When Jett realized that, he scowled at the kid. “He’s not our dog.”
The pizza guy started stammering. “Yeah. Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to let in a stray. I thought…you know…maybe he was…”
Seeing the guy go all tongue-tied over Natalie spiked Jett’s discontent even more. “Here.” He shoved a few bills at him.
The young man looked at the money and started to fumble for change.
Jett shook his head. “Keep it.”
“But…” Going agog at the hefty tip, he said, “That’s twice what you owed.”
Reluctantly, because he did want the guy gone, Jett said, “You did good letting the dog in. I appreciate it.”
Struggling to keep his gaze off Natalie, the guy swallowed. “You’ll take care of him?”
Jett nodded and saw the pizza guy let out a long breath of relief. The young man’s concern was enough that Jett felt like giving him another bill or two. “I’ll see to him.”
“Thanks, man. And good luck.” The guy split in haste, anxious to avoid sparking Jett’s temper again.
Paying no attention whatsoever to the food or the male delivering it, Natalie smiled at Jett. She had the look a woman gets when she thinks she’s seeing something extra sweet in a guy.
Jett frowned. “What?”
“You’re going to help the dog.”
He didn’t want her to see him as a marshmallow. He wanted her to want him, in every way that he wanted her. “Of course I am. Wouldn’t anyone?”
She shook her head. “Obviously not, or the dog wouldn’t have been out there all alone, abandoned.” Still looking ripe with affection, she glanced at the dog. She had her heart in her eyes, her soft side on glaring display. “He isn’t wearing a collar.”
Uneasy with so much attention, the dog lowered his head and tucked his tail. He looked up at Jett sideways, his big brown eyes slightly crossed.
Too cute, Jett thought, but he wouldn’t voice that observation aloud. “Looks like a hound mix, probably around a year old.”
“How can you tell?”
“I know dogs.” The poor animal shivered, his eyes filled with pleading. “It’s okay, boy.”
“Oh, Jett.” Natalie bit her lip, fretting. “He looks cold and hungry.”
“Yeah, he does.” Jett handed the pizza box to her. “Can you take care of this?”
She automatically accepted the food. “What are you going to do?”
“Try to bring him in.”
She all but staggered. “To your apartment?”
“Yeah.” When she stood there in what he supposed was silent surprise, Jett asked, “Is that a problem?”
“No! No, of course not.” She looked from him to the dog and back again. That soft expression intensified. “I think that’s a wonderful idea. Really wonderful. I just didn’t…”
Didn’t expect him to like animals? Didn’t expect him to be compassionate? Yeah, they had a lot of ground to cover. There was too much that she didn’t know about him. But spring break would help with that.
“Thank you.” She touched his biceps, her fingers light, caressing. “I don’t know any other men who would willingly bring in a stray.” Her hand settled on him and her smile went tremulous.
Jett cocked a brow. Why the hell was she thanking him? He was doing it for the dog. But seeing her like this, so…open to him…he was glad he loved animals so much. “It’s not a problem.”
When Natalie said nothing more, Jett turned back to the dog. “You need a little attention, don’t you, buddy?”
The dog’s ears perked up in hope.
Jett knelt down and the dog, while still cowering, started thumping his tail in excitement. He seemed friendly enough, but Jett didn’t want to take any chances.
He asked Natalie, “Would you mind going in by the dining table, just in case he gets nervous?”
Proving she knew little enough about animals, she said, “You think he might bite?”
“He’s scared, honey, of me and of you. A scared animal sometimes reacts defensively. I can handle it as long as I know you’re not going to get hurt.”
“Oh. All right.” Balancing the pizza box in one hand, she stroked Jett’s hair with a new level of affection. “Be careful, okay?” She gave him a fond smile and then moved away.
Deep inside Jett, something chaotic and dangerous settled into a solid, thumping rhythm. Until that moment, he hadn’t been sure that he’d be able to reach Natalie. Really reach her.
Now he knew he would.
Huh. He would have gotten a dog weeks ago if he’d known that was all it took to get past her barriers.
After watching Natalie retreat to the other side of the room, Jett turned back to the dog. He loved animals and couldn’t abide anyone who didn’t share his compassion. Nice to know that Natalie felt the same way.
Holding out a hand, Jett said, “Good boy.”
The dog whined in exultant hope and began army-crawling on his belly a few inches closer. Though Jett laughed at the dog’s antics, his heart nearly broke. The little fellow badly wanted the attention, but he was afraid to trust it.
Sort of like Natalie.
But in the end, Jett knew that his will would win over them both.
“Natalie, how about grabbing some lunch meat out of my fridge? I think a little food will help earn his trust.”
Within seconds she was behind him with not only the packaged meat but a dish of water, too. The dog’s ears shot up and his nose quivered as he sniffed the air.
“Thanks. You can set the water inside the door there.”
After Natalie had backed up again, Jett tossed a slice of meat to the dog. It landed right under his chin, and still he watched Jett warily as he bent to snatch up the food then wolfed it down in one gulp. The pup sat up straighter, anxious for more.
“You liked that, did you?” Grinning, Jett tossed the next piece a little closer to his door, and the next closer still. Making a trail that led into his apartment, he baited the dog and then waited.
As if starved, the dog chowed down on his way in. Jett could see his ribs sticking out; the thinness of the young dog made his paws look that much bigger.
Sitting down on his ass, Jett again held out a hand. Speaking in an even tone, he said, “Now that you’ve eaten all my deli meat, how about letting me pet you?”
Tail going like crazy, the little dog sniffed his hand, licked his fingers and came in close to devour the rest of the lunch meat. Jett emptied the entire package. The dog was too busy inhaling the food to object as Jett stroked him along his back.
After the dog finished it all, he sat back in expectation.
Jett shook his head while cautiously scratching near the dog’s left ear. “You’re a little glutton, aren’t you? Well, that’s all there is for now. I don’t want you barfing all over my floors.” He nudged the water bowl closer. “Come get a drink while we let that settle, and then we’ll see how you do.”
As Jett spoke, the dog’s ears twitched this way and that. He did investigate the water and made a sloppy mess lapping it up.
When Jett reached out to pet him again, he didn’t seem to mind at