Part 18 (1/2)
Ben walked to the back of the car and opened the tailgate. He moved the bags around, found an old towel, brought it to her, and wrapped it around the puppy. ”You're already covered, but maybe this will keep the inside of the car from getting too dirty.”
”Isn't she beautiful? Look at that face.”
Beautiful wasn't the word Ben would have used to describe the mutt, but it was obvious Gina was in love with her. There was going to be h.e.l.l to pay if they found the puppy's owners. ”Get in the car. There's a campsite about a mile up. Maybe she got away from her owners there.”
Gina didn't look happy, but what were they going to do with a puppy? Even if the thing cleaned up well she wasn't going to be a pocketbook pup most women use as accessories. From the looks of her, she was a pointer mix, all black with what might be white spots, and big paws she'd yet to grow into. The little thing couldn't be over three months old.
”She doesn't have a collar. How are we going to know if whoever is there is really her owner?”
”Sweetheart, why would someone lie?”
She just shrugged and climbed into the car, pulling her seat belt around both her and the now quiet puppy.
Ben pulled the critter from her arms. ”The seat belt goes around you. Then you hold the puppy. Got it?”
”Fine.” She gave him a dirty look before reaching for the dog. ”Poor baby, he's usually not this mean.”
Ben slammed the door. ”Yeah, only after near-death experiences.” Ben felt as if he'd been having near-death experiences ever since he married Gina.
Chapter 11.
By the time Ben rounded the car, Gina had the dog flat against her chest. The puppy's front legs were on Gina's shoulders, her little doggie face tucked under Gina's chin, and her tail curled under her skinny little b.u.t.t, with her back legs straddling Gina's waist. It would take a crowbar to separate the two.
Just what Ben didn't need. He didn't know which would be worse, finding the owners or adopting a dog. From the look on Gina's face, he knew either way there was going to be trouble. He started the car, the music came on, and scared the pup who jumped and whined. Gina quickly turned off the radio and quieted her by singing a song in Spanish. Ben didn't know what she was singing about, but whatever it was, it worked. She had a really lovely voice... Gina, not the dog.
A few minutes later, he pulled into a campground. It was empty, but it hadn't been for long. Either they dumped the pup or they lost her. The next campground was miles up the road; there was no way the puppy could have made it that far on her own. No, she'd be a sitting duck with all the wildlife around there. Ben hadn't remembered pa.s.sing a camper or even a truck with a camper sh.e.l.l since leaving Boise. From the feel of the fire pit, the past residents had been gone for hours. Great, it looked as if Gina had just adopted a dog.
The only good thing about having the puppy was that Gina was so busy mothering the d.a.m.n thing she hadn't looked out the window once. For that, Ben was grateful. By the time they made the bridge into Atlanta, an old mining ghost town close to Three Wh.o.r.es Bend, the puppy was asleep curled up against Gina. Ben would never admit it, but he missed having his wife's hot little body pressed against his, even if she was only doing it to stay away from the edge of the road, or cliff as it were.
He couldn't wait to get her into the cabin and out of her dirty clothes. The economy-sized box of condoms sitting in the jockey box was calling his name. Strangely, it came out sounding like Gina's voice.
Gina turned toward him for the first time in what seemed like hours. ”Are we there yet?”
He looked over and saw her cuddling the puppy to her chest. ”Why are you whispering?”
”Jasmine is asleep.”
”Jasmine?”
”The puppy. She looks like a Jasmine to me.”
”You've named her?”
”Well, I have to call her something, don't I?”
Ben shook his head. ”No. Sweetheart, I know you like her, but have you thought this out? Do you really want to adopt a puppy?”
”Why? Don't you?”
”Hold on. How did I get involved in this whole adoption process?”
”You saved her. What do you want to do, just drop her off somewhere?”
”I'm sure we can find her a good home.” Ben shot her his most charming smile as he broke out in a cold sweat.
His smile was not well received. Gina straightened her shoulders and set her chin in that determined angle that never failed to p.i.s.s him off and turn him on at the same time. ”She has a good home. Mine. I've been thinking about getting a dog and Jasmine is perfect.”
Well wasn't that just great? She'd gladly take in a mutt to live with her but he had to practically bribe her to let him stay the night.
