Her brows snapped together. “Oh, I know what you don’t do, Officer. You don’t do commitments. You don’t do future or long-term. You don’t do anything that’s not easy. Forget this.”

Her words stung like pebbles hitting his naked body. Is that how she saw him? Was she right? And if so, was it so wrong? He was only trying to be honest and protect them both. “Listen, I’ll help you find someone. I’ll ask around at the station. There are plenty of wives and girlfriends who may want to help. I just can’t be the one to take her in.”

“I only have two days left.”

Ah, shit. Her voice did that wobbly thing that left him vulnerable. He cursed under his breath. “I’ll find someone. I promise.” He regretted the words the moment they left his lips, but relief flickered in her eyes, and Stone realized she trusted him. Somehow, someway, she believed him. Most didn’t. Only Devine. There was no one else, and wasn’t that kind of sad and pathetic? He wasn’t about to let down that trust. He’d done harder stuff before. How difficult could it be to find a nice, quiet home for a small dog for two weeks?

“Thank you.”

“Will you not be pissed off at me now?”

She smiled. “I’m sorry I yelled at you.”

“Yeah, you may want to put that on a recording for the future. Just hit Play time and time again.”

She did that half-giggle thing and completely charmed him. “I have something else to ask you.”

Uh-oh. “What?”

She must have sensed his wariness, because she shifted her weight, looked at the floor, and began to babble. “Actually, it’s not a big deal, and you’re probably working anyway, and my friends kinda pressured me, so you can just say no.”

He grinned. “Might want to tell me what it is first I’m saying no to.”

“Oh! Umm . . . so . . . remember the bachelorette party? Kate’s getting married this Saturday at Bear Mountain, and everyone has dates, so I figured maybe you’d want to go with me. But you don’t have to.”

“You want me to go to a wedding with you?” He couldn’t help the surprise from leaking out. Weddings were a big deal, meeting friends and family. Getting dressed up. Putting on your best behavior for strangers. Hell, he couldn’t remember the last time he attended a formal function. He had one good suit, and it would need to be dry-cleaned.

But the idea that he wasn’t her dirty little secret was kind of nice.

“Only if you wanted to go,” she volleyed back.

“Do you just need a date? Or do you want me to go?” He only pushed her to clarify because she looked so adorable, hating having to ask him and looking nervous about his answer. Like she gave a crap. Warmth settled in his gut, and a pleasant feeling flowed in his veins.

She gave a frustrated humph. “I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t want you to go. But I don’t want you to go unless you want to go.”

“You want me to want to go?”

“Yes!”

He couldn’t help it. A hearty laugh escaped his lips. “I’d love to go to the wedding with you, little one. Thanks for asking.”

She peered at him with suspicion. “You really want to go?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t you have to work?”

“I can take the day off. What time is the wedding?”

“Two p.m.”

“One of the guys will cover for me.”

“Oh, okay. Great.” She chewed on her lip. “Are you sure you want to go?”

He shook his head. “I knew from the beginning you were high maintenance.”

“I’m not! I flow!”

He reached out to tug at her ponytail. “Sure you do.”

She growled and stomped around him. “I’m going to the horse farm. Class dismissed.”

His laughter echoed in the fall air, drifting down the path after her.

Stone couldn’t remember a time in his life he’d had more fun with a woman.

fourteen

DEVINE, YOU GOTTA take the dog.”

His partner snorted and refused to break his stride. He poured some disgusting dregs of what they called coffee into a stained mug, tossed in some sugar, and moved toward his desk. “No fucking way, man. I’m allergic.”

Stone rolled his eyes at the outright lie. Propping a hip on the battered metal desk, he blocked the stacks of paperwork they were both battling through. “Bullshit. It’s only for two weeks. She’s so small, you won’t even know she’s there.”

“Good, so you take her. I don’t like foo-foo dogs, anyway.”

“Besides her ridiculous name, she’s cool. Been abused. Fighting her way back. Isn’t that a story you want to star in as the hero?”

“No. Now get off my desk so I can finish this by midnight and not turn into a pumpkin. I hate paperwork. Can you get me a donut and an iced latte?”

“If you take Pinky.”

“Forget it. Hey, Dunn! Get me a pumpkin donut and an iced latte, and I’ll owe you!”

“You gotta do my police report, too,” Tim called back from his own desk of hell.

“Fuck you! I don’t know the details.”

“Then fuck your pumpkin donut, Devine!”

“Fine. Give it to me. But you gotta buy, too.”

Tim smirked, knowing he got the better deal. Dropping more papers on Devine’s desk, he headed out the station door.

Rookie Patterson came in from his shift. Features tight with annoyance, he walked stiffly to his desk. Stone took a whiff of the air and recoiled. “What the hell is that smell?”

Patterson glared. “I’m sure you think the locker thing was funny, but I had cologne in there. When you turned it over, the bottle opened and spilled all over my damn spare uniform. I didn’t have time to go and change.”

“Dude, what the hell you need cologne for anyway?” Devine asked.

“To smell good!”

“Well, you smell like you got drowned in the ocean. Women like manly stuff better. The uniform should be enough to get you dates anyway,” Stone pointed out.

“I’m in a dry spell,” Patterson muttered, straightening up the folders on his desk in his usual OCD manner. Stone guessed the dry spell was due to the guy’s attitude toward cleanliness and organization rather than his looks. The kid was average looking, of decent height and stature, with dark hair and hazel eyes, and should have been seeing more action since he got on the force. Inspiration struck. “Hey, you know what chicks love? Dogs. You need to get a dog.”

Patterson shuddered. “I hate dogs. They smell and mess up your house. No way.”

“Fuck you, then, rookie. I’m trying to help.”

Devine cackled.

Stone let out an aggravated breath. For God’s sake, his time was up and he still hadn’t managed to find a temporary home for Pinky. Didn’t anyone have hearts anymore? What was wrong with the public when no one wanted to help an innocent, battered animal?

Bastards.

“Why are you suddenly worried about a dog?” his partner asked suspiciously. “You hate dogs. Is this because you’re trying to get Arilyn into bed?”

Was it? No. He’d bed her anyway, but he couldn’t let her down. He’d promised. Stone glared at his friend. “Nah. I told her I’d take care of it.”

Devine nodded. Both of them understood the power of a promise. A man’s word meant shit in today’s society, but they still believed in the dream. Kind of medieval, maybe, but if it was the only thing he brought to this world as his footprint, he’d go to the grave trying. “You’re screwed, man. Everyone’s busy and broke. No one takes dogs in for a few weeks and gives them up.”

Arilyn did. Time and time again. She spent her money and her time and never questioned or whined.

Stop thinking about her.

The wedding was tomorrow. She was babysitting that other dog, and Anthony had run out of options. So had Stone.

On cue, his cell rang.

Cursing, he answered. “Yeah?”

“Did you find a place for Pinky?”

He closed his eyes. With his next words, he’d put himself on a path of regret and inconvenience and aggravation he really didn’t need.