Part 1 (1/2)

Tails of love.

Lori Foster . . . [et al.].

MAN'S BEST FRIEND.

Lori Foster.

CHAPTER ONE.

It figured that on the most miserable night of the week, Erin Schuler would be the last one out. It was her own fault for staying so late, working wel past closing just because . . .

wel , she real y had nowhere else she needed to be. Her empty apartment wasn't al that appealing. Hanging out at the park was always preferable-when it wasn't so dark and stormy and cold.

The rain came in a torrent, soaking Erin as she locked the door to the park's storage shed and dashed for her car in the farthest lot. Tal , thick trees blocked what little moonlight might have penetrated the stormy sky.

At least she'd gotten the last of the mulch covered and al the tools put away before the skies opened up.

But now, with rain battering down on her, she could barely see two feet in front of her as she navigated over the gravel lot, mindful of shadows and night sounds. With her arms over her head, uselessly attempting to block some of the rain, she jogged fast-and tripped over something smal and soft.

As she went down face-first, whatever she'd tripped over gave a surprised yelp, fol owed by a very heart-wrenching whimper.

She hit the ground hard and, hearing that sad little sound, jerked around and s.h.i.+elded her eyes with a hand. There, looking wounded, wet, and afraid, was an animal.

Her heart lurched as she stared at the smal creature with large, glistening eyes. Shaking from cold and unease, she immediately went to her knees on the gravel and pul ed a smal flashlight from her bag. s.h.i.+ning it at the critter, she found herself face-to-face with a sodden puppy of indiscriminate breed.

”Oh, baby.” Erin held out a hand. ”There, there, it's okay.

I'm sorry if I hurt you,” she whispered. ”I didn't see you hunkered down there.”

The bal of wet, matted brown fur watched her from worried dark eyes. Whimpering, hopeful but afraid, it inched a little closer.

Very slowly, Erin got off her knees and went into a crouch. ”It's al right, baby. You look as cold and miserable as I feel. Come here, now. We'l get warmed up together.”

The dog's fur was fil ed with mud and probably unspeakable things, like ticks and fleas. But what the hel , she wasn't in much better shape herself now that the rain had soaked through to her skin and she'd fal en on the gravel lot. She pul ed the little bundle up close and cradled it in her arms.

The puppy couldn't weigh more than three pounds and had the distinct look of neglect about it. In the three years she'd been working with the park, Erin had seen and rescued plenty of wild animals. But never before had she encountered a pup.

Not being a dummy, she wondered if someone had left the animal there, and if the creep was stil around.

The little dog s.h.i.+vered in her arms and laid back its ears in a beseeching way. Holding it close to her chest, Erin unlocked her car and slid inside, then closed and locked the door. Relieved for that much security, she decided to take the dog to her apartment and see what she could do about making it comfortable.

She put the key in the ignition, turned, and . . .

Nothing.

”c.r.a.p.” Her battery had died? Truly nervous now, she dug out her cel phone. ”It's okay, sweetie. We'l be fine, I promise.”

But when she opened her phone and the light came on, she said, ”c.r.a.p times two.” The battery was al but dead.

Erin flopped her head back against the seat and groaned.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. She had to hurry and cal someone, or she'd be stranded here alone for the night.

The dog licked her chin in encouragement, and after a pat meant to rea.s.sure the pup, she tried cal ing her brother.

No answer. Jerk.

He was probably out having a great time somewhere.

Not that he could have known she'd need him, but stil . . .

Though it was summer, the freezing rain and cool night air sent s.h.i.+vers racing over her body. Who to cal ?

One look out the window and she knew she couldn't bother her folks. Not only would they have been in bed for hours, but she didn't particularly want either of them to be out driving in this horrible storm.

As to friends . . . wel , she didn't have any super good friends who wouldn't mind venturing out late on a rainy night to save her social y dysfunctional b.u.t.t.

That left her with only one choice: Gary Rutledge.

Never mind that Gary was probably asleep, or with a woman, or that she'd been avoiding him for a few months now. Erin thought of the last time he'd cal ed, how frustrated he'd been that she claimed to be too busy to see him.

They both knew it was a lie. Only she knew why she lied.

But d.a.m.n it, what she wanted and what he wanted were worlds apart. His life was already too ful to add a serious romantic relations.h.i.+p, and she cared too much about him for anything less. She had enough problems in her life without fostering a deliberate heartache.

But even if he wanted what she wanted, he had big plans ahead and she didn't want to get in the way of them. And if she was total y honest, she had to admit that his newfound popularity and social standing intimidated the hel out of her.

Lightning crashed across the sky, fol owed by a deep belch of car-jarring thunder. The pup yelped pitiful y. Erin jumped. ”Wow,” she said as she stroked the animal to calm it. It whined and tried to burrow under her arm. ”Yeah, yeah,”

she told the dog. ”I know. It's time to suck it up and make the cal . I'l do it right now.”

She'd ask Gary for help, but keep things cool and detached. Somehow.

Cooing to the dog, she dialed his number.

On the third ring, Gary gave a low, sleepy, ”Hel o?”

Wel hel . She'd sort of hoped against hope that he wouldn't be in bed already, but it was obvious that she'd awakened him.

Erin cleared her throat and without meaning to, asked, ”You alone, Rutledge?” If he was with another woman, she'd d.a.m.n wel crawl home in the storm before admitting she needed his help.

”Erin?” New awareness chased away the slumber in his tone. Voice now firm and demanding, he said, ”What's wrong?”

Her phone gave a series of near-silent beeps, indicating an impending disconnect from a dead battery. Jostling the pup to keep it stil in her lap, panicked at the idea that her phone would die any second, she rushed into speech. ”I need you, Gary. I'm at the park, in the north lot, and everyone else is gone. Bring some towels. Maybe a blanket and-”

The phone blinked off.