Parker (The K9 Files Book 6) Read online

  Not to mention the time change and the jet lag and the adrenaline rush that left you so drained afterward …

  They were finally back in California, with all the nightmares over with—at least the physical real-life ones—and he realized that, even if he could go back to sleep, what about poor Samson? Parker hopped out of bed and checked on the dog, who had taken over the couch. Samson lifted his head, wagged his tail and rolled over to show his belly, but that was the extent of it. Parker rubbed his belly and figured that maybe Samson was okay to sleep longer.

  Parker went back to bed and curled in close against Sandy. Once again she snuggled into him, looking for him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. He whispered against her ear, “What a gift you are.”

  She again mumbled something unintelligible.

  He chuckled. And that seemed to do it.

  She leaned back slightly, opened her sleep-clouded eyes to stare up at him. “What’s so funny?” she whispered.

  He dropped a kiss on her nose, then her lips, and whispered, “You. You’re so sleepy. Go back to sleep. I’m sorry I woke you.”

  “Well, now that you woke me up,” she said, “don’t waste the opportunity.”

  Not sure exactly what she meant by that, but hoping he did, he shifted so she lay flat on her back, his arms under her head. He kissed her nose, then her lips, her chin, and said, “I don’t want to take away sleep from you.”

  “How about you replace it with something better?” she said, shifting her body, still warm from sleep, and her voice still cloudy with dreams. She shifted her hands to slide through his hair and tugged him forward. “Like a reason for living,” she whispered. “I think we saw enough of the negative side of life. How about we find joy in the good side of life?”

  He wouldn’t argue with that. His lips crushed hers, even as he held his weight up mostly off her body.

  But she wasn’t having any of that. She pulled him down lower, until he was crushing her.

  “I’m too heavy,” he whispered.

  She shook her head. “No. You’re just right.” And she reached up and kissed him. This time she kissed him deep and thoroughly, leaving him wanting so much more. She murmured, “I might be still half asleep, but this is a perfect way to wake up.” Kissing his cheeks and his chin and his nose, Sandy stroked his shoulders and his arms. “Did I ever say thank you for saving my life?”

  “Did I ever say thank you for saving my life?” he murmured, dotting her lips with kisses.

  Her tongue slid out to gently stroke his lips, tangling and warring with his.

  He kissed her deeper. The passion rose between them as heated skin slid across heated skin, soft gasps and whispered murmurings flowed through the room as they caressed, teased and gently explored each other.

  “I’m so grateful you were there with me,” Sandy whispered.

  “Me too,” Parker murmured against her mouth, his hands going behind her back and unhooking her bra. She arched to give him more access. Within seconds he had the bra off and tossed to the floor. He smoothed his hands over her beautiful breasts, cupping, weighing, measuring, … tasting …

  “They’re so beautiful,” he whispered, taking first one and then the other in his mouth as his fingers slid over her hips, stroking the inside of her thighs, along the back of her legs, across the top of the little scrap of lace, feeling her belly clench beneath him. His hand slid under the lace along the back to grip her cheek, and he squeezed gently.

  She moaned, her hips restless already, pressing into his palm.

  He pulled his head back, gasping. “Easy,” he said. “Take it easy.”

  “No,” she demanded. “I don’t want it to be easy. I want you now.”

  He chuckled, quickly removing the scrap of lace and tossing it to the side.

  Her hands went to his boxers, trying to pull them off. But he was down too far for her to reach.

  He shifted so he could pull them off himself before returning to find her. Her legs were wide open, her body ready, waiting, anxious for him.

  He slid into position, and she shook her head. “No waiting, no teasing,” she said, reaching for him. “Come to me.”

  He kneeled between her thighs and thrust deep within her, already rising past the point of trying to prolong this. She clung to him. He thrust once, twice, and then they came apart, together. In each other’s arms, they gasped and clung and rode the crest. It was incredible, quick and exactly what they needed right now. He whispered, “I’ll take more time with you in our second go-round.”

