SWNOVELS Unravel Me: Chapter 2
“Do you ever take a day off?”
I look at Archie, my coworker, best friend, and roommate. He’s sitting behind the reception desk, wearing blue scrubs with puppies and kittens on them. He’s six feet tall, super broad, and covered in tattoos. The adorable scrubs are forever the highlight of my day.
“I’m not working today.”
“Right. You’re just here on your day off, and you’re definitely not going to spend time with any of the animals.” He cocks a brow. “Volunteering is the same thing as working, Rosie.”
I roll my eyes, signing the visitor check-in. “Has anybody been in to walk Piglet today?”
Archie smiles sadly at the computer screen. “You know the answer to that.”
Of course I do. Piglet is a sixty-five-pound German Shepherd with about the same amount of anxiety as me, which is, according to my entirely blunt and lackadaisical therapist, a fuckton. She needs time, patience, and love; most of those things go out the window with the other volunteers after a few short minutes of trying.
“And that’s why I’m here on my day off,” I tell Archie, heading toward the kennels. “Because Piglet needs someone to show up for her.”
“When are you just going to bring her home?” Archie shouts after me.
“When I have more than three hundred square feet to offer her and can afford to feed her while still feeding myself,” I call back.
We’ve currently got eight dogs here at Wildheart Animal Sanctuary, and according to the log sheet, all of them but Piglet have been walked this morning. Most barely glance up from their beds, content with the attention and exercise they’ve already received today, which makes me happy. But when my eyes land on that black and brown dog huddled in a tight ball in the corner of her kennel, shaking, my heart sinks.
“Hi, sweet girl,” I murmur, crouching down. Her wide brown eyes land on mine, and though they brighten, she stays right where she is, watching me from a safe distance while she whimpers. Because, scared as she is, she wants to come say hello.
Four months ago, I found her tied to the bench out front early one morning. There was a note taped to the front door that said the author was tired of listening to the owner’s poor treatment of the dog. We had to sedate her to get her through the doors, because she was so scared she snapped at anyone who came near. I spent the entire day outside her kennel, reading and talking to her, and have worked my ass off since to build the bond we have today.
With a lot of patience, we learned that despite her extreme fear and hesitancy, she’s such a sweet, friendly girl who loves her snuggles. The kicker is her cage causes a lot of her anxiety; she’s a different girl outside—more carefree, curious, and happy. She just hasn’t found her forever family yet.
I hold up her leash. “Wanna go for a hike, Pig?” Her ears perk, and she cocks her head. I show her my backpack and give it a pat. “I packed lunch.”
Slowly, she climbs to her feet, her legs shaking. Her tail goes between her hind legs as she ambles over, sniffing me through the cage, then the backpack. Her tongue lolls out of her mouth, she stands a little taller, and gives me a soft woof!
“’Atta girl.” I unlock her kennel and scratch behind her ears before slipping her harness on. “Anything for food, huh?”
She licks my ankle, nudges my backpack, and looks at me with hopeful eyes.
“Damnit.” I sigh, opening my bag and giving her one of the cookies she loves so much. “You know how to get me.”
Piglet glues herself to my side as we make our way through the shelter, but the moment we step into the hot Vancouver sunshine, she’s free. She gallops forward three steps and leaps into the air, spinning, her cute dog butt leading the way as her tongue rolls out of her mouth. When she’s back on all paws, she nuzzles my hip and starts leading the way.
Wildheart is nestled into a quiet area of North Vancouver, away from the noise and crowds of downtown. The mountains and sea of green out here are the most spectacular backdrop, and I love riding the bus across the bridge each day, leaving the city behind and walking right into nature.
Like always, our walk leads us somewhere along the bottom of Mount Fromme. There’s a cluster of people farther down the road where the tourists come to hike, but Piglet and I sneak between a small opening at the back of the park, rushing along the narrow dirt trail until we reach the bottom of a set of stairs.
The wooden steps are old and rickety, leading up to our favorite brand of peace and quiet. Piglet has no problem going up, leaping eagerly three steps at a time while I struggle to keep up. It’s coming down later that will be an issue.
She enjoys the freedom the mountains bring, the sound of birds and running water nearby, the scent of fresh dirt and pines. You can breathe differently up here, deeper, every inhale crisp and refreshing. It wakes you up, brings you clarity you didn’t know you needed.
Before Piglet, I spent so much time here by myself, wandering aimlessly through the woods, sitting with my feet in the creek, contemplating life. Sometimes I’d wish life were different, but I knew I’d never ever give up what I had now, despite the loneliness that creeps in.
