Page 41 of Hard Rain Coming

He kissed the top of his sister’s head. “I know.” Then stepped back and changed the subject. “You talk to Mom lately?”

“She’s good. Enjoying Florida.”

“We should go visit.”

“Sure.” They both knew they’d never take the time to travel to Florida. But it was a nice thought.

Jade pulled on her boots. “She might be back for Thanksgiving.”

“Yeah?”

She nodded. “I’ll let you know when I know.” Jade stood and slid on her jacket and stared out the window for a few seconds. “It’s going to be a long, cold winter, I think.” She gave him a small wave and left.

For the longest time, Dallas stood in the middle of his house, looking out at the angry, snow-filled clouds. He had a feeling inside him, one part anger, one part confusion, and the other part something he didn’t quite understand. He didn’t like it. The unknown.

He made his food but ate without tasting, and after he cleaned up the kitchen, he headed to the mudroom to look in on the kittens. They were cute little things, full of spunk and mischief. One, the orange-colored runt he’d been calling Ringo, attached itself to his jeans and clawed his way up his leg until Dallas grabbed him and held him close. It immediately started to purr.

The sound soothed. Made him remember. God, he hated the remembering.

“My God, Dal, he’s so soft.”

The puppy ran around the room on gangly legs, yipping at their heels and trying to play.

“Do you like him?” he asked, watching the girl who made his heart beat like a goddamn locomotive going full steam. Would he ever get enough of her?

She nodded and squealed in delight when the dog began to lick her toes. “What’s his name?” she asked, eyes shiny as she gazed up at him.

A strange feeling came over Dallas. A kind of possessiveness he’d never felt before. Not with any girl he’d been with. But this one, with her big eyes, a mouth made for sinning, and a body that drove him crazy, was different. This one was special.

“Gunner,” he replied.

“Gunner,” she repeated, sliding her tongue over her lips in that way that made him crazy. “I like that.”

“He’s ours.” Okay. That didn’t come out the way he’d said it in his head. The dog was his. He’d picked him out of the litter himself.

“Ours?” She jumped to her feet and ran over to him, wrapping her arms around him so damn tight, he could barely breathe. “I love him,” she said, looking up at Dallas. “Now kiss me.”

He did.

And for a little while, the dog was forgotten. But then, when he was with Vivian Bridgestone, the world fell away. Something that would become a problem neither one could solve. Because together they burned hot, and you can only burn like that for so long until the burn hurts. Until it destroys.

Dallas pushed the memory away because no good could come from visiting that time and place. Back then, half the time, they were miserable, fighting about shit that didn’t matter. While the other half of the time they were so damn in love, they couldn’t see straight. How did something like that work?

It took him a good long while to figure out that it didn’t. Years, maybe.

And now she was back, and he’d had a taste of her. And damn if he didn’t want more.

How was it going to end this time?

Chapter Thirteen

Vivian was busy.

Busy writing her column and filming her podcast. Busy telling Jack what to do. Busy trying to figure out the technical crap and how it worked. Busy reorganizing her schedule and chatting with possible upcoming guests for the podcast. Busy avoiding her brother. Busy doing pretty much anything but thinking about Dallas. About what they’d done, and, more importantly, busy not thinking about how much she wanted him.

It was Wednesday midmorning, and Vivian hadn’t heard a word from him. Hadn’t see him either. Though, that wasn’t a surprise considering she hadn’t left the cabin since she’d come back from his place Saturday night. There’d been no reason to. Her brother had made sure she had everything she needed.

With nothing else to do but work, she got a lot done with Jack’s help. And now she was at loose ends. Restless.