Acclaim for the authors of RESCUING CHRISTMAS

VICKI LEWIS THOMPSON

‘Ms Thompson does a wonderful job of blending the erotic with romance that is sometimes tender, sometimes funny and always exciting.’

—Romance Reviews Today

CATHERINE MANN

‘Catherine Mann delivers a powerful, passionate read not to be missed!’

—New York Times bestselling author Lori Foster

KATHIE DeNOSKY

‘DeNosky’s keen touch with family drama and enduring love makes for a great read.’

—RT Book Reviews on Expecting the Rancher’s Heir

Rescuing Christmas
Holiday Haven
Vicki Lewis Thompson
Home for Christmas
Catherine Mann
A Puppy for Will
Kathie DeNosky

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Table of Contents

Cover

Acclaim for the authors of Rescuing Christmas

Title Page

Holiday Haven

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Home for Christmas

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

A Puppy for Will

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Epilogue

Copyright

Holiday Haven

New York Times bestselling author VICKI LEWIS THOMPSON’s love affair with cowboys started with the Lone Ranger, continued through Maverick and took a turn south of the border with Zorro. She views cowboys as the Western version of knights in shining armour—rugged men who value honour, honesty and hard work. Fortunately for her, she lives in the Arizona desert, where broad-shouldered, lean-hipped cowboys abound. Blessed with such an abundance of inspiration, she only hopes that she can do them justice. Visit her website at www.vickilewisthompson.com.

Thanks to my animal-loving anthology mates, Kathie DeNosky and Catherine Mann, for making this project so rewarding. Thanks, also, to the hardworking volunteers at shelters all over the world, as we look forward to a time of no more homeless pets.

CHAPTER ONE

ON MOST DAYS, BEN RHODES enjoyed his job as a cameraman for KFOR, the Tacoma, Washington, TV station that proclaimed We’re here FOR you! But shooting the six o’clock morning news on this first Monday in December promised to be more fun than usual. They were doing a public service announcement for The Haven, a no-kill animal shelter—and its extremely attractive director, Tansy Dexter. Plus she’d brought dogs.

With her mop of curly black hair, unrehearsed smile and laughing blue eyes, Tansy was a cameraman’s dream. She easily outshone the stylized perfection of the KFOR news anchors. But even if she hadn’t upstaged them, her canine buddies would have.

She’d walked into the studio carrying a too-cute beige-and-brown shih tzu with button eyes, a red bow on its collar and a face that would melt the hardest heart. Close behind, a little blue-haired lady in a red jogging suit held the leash of a cream-colored Irish wolfhound the size of a small pony. The wolfhound sported a larger red bow on its collar.

The dogs were a brilliant choice. By bringing two such different breeds, Tansy had demonstrated a keen understanding of visual drama.

Anchorwoman Lisa Dunbar moved out from behind the Channel 10 news desk and over to the studio set where they’d be shooting the segment. The set featured three dark green easy chairs, a five-foot artificial Christmas tree and a dark wood coffee table topped with a small red poinsettia. Lisa took the center chair.

While Tansy was being fitted with a mike, she talked soothingly to the small dog. After that she was directed to the chair on Lisa’s right, and the grandmother type, who had no mike, was settled on the left. The regal wolfhound claimed a sizeable chunk of real estate on the floor. Head up, he kept a close watch on Tansy.

Station manager Paul Huntington had a soft spot for The Haven because his family had adopted their beloved golden retriever, Sadie, from there a year ago. He’d instructed Ben and the other two cameramen to get as many adorable doggie shots as possible to convince viewers to donate or adopt. Ben planned to follow Paul’s directions, but Tansy was so expressive that she’d probably generate as much support as the dogs. In his opinion, faces like hers justified the invention of cameras.

Then again, maybe he was biased. He’d spent so many years training his lens on carefully made-up women like Lisa that Tansy was a refreshing change. Dressed in jeans, sneakers and a blue sweatshirt with the shelter’s logo on the front, she seemed genuine and approachable.

Lisa, blonde and elegant in a gray silk suit and a Christmas-red blouse, was the more classically beautiful of the two. But she was also addicted to the spotlight. He wondered if she’d ever competed with animals for center stage. In his experience, the animals won every time.

When everyone was seated, Lisa responded to a cue from the station’s director and looked into the camera with practiced ease as she introduced Tansy. “She’s brought some friends along,” Lisa added. “One of her many dedicated volunteers, Rose Parker, and a dynamic doggie duo.” She turned to Tansy. “I hope both these doggies are available for adoption, because I just got a signal from our director that the phones are lighting up.”

“They’re available, Lisa.” Tansy’s smile was effortless. “This little guy is Ewok. He’s four years old and mostly shih tzu, but we think he might have some cocker spaniel in him, too.”

Lisa beamed at the small dog. “What a perfect name. He looks just like those creatures in Star Wars. How’re you doing, Ewok?”

The little dog stood on Tansy’s lap and wriggled happily as he focused his dark button eyes on Lisa.

“Oh, he wants to come to me!”

Tansy laughed. “He might, at that. He loves people. But I’d better keep him over here. Your suit looks expensive.”

“I’m sure it could survive a few paw prints.”

“Let’s wait until he’s adjusted to his surroundings.”

Lisa managed a tight smile. “That’s fine. He’s so adorable I’m sure he’ll have a home before we wrap up this segment. I’m tempted, myself.”

“Ewok could have been adopted a dozen times since he came in, but we’re determined he won’t leave the shelter without his pal over there, Wookie.”

Lisa glanced at the wolfhound. “Ah, I get it. Ewok and Wookie. George Lucas would be thrilled. What’s their story?”

“They grew up together and now they’re inseparable,” Tansy said. “To place them in different homes would really stress them out.”

Now Ben understood why the dogs had been brought in together and why Wookie’s attention was firmly on Tansy. She was holding his best pal.

Their story was touching, even to Ben, but he’d decided long ago that adopting a dog or cat was asking for heartache.

“Goodness, that’s a challenge,” Lisa said. “My little condo wouldn’t hold Wookie, I’m afraid.”

“He doesn’t need as much indoor space as you think.”

Lisa chuckled. “No more than a MINI Cooper, at any rate.” She turned back to Tansy and Ewok. “I’ll put a bug in Santa’s ear to give Ewok and Wookie a new home for Christmas.”

“Great. And while you’re at it, please tell Santa we have plenty of other loving dogs and cats looking for homes.”

“Absolutely! We’ll be featuring pictures of your cuties right up through Christmas Eve to promote The Haven’s Home for the Holidays campaign. Can you fill us in on the details?”

“You bet.” Tansy quickly outlined her plan to place as many animals as possible in homes just for the holidays so they wouldn’t have to spend the festive season at the shelter. “It’s like giving them a Christmas break,” she said.

“What a wonderful idea,” Lisa said. “I’m sure the residents of Tacoma will respond, especially because it also gives them a chance to try out a pet before making that forever commitment.”

“Exactly. But if people can’t take an animal over the holidays, I hope they’ll consider donating to our Christmas fund-raising campaign.”

“Your press release said you’re raising money for a special project?” Lisa said.

“We are! We recently removed sixty cats from a hoarding situation. We couldn’t accommodate them in our Kitty Condo, which is our free-roaming cat facility, so they’re temporarily being housed in a portable building on loan from a generous donor. So we desperately need to build a second Kitty Condo for our new furry friends.” As Tansy became more animated in describing the proposed facility, Ewok put his paws on her chest and began licking her face.

Laughing, she tried to coax him back down onto her lap as she continued. “We’re hoping that by Christmas Eve…Ewok, now stop!”

But the little dog was determined to give her kisses, and it was great television. Directions came through Ben’s earphones to keep his camera on Tansy. He was only too happy to oblige.

“We hope we’ll have the money we need to…Ewok, honestly!” Tansy dissolved into laughter again.

Watching her through the lens of his camera, Ben was fascinated. He’d been intrigued when she’d entered the studio, but her amused struggle with the affectionate little dog captivated him so completely that he forgot the time, forgot the studio, forgot everything but the joyful woman captured in his camera lens.

She was love personified, and a longing to have even a tiny bit directed at him stole the air from his lungs. But he’d learned the hard way to beware that telltale ache. Love was great when you had it, but when it disappeared, the pain brought you to your knees. He’d paid a high price to learn that lesson and wasn’t about to forget it.

“Let me have him so you can talk.” Leaving her chair, Lisa swooped in and gathered Ewok in her arms.

More instructions came through Ben’s earphones. “Follow the dog.”

He panned from a rather startled Tansy to a smug Lisa. An outsider might view Lisa’s move as an attempt to be helpful. But after observing her since she was hired eighteen months ago, Ben recognized her bid to retake center stage. By holding Ewok, she had it.

“Such a cute little doggie!” She hugged and nuzzled him as if hoping he’d start to lick her, too. Instead Ewok squirmed, obviously wanting to escape. “Go on, Tansy,” Lisa said. “I have this sweetie under control.”

Ben didn’t think so. He widened the shot to include Tansy as Lisa continued to maul the dog.

Tansy gave Ewok a worried glance before clearing her throat. “The bottom line is that we’re asking the residents of Tacoma to open their hearts, their homes and their wallets so the animals can have a special holiday and an even better New Year. And we appreciate KFOR’s support. The station’s always been good to The Haven, but helping promote our holiday campaign goes above and beyond.”

“And we’re happy to do it.” Lisa hugged the shih tzu tight. “After all, we’re here FOR…” She paused and her eyes grew wide. With a shriek, she tossed Ewok from her lap onto the coffee table.

“Cut! Cue the commercial!” The command came through Ben’s earphones a second after he’d already stopped filming.

Tansy made a grab for Ewok, but the spooked dog dashed across the large coffee table, knocking over the poinsettia and spilling dirt everywhere. Jumping out of her chair, Lisa gestured to the dark stain on her silk skirt. “The little bastard peed on me!”

God, it was hard not to laugh, but Ben loved his job, so he controlled the impulse. Still, Lisa had deserved it. Tansy had tried to save her, but she hadn’t listened.

