Tabloid Star by T A Chase

Author:T A Chase [Chase, T. A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance
Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Published: 2009-08-31T12:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

Ryan turned into the driveway leading up to a small one-story ranch. The headlights of his car swept over the flower-lined front porch and he smiled at the bright colors caught in the lights. He parked the car and turned it off. Josh stopped him before he climbed out.

“Hang out here while I go and check around. I want to make sure that reporter’s gone before you get out. Don’t want any more pictures.”

The porch light came on as soon as the car door shut. A petite slender dark-haired woman stepped out, her hand resting on the head of the most vicious-looking dog Ryan had ever seen.

Josh hugged the woman whom Ryan assumed was Erin. He called the dog to him and the two of them strolled around the perimeter of the lawn.

Erin came down the steps and walked over to Ryan’s side of the vehicle. Climbing out, he stayed where he was, sensing Erin needed to approach him. She stopped a few feet away, twisting the hem of her shirt with her fingers.

While waiting for Erin to speak, he tracked Josh’s progress. They were headed toward them when Erin took a breath and smiled.

“Thank you for driving my brother up here.”

“It’s the least I can do since the whole thing is kind of my fault.” He spoke softly and smiled.

Fragility shaded Erin’s voice and face. She wore worry like an old familiar sweater, wrapped tight around her and held onto with fierce determination. He didn’t want to do anything that might cause her to break.

She frowned. “Your fault?”

Josh joined them and Ryan got his first clear look at the dog. It was a mottled brown with a squat muscular build. Its square head and board chest were covered with scars.

“Let me introduce you to Zorro.”

He took Josh’s hand and let the man lead him to Zorro. The dog sniffed his fingers, watching him with intelligent brown eyes.

“Is he a pit bull?”

“Yes, and an ex-fighting dog. When I left my husband, Josh brought Zorro to protect Pedro and me. He’s my son’s best friend.” Erin glanced at Josh. “Is he gone?”

“It looks like it. Let’s go in and I’ll introduce you two.”

Josh slung an arm around his sister’s shoulder and kept a hold of Ryan’s hand. They went inside.

Zorro trotted down the hallway and disappeared into a back room. Ryan took off his shoes and hung back near the door, not wanting to force himself on Erin. It was her house and she had to make the decision of how far she was going to let him in.

“Come in and sit. Would you like something to drink? I have juice, water and milk. I could make coffee if you wanted some.”

“Water would be fine.”

“I’ll get it, Erin. You need to sit and relax. How is Pedro?” Josh gestured for Ryan to sit in the living room.

“He finally fell asleep an hour ago. It took me that long to calm him down.”

Erin sat in one of the chairs and Ryan sat across from her.

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