Her Mysterious Houseguest by Jane Toombs

Author:Jane Toombs
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Silhouette
Published: 2001-04-26T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

The next day Mikel and Rachel drove Metsa the forty miles to the vet’s office. After an X ray and an exam, he decided not to cast the paw. “Two of the bones have what we call a greenstick fracture and they’ll heal just as well by themselves since she’ll be favoring that leg for a while. Try to keep the paw clean until the cuts and abrasions scab over. Lucky she’s a young dog because they bounce back fast. Has she had her shots?”

“I don’t know,” Rachel admitted. “Her former owner is dead, so we can’t ask him. But my opinion is that she’s never had any.”

She gave the vet Jack Metsala’s name, and after his receptionist checked the records, he said, “He didn’t bring the dog here, at any rate.”

So Metsa got the first of her immunization shots then and there.

On the way back, Mikel said, “The other night you said something about showing me the Porcupines.”

She glanced at him, unsure if it was wise to venture off into the woods with him again since she didn’t seem to be very good at saying no to this particular man. On the other hand, this was tourist season so it wasn’t likely they’d be alone.

“Maybe tomorrow, if Aino doesn’t have anything planned,” she said.

Back at the farm, Mikel went to the cottage while Rachel followed Metsa as the dog limped up onto the back porch.

“The vet asked if we wanted her spayed,” she told Aino, who sat on the swing. “He’s going on vacation, but he can do it before he leaves.”

Aino eyed the dog, who’d curled up on the rug Sonia had found for her. “She’s no special breed, her pups would be hard to place. Might as well have him do it.”

“I thought I’d show Mikel the Porkies tomorrow,” Rachel said, “if you don’t have anything planned. He asked about seeing them.”

“I’m thinking about taking the boat out if we get a real calm day. Maybe tomorrow’ll be it, maybe not. Why don’t you and Mikel go this afternoon? It’s not that far. Be sure and show him the mine.”

As Rachel nodded, she wondered if she was setting herself up. But she really didn’t care—and that was the problem. What she wanted was to make love with Mikel. And soon. Wrong or right.

When she left the porch to go to the cottage, Metsa followed her. Mikel was just coming out and the dog limped as fast as she could toward him, while Rachel took her time.

She came up on them, heard him scolding the dog and hid a smile.

“Look, Lady Metsa,” he was saying, “you need to be resting that leg, not trailing after me. Furthermore, you belong on this farm. No use getting attached to me, I’m a no-strings man, and that includes dogs. If you have any sense you’ll go haunt Aino and leave me alone.”

No strings? But then Rachel knew that. Why should it make any difference? She didn’t want strings, either. What she did want was Mikel, dangerous or not.

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