Gina held the puppy like a baby, cooing for all she was worth whenever the thing made a peep.
He blew out a breath, knowing he was treading on thin ice. Still, he was the man, he needed to a.s.sert himself, he wasn't sure why he felt the need, but it was there all the same. ”She's not sleeping in my bed.”
Gina turned up her cute little nose and held the pup a little closer. ”That's fine, she can sleep in mine.”
Like h.e.l.l. He didn't come all this way to sleep alone, not after last night anyway. Oh no, he had plans. ”Sweetheart, all the beds are mine, and you and I are sleeping together.”
”Either Jasmine sleeps with us or you can sleep alone.” Gina looked down at the big soulful brown puppy eyes. s.h.i.+t, he was so f.u.c.ked. She ran her hand over the puppy's crusty belly. ”Just as soon as we get home, I'll draw you a nice hot bath and we'll get you all pretty again.”
Ben stopped at the only place in Atlanta where he might be able to get dog food. He'd be d.a.m.ned if the puppy was going to eat their food.
The establishment, if you could call it that, was more of a bar than a store, but they did carry a few necessities. Lord knew, there weren't many mini-marts in this neck of the woods. Luckily, there was a bag of puppy chow available and rope that would serve as a temporary leash and collar. He paid the man behind the bar and was glad Gina had stayed with Jasmine. He could just imagine what she'd say if she saw this place. He thanked the guy and headed to the car wondering where Gina had come up with a girly name like Jasmine. He figured it could be worse; she could have called her Fifi or something equally offensive to his Y chromosome.
Ben tossed his purchases in the back, threw the Defender into low gear, and headed up the mountain.
Gina waited for Ben. As soon as he left, she locked the doors and watched the few people come and go. The town itself looked like a rougher version of the ghost town she'd seen on an episode of The Brady Bunch The Brady Bunch. Unfortunately, they weren't on a Hollywood set.
She told herself that Three Wh.o.r.es Bend couldn't be this bad. After all, Ben said they had a country club. She could only hope that the people there there didn't look as if they'd just escaped from jail. didn't look as if they'd just escaped from jail.
He rapped on the window, pulling her from her thoughts. Even though she was still mad at him, she was relieved to see him. The people staring at her gave her the creeps. As far as she was concerned, the sooner they got out of this place, the better.
”I was able to get puppy chow and some rope.”
”You're not planning on getting kinky, are you? Because if you think I'll let you tie me up with that, you've got something coming to you.”
Ben rolled his eyes. ”I got it for the dog. You'll need a leash, and since they didn't have any sequin-covered designer leashes available, we'll have to make do with the rope. As for tying you up, I packed silk ties so you have nothing to worry about.”
Leave it to Ben to say the perfect thing to put her usually dormant hormones into overdrive. She had to admit, that hot, unshaved, mountain man getup really worked for him. It still weirded her out a little, though. It was as if he were two people. In New York, he was a self-a.s.sured businessman who wore suits that cost more than she grossed in a month, and lived in a gorgeous loft apartment over his art gallery. But when he crossed the Continental Divide, he turned into a hot Jeremiah Johnson. Ben put a young Robert Redford to shame. It just wasn't natural. Unfortunately, her hormones didn't seem to care.
Gina tried to ignore him and her screaming hormones by looking out the window. There was nothing to look at but mountains, trees, river, and sky.
She'd heard the term Big Sky Country, but she never really understood it until she stepped out the door that morning. The sky was huge, she'd been staring at it almost the entire drive, and she still couldn't get over it. It was so bright and clear, she could still see the moon and there wasn't a cloud in sight. All day. She hadn't even seen a plane. The only things she'd seen were birds. Ben had even pointed out a bald eagle once, not that she believed him. The only place they had eagles anymore was in zoos. She rolled her eyes. When she told him that, he just laughed at her, which p.i.s.sed her off.
All this empty s.p.a.ce made her feel uncomfortable. What she wouldn't give to see a substantial building. Where was a nice high-rise when she needed one?
Ben turned the car off what looked like a path and headed straight up a mountain. Gina grabbed the armrest as the steepness of the incline threw her and the puppy back into the seat. She saw nothing but sky through the winds.h.i.+eld. ”Ben?”