Man's Best Friend (3 page)

When Ned looked as if he were going to overstate her qualifications again, she spoke first. "My name is Tessa Darwin." She lifted her chin. "Who are you?"

His mouth opened, those magical brows lifted, but nothing came out for at least ten seconds as he studied her intently. When he spoke, his words had ice at their edges. "Rand Fielding, Miss Darwin, although I expect you know that." He paused as if he expected a curtsey. "I live here, but I suspect you know that, too."

"Then I guess you're the man Ned brought me to see." She looked at him, then dropped her gaze to the floor behind him. Her lips curved up. "And this little guy, of course."

Three sets of male eyes followed her gaze to the pup skidding toward them across the slippery marble floor. When he made it over to Rand, he stood between his feet, scratched himself, and fell over. Once up he sat on Rand's shoe.

He woofed once and wagged his tail.

A fur bag with attitude. Tessa adored him on sight and immediately picked him up.

Cuddling warm, soft puppies was one of life's gifts she never turned down. "A Rhodesian Ridgeback!" she said, noting the ridge of hair growing along his back in the opposite direction to the rest of his fur. She looked at Ned. "And a handsome one." Excited, she turned back to Rand. "Full grown he'll be a hundred pounds. Maybe more."

If he shared her enthusiasm over the pup's projected weight gain, it sure didn't show. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Do you mind telling me why you're here?" he asked her.

She stroked the velvet fur between the pup's floppy ears. "Ned said you'd recently got a dog—"

"Very recently." He glared at Ned.

Puzzled, she glanced first at Ned, who shrugged, then at Milton, who was rubbing his chin as if to camouflage a smile. What was going on here? She put the pup down, and it scrambled back to its post at Rand's feet.

She straightened and looked into Rand Fielding's unyielding face. "I'm a dog trainer," she said, enunciating with care as though speaking to someone both slow-witted and hearing impaired. "Ned said you needed one."

A silence fell, cool as the marble they stood on.

"Ned." Rand jerked his head to indicate a door behind them. "We need to talk." He started his turn, looked back briefly. "Milton, entertain the lady, would you?"

* * *

The kitchen door closed behind them, and Rand exploded. "What in hell were you thinking, giving me a dog?"

Ned ignored him, ambled over to pour himself a cup of coffee.

"I don't want a damn dog," Rand added. "Or the dog trainer who comes with him." The minute Rand set eyes on the Darwin woman, he'd figured it out. She was a player, whether she knew it or not, in another of Ned's matchmaking schemes. Having given up on the silk and satin type, the man was now serving up denim and cotton.

Ned hitched his hip against the counter, sipped his steaming coffee and let out a satisfied breath. "You know, Rand, I'm tempted to hire Milt away from you for his coffeemaking skills. Must be nice to wake up to every morning."

"Nicer than a whining pup."

"Ah, the dog."

"I want him gone. Take him back where you got him. Today. Better yet, send him back with the dog trainer."

Ned took another sip of coffee and turned the mug in his hands, making no reply. Rand summoned up some patience. It wasn't easy. No one got under his skin like Ned when he put his mind to it. But he was family—the last of it—not to mention the best acquisitions specialist in the country and one of the few people Rand trusted completely. Although he could live without the man's thoughtless pranks. "I repeat," Rand added for emphasis. "I do
not
need a dog."

"You don't need a dog." Ned set his mug on the counter. "But Tessa needs the work, and I promised her the job."

"You promised—" Rand raked his right hand through his hair, then fisted both hands on his hips. "Well, I don't want a woman around the place. In fact, I'd rather have the damn dog."

"Perfect. Because the woman is for me. The dog is all yours," Ned said.

"What in hell are you talking about?"

"I've been trying to get her to go out with me for months, but she won't. Says she's ice cream and I'm cherries jubilee or some stupid thing. That we wouldn't work out." He paused. "I need time to convince her otherwise."

