Primal Force by D. D. Ayres

need shit-all from him now.
    Law had refused the inheritance of Harmonie Kennels and never looked back. Her good fortune, but her brother’s loss. No one, especially Law, needed to be alone forever.
    She’d seen that micro expression of hurt when she’d mentioned the woman. Maybe she threw him out, or maybe he ran. Either way, he wasn’t happy about it. And that might just be the best news of all.
    If Law was emotionally involved, even if he saw it as a negative, that was more than enough to work with for a smart woman willing to do the mining of the heart of a difficult man. A woman who trained dogs would know how to work with Law’s nonverbal way of dealing with his emotions.
    Yardley reached over and snagged one of his onion rings. “What was wrong with her?” Law looked confused by the question, but she knew it was a dodge. “The woman who threw you out.”
    It took Law a split second to choose the most offputting fact about Jori. “She’s an ex-con.”
    Yardley broke into laughter. “Oh my God. You’ve turned into a prude. I remember a time during your teens when Dad bailed you out regularly.”
    Law sent her a hooded look. “I liked you better as a distant relation. Far distant.”
    Yardley shrugged. “I’ll remember that the next time you ask for a favor.”
    Law’s interest quickened. “So where’s the file?”
    â€œAt home. And we’re going to finish this meal before we go there. So, dig in.”
    Law stuffed his mouth with his burger as his thoughts wandered to Jori.
    She’d told him she’d be fine. But he couldn’t forget the image of her tangled in the sheets, wearing two different-colored socks and nothing else. The image burned through him like molten glass. Thinking of her equaled a hard-on. Nothing had changed because he now knew how it felt when she came with him buried to the balls inside her. No, wait, it had.
    He closed his eyes briefly. It had felt so damn good he wanted to cry.
    â€œShe’s too nice for me.”
    Law glanced up, expecting laughter from Yardley, but she was just staring at him with a thoughtful expression. “She’s a sweet girl who caught a bad break.”
    He was pretty sure of that even though he’d stopped short of reading the newspaper about her trial that he called up on his notebook while waiting for his flight. What was he going to do with anything he learned about her? He didn’t plan to see her again. He’d deleted the article unread. But Yardley was looking at him as if she knew he’d been tempted. “What?”
    â€œYou think she wasn’t guilty.”
    â€œIt doesn’t matter, either way.” That much was true.
    Yardley waited for him to continue. Instead, Law pulled an onion ring from his pile and offered it to Sam. The dog scarfed it down without chewing then sat up and nosed his thigh, hopeful of another bite.
    Law broke off a portion of his burger patty and placed it on a napkin before putting it on the floor for Sam. One thing he’d discovered about his new companion, Sam liked to eat.
    â€œAre you going to tell me about her?”
    Law hunched a shoulder. “I got this damn doodle because of her. Sam’s a lot like her trainer.”
    â€œYou mean she’s friendly, cute, down-to-earth, good-natured, patient, and constantly evaluating and adjusting to your moods? I can see why you wouldn’t want to be around her. Sounds like a horror of a woman.”
    Law frowned at his plate. “I don’t like me around her.”
    â€œAnd that means?”
    â€œI was … not kind.”
    â€œOh.” Yardley swallowed her smile. Being rude had never been a problem for her brother before. “The way you left it between you, do you think she’ll call if she decides she wants to see you again?”
    He sent her a hard look. “I didn’t give her my number.”
    Yardley sat back,