“Ewok!” Tansy dashed after the tiny dog, darting through a maze of camera trolleys and cables.

Ben took off his headset so he could help. By pure coincidence the little bundle of fur ran past him. He made a grab and connected with a warm body. Holding Ewok against his chest, he tried to calm the frightened dog.

“Thank you.” Tansy stood in front of him, her blue eyes no longer laughing. “Sometimes he gets over-excited and lets loose. I think that’s the cocker spaniel in him. Wookie’s usually a steadying influence, but with all the people, and the lights, and the noise…”

And the idiot woman squeezing the breath out of him. But Ben was too much of a professional to say that about a colleague. “Bringing them in together was a brilliant idea, though.” He handed Ewok to her. “I hope you find a home for them.”

“So do I.” She stroked the quivering dog with a gentle touch. He whined and reached up to lick her face again. “It’s okay, Ewok. You’re fine now. We’ll go get Wookie and you’ll feel better.”

“Adopting them out as a pair is the right thing to do,” Ben said. “Stick to your guns on that.”

“Don’t worry. I intend to.” She glanced up and her gaze held his. “You’re an animal lover, I can tell.” She didn’t voice her next thought, but it was there in her eyes. Would he take the dogs?

He pretended he hadn’t understood her silent question. He did love animals…from a distance. So many people took on pets with a breezy nonchalance, as if loving creatures with a short lifespan was an easy choice that had no consequences. He knew from experience that wasn’t true. He wasn’t about to explain all that to her, though, so he said nothing.

She blinked as if confused by his silence. “In any event, thanks for capturing Ewok. It’s not good for him to race around in a panic.”

“It’s not good for any of us to race around in a panic.” He smiled because looking at her made him want to do that. He swore she had flecks of sunshine in those blue eyes of hers. In Tacoma, where it rained a lot, sunshine in any form was a valuable commodity.

“Guess not.” She continued to gaze at him intently. “Have we met before? You look so familiar.”

“We haven’t met. I would have remembered.”

“On the air in five!” called the director.

Ben replaced his headset. “Sorry. Gotta go. Weather’s next.”

“Right. Thanks again.” She hurried away, taking the sunshine with her.

Ben concentrated on filming the weather report and did his best to forget about Tansy Dexter. He preferred his relationships light and breezy—easy come, easy go. And his instincts told him Tansy would expect much more than that.

Judging from the passionate way she spoke up for the animals, her emotions ran deep, deeper than he cared to go. He was glad that people like Tansy existed in the world, but he couldn’t follow her chosen path, and she would never understand his decision not to adopt.

She was the kind of woman who would get past his defenses, demand that he drop his guard and become vulnerable again.

There was no way he would risk that.

TANSY’S SUBURBAN HAD been retrofitted for hauling animals. After she and Rose loaded Wookie and Ewok into the back, they hurried around to the front of the vehicle and climbed in, their breath fogging the air. Tansy dug out the keys and coaxed the balky engine to life before switching the heater to high. The cold rain tapping on the windshield could easily turn to snow by nightfall.

Rose rubbed her hands together and held them against her wind-reddened cheeks. “That was interesting.”

“It wasn’t Ewok’s fault.” Tansy’s anger resurfaced as she left the station’s parking lot. “I had to be nice, especially since Paul’s running promos from now until Christmas, but I could have throttled that woman.”

“She almost throttled Ewok,” Rose said. “Good thing she didn’t pursue the idea of adopting these two.”

“Yeah, that would have been awkward. You and I know she’d only have been doing it as a publicity stunt, but Paul might not have seen it that way. He’s a nice guy, and I’d rather not lose his goodwill by refusing to give his publicity-crazed anchorwoman Ewok and Wookie.”

“Speaking of nice guys, that cameraman was helpful.”

“He was.” Tansy’s pulse beat a little faster thinking about his sexy brown eyes.

“And gorgeous.”

Tansy glanced over at Rose and grinned. “You noticed that, did you?”

“I may be old enough to be his grandmother, but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate tall, dark and handsome when I see it. If I’m not mistaken, you two shared a moment.”

Tansy’s cheeks warmed. She hoped she hadn’t looked quite as dazzled as she’d felt. “I was trying to mentally place him.”

“Don’t blame you. Was he on a beach towel in the sand or on a bearskin rug in front of the fire?”

“Rose!” Tansy laughed, bringing an excited bark from Ewok. “I was trying to figure out why he looks so familiar. I swear we’ve met before.”

“Did you tell him so?”

“I did, but apparently we haven’t met. He said he would have remembered.” Sexual heat curled through her as she thought about the low, intimate way he’d said it.

“Whew!” Rose fanned herself. “A guy who knows how to deliver his lines. And he wasn’t wearing a ring. I checked. What’s his name?”

“Don’t know.”

“Why on earth not?”

“Didn’t think to ask.”

Rose slapped her forehead. “You meet a hero type who rescues precious little Ewok, a man who says he would have remembered if you’d met before, and you neglect to get his name?”

“I’m out of practice with that kind of thing.” Though now Tansy wished she had a name to attach to the first man in ages to arouse her dormant libido.

“I know you’re out of practice. I’ve volunteered at the shelter for almost two years, and I don’t think you’ve had so much as a date, let alone a romance. I figured you were either too busy or very picky.”

“I’m both.”

Rose nodded. “I realize your work brings you joy, and there’s nothing wrong with being picky. But FYI, you and that cameraman were giving off sparks.” She pulled a phone out of her small messenger bag. “I’m going to call the station and find out his name.”

“No!” Then her panic turned to laughter. “Okay, you got me. Very cute, Rose. You don’t have the number.”

“Yes, I do.” She hit a button on her phone. “Yesterday you asked me to double-check when we were supposed to arrive. The number’s still in my phone.”

Tansy groaned. She’d forgotten about that. “Rose, hang up. Seriously.”

“No worries. I’ll just say that The Haven wants to send him a personal note for his part in recapturing Ewok.”

“That’s a flimsy excuse. Please don’t—” But Tansy was wasting her breath. Rose was already talking to someone at KFOR.

“Yes, I mean that quick-thinking cameraman who saved little Ewok after he escaped. We want to send him a note of thanks. Ben Rhodes? Got it.”

Nice name, but Tansy couldn’t connect it to the dim memory she had of seeing him somewhere before.

Theoretically, Rose should be hanging up now that she’d found out his name, but for some reason she was still talking. “Really? That’s too bad.” She paused. “Well, if you’re considering sending someone out, I can’t think of a better choice than Ben Rhodes, if he’s available.”

Tansy’s eyes widened as she glanced over at Rose, eyebrows raised.

Rose pretended not to notice. “Well, good. I hope it works out. I’ll check with Tansy. ’Bye.”

“You’ll check what with Tansy? What are you up to, Rose Parker?”

The volunteer’s expression was smug as she tucked the phone back into her purse. “You remember those candid photos of the animals you gave them so they’d have something for the promo spots?”

“Yes. I know they aren’t great, but it was all I had.”

“They didn’t pass muster, so they want to send one of their cameramen out to take some better shots.”

“And you suggested Ben.” She tried to sound disapproving, but that was difficult when she was short of breath and squiggles of excitement were dancing through her system.

“Yes.” Rose settled back in her seat with a smile. “He’ll be perfect.”

CHAPTER TWO

PERFECT. THE WORD CERTAINLY described Ben as Tansy opened the front door of the yellow-and-white Victorian that The Haven used as its administration building. She and Ben had agreed on an early Saturday morning appointment, and she’d turned on the white Christmas lights outlining the house to banish the gloom.

Against the backdrop of those sparkling lights, he looked ruggedly handsome in jeans, boots, a sheepskin jacket and a brown cowboy hat. The scent of the fresh pine wreath hanging on the door came in with him, along with the tang of frost and his minty aftershave.

Tansy greeted him as nonchalantly as she could, considering they were alone for the first time and her heart tap danced with excitement. She’d suggested giving him a tour before The Haven opened for the day, which meant that even Faye, the receptionist, wasn’t around.

“Good morning.” Tansy extended her hand and Ben pulled off a leather glove to shake it. “Where’s your equipment?”

“Left it in the Channel 10 van.” His grip was warm and firm, but the brim of his hat cast his face into shadow, making his expression difficult to read. “I wanted to get the lay of the land first.”

“Of course. No sense in lugging everything around until you’re ready to start.” When he let go of her hand, she resisted the impulse to press it against the butterflies circling in her tummy.

Stepping around him, she relocked the door. “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this. I knew my pictures weren’t very good. Photography isn’t my strong suit.”

“Maybe photography isn’t, but I can already tell this is.” He walked into the reception area. What had once been the house’s living room was now divided by a waist-high counter. Two desks and several filing cabinets occupied the larger space behind the counter. In front of it, two sturdy wooden armchairs and a low table created a seating area, and a coat tree stood in the corner.

Ben’s gaze lingered on a small artificial tree sitting on the counter. Its only decorations were a strand of multicolored lights and white angel donation cards hanging from the branches. A small sign invited visitors to choose a card and donate the item listed on it.

Unhooking one of the angel-shaped cards, he tucked it in the pocket of his coat. “That angel tree’s a good idea. Paul said you’ve made astounding progress at The Haven since you were hired three years ago.”

“He’s giving me too much credit. None of this would have been possible without a generous benefactor who donated this land, including both houses, when he died.”

“According to Paul, that benefactor was inspired by your enthusiasm for the animals. So you’ll have to take some of the credit, Tansy.”

Hearing her name spoken in his deep baritone sent a shiver of delight up her spine. “What can I say? I love my work.”

“Obviously.” He walked over to a bulletin board mounted on the wall to the right of the seating area. Tilting his hat back with his thumb, he scanned the array of snapshots.

“More bad pictures, I’m afraid,” she said.

“Not so bad. The idea of putting up pictures of folks with their newly adopted animals is terrific. You just need a better camera.”

“No, I need a better photographer.”

Ben scanned the pictures. “Don’t sell yourself short. I see potential there.” He turned back to her. “So The Haven ended up with these two houses, and you designated the bigger one as your headquarters.”

