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“Do you want me to find him?” Josh would beat the crap outof the dude if she wanted him to.
She frowned his way as she put the puppy in the crate withhis brothers and sisters. “The fact that you are standing there petting a catwhile you casually offer to beat someone up is a whole vibe with you, Josh.”
He wasn’t sure his vibe was a good thing in Nicole’s head.“You think I should put the cat down?”
Her lips kicked up. “I think you should be less violent.”
“He’s mostly talk,” Grim offered. “Mostly. Let’s see if thelittle guy’s down yet.”
Bandit was purring against his chest. “You put a dog down infront of her?”
Nicole gasped. “He wouldn’t do that unless he had to. No,he’s talking about Buddy. We’ve spent the better part of an hour getting himused to eating treats, but he still wouldn’t let Grim examine his leg so hemanaged to get him to take a sleepy treat.”
“Nic did that.” Grim started for the row of cages. “He tookto her. I hope he’s house trained because they’re in love.”
Nicole put a hand to her heart, and her whole body softened.“He’s so sweet. And scared. Someone treated him awful, and he’s a baby whoneeds a good home.”
Yep. She’d spent too much time with his momma. “Well, it’snot like we can have too many dogs.”
“You would let me keep a dog?” Nicole asked.
“Why would I ever stop you from… Your husband wouldn’t letyou have a dog,” Josh surmised.
“Micah was not a pet person.” She stopped in front of him,her chin tilting up as she looked him over with a sassy expression on her face.“You obviously are. I think we can take care of Buddy better at home so hedoesn’t get… What did you call it, babe?”
What the hell miracles had Grim been working?
“Kennel cough,” Grim called back, and then he was walkingtoward them with a scrap of a canine in his arms. “The sedative worked fast.The good news is his leg’s solid. He’s got a scrape on his paw. It’s why he waslimping. I’m going to clean him up and we can take him home.”
“Do you need help?” Nicole asked.
Grim didn’t look back. “No, I’m good. I’ll be ready to go inless than half an hour. Why don’t you and Josh go into the storage room? We’vegot a couple of crates and some food and water bowls. Get this guy a nice dogbed, too.”
Nicole stepped back. “All right. I can do that.”
Did she only want to be alone with Grim? God, he had to stopgoing there. Grim and Nic had a connection he couldn’t truly understand. Heloved them both. If she wanted Grim and not him, then he would step back andlet them be together.
Bandit let out a meow signaling the end of their session.The cat jumped out of his arms and lazily started to follow Grim, taunting thedogs in their cages with his feline freedom.
Nicole seemed to have learned the layout of the shelterquickly since she rounded the hallway leading back to the big storage room theykept stocked with everything a pet could need.
He followed her. “Are you okay? Do you want me to stay outhere?”
She frowned as she turned his way. “Why? I mean I couldprobably use another set of hands. I know Buddy is small, but like all smallthings he needs a lot.”
She disappeared behind the doors, and he could see the lightcoming on.
He walked into the storage room. “I don’t want to make youuncomfortable.”
She stopped in the middle of the room and turned to him,frowning as though she was trying to decide how to handle him. “You make meuncomfortable all the time, Josh.”
Well, that was a kick in the gut. “I don’t mean to.”
“I’ve had a lot of time to think, and my problem is reallywith you. I think if it was just Grim I was dealing with I wouldn’t be soscared.”
His heart felt like it was twisting in his body. He took astep back. “You don’t have to be scared of me. Baby…I mean, Nicole, I want youto have what you need. I don’t want to be one more man who makes your lifemisery. If you want Grim, you should have him. I know I said we were a packageddeal, but the truth is we’re not. He loves you.”
She went still, staring at him. “I thought you loved me.”