Here with this girl, I don’t feel so alone. It’s not the life I imagined as a child, but it’s what I’ve been given. I love it for everything it is and everything it’s given me.
Even if I’ll forever grieve the parts it’s taken away.
Piglet and I carry on, weaving through towering pines and cedars, my eyes roaming the trunk of every pine, searching the bark for a heart and three initials I know lives somewhere in this forest. I’ve been looking for years, every single Saturday since I moved here, but each time I leave here with a hole in my heart that seems to, somehow, grow just a teensy bit bigger.
An hour in, my stomach starts to grumble, and Piglet slows, looking pointedly between me and my backpack.
I roll my eyes. “You give the best puppy eyes in the history of ever, you know that, Pig, don’t you?” I scratch her head as she licks my knee. “We’re almost to the bridge now. Five more minutes and we’ll break for lunch, ’kay, girl?”
She barks and jogs ahead, stopping at the trunk of a tree to sniff. A branch snaps in the distance, followed by the rustle of leaves, and a deep voice calls a word nobody ever wants to hear when they’re hiking alone.
“Bear !”
Piglet’s head snaps and she stops in her tracks. I plaster myself against the rough bark of a wide trunk, trembling as footsteps thunder. Something ginormous and black bursts through the trees, stealing the breath from my lungs when it sets its sights on me.
My entire life flashes before my eyes, because I’m 99 percent sure that’s a bear hurdling toward me.
“Save yourself, Pig !” I shriek, chucking her leash and shoving her behind a bush. I cover my face and brace for impact. “I’m too young to die !”
Something solid and fluffy collides with my body, taking me to the ground. A wet nose shoves itself in my face, sniffling rather aggressively, and before he makes me his next meal, he opens his mouth and…licks me.
Runs his big, wet tongue from my jaw right up the side of my face, before moving to the other side and repeating the action. It’s rather odd, but not the worst way to go, I suppose.
I crack one lid, every ounce of fear draining from my body at the happy face panting above me.
“Oh my gosh, I am going to die. Yes, I am!” The burly black dog peers down at me with ginormous chocolate eyes, and I bury my hands in his soft, long fur and close my eyes, leaning into the bath he’s giving me with his tongue. “You are the handsomest, sweetest doggy ever, aren’t you, big boy? Yes, you are.” I hug him close as his nose makes a home in the crook of my neck, tail whipping back and forth with his happy dance. “Have I died and gone to heaven? If this is heaven, I’ll stay forever.”
Footsteps pound through fallen leaves, cracking twigs, and a deep voice calls out that same terrifying word again.
“Bear !”
The burly dog turns around, sitting his exceptionally large butt in my lap as if he’s a lapdog, not a Tibetan Mastiff nearly the same size as me. He pokes his tongue into my ear and rests his chin on my shoulder as a mountain of a man breaks through the thicket, blue eyes bouncing wildly. When he spots us, he sighs, body deflating as he grips his hips and drops his face.
“Jesus Christ,” he grumbles, rubbing his eyes. He spread his arms wide, disbelieving yet amused gaze set on the dog who may or may not have claimed me as his. “You scared the shit outta me, bud!”
I giggle as the dog tucks his big head into my neck, and the man’s gaze flicks to mine. His cheeks pink as he looks me over. Mine do, too, as I do the same.
“You’re really tall,” I blurt. “Oh my gosh, that was so rude. I just mean, like, you’re…” I swallow. “Super tall.”
His mouth cracks in a grin. It’s so genuine and friendly, so wide, and I’m taken back by the sheer beauty of it. When a hearty chuckle tumbles out of his mouth, I nuzzle a little further into the dog at my side, hiding my blush as I study his dog dad.
He’s…exceptional. His electric blue eyes are a stark contrast against the golden kiss of his skin, the dark stubble lining his jaw, and when he takes off his baseball hat and lets his dark curls spring free, long fingers running through them, I swallow.
His gray T-shirt clings to his broad body, showcasing muscular biceps, mouth-watering corded forearms, and a trim waist. My gaze follows the line of his fitted black shorts to his thick thighs, and I spy a tattoo peeking from the hem of his right leg, nearly grazing his kneecap. If you’ve ever wondered if thigh tattoos are hot, the answer is yes. So. Fucking. Hot .
Another swallow from me, and he lifts the hem of his shirt to wipe the sweat from his forehead, revealing—oh my shit, is that a fucking ten-pack? Do those exist?