“That’s right. It’s mainly office space except for a couple of rooms we use as temporary holding areas for incoming animals. There’s not much to photograph in here.”

“Are you also housing animals in the blue Victorian next door?”

“No, that’s where I live, along with whatever animals I’m fostering at the moment. Right now it’s Ewok and Wookie.”

His eyebrows rose. “No one’s taken them?”

“Not yet.” She did her best to breathe normally, but her chest was tight with the thrill of seeing him again. “I had hoped their TV appearance would help, and by the way, the camera work on that segment was wonderful. Paul said a good part of it was your doing.”

“Animals make great TV.”

“Only if the person behind the camera has a feel for them. You do.”

He met her gaze. “Thank you. That’s nice to hear, but it didn’t result in a home for Ewok and Wookie. I’m sorry about that.”

She gulped and resisted the urge to fan herself. He was potent. “Many dog lovers prefer a certain size. They want small, big or in between. The big and small combo takes some getting used to. But I’m not splitting them up. Someone will come along.” Once again she wondered if maybe Ben would adopt them.

She’d developed a reputation for being able to match animals with their ideal human companions, and her instincts told her Ben would be perfect for those two dogs. He appeared to have the calmness Ewok needed and the athleticism to play with Wookie.

But there was something else, something more subtle that she’d picked up from watching the television clip. He obviously saw the dogs as creatures worthy of notice and respect. Not everyone did, and it was a trait she admired.

She really hoped he’d take Ewok and Wookie, but for some reason he wasn’t rising to the bait. Maybe he needed help to figure out that these dogs were meant for him. “Do you have any animals at home?”

“Nope.”

She was taken aback by his definitive tone. “Not interested?” Her spirits spiraled downward.

He shook his head.

She waited for an explanation. When none came, her disappointment bloomed out of all proportion to the situation. She wanted to blame Rose, who had woven fantasies all week long about how Ben could be her Prince Charming.

But she was a grown woman of twenty-eight who shouldn’t allow anyone to plant ideas in her head. And they’d both been wrong about Ben. He could be the most desirable man in the world, but if he didn’t want to share his life with companion animals, he was not the guy for her.

Animals were her life, had been ever since she was a little girl. Although it might sound corny, she felt that she had a calling to love and protect them. The concept of euthanizing those deemed unadoptable was blasphemy to her, which dictated that she had to work for a no-kill shelter.

Rose’s instincts and that wonderful film clip to the contrary, Ben wasn’t willing to offer his home to an animal, and he wouldn’t reveal why. She couldn’t imagine having a close friendship, let alone a romantic relationship, with someone who had that attitude.

She had to write him off as her prince and quit daydreaming. He was here to do a job, and once he had, she’d put him totally out of her mind.

“All the photo ops will be in the buildings out back,” she said. “Let me get my coat, and I’ll show you the—whoops, hello, Max.” She turned to greet the orange tabby that appeared unexpectedly, hopping up from behind the counter. “I’m surprised you made an appearance, kitty-cat.”

Max sat on the tan Formica, tail curled around his haunches as he fastened his green-eyed gaze on Ben.

“Max is our office cat,” Tansy explained. “Most people think that’s funny because office cats are supposed to be friendly and Max certainly isn’t. He takes aloofness to a whole new level. If I were to try and pet him now, he’d probably walk away. He’s never checked out a visitor, either.”

A soft rumble came from Max’s chest.

Tansy stared at the cat, who continued to focus on Ben. “Now you’re purring? What’s up with that?” She looked over at Ben. “Max hardly ever purrs.”

“Maybe I remind him of somebody he used to know.”

“I suppose that’s possible. He was a stray, so we don’t know his story. Since he’s both standoffish and neurotic, it’s unlikely he’ll be adopted, so we’ve designated him as our unfriendly office cat.”

“What’s neurotic about him?”

“When he’s stressed, he’ll chase his tail and chew on it. Sometimes we have to bandage it and make him wear the cone of shame so he won’t chew the bandage.” Tansy shook her head and sighed. “But I love him, anyway.”

“That’s why you’re good at your job. You probably have something you love about every dog and cat in the place.”

“I do. They’re each special in their own way, even curmudgeons like Max.” She consulted the clock hanging on the wall. “But enough about that. We’d better get moving if we’re going to have any time at all for you to take pictures this morning.”

“And I want to make sure I get them before the morning naps start.”

“Good thought. Let me get my coat and we’ll be off.”

So he knows animals tend to grab a midmorning nap. She thought about that as she walked around to her desk and picked up the dark blue parka she’d draped over the back of her chair. He might not want animals in his house, but he was familiar with their habits.

She shoved her arms into the sleeves of her coat and glanced down as she fumbled with the zipper. When she had it engaged, she raised her head, intending to tell Ben to follow her down the back hallway to the rear door.

Her breath caught. He stood at the counter scratching behind Max’s ears. Nobody scratched behind Max’s ears. He never allowed it.

But the cat was relishing the attention now, and Ben was a natural at giving that attention. Tansy could tell when someone wasn’t used to interacting with animals—their movements were hesitant and awkward. Ben might not have any animals now, but he’d been close to at least one cat in the past, a cat he’d loved. Maybe she shouldn’t put much stock in that, but…she did.

Turning away so Ben wouldn’t catch her staring, she zipped her parka in one noisy motion. By the time she finished, he’d moved away from the counter and Max, who still seemed mesmerized by the man in the sheepskin coat and cowboy hat. Now she was really curious about what had happened to Ben that kept him from wanting pets. If she kept her eyes, ears and even her heart open, she might be able to find out.

Taking a deep breath, she met his gaze. “Ready to explore The Haven?”

“Lead the way.”

“We’ll visit the cats first.” She’d thought maybe Ewok and Wookie would touch him the most, but perhaps not. If he could warm up to Max, then he’d be a sucker for the sweethearts he was about to meet.

IN THE GRAY LIGHT OF DAWN, Ben followed Tansy out the back door of the house to the lighted buildings behind it. He hoped she hadn’t noticed him petting Max, because she might read too much into it. He should have resisted the impulse.

But Tansy’s comment that Max wouldn’t let anyone pet him had been a challenge. He’d wanted to test that, especially because Max had looked at him exactly the way his childhood cat, Mickey, used to, with a silent plea for attention.

Mickey had only been able to make that plea with one eye instead of two because he’d lost the right one in a fight. Ben later learned that male cats should be neutered so they wouldn’t fight or breed. But as a kid he hadn’t known that, and his aunt and uncle certainly wouldn’t have wanted the expense of a vet bill.

So he’d allowed Mickey to roam the streets of whatever town they moved to in their vagabond life. Max looked so much like Mickey that if Ben believed in kitty reincarnation, he’d wonder if Mickey had somehow come back in the body of this cat. With his eye repaired.

Didn’t really matter if he had, though. Mickey’s life had been cut short by a car. He’d been ten—not so bad, actually, for a cat, especially an outdoor one. Ben had heard of indoor cats like Max making it past twenty, or even twenty-five, but that still wasn’t long enough to suit Ben. He wasn’t into long-lived animals like parrots or tortoises, so he was better off staying out of the game.

Scratching behind Max’s ears had felt achingly familiar, though. This gig was already testing his resolve not to form attachments. But petting one orange tabby wasn’t the same as forming an attachment, he told himself. It changed nothing.

A light snow the night before had turned to slush, but someone had shoveled the lighted walkway that led from the back of the house to a couple of octagonal buildings. A signpost pointed left to the larger one, christened the Doggie Digs, and to the right for the smaller octagon named the Kitty Condo. Beyond that stood a boxy portable building that must be where the cats from the hoarder were being kept.

The signs designating the cat and dog areas were cute but unnecessary. A chorus of barks from the larger octagon would have clued him in.

“It’s feeding time.” Tansy paused and glanced toward the Doggie Digs. “One of the high points of their day, obviously.”

“I’m partial to a good meal, myself.”

She graced him with one of her million-dollar smiles. “Me, too.”

And here he was, once again gazing at her expressive face and wishing…what? That he could figure out some stupid reason to spend more time with her? So he could become dependent on that smile for his happiness? No way.

“I should buy you lunch sometime, to thank you for doing this,” she said.

“That’s a generous offer.” Was she asking him out? If she was as interested in him as he was in her, it would be hard to keep her at arm’s length. “But I hope you don’t think I volunteered my time for this. The station’s paying me.”

“Well, sure, I thought they probably were, since they insisted on sending someone out to get better shots. But even so, you’re giving up your Saturday morning.”

“I don’t mind.” And that was the crux of his dilemma. He’d looked forward to coming out here. Professional pride had something to do with it, because he liked the idea of improving on the photos she’d provided. But he’d also just wanted to see her.

Maybe he’d hoped that she wouldn’t be as appealing today as she had been on Monday. Wrong. She fascinated him more than ever. He couldn’t figure out how she maintained her bright optimism given the realities of her job. How could she love these animals with all she had when she knew that loving them would also bring pain?

“Sorry.” She gave him an apologetic glance. “I’m wasting time gabbing about lunch instead of giving you the tour I promised. Do you have any questions so far?”

He had a million of them, all about her and how she had come to be the person she was. But that would invite questions about himself, and she would want him to reveal things he’d kept hidden for years. “No questions,” he said. Then he decided that sounded abrupt. “I take that back. What about the shape of these buildings? I’ve never seen an octagon used for an animal shelter before.”

She brightened. “Aren’t they amazing? We built the Doggie Digs first. We borrowed the octagon concept from a no-kill shelter in Utah called Best Friends Animal Society. I spent a week there and was so inspired. The design allows us to have a central area for organizing food and meds. The pie-shaped enclosures branch out from the center.”

Ben nodded. “Looks efficient.”

“It is. Once we saw how well it worked, we used the same design, slightly modified, for our Kitty Condo.” She walked toward the door leading into the cat building. A sign warned Caution, Loose Cats. She opened it a crack and warm air spilled out. “All clear?”

“All clear,” called a female voice from the other side of the door. “I’m cuddling Brutus, and he’s the only one out here right now.”

Tansy opened the door wider and stepped inside. “Good. I’ve brought the cameraman from KFOR.”

