“What’s going on?” Cass asked, her hair still loose and delicious around her shoulders.
The sight of her in that passenger seat, where she’d so sweetly offered him a fantasy weekend four seconds after giving him what he’d already thought was the ultimate encounter—amazing. He couldn’t wait to dive in again.
“Arwen. In the car. Now,” he muttered. “I’ve got a date with a shower and a wet woman and you are not going to mess it up.” Louder, he called, “Just having a discussion about the proper place for a dog. One sec.”
Extra motivation must have done the trick because he manhandled Arwen into the back on the first try and shut the hatch before she could leap out, which he wouldn’t put past her. She gave a mournful cry that he heard even with all of the doors closed.
When he climbed into the driver’s seat, Arwen had already weaseled in between the front seats, paws on the gearshift. She stuck her nose in Cass’s face, clearly bent on discovering all the secrets of the woman who had usurped her spot.
Uh-oh. Arwen had never deigned to check out a woman Gage had brought into her world. Usually she ignored them. Of course, Gage always introduced her to someone off Arwen’s turf and it was rare that Arwen saw the same woman twice. Gage couldn’t even remember the last time he’d had a woman in the Hummer, let alone at the same time as the vizsla.
“She’s so sweet,” Cass exclaimed as she rubbed Arwen’s ginger head enthusiastically, earning a smile from the dog.
Gage eyed Arwen suspiciously and with no small amount of shock. She never approved of anyone female, let alone someone she’d already singled out as a rival. “Yeah, that’s one word for her.”
Arwen muscled her way into the front seat, right onto Cass’s lap before Gage could grab her collar or even warn Cass that forty pounds of dog was coming her way.
Great. It wasn’t as if Cass was wearing a fifteen-hundred-dollar suit or anything—not that he’d shown much more care when he’d crumpled it up around her waist. But still. There was a place for Arwen and it wasn’t on top of Gage’s...date. Former lover. Current lover. Partner in crime. Whatever.
“Sorry,” he threw out. “Arwen, get in the back!”
“It’s okay.” Cass shot him a smile as she rearranged Arwen’s paws off her bare legs. “I don’t mind. It’s not that far to my house and she’s used to riding in the front, I would imagine.”
“She is. Doesn’t mean she should get her way.” He started the car with one last warning glare at the dog who was predictably ignoring him. “I can drop her off at a pet hotel on the way.”
Both woman and dog shook their heads.
“That’s not necessary,” Cass said, patting Arwen’s back. “She’s welcome in my backyard. I have some sad little hydrangeas that would probably benefit from being eaten.”
“Really?” This time, he eyed Cass suspiciously. “She’ll dig up your grass. I’m not kidding.”
“So? She’s been cooped up in a hotel all week, hasn’t she? My yard overlooks the lake and there are always lots of birds. No reason why she can’t have a nice weekend, too, is there?”
Arwen’s ears perked up at the mention of birds and that seemed to decide it. Casually, as if it had been her idea all along, the dog picked her way to her own seat and lay down on it without bothering to glance at Gage.
A little dumbfounded, he drove toward Cass’s house and wondered what had just happened. “Okay. Thanks. Apparently that plan got the thumbs-up from Her Royal Highness.”
And from Gage. He snuck a sidelong peek at Cass. There’d always been something special about Cass but he hadn’t realized her skills included dog whispering.
Warmth spread through his chest. Did Cass have any clue how much he appreciated her good humor over his bad-mannered dog? The invitation to let Arwen skip the dog hotel had earned mucho points with both man and beast. And neither of them gave points easily.
Arwen heartily approved of Cass’s massive backyard. The moment Cass set down the bowl of water, Gage’s diva of a dog gave Cass an extra nose to the hand, which was the equivalent of a rare thank-you. Would wonders never cease?
Gage followed Cass into the house, mystified why she’d be so welcoming of his dog. And why his dog was so welcoming of the woman.
Cass needs a big, fat thank-you. Immediately.
“Show me to your shower,” he commanded, his body already hardening in anticipation of a hot and wet Cass.