My throat closes at the sight of his immaculate abs. In desperate need of water and fresh out of the kind I really require—holy— I reach for the backpack still attached to my back. In the process, I lose my grip on the dog, and maybe sanity, tumbling forward with a squeal, face-planting in the dirt. The dog at my side leaps to his feet with a woof , Piglet whimpers from the bush she’s still hiding behind, and the man I’ve just embarrassed myself in front of rushes to my aid.
Large hands grip my waist, lifting me clear off the ground.
“I got you,” he murmurs, striding across the dirt with me in his arms.
“I’m too heavy—”
“I know you’re not arguing with me right now,” he teases, setting me down on a boulder. Warm hands cover my knees, parting my legs as he kneels between them and peers up at me with pools of blue a girl could drown in. He brushes the dirt from my cheeks before reclaiming my knees. “I think that’s the second time my dog’s taken you out.”
I grin, another giggle slipping free. His eyes fall to my mouth, and my heart slams against my rib cage.
“To be fair, it was your dog the first time, but this time, I just got…distracted.”
“Distracted?”
“Yeah, you did that thing with your shirt, and your abs.” I clear my throat into my fist. “Hot guys do it in the movies all the time.”
Amusement dances in his eyes. “Ah. So we both have some apologizing to do then, huh?”
“I accept apologies in the form of ice cream or iced lattes; I’m not picky.”
He chuckles as his dog licks his neck. “We’ll keep that in mind when we get your apology basket together.” His eyes drop, his thumb grazing a fresh scrape on my knee. “I’m really sorry he knocked you down. He never runs off like that. It’s like he got a whiff of you and took off.”
“Honestly, it was more my fault than anything. I saw him running toward me and I freaked out. I, um…thought he was a bear.”
The man laughs and ruffles his dog’s ear. “Hear that, buddy? She thought you were a big, ferocious bear. He’ll be bragging about that all night.” His gaze coasts over me. “You’re sure you’re okay? You’re not hurt?”
I shake my head and wiggle my fingers in the air. “See? Totally fine.”
He laughs again, and I’m struck by how much I like being the reason. “Those were some pretty half-assed jazz hands. You gotta stand and gimme the full twirl for dramatic effect. Really sell it to me if you want me to let you leave here without dragging you back to my place to check you out.”
He takes my hand and stands, pulling me to my feet while I half contemplate faking a broken bone, because taking me home to check me out? Sign me the fuck up.
“Wanna know what’s funny, though?” He gestures at his dog. “His name is Bear.”
I smack my palm off my forehead as it all comes together. “Oh, duh! I thought you were warning me about an incoming bear.” I give his shoulder a playful shove. “So it is your fault I wound up in the dirt.”
He winks. “C’mon. There’s a creek just up ahead we can get you cleaned up in.”
I know where the creek is, of course. Piglet and I wade through it after lunch every time we’re here. She loves to splash, and wading in ankle-deep water is one of the ways I’ve been slowly working myself back up to—one day, hopefully—swimming.
But I don’t know this man, and somewhere in these bushes is a dog, hiding scared, because she doesn’t know him either.
“I can’t, actually, but thank you.” I find the tail end of Piglet’s leash, lost in all the commotion. It leads me around a rock, and I find my sweet girl cowering. “Hi, beautiful,” I whisper, crouching to her level and ditching my backpack. She creeps toward me, tail between her shaking legs. I look at the man behind me, watching us curiously. Every line in his face softens as Piglet nestles into me. “Piglet’s a dog from the shelter I work at.”
He looks down at Bear. The compassion in both their gazes warms my heart. “Did we scare you, girl? We didn’t mean to, buddy, did we?”
“I found her tied up out front early one morning a few months ago,” I explain. “She was scared and anxious, and she snapped at a few of us. We don’t know what happened to her, but she was severely malnourished and had a few cracked ribs.” I rub the spot between her eyes, and she leans into my embrace. “She’s just a sweet snuggle bug, but she’s still learning to trust people. She’s especially scared of men.”
His frown deepens, blue eyes etched in sadness. He and Bear share a long look before sinking to the ground behind me. Bear rests his head on his paws, watching Piglet.
“I’m Adam, by the way.”
My cheeks heat, no doubt turning the same color as my name. “Rosie.”
“Rosie,” his deep voice murmurs, dazzling eyes slowly roaming my face as his smile erupts into a breathtaking grin. “I like that.”
I hide my warm face and a smile that’s equal parts shy and giddy as I stroke Piglet’s fur.
Adam picks a blade of grass, twirling it between his fingers before he tickles Bear’s nose with it. “Do you like hiking with Rosie, Piglet? I bet you don’t knock her down like big, ferocious Bear, here, do you?”