  “Good to know. We will be doing this for the rest of our lives,” she said, hooking her arms around his neck. “So we should start out the way we mean to go on.”

  He laughed and held her close. “Forever.”

  “Forever.”

  Epilogue

  Cade sat down on the front steps of Geir’s house and wiped the sweat off his face.

  Geir sat down beside him. “You okay, man?”

  “I am. Just thinking about those dogs. I can’t believe what poor Parker and Samson went through. That’s just insane. Here we thought this military dog was a perfect match for him in Iraq.”

  “They are all out safely now. We’ll see a lot more of them too. Parker—and Sandy—are talking about relocating here to New Mexico. Parker did get offered a pretty sweet deal in Iraq but not sure he’s looking at it seriously. I think losing his brother changed something for him. He wants to spend more time with his father before it’s too late.”

  “That would be great,” Cade said. “He’s a good person.”

  “Samson will come, of course,” Geir said. “It’s amazing how many of our guys have ended up keeping the dogs.”

  “When the dog saves your life, there is that sense of gratitude and indebtedness, where you want to look after them and to make sure they have a decent life.”

  “I know, and what the heck are we doing about the next one?”

  “You know what I was thinking about this morning?” Cade said. “Carter here.” He motioned at the man standing with a tool belt around his hips, a two-by-four in his hand and a pencil behind his ear. “He’s been pining for his dogs back.”

  “What do you mean, pining for his dogs back?” Geir asked.

  “He was married, then divorced, and his wife got to keep the dogs. They had a breeding pair of labs. Apparently he was really good with them, and he misses them a lot.”

  “But does he care about going after a K9 dog?” Geir asked. “It’s hardly the same thing.”

  “No, it sure isn’t the same thing. But he’s wasted here.”

  “Hardly,” Geir said. “He’s been a huge help.”

  “He is, but he’s also way more capable than this. He should have his own company.”

  They studied him and the prosthetic right hand that he worked completely carefree.

  “So why doesn’t he?”

  “I think he’s been struggling to find himself again.”

  “When did he get divorced?”

  Cade nodded. “That’s the question, isn’t it? She walked out when he was in the hospital having multiple surgeries. Probably about the time she realized he could be missing multiple limbs.”

  “Bitch,” Geir said.

  “Easy to judge but this life’s not for everyone.”

  “No, we’re the blessed ones, aren’t we?”

  “We are,” Cade said. “Now Carter here, I think there’s a hell of a lot more he could do.”

  “But where?”

  “His best buddy’s in Montana. Been asking him to come to the ranch since his accident, but he’s refused.”

  “But how good friends were they?”

  “Went to school together. Carter used to take all his military leave and head there. And he always helped out on his buddy’s ranch, but now Carter feels like he can’t anymore, thinks he’s not as able.”

  “So, what will we do? Send him up to Montana?”

  “That’s where the next dog is, right?”


  Geir looked at him in shock. “Seriously?”

  “Seriously. Not exactly sure what happened to the dog. The file is pretty blank. Apparently the dog disappeared. Supposed to have been adopted by a family in Montana, and, when the military checked up on the adopted family, they never received the dog. Now the family has moved on. Aren’t interested in adopting him anymore, and the dog is still missing.”

  “Since how long?”

  “Since four months,” Cade said. “A bloody long time.”

  “When did they find out the dog was missing?”

  “About a month later. But again, no time, no money, no man-hours.”

  “It’ll be almost impossible to find a dog like that now,” he said.

  “Yes, and no,” Cade said. “The adoptive family said they had been called about him a couple times but hadn’t really kept any of the information as to who’d called. And they wanted the Department of Defense to leave them alone. They were extremely uncooperative, not forthcoming at all.”

  Silence reigned between them. “Do you think there’s any chance they did something to the dog?” Geir asked. “Did something bad and then didn’t know how to cover their tracks and said they never got him?”