Ben followed her through the door and closed it again. The octagonal room was about the size of an average kitchen and resembled one, too, with its countertops, cabinets, refrigerator, washer and dryer. There was no stove, but he noticed a microwave and a toaster oven. Both the washer and dryer were running.

“Ben Rhodes, meet Cindy Stanton, one of our valuable weekend volunteers. Cindy’s a senior in high school, so her weekdays are full, but she comes over every Saturday and Sunday morning to help feed the cats and scoop the litter boxes, even when it’s cold and dark outside.”

“I want to be here, no matter what the weather is.” Cindy, a lanky teenager with a blond ponytail, was wearing a practical outfit of jeans and a long-sleeved rock band T-shirt. She sat on the floor cradling a small black cat with white tuxedo markings. She glanced up at Ben with interest. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Rhodes. Is it okay if I don’t move? Brutus finally settled down, and I—”

“Please don’t get up.” Ben crouched down, reached over and gently stroked a finger down Brutus’s soft fur. “He’s young.”

“He’s young and he’s a maniac. I’m working to socialize him so he won’t bite and scratch people.”

Ben looked closer and noticed small red welts on the backs of Cindy’s hands. “That’s dedication.”

“That’s love. I adore this little guy. My whole family’s allergic except me, or I’d take him home in a second.” She grinned. “Actually, I’d take a bunch of them home. When I get my own place, I’m so going to have lots of cats, and maybe foster, too.”

“I’m going to hold you to that,” Tansy said, a smile in her voice.

“No worries. I can hardly wait.” She glanced at Ben, who was still stroking the cat. “I’m so glad KFOR is helping us with this campaign and that they sent you to take some pictures. Nothing against you, Miss Dexter, but you really need better ones for the promo spots. What they used this week? Kinda lame.”

Tansy laughed as if she wasn’t the least bit insulted. “I know.”

Cindy returned her attention to Ben. “So where’s your camera?”

“I left it in the van. I wanted to get my bearings before I started shooting.”

She nodded. “Makes sense, but you might as well go back and get it before you head into one of the cat rooms.”

“Oh?” Ben continued to run a finger along Brutus’s silky fur. He’d forgotten the pleasure of such a simple caress. “Why is that?”

“Have you ever been in a roomful of cats, cats with toys and branches to climb on, not to mention tunnels, and shelves and all that stuff?”

“Can’t say that I have.” He was intrigued by the concept. “Don’t they fight?”

Cindy gave a shrug. “Not so much.”

“But they do fight sometimes,” Tansy said. “We watch for that and only allow the aggressive ones in for short visits until they settle down.”

“Even if they fight a little,” Cindy said, “it’s still so much better than cages.”

Ben levered himself to his feet. “Then I’d better go get my camera.”

“Good.” Cindy seemed pleased with that decision. “If you don’t, you’re gonna kick yourself, because you’ll get in there, and one of the cats, like Moppet or Nifty, will be doing something adorable, because they are constantly doing funny stuff, and you’ll miss it.”

Tansy unzipped her parka as if she meant to stay here while he retrieved his equipment. “I didn’t think to ask,” she said. “Are you going to take video or stills?”

“Both, but if I get something with the video camera, I’ll use a single frame, not a sequence. We’re only putting one shot up on the screen at a time.”

“Which is why they have to be really fantastic shots,” Cindy said.

“Yeah, yeah, I get it.” Tansy shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket and smiled at him. “We need someone with a magic touch.”

Ben’s heart lurched. Unless his instincts were wrong, she was flirting with him. The invitation in her eyes was subtle, but his response wasn’t. He wanted to accept the invitation. Good thing Cindy was there, because he had no business accepting anything from Tansy.

But that didn’t stop his traitorous mind from imagining what it would be like to step closer and cradle her face in both hands. And then he’d kiss her, very gently, taking it slow at first. After that—

“Ben, do you want me to go with you? I think you can find your way easy enough. There’s a sidewalk that leads around the house to the parking lot.”

He snapped out of his dangerous daydream. “Not if you have something to do here.”

“There’s always something to do here. There are path lights, but if you want me to show you I’ll be happy to go along.”

“I’m sure I can find my way. It’s getting lighter every minute. I’ll get my equipment and be right back.” He slipped out the door, cursing himself for being a fool. Kissing Tansy would be a huge mistake, both personally and professionally.

He was a cameraman on a job, and that did not include getting cozy with the subject. He could get fired for that, and rightly so. But even without considering his job security, he couldn’t afford to get carried away.

Kissing her would open him up to God-knows-what. Yes, he was drawn to her and wanted to find out what made her tick. But then she would demand to know what made him tick, and he wasn’t about to let her or anyone get that close. If she tempted him, he’d just have to get over it.

CHAPTER THREE

“I LIKE BEN. HE’S CUTE.” Cindy held Brutus in the crook of her arm as she carefully got to her feet. The little cat worked his way up to nestle against her shoulder but didn’t try to squirm away.

“I suppose.” Tansy congratulated herself on that neutral response when two minutes ago she’d been on the verge of flinging herself into Ben’s arms. Cindy had been an excellent chaperone, for which Tansy was grateful. Mostly.

She took off her parka and hung it on a hook beside the door before walking over to check the towels in the dryer. Ben was not immune to the charms of animals. She’d known that from the way he’d cradled Ewok against his chest on Monday morning, and today he’d voluntarily made overtures to both Max and Brutus. Ben was a real puzzle, one she desperately wanted to solve.

“I think he likes you.”

Tansy ducked her head and began pulling towels out of the dryer because she didn’t want Cindy to see her blush. “He’s just a friendly person doing his job.”

“Maybe so, but when he looks at you, there’s more than friendship going on. You may have missed it because you haven’t been dating recently. I have, and I know that look.”

Tansy folded towels as if her life depended on it. “Have you been talking to Rose, by any chance?”

“As a matter of fact, she called me last night.”

Tansy stopped folding and turned to stare at the teenager. “About Ben?”

“Yep. We both agree you need a love life, and she wanted me to check this guy out and see what I thought of him. I think he’s pretty cool.”

Tansy shouldn’t be surprised that the two were in cahoots on this. Of all the shelter volunteers, she was closest to Rose and Cindy. “Are you supposed to report back to Rose?”

“Of course. She’d promised that gentleman friend of hers, Mr. Hobson, that she’d help with his Christmas shopping or she would have found an excuse to drop by this morning. She’s dying of curiosity.”

Tansy picked up the stack of warm towels and hugged them to her chest. “Then tell Rose that we have a potential glitch.”

“He’s in a relationship?”

“I’m not sure. If he is, that would be a deal killer. I don’t poach.”

“If he’s in a relationship, then he has no business looking at you the way he did. I say he’s not. So what’s the potential glitch?”

“When he first arrived this morning, he told me point-blank that he’s not interested in having animals in his life.”

Cindy’s mouth dropped open. “Really? After the way he was loving on Brutus?”

“I can’t explain that. Or the fact that I caught him scratching Max’s head.”

“You’re making that up. Max never lets us pet him.”

“I know, but he hopped up on the counter and started purring while Ben and I were in the office looking around. That was surprising enough, but then I went to get my coat, and when I turned back, there was Ben, scratching behind Max’s ears.”

“So why doesn’t he want animals? Maybe he lives with somebody who’s allergic. Not a girlfriend, but somebody else. I know what that’s like.”

Tansy considered the possibility and rejected it. “He would have said so. I mean, take you, for example. You tell everybody that’s why you don’t have animals at home.”

“Yeah, I do. Wow, it makes no sense.”

“It doesn’t.”

“I’ll stick around while he’s filming. Maybe I can figure out what his problem is.”

“That’s an excellent idea.” Tansy opened a cupboard above the counter and laid the clean towels inside. “You can supervise while I go back to the office. I need to post an update on our Facebook page and talk to Faye about a few things.”

“Wait. I didn’t mean for you to leave.”

“I know.” She grabbed her parka and put it on. “The truth is that I am attracted to the guy.”

“Aha!”

“But if he’s really closed to the idea of having animals around, then it’s better if I don’t spend too much time with him.”

“I guess. If I find out anything, I’ll—” She stopped speaking when the door opened a crack, letting in a swirl of cold air.

“All clear?”

Tansy wished hearing his voice didn’t make her flush with pleasure. She glanced at Cindy. “Got a tight grip on Brutus?”

“He’s secure.” She clutched Brutus against her shoulder.

“Come on in, Ben.” Tansy’s heart thumped as she zipped her jacket. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had such a strong physical reaction to a man. Ben made her feel as if she were Cindy’s age again and had developed a major crush on the captain of the football team.

The intensity of her feelings for someone she’d only just met wasn’t all that unusual for her. She’d always had good instincts, both for people and animals, and she sensed Ben was a kind person. But there was some issue keeping him from opening his heart. And until she figured out what that was, letting Cindy help with the photography session was the smart thing to do.

Ben came through the door with a digital camera on a strap around his neck and a camcorder in his hand. He looked puzzled when he saw Tansy with her coat on. “Aren’t you staying?”

“I have a ton of work to do in the office,” she said. “I’m leaving Cindy in charge. You’ll be in good hands with her.”

“I’m sure I will, but I thought…” His expression went from confusion to resignation. “No worries. I’m sure Cindy can take me over to the dog area when I finish up here.”

Tansy nodded. “Absolutely. She’s one of our most capable volunteers.”

“Do you want to preview what I’ve done before I go, or should I just head on to the station when I have plenty of shots?” His tone was conversational, as if he didn’t care one way or the other.

She didn’t believe for a minute that he wanted to leave without showing her the pictures, nor did she want him to. “I’d love to see what you come up with.” She might be able to distance herself from the photography session, but she couldn’t bear missing the results. He was, after all, filming her babies.

“Okay. I’ll drop by the office when I have something to show you.” His smile was tinged with sadness, as if he understood perfectly well why she was pulling back. He recognized that they had a sticking point.

Except he knew why and she didn’t. “I’ll see you later, then.” She left, and disappointment sat like a cold lump in her chest.