"You want the woman so you buy
me
a dog?"

Ned shrugged without apology. "I already have two."

"You're nuts."

"I think I'm in love."

"Same thing. And you've been in love before, as I recall." Dimly, Rand remembered some woman from last year.

"Correction. I thought I was. But Tessa's different." He glanced at his feet before raising his eyes to meet Rand's. "The marrying kind. Maybe."

"So ask her and get it over with."

"Hard question to ask a woman who's never said yes to a dinner date."

Rand studied his cousin who was staring at his shoes, looking—yes—embarrassed. Amazing.

His regard for Miss Darwin shot up tenfold. The woman was clearly a pro. As a shareholder in Rand's company, Red Earth Holdings, Ned was a wealthy man. No doubt the woman figured a walk down the aisle would suit her better than a few fast rides in Ned's jag. And she was using the oldest, most effective trick in the book: playing hard to get. No point in saying so, of course. Besides, what Ned did with his private life was no business of Rand's.

When Rand remained silent, Ned added, "This is important to me, Rand."

"She takes care of the dog and stays out of my hair?"

Ned nodded.

"And when this courtship of yours is over and your pre-nups are signed, you take the dog."

"Done."

Rand turned and strode to the kitchen door, tossing instructions over his shoulder. "If she's going to be on or around my property, tell her I require a background check. I want her file on my desk by the end of the week." He stopped, turned back to face Ned. "You know, I think you're ten kinds of fool."

"I figured you would."

"She'll take you, you know. It's just a matter of time."

Ned met his level gaze. "Her name's Tessa, Rand, not Andrea."

"Yeah, sure, if you say so." Rand looked squarely at Ned. "Anyway, be careful."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later Rand collided with the object of Ned's affection on his front step, her clutching the pup to her breast with two hands, him gripping his briefcase with one. With his free hand, he grasped her upper arm, a reflex action to stabilize them both.

"Sorry," she blurted, her eyes wide but smiling. "I didn't see you. I was cuddling little whozits here."

The sensation of wiry strength under his hand surprised him. So Tessa Darwin was an outdoor type. He pulled his hand back and stuffed it in his suit pocket.

"Whozits?" he echoed, pulling out his keys and stepping up to his car.

"He's your pet, Mr. Fielding." She kissed the pup's head. "Yours to love and yours to name." She looked at him expectantly.

The mister tab annoyed him. She was young, sure, but at a freshly minted thirty-eight Rand wasn't exactly in his sunset years. He glowered at her, although it didn't seem to faze her.

"So, what do you want to call him?" She raised her eyebrows expectantly, and a faint smile played along her lips.

Her eyes were blue, the silvery kind. The kind you expect in blondes, not brunettes. They were no-nonsense eyes, clear and direct. He forced his attention down to the squirming pup and pursed his lips. Not in concentration, but because he found pulling his gaze from hers difficult.

"Something strong, I think," she said, tilting her head. "These dogs are serious athletes. Or maybe African because that's where the breed originated."

He rubbed his chin. Naming the pup was the last thing on his mind. He watched it claw its way up the front of her T-shirt and start to lick her throat from base to jaw. She laughed and lifted her chin to keep the wet kisses from her face. Her neck was long, tanned and soft, he guessed. Like those lush lips of hers with the tiny mole to the right of them. Pretty. The woman was remarkably pretty. He inhaled, concentrated on the pup, not liking the direction of his thoughts. Ned was in for it. That was certain.

"So, what's it to be? Rover, Fido or Duke?" she said, obviously giving him no points for originality.

The pup made it clear to her cheek, tongue hard at work. "Licks. Call him Licks. Seems to fit."

"Not what I had in mind, but—" She smiled, rubbed a puppy kiss off her chin. "Come to think of it, it's perfect. Licks it is." She ruffled the pup's fur, looked at Rand's briefcase, and frowned. "You're leaving?"

"That's the plan."

"But when shall we talk?"

