew out the breath she’d been holding. She took another step toward Josh. “Can I see him?”

      “Sure.” He moved to the side, allowing her to walk by him and into the examination room, and followed her. Emma would have sworn she felt his gaze on her and it caused the back of her neck to tingle.

      Ignoring the sensation, she noticed the stainless-steel examination table, scattered with instruments, gauze and soiled cloths. Her stomach tightened once more, nausea churned and she quickly looked away. Then she saw the dog through an open door.

      He was sleeping peacefully on a thick blanket in the corner of the room, his head pillowed on a folded towel.

      Relief washed over her and tears welled in her eyes. She turned away from both the dog and the man while she steadied herself. Once her emotions were under control, she asked, “Can I touch him?”

      Josh shrugged. “The sedative will keep him asleep for hours. Go ahead.”

      Emma crouched in front of the dog. She reached forward and gently stroked his head. “Aren’t you handsome? And you’re going to be as good as new in no time,” she whispered. Glancing up at Josh, she asked, “There won’t be any permanent damage?”

      Josh nodded. “There shouldn’t be. He’ll need time to recover, though. After that he can gradually get back to normal activity.”

      Emma turned to the dog. “Hear that? You’ll just have to take it easy for a while, but you’ll be fine,” she said reassuringly, speaking her thoughts out loud. “How could someone have done this to you and just left you there?”

      She continued to stroke the dog gently for a few more minutes before rising.

      When she looked at Josh, she noted his furrowed brow and wondered what she might have said now to annoy him. Regardless, she was grateful for what he’d done. “Thank you, for saving him.”

      “It’s my job.”

      Her gaze slid to the dog resting on the thick blanket and makeshift pillow, obviously having been placed there with thought and care. Just because Josh was lacking in social graces didn’t mean that she had to be. She smiled. “I believe it’s much more than that to you.”

      “It’s what I do,” he said curtly and escorted Emma back into the reception area.

      She retrieved her windbreaker from the hook by the door and reached into a pocket to pull out her wallet. “How much do I owe you?” she asked.

      He shook his head. “No charge.”

      “But—”

      “No charge,” he repeated. “Consider it my good deed for the day.”

      “Oh. Well... Thank you.” She put her wallet back into her pocket and pulled on her coat. “What will happen to him once he’s better?”

      “I know most of the dogs around here. I don’t think he’s local. I’ll try to find his owner.”

      “Is he a dog, then?”

      “He appears to be, but he probably has some wolf in him, too.”

      “And if you can’t find his owner?”

      Josh’s protracted silence worried Emma. She immediately thought of an animal shelter—or worse. “I’ll take him,” she said quickly. “If you can’t find his owner, I’ll take him.”

      Josh narrowed his eyes. “One step at a time. First, I’ll make sure he’s okay and try to locate his owner. If that doesn’t pan out, and if his temperament allows, we can talk about finding him a new home.”

      Emma opened her mouth but ended up huffing out a breath. What Josh said made sense. “Can I check in with you to see how he’s doing?”

      “Sure.” He lifted a business card from a small wooden stand on the counter. “You seem to know my after-hours emergency number.” As he offered the card to her, a quick grin lit up his face. The sharp planes and angles were transformed with its potency. “My office number is on there, in case you don’t have it and want to catch me next time when I’m not just stepping out of the shower.”

      She studied his appearance for a moment. He had a wide, sturdy chin, an appealing nose with a slight bump, as if it had been broken at some point, strong, well-defined lips and perfectly straight white teeth. He was tall, with a solid, athletic build—broad shoulders, narrow hips and long legs. The sleeves of his sweatshirt were pushed up, revealing well-muscled arms. The thought of him in the shower made Emma blush.

      Their fingers brushed as she accepted the card, and the contact sent a quick jolt through her system.

      Stuffing the card in her pocket, she walked to the door. With her hand on the doorknob, she held his gaze. “Thanks again for what you did tonight. I’m sorry to have interfered with your evening. I’ll be in touch to check up on the dog.”

      * * *

      THROUGH THE GLASS insert of the door, Josh watched Emma head back into the storm. As tired as he’d been after treating the dog, it surprised him that the first thought he’d had seeing her in the reception area was that she was dazzling. In the harsh lights, he’d easily been able to make out the color of her eyes. They were gray. A deep, silvery gray.

      Although he had always appreciated physical beauty, he’d never considered it his sole or primary focus. As such, he’d been astonished to feel another raw and powerful pull of attraction—especially in view of the situation.