This was stupid. Why couldn’t he just tell her what his problem was? The answer was obvious, though, when she gave herself time to think about it. His uneasiness about having animals around must involve something personal, and he didn’t know her well enough to explain. Cindy was good at pulling things out of people, but chances were he wouldn’t confide in her, either.

Tansy sighed. If nothing else, she’d get some decent pictures of her furry friends out of the deal. If the station would allow it, she’d like to use some of them on The Haven’s Facebook page. Her shots, to use Cindy’s term, were lame.

She knew Ben’s would be wonderful, and not only because he was a professional. He cared about animals, and that would show in the pictures he took today, as it had in the footage he’d shot on Monday morning.

Her gut feeling about him wasn’t wrong. But she didn’t have all the facts and might never learn them. Swearing softly under her breath, she walked up the pathway to the administration building.

TWO HOURS LATER, BEN whistled as he walked toward the back door of the yellow-and-white Victorian. He couldn’t remember when he’d had so much fun with a camera. With some coaxing from Cindy, the cats had performed like trained acrobats, but he had some sweet and touching shots, too.

Most of the dogs had been hams as well, and he could hardly wait to show Tansy the pictures. Getting good ones had been a breeze, and with the tiniest bit of instruction and a better camera, she would be able to take shots that were just as great. In fact, one of his spare cameras would do if she didn’t want to invest money in equipment.

But she might not be willing to have him teach her photography techniques and loan her cameras. Judging from her quick retreat this morning, she’d decided against spending time with a guy who was so obviously wrong for her. Smart move on her part.

He would take his cue from her, show her the pictures and head on out of this place. But the image of those cats frolicking together in an open play area would stay with him for a long time. And the memory of Tansy’s bright eyes would stay even longer, though he’d do well to erase it.

As he opened the back door and started down the hallway toward what had been a deserted reception area early this morning, the hum of voices and an occasional dog bark drifted toward him. He walked in on a much different scene than the one he’d left.

On the far side of the counter, two dogs, one a black Lab and the other a cocker spaniel, tugged at their leashes. Because each dog had at least one kid fussing over it, Ben decided these were new adoptions, not animals being surrendered to the shelter.

A plump red-haired woman worked behind the counter, dealing with forms and answering questions. Tansy was helping her, bestowing warm smiles on the adults signing the forms and pulling out their checkbooks. The adults and kids all seemed to know each other, so Ben decided two families had come in together to adopt.

He waded into the confusion, introduced himself and asked if he could film the happy families and their new canine friends. Everyone seemed pleased about the idea, so he got some more footage. Maybe the station could use it and maybe not, but the excitement of the moment was contagious and he thought capturing it might be useful for…something.

Apparently he’d come in on the tail end of the procedure, because within fifteen minutes, the families had driven off with their dogs and the reception area grew quiet again.

Tansy beckoned him over to the counter. “Ben Rhodes, this is Faye Barnard, who presides over the front desk and creates order from chaos.”

Ben shook her hand. “I could tell that this was a red-letter day for those two families.”

“It was.” Faye’s cheeks dimpled and her green eyes glowed with satisfaction. “This is what it’s all about, settling previously unwanted animals with families who are crazy about them. It’s so rewarding.”

“And thank you for capturing it,” Tansy said. “Do you think KFOR would run something like that?”

“I don’t know. I saw an opportunity and grabbed it, but I’m not in charge of what gets shown and what doesn’t. I’d love to see that air, though. It would inspire more people to adopt.”

“Yes, it would.” Tansy’s gaze met his, and the question was there, the same question that had always been there. Had it inspired him? Was he ready to take in a homeless dog or cat?

She didn’t say that out loud, though, which meant he could pretend he hadn’t picked up on her unspoken plea. “Do you have a minute to look at what I have here?”

Tansy glanced at Faye. “Can you handle the phone for a little while?”

“Be happy to.”

“Then come on back to my desk, Ben.” Tansy motioned him around the end of the counter. “Nobody’s scheduled to come in for at least another thirty minutes, but you never know. Anything can happen around here, and usually does.”

“I’ve got it under control,” Faye said. “Go preview those pictures. I know you’re dying to see them.”

“I am.”

“I think I got some you’ll like.” Ben followed Tansy to a desk in the far right-hand corner. Her computer was on and several folders were stacked beside the monitor. A rigid plastic chair sat next to her desk, and he commandeered it, bringing it over so it was close to her chair.

“Was Cindy helpful?” She sat down and swiveled to face him.

“She was great.” Setting both the digital camera and the camcorder on the desk, he shrugged out of his coat and hung it on the back of the chair. Then he took off his hat and looked for a place to put it.

“Let me have it,” Tansy said.” He handed her the hat and she set it down on top of the folders. “I’m glad Cindy was there. She’s so good with the animals.”

“She is. She played with both the cats and the dogs so I got some terrific action shots.” Settling onto the chair, he picked up the digital camera and clicked the preview button so the first one appeared in the small screen. “Can you see that? Here, take the camera and use that button to jump to the next one.” He leaned toward her and did his best to concentrate on the images.

But he’d like to see the man who could do that and ignore the flowery scent of her skin and the tickle of her warm breath on his cheek. If he made a half turn, his lips would meet hers. But kissing her at all would be inappropriate, not to mention kissing her in a public office space under the watchful eye of her receptionist.

He reminded himself that he enjoyed his job and would not care to lose it because he’d behaved unprofessionally while on assignment.

She wasn’t helping, though, with her little gasps of delight as she scrolled through the pictures. The noises she made sounded way too much like a woman responding to a lover. Knowing how joyfully she embraced life, he imagined she’d be equally joyful when she made love.

“Oh, Ben, these are great!” She clicked to the next frame and sucked in a breath. “Look at those blue eyes. All Siamese are stunning, but Hyacinth has the most amazing eyes.”

So do you, Tansy. But he couldn’t say that now, and probably not ever.

Eventually she got to the dog section. At one point she actually moaned with happiness. “Wonderful. Just wonderful. You have such a talent.”

He’d been told he had talents in other areas, too, but he’d bet money that kind of expertise wasn’t Tansy’s top priority. Openness would be important to her, and he wasn’t a tell-all kind of guy.

So he fought his natural response to being achingly close to her. Anyone would think he hadn’t been with a woman in quite a while. And anyone would be right.

Yes, he’d been out of the dating scene for a few months, but that wasn’t the problem. He wasn’t some sex-starved adolescent who couldn’t go without it. His current need was specifically for Tansy.

He wanted to kiss her until they were both senseless with desire. They had obvious chemistry, so that part of their relationship would go just fine. It was the pillow talk that scared the devil out of him.

As he battled his demons, he was startled by the orange tabby, Max. The cat appeared from nowhere and jumped into his lap. Ben spoke without thinking, giving an automatic response ingrained years ago. “Get down, Mickey.” He realized his mistake immediately. “I mean, Max.”

Tansy’s head whipped around and her eyes grew wide. “He’s on your lap.”

“So it seems.” He started to remove the cat.

“Ben, you don’t understand. I’ve never seen him get onto someone’s lap. Could you…could you let him stay there for a little while? I want to encourage that behavior.”

“I guess.” So instead of lifting the cat down to the floor, he began stroking him. Max purred and kneaded his claws into the denim of Ben’s jeans.

“That’s amazing. He’s acting like a regular cat.”

Using both hands, Ben caressed Max in a remembered pattern, beginning at his chin and working his way to the base of his tail. “He probably was a regular cat before something happened to make him unfriendly.”

“I’m sure you’re right.” She regarded him silently for a few seconds. “What did you call him when he first jumped up?”

“Oh.” He threw the explanation out in an offhanded way. “I used to have a cat who looked a lot like Max. His name was Mickey. I was concentrating on the pictures and had a memory lapse.”

“What happened to Mickey?”

“Got hit by a car. The vet tried to save him, but he was hurt too bad.” Twelve years later, and he still hated thinking about that day. So he didn’t until forced to, like now.

“I’m sorry.”

Fortifying himself against the sympathy he knew he’d find there, he looked into her blue eyes. “It’s okay. It was a long time ago, and he was ten. That’s not so bad for a cat.”

“But not so good for the person who loved him.”

“I got over it.”

She gazed at him for a moment longer before glancing away. “Yes, I’m sure you did.”

She didn’t believe him. And that meant more questions would follow. Damn it.

CHAPTER FOUR

TANSY SOMETIMES FORGOT people, but she never forgot an animal, especially when that animal was connected to tragedy. Now she remembered why Ben was familiar. He’d been the sobbing teenager who’d brought his one-eyed orange tabby to the vet’s office where she’d volunteered after school.

But she didn’t think he’d appreciate knowing that she’d been the sixteen-year-old girl who’d held him while he cried that day, so she kept the information to herself. After she got home, she’d looked for him in her high school yearbook, but he hadn’t been there. He’d slipped in and out of her life without a trace.

And now, twelve years later, here he was sitting right next to her. Max continued to attach himself to Ben’s lap as if Velcroed to his jeans, while Tansy went back to exclaiming over the still shots. When they finished with those, Ben propped the camcorder on her desk and shared the videos he’d taken.

Although they both behaved as if nothing had changed, everything had changed for Tansy. The pieces of the puzzle that made up an image of Ben Rhodes were coming together. He’d said Mickey died at ten, so he’d likely had the cat since he was a young boy. Judging from the depth of his grief that day, Tansy suspected Mickey had been the only pet and possibly the best friend of a lonely boy.

After Mickey had taken his last breath, Ben had charged out the door, his face contorted with pain. Days later an envelope stuffed with cash had arrived at the vet’s office, along with a scrawled note of thanks. The vet had shown both to Tansy, but there was no return address, no phone number, no contact information at all.

With their unconditional love and devotion, it was easy for animals to become a person’s lifeline. If Mickey had been that for Ben, she could understand why Ben might have decided that loving an animal made him too vulnerable. She understood, but it made her sad.

She felt especially sad when she looked at Max, who acted as if he’d finally found his soul mate. As he sat contentedly purring on Ben’s lap, he wasn’t the same cat who refused even the slightest caress from any of the other employees and volunteers. During a break in phone calls at reception, she asked Faye to come over and witness the miracle.