"Talk?" He put his key in the car lock.

"About the training. When to start. What my fee will be."

He opened the driver's door on his Mercedes and tossed his briefcase onto the passenger seat, anxious to get out from under those silver eyes of hers. "See Ned about it. He's the dog man." He got into the car and was about to close the door when she put her hand on it.

"But..."

"But what?"

"He's your dog," she pointed out.

Guilt, unaccustomed and uncomfortable, stabbed at him. If he were alone he'd laugh. Here he was, prepared to finesse an inventor's valuable technology away from him without a qualm—and make close to forty million doing it—and this woman made him feel like crap over a small bag of fur. He attempted to soften his tone, wasn't sure it worked. "Look, I don't have time to deal with the dog right now. Take him to your place. We'll set something up later."

"Take him to my place?" she echoed, wide-eyed.

"Right." He shut the door and turned on the ignition. He hit the down button for the window. "Tell Milt or Ned to give you some cash for whatever you need."

"But—"

He raised a hand to cut her off. "Speak to Ned, Miss Darwin, or to Milton." He tried to soften his tone. "One or the other of them will take care of you." With that, he gave the car some gas and raced out of the driveway, feeling like more of a dog than the one cradled in her arms—and not liking it a bit.

Damn the soft-hearted Ned, foisting her off on him. Tessa Darwin was a complication Rand didn't need.

His car phone rang and he picked it up, thankful for the interruption.

* * *

Tessa watched the powerful black car glide down the long driveway, exit the gate, and make a quick left turn. Once she got her breath back—it had nearly stopped again at his curt dismissal and abrupt departure—she was flaming mad.

What kind of man didn't like puppies? She didn't want to think about that. Too scary. Ned was crazy to bring her here.

Licks snuffled under her chin and dropped off to sleep. She gave him a hug.

This whole business was strange. Rand Fielding wasn't a dog person, so why had Ned given him one? And why was Rand keeping it? She rested her chin on Licks' head.

"Somebody once said the very rich are different from you and me, Licks." She rubbed his head with her chin. "Looks like they were right." But Tessa hated to think of a dog growing up here, unwanted and unloved. It wouldn't be right.

"There you are," Ned called to her as he started down the stairs. "Everything okay?"

When she started to answer, his cell phone rang. Frowning and nodding, he spoke into it, "Yes, I see... you sure, Rand? And Cullen will pick me up himself?... I'm on my way."

He clicked off and turned to her. "I'm sorry, Tessa, but something's come up. I have to leave immediately."

At least he had the charm to look a little regretful, unlike his boss. "Can you drop me off on your way?"

"No, sorry, I'm going in the opposite direction. Milton will take you and Licks home." He dialed, spoke into his phone while opening his car door.

Milton came out an instant later, shouldering himself into a light jacket and heading toward the garage beside the house.

"Your friend wants me to take the pup home," she said, beginning to feel like a bit player in a B movie. A movie in fast forward. One minute she was frolicking with a pup on the lawn and the next she was being hustled off the property.

"He's my cousin actually. And that would be best, if you don't mind." Ned turned and looked at her. "I'm sorry, Tessa, but this acquisition Rand and I have been working on has entered the time-critical stage. I'll be gone a week, probably longer. I'd really appreciate it if you'd look after the pup for me."

"For you?"

Ned frowned. "For Rand. He'll be here, but most of his time will be spent at the office. It wouldn't be fair to the pup."

"But it's fair to me." Tessa didn't mind taking care of Licks—someone had to—but she resented being imposed upon.

"No, it's not, but will you do it?"

"Yes, of course, I'll do it, but—"

"Thanks. I'll have my housekeeper drop off Pam and Lansky at the kennel, and I'll call." He got in his car, turned on the ignition, and put down his window. "Milt will give you everything you need for Licks, money for food, boarding, and your time. Rand is very appreciative." Ned was dialing a number on his cell as he talked.