Rescue Me Read Free Page B

how sexy he looked. Maybe the fumes were affecting her judgment.
    â€œHey, Mary Hannah?” he said without moving, the tension in the room so thick she could swear his Southern drawl vibrated across in waves. “How about getting some more help before the beast knocks you over? I’ll hold the dog, with my eyes down checking out the peeling wallpaper.”
    Sure enough, wallpaper pieces curled and spiraled like macabre ribbons on a package. Except why was she checking out the decor of this filthy place, for God’s sake? She needed to get her head in the game and shake off whatever had hold of her, whether it was the fumes or the holiday doldrums.
    Mary Hannah tightened her grip on the cool metal pole, bracing her feet. “Everyone else is outside working to medically stabilize the male boxer found in the trash can. So I’m all the help you have.”
    â€œHe’s actually still alive?” he asked, glancing her way.
    â€œBarely. He may not make it. Damn it, avert your eyes,” she reminded him sharply. Herself, too. Except she needed to look away from the man. “Dogs perceive direct eye contact as a sign of aggression. Now keep yours focused on the floor while you slip out and find another catchpole. Then we’ll have more control to walk the boxer to the vehicle and into a crate. Or you could also ask someone to sedate the animal, but we’ll still need her safely restrained until the drugs take effect.”
    AJ snorted. “Or like I said before,
you
could pass over control to
me
before that dog runs you over.”
    â€œQuit going all macho man on me.” She kept her voice low and even, doing her best not to rile the dog. “Do your job. I’ll do mine.”
    The wild-eyed animal strained against the loop, making Mary Hannah’s arms burn from the force. She’d already noticed the dog was female, and given her saggy underbelly, she must have puppies around here somewhere or had recently.
    â€œParker, stay loose as you inch past. She’s clearly had a recent litter. Mother dogs can be protective, which makes them more aggressive. Maternal instincts kick the aggression into possessive overdrive.”
    Understandable, really. Mothers should do anything to protect their babies. Anything. Her eyes stung. Her heart, too. But there could be no more attempts to indulge in just one night to forget.
    AJ walked in a slow half circle past the mama boxer. “I haven’t seen puppies that look like hers around here. Only small-breed pups.”
    â€œGood to know.” Mary Hannah’s arms ached, but she had to hold on only a little longer. AJ was at the door now, just behind her. “Shhh, shhh, Mama, it’ll be all right. We want to help you.”
    Mama lifted her head, a low growl rumbling in the back of her throat.
    AJ locked his arms around Mary Hannah in a flash, his hands eclipsing hers. “Careful now. Mama here’s high—”
    â€œâ€”on meth.” She swallowed hard and held herself very still in his arms again for the first time since that impulsive, stupid—mind-blowing—night five months ago. “Mama’s high on meth,” she repeated. “Right.”
    That made her want to help save this dog all the more, to give the girl a chance to show who she really was underneath the drugs. This horrible existence couldn’t be the end for the dog, especially not because Mary Hannah was distracted by the feel of AJ’s arms around her again.
    His chest was a solid wall of muscle behind her, the scent of his aftershave a tempting relief from the sting of drugs in the air. She swallowed hard, her body tingling to life—and at such an awful time it was surreal.
    His breath was warm against her neck. “Mary Hannah? You can let go now.”
    â€œI understand the need to be careful.” In more ways than one. She was always careful and tried to do the right thing, except on those rare occasions when