Faye stared at Max in disbelief. “I’ll be damned. Ben, you must be a sorcerer. You should see what we go through when we have to bandage his tail and put on his cone.”

“I guess there’s something familiar about me.”

“I don’t think he responds to you simply because you’re a guy,” Faye said. “We’ve had other men volunteer at the shelter, and Max ignored them the way he ignores us.”

“It could be the sound of his voice or the way he smells,” Tansy said.

Ben laughed. “Must be the tuna fish oil I rub on after my shower.”

“So that’s it.” Tansy grinned at him, and they were almost back to normal with each other. But she would always look at him differently now that she knew, or thought she knew, why he avoided bonding with animals.

That decision was costing him, too, though she wasn’t sure he realized it. The way he interacted with animals revealed how much he hungered for the connection he denied himself out of fear. Yet she had no idea how to fix the situation.

If she asked him to take Max home for the Christmas holidays, he probably would say no. On the other hand, what did she have to lose? She might as well find out exactly how rigid he was on this matter.

The shelter phone line started ringing. “I need to answer that,” Faye said. “But don’t move. I want a picture of Max sitting on your lap. If I tell the others, they’ll think I’ve been smoking funny cigarettes.”

Tansy and Ben finished up the videos before Faye reappeared, brandishing her camera phone. “I’m emailing this to a bunch of people who know how much of a grouch Max is.” She aimed the phone at the cat. “They’ll accuse me of using Photoshop.”

Ben glanced at her. “He’s really never been on anybody’s lap? That’s so hard to believe.”

“It’s as if he doesn’t trust us enough,” Tansy said. “We’ve tried playing with him, giving him treats, catnip, you name it. He tolerates us, but barely.”

Faye took another picture with her phone. “Maybe he was just waiting for the right person to show up. None of us were the right person. You are.”

“Unfortunately, I’m not—”

“How about just for the Christmas holidays?” Tansy didn’t want to give him a chance to finish the sentence that would end all hope. “You heard my pitch at KFOR. There’s no expense other than some food and litter, and no obligation. If you could socialize Max, he would be more adoptable. You could help him find a true home.”

Ben met her gaze. “I wish I could help you, but I can’t.”

Anger stirred in her. “You mean you won’t.”

“All right. I won’t.” Gripping Max firmly, he pried the cat from his thigh and set him on the floor. When Max crouched as if ready to spring back into his lap, he quickly stood. Max rubbed against the leg of his jeans and continued to purr.

It broke Tansy’s heart. She stood and faced him. “Can’t you see how much he wants to be with you?”

Ben lowered his voice. “Sorry, Tansy, but I’m not taking Max home with me. I don’t want an animal in my house, and besides, I have plans. I’m going skiing with friends over Christmas.”

Faye suddenly found chores to handle at her desk.

Taking a deep breath, Tansy curbed her anger. Having an animal did complicate travel plans. No denying it. But animal lovers usually decided the rewards were worth the bother.

Clearly, Ben didn’t feel that way, and no good would come of challenging his attitude. He’d spent the morning taking pictures that might help several animals be adopted. Sure, he’d been paid to do it, but he’d thrown himself into the project, and because of his enthusiasm he’d come up with some wonderful shots.

She cleared her throat. “You’re right. Sorry. It’s never a good idea to coerce a person into taking an animal, even if it’s only for a trial period.”

“No, it’s not.”

Doing her best to ignore Max’s desperate bid for attention from his idol, Tansy focused on the business at hand. “Your pictures are fabulous. I know the station owns them, but if they’d be willing to let me use a few for The Haven’s Facebook page, I’d be very grateful.”

“I’ll check with Paul.” Ben put on his sheepskin coat. “I’m sure you can work something out.”

She turned back to her desk and retrieved his hat. “I’d appreciate it.”

He looked at the cat at his feet. “If for some reason he doesn’t want to give you any pictures, I could come back on my own time and take some for you.” He put on the hat and tugged the brim over his eyes before picking up both cameras.

Although she longed to fling the generous offer in his face, she couldn’t afford to do that. “I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you.”

“I’ll be in touch.” As he walked away, Max trotted after him.

“Max, no.” Tansy followed behind and scooped up the cat. Max twisted and growled his displeasure. “You can’t go,” she murmured into his orange fur. “He doesn’t want you.”

And if Ben didn’t want Max, then Tansy didn’t want Ben. Simple as that.

BEN KNEW HE’D GONE from hero to jerk in sixty seconds. But what was he supposed to do? He fumed about it all the way back to the station and for days afterward. He kept picturing the flare of anger in Tansy’s eyes when she’d said, You mean you won’t.

But he hadn’t been born yesterday. She was a pro at this adoption game. She knew as well as he did that once he allowed Max into his home and into his heart, the cat would be there for life—Max’s life, which would probably be short. Ben wasn’t going through that again.

If Tansy had immunized herself against that pain, then bully for her. She was definitely in the right line of work. So was he, for that matter. While she was comfortable with the passing of time, he was in the business of freezing it.

The images he captured with his camera stayed that way. The playful cats and the bouncy dogs would be young forever in the pictures he’d created. Maybe he was denying reality, but he didn’t care. His decisions worked for him.

He’d be wise to forget Tansy Dexter. She wanted too much of him, and would make him more vulnerable than any animal could.

But she wasn’t easy to forget. Besides his own vivid memories, he was assaulted by promo spots for The Haven. Each morning the six o’clock news included a chart showing the number of animals with temporary homes for the holidays and the progress toward reaching the financial goal necessary to build another Kitty Condo.

Both campaigns were going well, which made for a feel-good Christmas atmosphere in the newsroom. Ben was happy for Tansy that the public awareness campaign was working, but he’d be so glad when Christmas was over and he wasn’t being constantly reminded of her.

They’d had one email exchange since he’d left the shelter that Saturday morning. On Monday, he’d sent her a file containing the shots Paul had released to her for The Haven’s Facebook page and website. She’d responded with her gratitude, copying Paul. But he knew the warmth in the email was for Paul and not for him, though. Although Tansy occupied his thoughts most of the time, Max wasn’t far from his mind, either. The cantankerous cat would spend Christmas day alone in that office, no doubt. No one would volunteer to take him home, and he probably wouldn’t want to go with them, even if they did.

Max had his preference and it happened to be Ben, or somebody very much like him. His adoration was touching, and Ben had spent more hours than he cared to admit searching through his contacts looking for somebody who might fit a similar profile. He wasn’t that unique. But he hadn’t found a good match.

With all his effort to push Tansy out of his mind, he’d also forgotten the angel card he’d shoved in his coat pocket. On Thursday morning he pulled his gloves out of his pocket and the card he’d plucked from The Haven’s tree came out, too, badly crumpled.

Taking the card had been an impulse, but he still wanted to honor it. He wasn’t interested in adoption, but there were other ways he could support the animals. After the way they had parted on Saturday, returning with gifts might seem like he was trying to get back on Tansy’s good side, but he couldn’t help that.

At least Christmas was still a couple of weeks away. He would have hated finding that card during his ski trip. He vaguely remembered what was on the card, but he checked it again to make sure. Yep, a large carpeted cat tree.

He’d seen a couple of them in the rooms of the Kitty Condo. Most of the carpeting had been shredded by busy claws and replaced with remnants, so the cat trees were now a patchwork of colors with a few bald spots. Considering the plans for a second cat building, The Haven clearly needed more of those things.

Mickey had never had one. After the first few times the cat had dug into the furniture, Ben’s aunt and uncle had banned him from the house. By the time Ben was old enough to buy Mickey a cat tree for scratching, he preferred the real trees he found as he roamed the neighborhood. It would have been a waste of Ben’s hard-earned cash.

But these days he had the money to spend. He could get at least two. He had a truck, so hauling them over wouldn’t be a problem.

Seeing Tansy again might be.

And yet he wanted to see her again, fool that he was. He missed her infectious smile and her sunny outlook. He missed her, which was not a good sign, but it was the sad truth.

He spent his lunch break dithering over which cat trees to buy and whether he should get more than two.

Finally he settled on just two. Until the new facility was built, The Haven might not have room for more. These two could be used immediately in the existing rooms or in the portable, and after the second Kitty Condo went up, he’d buy more. Or maybe some toys. Or blankets. They seemed to use a lot of those.

Besides missing Tansy, he missed the warm and optimistic atmosphere of The Haven. He kept remembering the way the cats had played their little hearts out as they celebrated the joy of being alive. He wanted another reason to be part of that.

He left the cat trees at the store and arranged to pick them up later. A misty rain had been falling all morning and he didn’t want them sitting out in his truck getting soaked while he worked. He’d have to use a tarp when he took them over to the Haven.

He didn’t get off until six—was that too late to deliver the trees? He could always wait until Saturday, but he didn’t want to. Now that he’d bought them, he was eager to get them over there. And yeah, he was eager to see Tansy, too.

Originally he’d imagined driving up and surprising her with the cat trees. Now he realized that wasn’t such a good idea. If he arrived in the middle of a busy time, he’d only add to the confusion. She, or Faye, or someone, needed to know to expect him.

During a five-minute break in filming, he called The Haven, got Faye and told her his mission.

“That’s terrific, Ben!” She was gratifyingly excited. “The cats will love having those.”

“I can get them over there after work, but it’ll be around six-thirty.”

“We’ll be closed up by then. Do you want to wait until Saturday?”

“Not really. I was hoping—”

“Hang on. Let me check with Tansy.” Faye put him on hold and he listened to “Jingle Bells” sung by barking dogs and meowing cats. It made him smile.

“Ben?” Tansy’s voice wiped the smile right off his face and jacked up his heart rate.

“Hi. I bought these two cat trees, and I—”

“Faye told me, and we really appreciate that.”

He wished she’d said I instead of we. It was a subtle but telling difference.

“Listen,” she continued, “I don’t blame you for not wanting to interrupt your Saturday again, so let’s—”

“It’s not that.” Great. Now she thought he was worried about cutting into his weekend. “I just figured the sooner the cats have them, the better.”

