Forbidden Fling (Wildwood 1)

This was news to Ethan. In fact, it was a direct contradiction to the story Pops had told the family about how he’d come by Homie their whole lives. He pinned his grandfather with a look. “You told us you found him loose on the freeway.”

Harlan got that deer-in-the-headlights look for a millisecond before he shooed Ethan’s accusation away like a fly. “That’s how he got to the shelter, not to me.”

Bullshit. He knew his grandfather well enough to know a tale when he heard it.

He returned his gaze to Delaney and Homie. She had his furry head in both hands, smiling down at the dog with such joy, Ethan’s heart ached. Leaning in, she buried her face in the fur on the side of his neck and wrapped her arms around him. Watching her show such open, raw love to an animal Ethan hadn’t even realized she’d known made the strangest synapses connect in his brain, creating thoughts that didn’t make any sense but that filled his head anyway.

Did she look that happy when she hung on Ethan the same way? Had he discounted her affection toward him as merely physical when she obviously held more affection for Homie and treated Ethan the same way?

Could she actually love him? Did he even want that? And what was that electric current suddenly spiraling through his chest? Fear? Excitement?

Love?

Wait. Time out.

Was he really comparing himself to a dog?

He shook all that crap from his head, made a couple of quick timing calculations, and applied his frustration toward his grandfather.

“She loved that dog,” he said with a clear edge of accusation in his voice. “He was probably the only pure, unconditional source of love in her life. Then you wandered into that kennel after Grandma passed away, and she saw a wounded soul. She gave you that damn dog to patch up your old rusty heart, didn’t she? You lied to us all these years.”

God, that was so classic Delaney. The hell he didn’t know her.

“You want to talk about lies?” Pops tossed back. “Let’s talk about your Delaney’s-just-passin’-through-town story.”

Ethan rolled his eyes and rubbed a hand down his face. “I didn’t see the point in upsetting you for nothing. It’s nothing to worry about. The clock is ticking. She’s not on my schedule. Hell, she hasn’t even made up her mind what she wants to do. There is no way she can get it all together in a couple of days.”

Harlan’s gaze held on Delaney as she put Homie through the obedience paces. His lips pursed, and his gray brows pulled together, creating a deep V of folds on his forehead. “She don’t look worried to me.”

“She doesn’t know enough to be worried.”

His grandfather’s gaze cut to Ethan’s with a combination of irritation and disbelief. “I just love the way you think you know it all.”

“You know different?”

“I know a lot more than you, but with that thick skull o’ yours . . .” Harlan shook his head and hobbled toward the Scrub-a-Pup melee. “Guess you’ll always have surprises in your future. Go on with your jabberin’, boys. I’ve gotta get my dog back and get home. Got hops to farm.”

“What did that mean?” Caleb asked Ethan.

“I don’t know.” He glanced at his friend. “You’re the information center. You’re the one who’s supposed to know everything.”

Caleb’s brows rose, his focus still on the dog wash. “What I know right now is that Delaney has just turned your grouchy old grandfather into a happy-go-lucky charmer in front of my damn eyes.”

When Ethan refocused on his grandfather, Harlan hadn’t gotten his dog or gone home. Ethan didn’t know what Delaney said, but she’d gotten Harlan to let her wash, dry, and brush Homie, all while Harlan sat on a bench nearby chatting and laughing with her.

“Holy shit,” he murmured.

“You were right on about that dog,” Caleb said, turning his gaze on Ethan. “How did you know?”

“Humans are creatures of habit, patterns are developed for a reason, and character is built over time. People don’t change overnight.”

Phoebe’s words filled Ethan’s head and made his lips curve. “Because I know Delaney.”

“I might have to rethink you hooking up with her,” Caleb said. “If she can do that for Harlan, just think what she could do for you given a little time. Just sayin’ . . .”

Ethan smacked his friend’s chest. “Asshole.”

But Caleb was right. She’d walked into his warehouse and made a huge change with one minor suggestion. She’d slept with him one night and turned his damn world upside down. And her own self-confidence had created a whole new sense of certainty within Ethan.