Dangerously Tempted

Chapter 13: The Good Kind of Surprise

Isabel

I'd always wanted a dog. Growing up, though, it never happened. There was always something that stood in the way. First, my mother's allergies—certain breeds made her itch and sneeze until she could barely see straight. Then there was Katie, who couldn't stand the idea. She would throw a fit at even the slightest mention of a dog. And, of course, my father. He was a stickler for cleanliness, polishing and scrubbing every corner until dust didn't stand a chance. Bringing a dog into that house? Unthinkable.

But Odile? She'd actually do it. If agreeing to get a dog was my only condition for allowing her continued silence, she was all in. Why? That was beyond me, but I could feel her resolve. Within hours, we were in a car, heading into town to get me that dog.

This time, Odile insisted on driving. Ramos looked taken aback when she stopped him from getting into the driver's seat with a clipped, "I'll drive us." She didn't even meet his eyes. Something had shifted between them. Maybe it had to do with my drunken incident—I'd already apologized to both him and Suzanne, and they'd reassured me that all was forgiven. But there was still an edge in the air, something unspoken I couldn't quite put my finger on.

"What type of breed are you looking for?" Odile asked, steering us onto the main road.

I shrugged. "I'm not picky. I've always wanted a dog, but I didn't have a specific breed in mind."

"You didn't have a dog growing up?" she asked, taking a right turn.

"No," I admitted. "There were just... always things in the way." I glanced at her. "But what about you? You seem awfully open to this. Aren't you a little cautious?"

Her hands tightened briefly on the wheel, a flicker of tension before her fingers relaxed. "Actually, yes, I am," she admitted. "I had a dog once. It didn't... end well."

She paused, and I waited, unsure if she'd say more. Finally, she glanced over, a shadow in her gaze. "We'd only had him a short while. He was still in training. But Scott let him out one morning, and he got hit by a truck trying to find his way back home."

"Oh," I said, the excitement dulling. "I'm so sorry."

She gave a small, dismissive smile, though I could see the hurt was still there. "It's alright. That was years ago. Just... let's make sure this one sticks around, yeah?"

I nodded, the moment unexpectedly somber, but feeling more connected to her than before.

"When you say 'training,' what do you mean by that?" I asked.

"My dad was training him for his work," she replied, her voice softening. "He was a pitbull." She glanced at me with a slight grin."If you want, I could train this one too—maybe get him to bring you grapes on command."

I laughed, shaking my head. "And how many would actually make it to me?"

Odile shrugged with a smirk. "I can try to save you one or two. Any more than that might be asking too much."

"Ass."

Her smile widened as she pulled into a parking spot outside a shelter I hadn't even realized was here. I felt a flutter of excitement—finally, the idea of getting a dog felt real.

"Do you mind going in first? I have to make a quick call, and I'll be right in."

I was too thrilled to question her tone, nodding eagerly before jumping out of the car. Still, as I stepped into the shelter, I couldn't help but wonder who she needed to call so suddenly.

Odile

The phone kept ringing, and I was close to hanging up and trying later. My finger hovered over the button just as he finally picked up. "Hello?" Dad's voice was groggy; a quick glance at the time told me it was almost three in the afternoon. He'd probably been napping.