“Well, that’s obviously true. They love having new furniture to explore, and we could really use one out in the portable. Anyway, I can take your delivery. That’s one of the advantages of living right next door. Give me a call when you’re on your way and I’ll come meet you. How big are they?”

“About four feet tall and a couple of feet square. I can carry them. Don’t worry about getting help to unload the things. If you want, I can even cart them out back.”

“Thanks, but that won’t be necessary.”

Ouch. She really didn’t like him anymore. He couldn’t blame her, but he wanted the other Tansy back, the one with sunshine in her eyes and a smile on her full lips. But to get that, he’d have to do more than buy a couple of cat trees. After she gave him her cell number, they ended the call.

His heart was still beating faster than normal as he put his phone on vibrate and tucked it into his jeans pocket. Even when she was frosty, she still affected him. The strong attraction was damned inconvenient. Why couldn’t he feel this way about one of the women going on the ski trip?

But he didn’t. His buddy, Justin, had brought him into the group. They were an ever-shifting singles group of six to ten members tied together by their work at the station and a love of outdoor sports. They skied in the winter and enjoyed water sports and hiking in the summer.

One of the women, a good-looking brunette named Janine who worked in the advertising department, had hinted that she’d like to be more than friends with him. Because he valued her friendship, he’d told her gently but firmly that he thought of her as a sister and nothing more. The chemistry wasn’t there for him.

Apparently he was like Max. He had his preference, and no one else would do. Tansy was it. Now that he’d experienced the bright sparkle of her personality, other women seemed colorless.

It couldn’t develop into anything, of course. But he liked knowing that she existed, that she was here in Tacoma, even if they couldn’t be close friends. Thinking of her might be frustrating sometimes, but her very presence in the world gave him joy.

A little after six, he picked up both cat trees from the pet store, wrapped a blue tarp around them and tied it down. The air was wet, misty and cold, but fortunately the hard rain that had fallen during the afternoon had stopped. After climbing back into his truck, he called Tansy.

She picked up immediately. “Hi, Ben. I forgot you were coming.”

That was a blow to his ego. “Is it still all right? I already have the cat trees in the back of my truck.”

“Sure, it’s fine. Come on ahead. I’m in the Doggie Digs mopping, and I need to get that done, so if you wouldn’t mind, could you walk down here instead of having me meet you in the office?”

“Mopping? That part of your regular cleanup?”

“Unfortunately not. We have a leak that’s only getting worse. One of our volunteers crawled up on the roof late this afternoon and put plastic down, so it’s temporarily handled, but there’s still a lot of water on the floor.”

“Didn’t anybody stay to help you mop?”

“They all offered, but it’s the Christmas season. Everybody had either parties or relatives visiting or shopping to do, and I sent them home. I can handle it.”

“I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

“Ben, you don’t have to help.”

“But I will. See you soon.” He disconnected and started up the truck. She might not welcome his help, but she was going to get it anyway. He wasn’t about to drop off the cat trees and leave when she had a crisis. That wasn’t his style.

But helping her tonight wasn’t the only issue. Roof leaks were common in a wet climate. If she didn’t have insurance to cover repairs…this was not good news for Tansy’s already tight budget, not good news at all.

CHAPTER FIVE

TANSY HADN’T EXPECTED to see Ben again, so when he’d called about the cat trees, she’d had to deal with a rush of unwanted excitement. She’d forgotten that he’d taken one of the angel cards when he’d come in that Saturday morning.

She’d wondered if following through on that gesture had simply been an inconvenience for him. Maybe it was, but he’d been generous enough to get two cat trees instead of the single one listed on the angel card. Or had he gotten an extra one to soothe his guilty conscience?

Now, as she mopped up the worst of the puddles, she talked to the four dogs that had temporarily been housed together. The pie-shaped enclosures had side walls about three-and-a-half feet high with chain link above that, so the bigger dogs could put their paws on the top of the wall and look over at their neighbors. Currently all four dogs were watching her mop.

The yellow Lab and Irish setter had always been roommates in this section, but for the moment they shared the space with a husky and a black Lab. The setter, whose name was Bailey, was the only one whining. The rest seemed merely curious about what she was doing. Talking calmed Bailey, but it also helped Tansy sort through her uncomfortable thoughts.

“I screwed up, guys,” she said. “If Ben has a guilty conscience, it’s my fault.”

The yellow Lab named Nugget barked once as if agreeing with her.

“Exactly, Nugget. You never want to bully someone into taking a furry friend home. They could resent being talked into something they weren’t ready to do.”

The black Lab sneezed.

“Bless you, Charcoal. Anyway, there’s no excuse for the way I acted. Maybe Ben has a wonderful way with animals, and maybe I have a little crush on him and wish he’d change his mind about adopting. I’d hoped it would help him deal with the pain in his past. But none of that gives me the right to suggest he has an obligation to take Max home for the holidays.”

Squeezing out her mop, she slapped it back down on the floor. “My one little word of sorry doesn’t cut it. Now that he’s on his way here, I’ll grab this opportunity to tell him I was out of line. It won’t be easy, but I’ll make myself do it.”

“Anybody home?”

Awareness skittered up her spine at the sound of his voice. The dogs barked in response, so she had to shout. “In here!” Leaning the mop handle against the wall, she walked through the door of the pen into the center section and nearly collided with Ben. She quickly stepped back and staggered.

“Easy.” Ben caught her, his gloved hands firm as they gripped her arms.

“Thanks.” She gazed into dark eyes that had the power to make her forget her own name. Wow, he was as gorgeous as ever. Same sheepskin coat and brown felt cowboy hat. He rocked that look.

“No problem.” He held on to her a little longer than was necessary. Then he let go and moved away. “Got another mop?”

“Ben, you really don’t have to help me with the floor. I can take a break from this and open up the Kitty Condo so we can put the cat trees in there and you can be on your way.”

He went very still. “Do you want me to be on my way?”

No. “I hate to hold you up. I’m sure you have things you’d rather do than help me mop the floor.”

He tipped back his hat and regarded her steadily. “Actually, I don’t. But last time we talked, you were upset with me. Maybe you’d prefer that I drop off my donations and leave.”

“No, I would not prefer that.” She took a deep breath. Now or never. “I had no right to be upset with you. And I had no right to put pressure on you to take Max for the holidays. I violated my own rule by doing that, and I hope you’ll forgive me. It was inexcusable.”

His expression relaxed. “Not inexcusable,” he said. “You adore these animals. You love Max and want the best for him. You saw a chance for him to bond with someone, and you wanted to encourage it.”

“Loading you up with guilt in the process.”

“No, I don’t feel guilty, Tansy. I’m only sorry that I’m not the ideal match you and Max think I am.”

“Me, too.” She wondered if he realized that statement could apply to her as well as Max. Probably not. He didn’t know Rose had once had high hopes for a romance between them.

“Friends?”

She nodded. “Friends.”

“And friends don’t let friends mop alone.” He shoved his gloves in the pocket of his coat before unbuttoning it. “Where can I put my coat?”

“I’ll take it.” She smiled as a weight lifted off her heart. She’d apologized and he’d been more than gracious. Maybe they could be friends, after all. “You can have my mop and I’ll get another one from the storeroom.” She took his coat, which was still warm. To her credit, she didn’t hug it close, but she did take some guilty enjoyment in appreciating the snug fit of the long-sleeved T-shirt he had on underneath.

“Might as well give you my hat, too.” He took it off and handed it to her.

“Be right back.” She hurried into the octagonal space that mirrored the one in the Kitty Condo, except this one was bigger and had one whole wall devoted to leashes. Two raised dog beds plus food and water dishes sat in a corner, waiting until the mopping was finished to be put back in their rightful places.

Tansy hung Ben’s coat and hat on a hook next to where she’d left her own parka. Before she walked away, she held the soft sheepskin to her nose and inhaled. Ahhh.

Visually he was a beautiful man, but she’d always been sensitive to scent. A man could look like a Greek god, but if he didn’t appeal to her nose, she wasn’t attracted to him. Ben passed the scent test with Max, apparently, but he passed it with her, too.

Grabbing another mop from the storeroom, she headed back into the flooded area. Moments later they were working side by side as they attacked the remaining puddles.

He mopped with long, sure strokes. “When did you find the leak?”

“This morning when we opened up.” She resisted the urge to watch him instead of working. Concentrating on the floor was a challenge when the alternative was ogling the shift of his muscles as he wielded the mop. “When Rose reported it, we didn’t think it was too bad, but in the afternoon, when it rained harder, the leak got worse.” She glanced up at the stained ceiling. “The plastic seems to be holding the water at bay for now, but I’ve asked a roofer to come out tomorrow and give us an estimate.”

“Insurance?”

“We have it, but last year I raised the deductible to lower our monthly bill and help keep us in the black. Obviously that was a mistake.”

“Do you have enough to pay the deductible?”

She sighed. “No, we don’t. And I can’t dip into the money earmarked for the second Kitty Condo. We’ve almost hit our goal, which the station will announce very soon, and donors will expect to see the building go up.”

“And I guess you can’t suddenly announce another fund-raiser for the roof.”

“It’s Christmas, and people have already been more than generous. I can’t go back to them again so soon. This is just a bit of bad luck. I’ll figure something out.”

She just had no idea what that could be. What if she couldn’t find the money? What if the shelter went bankrupt, the animals became homeless…and it was all her fault?

“I’m sure you will. I just wish I could help.”

She couldn’t ask for what she really needed—to be held. In her fantasy, he’d put down the mop, wrap her in his strong arms and cradle her against his chest while he smoothed her hair and told her everything would be all right.

“You did help,” she said. “You took some great pictures that are making our Facebook page and website shine. I’ve had so many compliments on those photos, Ben. Contributions through Facebook and the site for the Kitty Condo are definitely ahead of where they were before I added your pictures.”

“Good.”

From the other side of the wall, Bailey whined and shoved his nose against the mesh.

“Almost done, Bailey.”

“Yeah,” Ben said. “I think we’ve got it handled. If you’ll take the mops, I’ll empty the bucket.”