Piglet lifts her head off my lap and cocks it, blinking at Adam.
“Oh, you’re a pretty girl, aren’t you? Just beautiful, and I bet your heart is too.”
I smile down at her as she looks from me to Adam. “You don’t have to sit here with us. I know it’s not very fun. She just needs a little patience.”
“We don’t mind.” He nudges Bear. “And we can be patient, too, can’t we, buddy? Except when it comes to cheeseburgers.”
Bear woofs, and when I giggle, Piglet slowly inches off my lap, sliding along her belly, a little closer to the boys. Bear’s ears perk, and he looks to Adam for instruction.
“Patience,” Adam reminds him gently.
Bear lays his head back on his paws, waiting. Slow as molasses, Piglet moves closer, one inch at a time, her body raking across the ground, peeking back at me after each movement to check that I’m still here.
“I’m with you,” I assure her, trying to keep a handle on my excitement.
Cautiously, Piglet climbs to her feet. Bear stays still as she roams his side, sniffing his ear, his neck, down his back all the way to his huge, fluffy tail, twitching with happiness. When she moves back toward his face, that tail starts a steady thump against the ground.
Piglet lies down in front of Bear, nose to nose, two pairs of chocolate brown eyes staring at each other, and I clutch my chest, right where my heart is bursting. I look to Adam and blush when I find his smiling eyes set on me.
“You’re so cute right now,” he whispers, chuckling at my flapping hands as I look back at the dogs.
“Me? They are!”
Right on cue, Bear opens his mouth, tongue dipping out, swiping right across Piglet’s nose, and I bury my entire face in my hands so I don’t accidentally squeal.
And then the most amazing thing happens. My sweet, brave Pig stands again, turning her attention to Adam. Her tail tucks low for only a moment, but as he sits still and lets her smell him, it lifts again. She sticks her nose in his face, making him chuckle, and the soft noise sends her tail wagging through the air, swiping me across the face.
“Can I pet her?” Adam asks. “I understand if it’s too soon. I don’t want to undo any of your progress with her.”
Before I can answer, Piglet drags her tongue from Adam’s chin right up to his forehead, where those curls spring free when she knocks his hat off his head.
“Pig!” I snicker, rocking forward. “At least take him to dinner first!”
My snickering takes a turn for the worst when Piglet climbs aboard Adam, straddling his lap and going to town on his face, and I accidentally snort. I clap my hands over the noise, but Adam’s too busy laughing, trying to fend off the German Shepherd in his lap who seems to have claimed him as her own, and Bear decides we’re missing out.
He scurries around me, nudging my shoulder, my head, before finally giving up and bulldozing me straight into Adam’s lap. Piglet leaps off him as I claim the space, flopping onto her back, paws in the air as she and Bear start rolling around.
“Bear!” Adam scolds playfully, grasping my wrists as I try to right myself between his legs. “You knocked Rosie over again!”
“I’m sorry,” I sputter, climbing to my knees. I grab his muscular thigh, way too close to the lump between his legs, and my eyes widen when I realize. My hand slips, and I fall forward, my chest mashing against his, sending him tumbling backward with me on top of him. “So sorry, Adam, I swear.” I claw at his chest, trying to push away while he keeps laughing. When I finally sit up, flushed and sweaty, I realize I’m straddling a total stranger.
I look down. Down at his broad body, his T-shirt pushed up, exposing that exquisitely carved slab of marble, and are those—? Holy forkballs, they are. Thick, popping veins, one on each side of his torso, running below the waistband of his shorts, which I actually can’t see, because I am actively sitting my crotch right on top of this man’s cock.
Oops.
“Ah !” I shriek, throwing myself off his lap. My foot catches on his leg, and I stumble backward, still shrieking, waiting for my impending death via falling off a mountain.
Adam simply reaches up, catching a handful of my T-shirt, tugging me back to safety. I land back in his lap, hands on his chest, my breathing staggered and heavy. My heartbeat drops between my legs as those blue eyes hold mine and he whispers, “Don’t go dying on me, Rosie. I’m not ready to let you go yet. We’ve only just met.”
All the blood in my body rushes to my face, and my mouth opens and closes five hundred times before Adam takes pity on me. He gently shifts me off his lap and helps me to my feet before handing me Piglet’s leash and taking Bear’s for himself.
“Mind if Bear and I walk with you two?”
“Uh…” I swipe my wispy bangs off my forehead as Adam slings my backpack over his shoulder.
His brows quirk with a hint of amusement, and he cocks his head before he steps forward, making the decision for me.
“C’mon, pretty girls.”