  Cade slid him a sideways look. “You and I both know that, at the heart, most people are good, but some don’t quite make the grade. Do they?”

  “But to hurt a War Dog? That would be really shitty. … And maybe, just maybe, they didn’t get him. Maybe they took one look at him and took off. What’s this one called?”

  “Matzuka. It’s one of the names that I’ve always remembered. I was trying to find somebody in the Montana area, and I was talking to Carter here, and he’s the one who told me that his best buddy was there. He wants to go and see him, but he isn’t quite ready, or so he says.”

  “What kind of funding does he need to start up his own business?”

  “Enough money to build his first house probably,” Cade said. “Think about one hundred thousand, maybe? Maybe not even that much. But then I don’t know if that’s even what he wants. He’s a dark horse, hard to read him.” He frowned. “We really need to have some sort of a fund to help these guys.”

  “That’s a lot of money to come up with though,” Geir said.

  “I’m not sure he’s all that broke. I think he’s here because he’s lost, like so many of us were, and I think it’s more a case of he needs a reason to go there. Just like the rest of them did.”

  “Does the best friend have a sister by any chance?”

  Cade looked at him, and his gaze twinkled. “Are you up to more matchmaking?”

  “Maybe,” Geir said. “We’re doing pretty damn good so far.”

  “Well, his friend does have a sister, but that doesn’t mean anything’s between them.”

  “No, but, if they aren’t together, they can’t become an item, can they?”

  “I think there was some talk about the two of them not getting along,” Cade said. “It’s one of the reasons why I’ve hesitated. What I don’t want is to have Carter put in a situation where he feels obligated to stay and yet where he’s not comfortable. Here he can be free and easy with us.”

  “He’s hiding,” Geir said bluntly. “And we all know exactly what that feels like. So do we call him over and ask him? Or …?”

  Cade nodded. “I was just waiting for the right time.” He watched as Carter took off his tool belt, hitched it to the back of the pickup. He gave a whistle.

  Carter looked at him and nodded.

  “Here goes nothing,” Cade said and hopped up. “I’ll let you know how it works out.”

  “Well, well, well,” Brandon said, looking at Carter. “You’re a sight for sore eyes.”

  The two exchanged hugs. Carter was self-conscious about his arm but slapped his buddy on the back of his shoulder. “Hey.”

  “That’s it? Just a hey? I’ve been trying to get you to come out for what? … Years? At least since you got blown up. And for some dang reason you walked away from the people closest to you.”

  “The one who was really closest to me,” Carter said, “walked away from me first. She left me feeling isolated and wanting to keep it that way.”

  Brandon looked at him and smiled. “I can understand that. But then your wife was a first-class bitch. I told you that a long time ago.”

  Carter chuckled. “She was, indeed,” he said. “And, yes, you did. I ignored you, and we had a lot of good years. But …”

  “But is correct. Anyway, enough of her. Come on. Let’s go.” Brandon looked around for Carter’s bags and frowned. “You only got the one bag?”

  “I travel light these days,” Carter said, picking up his bag. He didn’t want his friend to think he needed help. He was still touchy on that subject.

  They walked over to the truck, and Carter tossed his pack in the bed. He asked, “Is this a new rig?”

  “Yep. Ranch is doing well.”

  Carter chuckled. “There are worse things in life.”

  “There are a lot of worse things in my life. Debbie moved out last week.”

  Carter stared at his buddy. “What? Why?” He shook his head. “You guys have been so close forever. You’ve been married like what? Ten years?”

  “She thinks I had an affair,” Brandon said abruptly.

  “Did you?” Carter asked. They’d always had that kind of relationship where they could be up front and open.

  Brandon shook his head. “No. I didn’t. But I almost did.”

  “I think, for women, there is no almost,” Carter said with a frown, his heart sinking. “As soon as you think about it, consider it, they know all too well that’s where your body goes. Faithful doesn’t mean just physical.”

