Or a sharpened toothbrush across the neck.
So instead of following his instincts, he said, “Tell me.”
Brooke blew out a breath as her gaze moved to Ray’s head resting next to his thigh. He automatically rubbed the dog’s fur, which drew a smile from her. “He likes you.”
“The feeling is mutual.”
“He was my first rescue. I’d never owned a dog before. As a kid, all I ever had was a fish. So I was clueless as to what to do with him when I found him. My…” She lifted her gaze. “My husband never wanted one.”
Husband.
He swallowed hard as a bubble of rage began to creep its way up from his gut. These kinds of stories were never pleasant but hit harder when the abused was someone known to him. And if she hadn’t left the bastard, Curly might lose his mind. “Ex-husband?”
Her eyes widened. “Yes. Sorry. Yes, definitely ex.” A visible shudder ran through her. “Anyway, I went for a run one day, and Ray followed me the entire time. He was under a year at the time and so thin I could see his ribs.”
A faraway look came into her eyes as a half-smile tilted her lips. “To be honest, I was afraid of him when I first saw him. You never know how an abused animal will act. But Ray was so sweet, just trotting along beside me. When I ended up back at my house, and he was still there, I couldn’t leave him. We had some leftover chicken from the night before, so I put it in a bowl for him. He looked up at me with these big soulful starving eyes, and it broke my heart.” Her voice hitched. “The poor guy was famished, yet he waited until I encouraged him to eat it before he dove in.”
A glossy sheen coated her eyes. Curly couldn’t tear his gaze away from the sleek lines of her throat as she lifted the beer to her lips and took a few swallows.
“I took him straight to a vet to see if he had a microchip, but he didn’t. The vet told me to get as thin as Ray had been, he’d have to have been neglected for quite some time. He was also filthy, and his hair was so matted a groomer had to shave him down. After I took him to the vet and a groomer, I brought him home with me.” A slightly sad laugh erupted from her. “There were some growing pains in the beginning, but we figured it out and became the best of friends. After that, all I wanted to do was rescue dogs.”
If he were placing a bet, he’d guess she left out more than half of that story. As much of an animal lover as he was, all he wanted to know was the story of her husband.
Ex-husband.
Instead of asking, he leaned forward and grabbed her bare feet, pulling them onto his lap. A small puff of air left her as she leaned against the arm of his couch. He just held her feet, connecting them.
Brooke blew out a breath. “I married when I was twenty. Divorced at thirty-five.”
“Thirty-five? Shit, I thought you were younger than that now.”
She snorted out a laugh, which had him smiling. A small victory.
“You’re a good liar. I’m forty-one. And I look every day of it.”
Forty-one? Shit, he’d never have guessed she was that close to his age. He grunted. “Babe, you look damn younger than that. Not that forty-one is old. I’ve got five years on you.”
Her soft smile made his insides do some strange flip-flopping. Not that it mattered. Nothing could happen between them, no matter how hard she made his dick. He had priorities, and getting involved with a woman wasn’t one of them. His ol’ lady sleeping with Prick was the first in a chain of events that fucked up his entire life. He couldn’t help the adverse visceral reaction to the idea of a relationship. Regular sex and daily company weren’t worth it.
Starting a new charter for Copper was.
Investing in lucrative businesses was, too.
And yes, making Prick pay was high on the list. He claimed to not want revenge, but something dark and primal inside him couldn’t pass up the chance to make the man pay for his sins.
Getting involved with a forty-something-year-old divorcee with baggage didn’t even blip on his radar. Not matter how hot she was.
“You look at least ten years younger,” he said, despite his brain screaming at him to shut the fuck up.
Brooke’s laugh was long and genuine. “Oh, that’s a good one. Shit, sometimes I feel twice my age.”
“I hear that.” Sometimes he felt as though he’d aged seven years for every one spent in prison, just like the dogs she trained.
Something about this simple statement must have resonated with her.