The Truth About Cats & Dogs by Lori Foster, Kristine Rolofson, Caroline Burnes Page B

pointed a finger at her. “You know damn good and well about what. The house.”
    She ducked her head and shrugged. “I don’t know. What do you think?”
    Frustrated, Buck stepped over the fence and sat beside her. “You are planning to keep Tish, aren’t you? Because I gotta tell you, if you don’t, I will.”
    Sadie’s head jerked up. “Really?”
    â€œDamn right. She needs someone to love her a lot.Forever. She needs calm and quiet. In just the two weeks I’ve known her, she’s gotten back more fur.”
    Sadie looked caught between laughing and crying. “She looks like a sleek little seal now, doesn’t she?”
    â€œShe’s beautiful.” Buck touched Sadie’s cheek, and he was appalled to see his hand shake. “Just as you said she’d be.”
    Sadie’s eyes were sad, and her smile wobbled. “She’s fatter, too.”
    â€œShe reminds me of a little sumo wrestler, especially when she’s sneaking up to steal something from me.” He peered down at her. “She’s not exactly graceful.”
    Sadie leaned against Buck and laughed.
    Buck melted.
    And suddenly, Tish crept over.
    They both froze. The little dog had her ears flat on her head, her big brown eyes watchful—and hopeful. She slowly, so very slowly, did an army crawl…right into Sadie’s lap.
    â€œOhmigod,” Sadie whispered.
    Butch blinked his big eyes in stunned surprise at this change. Since he’d been in Sadie’s lap first, Tish was now half sitting on him. She outweighed Butch by at least a pound, and for four-pound Butch, that pound was a lot.
    But he didn’t complain.
    â€œSlow,” Buck whispered, “Go real slow.” He reached out with one finger and tickled the dog’schin. Her worried gaze transferred to him, and her tail lifted in a one-wag thump. She looked very undecided about things, but she didn’t run off.
    Holding his breath, Buck carefully tickled his way over her muzzle, to her ear, and then to the top of her little round head, which was no longer bald, but soft with chocolate-brown fur.
    Tish let out a long, doggie sigh, dropped her head onto Sadie’s thigh and closed her eyes.
    â€œYou did it, Sadie.” Buck’s heart swelled so big, it felt ready to pop out of his chest.
    Enormous tears swam in Sadie’s eyes. “This is stupid,” she whispered on a shaky laugh, “but I feel like bawling.”
    â€œYeah,” Buck admitted, “me, too.”
    Sadie leaned on his shoulder. “Butch has to have most of the credit.”
    Reminded of his goal, Buck was quick to agree. “It’d be a damn shame to separate them now, don’t you think? I bet Regina would love the idea of letting them play together. She’s taken only freelance jobs lately so she could be home more with Butch. And when she has to be away for regular business hours, she or Riley come home at lunchtime. If we were right next door—”
    With her head still on his shoulder, Sadie squeaked, “We?” She twisted to see him. “You think we should buy the house—”
    â€œTogether.” He smoothed his hand over the dogs, taking turns petting them. “It’s a good plan.”
    She stared at him in mute surprise.
    That irritated Buck. “You know the dogs would like it.”
    Sadie nodded. “Yes. But…would you like it?”
    He touched her cheek. “I’d love it.”
    She bit her bottom lip, drew a deep breath, then nodded. “I’d love it, too.”
    The tension left Buck in a rush. Then Sadie said, “Because I love you.”
    His back snapped straight. “What did you say?”
    His strangled voice startled the dogs, and he rushed to calm them with soft pats.
    Sadie held his gaze. “I love you, Buck Boswell. You’re the most wonderful, loving, giving man. Even in my imagination, I didn’t think anyone