  “I know. I was stupid, and I’m damn sorry, and I want her back, but she’s not even talking to me.”

  “Shit,” Carter said morosely. “That’s not what I expected. I thought you two would be good forever.”

  “We would have been,” Brandon said, “if I wasn’t such a fool. There’s more to it than that, … but that’s the gist of it. Anyway, you will get to know all that lovely dirt on me as time goes by. What’s this about a dog?”

  “Yeah, it’s probably a make-work reason to be here, but I figured it was time.”

  “Hell, yes, it’s past time,” Brandon snapped. “I don’t know why you wouldn’t come here to heal.”

  “Because you would have taken care of me, and you would have made it too easy to not get back on my feet,” Carter said.

  “I wouldn’t treat you like a baby. I can always use real help on the place.”

  “Do you still have a bunch of hands helping out?”

  “Sure do. More than when you were here last. Business is good, as I said.”

  “Any of them female?”

  Brandon winced. “The new cook,” he said. “Yes, she’s gone too.”

  “Probably just not fast enough for Debbie, huh?”

  “No, not fast enough. But it doesn’t matter how many times I say I was a fool, and nothing happened, she still doesn’t believe me.”

  “Yeah, that’s one of those hard things to walk back on.”

  “You ever cheat on your wife?”

  “No,” Carter said. “But I think she thought my job was cheating enough.” Carter studied Brandon’s face to see if he understood. But when it didn’t appear that his buddy did, he explained, “She always said that the navy was my mistress, and I didn’t need a wife.”

  “Ah,” Brandon said. “Ain’t that a bitch. You always wanted to go into the navy. Me? I just wanted to ride horses. And you? Well, you were out there, searching after every bloody naval experience you could get your hands on.”

  “I sure was,” Carter added. “And still would be if it didn’t mean riding a desk. That’s not for me.”

  “Not to mention the time period you were off on discharge, right?”

  “Medical was pretty rough,” he said. “Lots of surgeries but I’m good now.”


  “Are you?” Carter knew he was asking so much more than about surgeries.

  “Yeah,” he said. “I am. I’m sorry for not coming home earlier, but sometimes …”

  “I know. … I know after my dad died, I kind of went AWOL for a time. I walked away from everybody. I didn’t know how to handle it. Took me about a year and a half before I slowly got back to normal.”

  “Exactly,” Carter said. “Life can sometimes send you in a tizzy, and you don’t know if you’re coming or going.”

  “I hear you. And, speaking of which, I have to stop at a couple places and pick up stuff. You know the drill.”

  “Yep. Never make two trips if you could make it all happen in one.”

  Brandon chuckled. “Exactly. Got to go to the feed store, hit the vet’s, God only knows what else.”

  “At the vet’s, I’ll come in and ask about the dog,” Carter said. “I know this one’s a long shot. But I said I’d check it out.”

  “What do you mean by this one?” Brandon asked curiously.

  Carter explained about the K9 program that was now defunct in the military and the request to the Titanium Corp that he’d been working with.

  “Wow. So Uncle Sam really wants to know about this dog?”

  “They’d like to know as long as it doesn’t cost man-hours and money,” Carter said in a dry tone. “I’m not getting paid to do this. This is a good-heart mission.”

  “We all need those,” Brandon said. “Hell, I had lambs in the house for six weeks this spring because winter hit so bad.”

  “How many?”

  “Twelve,” he said in disgust. “And we always have a calf or two. But, boy, this year the house got pretty darn crowded.”

  “I bet Debbie didn’t complain.”

  “Nope, she didn’t. She was in her element.”

  “Still no children, huh?”

  Brandon shook his head, and his face looked drawn and tired. “No. Not likely to be any. That’s the rest of the issue between us.”

  “Did you ever get tested?”

  “Nah. I didn’t bother. Either it would happen or it won’t.”