Free Love Gone to the Dogs by Margaret Daley Page B

lately.
    Trudging toward his house, he didn't see Leah sitting in the dark on his steps until he was almost on top of her. With some agile maneuvering, he stopped short of falling over her. The strong urge to shake her for scaring him warred with the equally strong urge to draw her into his arms and kiss her soundly until all his doubts and misgivings were wiped away.
    "Why are you here?" he asked, noting the frustrated rough edge to his question—put there from exhaustion he told himself. It had nothing to do with passion denied.
    She bolted to her feet and stood on the top stair, towering over him. "I'm here to admit defeat. I can't take this any longer."
    His heart paused in its beating. Neither could he. He clenched his black bag to keep from dropping it and dragging her to him. He barely got "What?" past his lips.
    "Arnold."
    "Oh." Disappointment invaded him like an insidious virus as he moved up the steps. "What has he done now?"
    "He's inside your house again. I've tried everything except barbed wire and bars on the doors and windows. My house will not become an armed prison camp because of a dog." Leah combed her fingers through her auburn strands. "I don't know what else to do."
    Her scent permeated the wall he was trying so desperately to erect. He watched the movement of her hand as she again raked it through her hair, and imagined its feel of silky fire. He stepped closer, picturing in his mind what she would do when he drew her to him. "What do you want me to do?"
    "Can we just accept the fact that they're a couple? After all, she is pregnant and carrying his children. In doggie years I'm sure they have satisfied the statute concerning common law marriage in this state."
    He wished he didn't have to breathe. Her particular feminine aroma did lustful things to his insides. He had to grip his bag even tighter, which kept one hand from caressing her. The other couldn't resist. He lifted it to touch her arm. "Come inside and let's talk about this before you take your hound home."
    "You make him sound like a criminal. He does have his papers."
    "Breaking and entering is a criminal offense."
    "Princess let him in, so there was no breaking, just entering. You need to control your dog, too."
    "Have you considered what these children, as you put it, will look like? Part bichon , part beagle. I don't relish trying to give those puppies away."
    "Look at you—Brutus wouldn't win any beauty contests. There are other people like you who'll take the puppies. Maybe we should give Ned and Madge one. It'd give them something to do other than spying and stirring up trouble."
    "You heard about the petition." Shane unlocked his front door and allowed Leah to enter his house ahead of him, taking another deep breath of her scent as she passed him.
    "Some kid told Sam, who told me."
    Shane placed his black bag on the table by the door. "Have a seat in the living room. Can I get you anything to drink?"
    "No, thank you."
    She turned then, and he saw her for the first time in the full light. His chest expanded with a deep breath. She was beautiful. There was a fragile quality about her that was emphasized tonight, and he had to fight to keep himself from walking to her. A haunting look in her blue eyes tore at him. None of what had been happening was easy for her, but he knew she would never ask for help or admit she needed someone. She was determined to stand alone, her emotions behind a high barrier. He recognized that in her, because he was like that. It was easier to rely on only yourself, not to give another the power to hurt you.
    She didn't sit. "What can we do about Princess and Arnold?"
    "Please." He waved his hand toward the couch. After she had a seat, he sank down beside her. She tensed and inched toward the arm of the couch. "What do you want to do?"
    "If you won't let me have Princess, I'll give you Arnold. You told me you love dogs."
    He swallowed past the tightness in his throat. "You'd give up Arnold?"
    Tears swam in her