Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 74968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 375(@200wpm)___ 300(@250wpm)___ 250(@300wpm)
“I’m not.” Adler was lying. Thirty-pound bag of chow. Dog beds, plural. Multiple bags of training treats. More toys than most toddlers. Adler was absolutely counting on me keeping the dogs around. Accordingly, he kept right on in that logical tone of his. “But none of your inquiries have yielded a potential owner for them. And they’re settling in so nicely.”
I snorted. “I’m not sure puppy wake-up calls at two a.m. count as nicely.”
Rory, the puppy, was actually doing a damn fine job at being housebroken, following her mother out to do her business like a champ and avoiding accidents in my place.
“Want me to start coming over in the night to let them out?” Adler batted his eyes at me.
“Behave.” I gave him a harsh look, which he ignored.
“I’m just saying I could slip in the back door.” His innocent smile was a contrast to his flirtatious tone. “You wouldn’t even need to wake up.”
“As if I could sleep through you sneaking in,” I scoffed, well aware I was doing my part to keep the banter going. Luckily, Adler saved his flirting for when we were alone. I couldn’t fault his professionalism on the job. And if I kind of liked the attention, I’d never say.
“Well, there’s always the option of me helping you get back to sleep…” He trailed off with a wink.
“Not an option,” I said firmly. My brain, however, went right to images of how exactly he might do that. Lord, did I crave that mouth of his. I swallowed hard. “Letting them out isn’t that bad. It’ll be easier with the pen.”
“Exactly.” Adler grinned as I walked right into his trap. “Now, where do we get started with fixing their fence?”
I harrumphed my way out back with him. After taking them out to pee, we left the dogs inside so they wouldn’t wander while we worked.
“Gotta right these posts first.” I assessed the area and fetched mallets and other tools. Like his work in the barn, Adler threw himself into the task. We didn’t make a half-bad team. Adler was damn good at following orders when he wanted to. Also, he showed surprising strength at pounding in the slim posts. “You’re getting stronger.”
Adler preened. “Hard work tends to do that to a person, even if I’m genetically predisposed to a lack of muscle tone.”
I had to chuckle at that because he was indeed as skinny as ever. November was well and truly here, and the whistling wind had a near-painful chill that would only get worse as winter progressed.
“Wow. It’s cold.” Adler was now the proud owner of several pieces from the feed store, including a new thick jacket and decent gloves. He pulled the zipper on his coat up to his head, which was clad in a ridiculously gaudy knit cap that Hannah had gifted him.
“Yep. Snow’s on the way.” November snow was hardly uncommon around here, but Adler lit up like I’d mentioned Christmas.
“You think?” He bounced in place. His excitement continued as he went back to hammering in stakes, and predictably, his lack of focus led to a pained sound a few moments later. “Ow. Ow.”
“What did you do?” I asked, hurrying over as he shook his left hand in front of him. “Let me see.”
“It’s not that bad.” He dutifully peeled off his glove so I could take a look. “Whacked it by accident.”
“Hmm.” I examined his hand, taking off my own glove so I could assess the situation better. The skin-to-skin contact made a shiver race up my spine, but I forced my attention to stay on Adler’s hand. He’d managed to catch his index finger, and a purplish bruise was already blooming along the side. “Don’t think it’s broken, but you might as well get some ice on it.”
“I think it’s cold enough out here without an ice pack,” Adler complained even as he followed me back to the trailer, where the dogs were only too happy to see us. I fetched him an ice pack from the freezer as he greeted the dogs.
“Ow.” He made another pained yelp as he wrapped the flexible ice pack around his hand.
“How bad’s the hurt?” I stepped closer, peering intently at his face. Maybe I was wrong, and the finger did need an x-ray. Seeing him in pain made my stomach twist. “You want some ibuprofen?”
“Nah.” He waved off my concern. “I have a legendarily low pain tolerance. You make a good nurse though.”
“Guess I’ve doctored enough injuries to hands over the years and helped Jude some with horses and cattle.” I continued to hover, not sure if I believed him about the low pain tolerance. “I’m better with animals than humans.”
“Yeah, you are, but I’m onto you.” Adler waved his uninjured hand at me. “You have a hidden soft streak.”
“Hardly.” I glared at him, but he didn’t seem at all cowed. “Don’t go thinkin’ I’m nice.”