“Thanks. We’ll need to move those beds and their food and water dishes back in here before we transfer the dogs.”

“No problem.” He sounded cheerful, as if he might even be having a good time.

They were finally able to return Bailey and Nugget to their rightful spot, and Ben was a hands-on helper, petting all the dogs and talking to them as if they were his buddies. The husky, Yukon, seemed especially taken with Ben, but all of them responded with wagging tails and doggie smiles.

The longer Tansy observed Ben’s behavior at the shelter, the more she became convinced that all Ben needed was a chance to hang around animals for a while and get past his fear of becoming attached. He might be a lot tougher about such things than he gave himself credit for.

Ben was in an excellent mood as they put on their coats and headed into the misty night air. “Here’s my thought,” he said. “I’ll unload the first cat tree while you open up the Kitty Condo. Once we’ve got them in place, I’ll take you to dinner.”

“All of that sounds good except the last part.”

He paused on the sidewalk and stared at her. “You’re refusing my dinner invitation? I thought we’d signed a peace treaty.”

“We have, but I don’t think it’s fair for the guy who brought over two cat trees and helped me mop the floor to also buy me dinner. I have some homemade veggie soup and a loaf of homemade bread at my house. Why don’t you come over?”

He hesitated for a fraction of a second. Then he smiled. “Sounds perfect.”

She caught her breath. She’d been doing fine, keeping her balance and congratulating herself on how well this friendship thing was working, until he smiled. Just like that, she became a molten mass of hormones. And she’d just invited him to share an intimate dinner in the privacy of her home. What had she been thinking?

BEN HADN’T EXPECTED his dinner invitation to become something even cozier than a shared table at a restaurant. He’d taken a chance offering that, but she’d had a tough day and it had seemed like the right gesture. A friendly thing to do.

Sharing a meal in her house was riskier, and for a brief moment, fear of that type of intimacy had made him hesitate. Then he’d decided it wasn’t a romantic gesture on her part. She wasn’t a temporary fling kind of woman, and she’d definitely avoid getting involved with a guy who’d declared he wouldn’t be adopting any animals.

They were friends, nothing more. He kept that firmly in mind as she exclaimed over the beauty of the cat trees he’d bought. Her appreciation felt great after all the time he’d spent agonizing over which to buy. She continued to rave about them as he carried each one into its designated space.

Anyone listening to her would have thought he’d brought her diamonds. Though he couldn’t imagine her getting this excited about mere jewelry. In fact, she’d probably hock it and put the money toward something for the animals.

When the second cat tree was settled in the portable building, they stood together and watched the cats adapt to their new climbing and scratching structure. Even though the cats had been through tough times, they were recovering their natural instinct to have fun. A few held back, but within minutes the carpet-covered towers were play central.

Ben laughed as a black cat chased a tabby in, out and around the tower. Then they reversed roles and the tabby became the aggressor until a calico joined in, making a three-way game of it.

“Wish I’d brought my camera.”

“I think that all the time, but even when I do remember to bring my camera, the results aren’t as good as yours.” Tansy stood beside him, her expression animated, her eyes bright with pleasure. She’d left her parka on, but it was unzipped.

He was resigned to having her as a friend and nothing more, so he shouldn’t notice how her red turtleneck sweater hugged her breasts. But he did. He shouldn’t have watched her during the mopping session, either, but he had. The fit of her jeans had affected the fit of his.

He wasn’t sure how he’d deal with his response to her when they were tucked inside her little blue Victorian house. He’d have to leave early if he found himself wanting to act on his feelings.

For now, though, he chose to make conversation and pretend that he could ignore the urge to kiss her.

“I really can teach you how to take good pictures,” he said. “It’s not that tricky.”

She glanced over at him. “I’m not sure I believe you. Some people are talented in one thing and some in another. I have an affinity for animals. You’re a genius with a camera.”

“Thanks for boosting my ego, but I’m no genius, Tansy. It’s a skill like any other. It can be learned.”

“I’m sure it can, but those who are gifted will always do a better job than those who aren’t. I know my limits.” She paused, her gaze tentative, her body language hesitant. “Maybe you would…no, that’s asking too much.” She looked away.

“You can’t leave me dangling like that. Tell me what you started to say.”

“Okay, but it’s fine if you say no. We’ll still be friends.”

“Tansy.”

“Would you consider volunteering to be our official photographer?”

His pulse leaped. Volunteering to take pictures for the shelter would mean he’d see her on a regular basis. His heart wanted to, but his brain said it was a bad idea. “It’s a thought.”

“Never mind. It would be an imposition. I’d offer to pay you, but as you know, money’s in short supply.”

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t do it.”

“But you didn’t jump at the idea, either. I’m sure it’s a lot to ask.”

It was, but not for the reason she thought. He was already becoming too attached to the shelter and to her. And that led only to pain. Yet refusing to help because he was conflicted about their relationship seemed petty, especially when he was fascinated by the kaleidoscope of cats arranging and rearranging themselves.

He’d had fun capturing the changing expressions on the faces of the dogs. But his photographer’s soul belonged to the cats. They were art in motion, a feline version of Cirque du Soleil. They begged to be photographed, and good pictures would go far to getting them new homes. Fortunately, it wouldn’t take any emotional involvement on his part. He was a professional; he knew how to keep his distance from his subjects.

He took a deep breath. “I’d be honored to be your official photographer.”

She turned to him, her eyes shining. “Oh, Ben, that’s so awesome. The cat trees are wonderful, and I would never want to discourage you from donating such things, but you have a skill that no one on our staff has. Eventually the pictures on the website and on Facebook will be dated as the animals are adopted. We need to give the newcomers their fifteen seconds of fame.”

“I’ll take care of that. But I’m still buying more cat trees when the new Kitty Condo goes up. These things are amazing.”

“And I’ll happily accept them. Oh, look! Casper’s stalking the others. Too cute.”

He’d noticed that she called each cat by name, and she’d done that with the dogs, too. “You have so many animals at The Haven. How do you remember who’s who?”

“That’s part of my talent, just like knowing how to frame a shot is part of yours.”

He nodded. “Point taken.” He continued to stand there, and the urge to cup the back of her head and taste her mouth became stronger. They needed to move on. “Anything else we should do?”

“Oh!” She turned to him. “I’m so sorry. I could stand here for hours watching the cats play, but you must be starving.”

“Hey, I understand. When I’m shooting something that fascinates me, a bomb could go off and I wouldn’t notice.” He’d had that reaction the morning of her TV appearance, but he decided not to mention it. He didn’t want to upset the delicate balance they’d achieved.

“Nevertheless, I promised to feed you, and it’s past time to honor that promise. Let’s go.”

He wasn’t about to argue with her. He’d eaten a quick lunch on the fly because he’d been buying cat trees, and food sounded great right now. Maybe a filling meal would curb his appetite for other things, things he shouldn’t be hungry for.

CHAPTER SIX

EVERY CHRISTMAS SEASON, Tansy anticipated that special moment when she felt the spirit of the holidays for the first time. As she and Ben walked through the parking lot toward the flagstone path connecting the administration building to her house, their breath fogged the air. They talked about the resilience of the cats who’d been taken from the hoarding situation, and the great photo ops that would be possible with so many fascinating subjects.

Fat snowflakes drifted down, sparkling in the white lights outlining the yellow Victorian and settling like bits of lace on Ben’s hat and coat. Tansy glanced over at her house, where she’d strung tiny multicolored LEDs along her porch railing and placed a small decorated tree on each side of her front door.

Both houses looked festive and ready to celebrate. The crisp scent of damp evergreens hung in the air. As a delicate snowflake landed on her cheek like a kiss, a rush of joy told her that once again, Christmas had arrived in her heart.

“It feels like Christmas,” she said.

Ben laughed. “Is that all it takes? A couple of cat trees?”

“No, I wasn’t thinking of the donation you made, which is wonderful. It’s the combination of the snow, And the Christmas lights….” And you walking beside me. But she wasn’t about to say that, so she improvised. “And how generous everyone has been to The Haven. All of a sudden the Christmas spirit hit me like an incoming snowball.”

“That’s great.” His tone was wistful. “I envy you.”

She wasn’t sure how to respond to that. “Hey, it’s only the middle of December. You have lots of time to get in the mood.”

“Not everybody gets in the mood, you know.”

She hesitated. “You don’t?”

“No.”

“Not ever?”

“Can’t say that I have.”

She thought she should drop the subject because it seemed to be a touchy one, so she remained silent.

“The thing is…”

“Mmm?” She didn’t even want to use an actual word to prompt him, for fear he’d clam up completely. She sensed that whatever he’d started to say wasn’t something he mentioned to many people. Maybe not to anyone.

He sighed. “Never mind.”

He’d retreated. His behavior reminded her of animals who’d come from bad situations and were afraid to trust. She let the silence stretch between them and figured that was the end of his willingness to share something personal. Then, to her amazement, he spoke again.

“I think you have to have a store of good Christmas memories to draw on from when you’re young.” He cleared his throat. “That’s how I think you get the Christmas spirit, tapping into that.”

Her heart ached for him, but she kept her voice light. “I’ve never looked at it that way, but that could be true.” What had his childhood been like, that he had no happy memories of Christmas? More than anyone she knew, this man needed the unconditional love of an animal…or a person.

She led the way up her porch steps and reached for the front door latch.

“You don’t lock it?”

“I don’t bother if I’m right next door and I have an alarm like Ewok and an enforcer like Wookie in residence. Besides, I’m sure even burglars know that anyone running an animal shelter is probably broke. Don’t expect cut crystal wineglasses and fine china at my house. My family and friends know to give me stuff for the shelter or a donation to whatever fund-raiser we have going.”

Ben smiled. “I can hear your fan club coming.”

She could, too. Ewok’s toenails scrabbled on the hardwood floor as he raced toward the door. Wookie was coming, too, but he signaled his happiness with a noise in his throat that was somewhere between a moan and a whine. She opened the door. “Honeys! I’m home!”

Ewok danced with joy and she gathered him up in her arms, but she managed to reach out a hand and stroke Wookie’s head at the same time. “Good to see you, guys. And look who I brought with me, Ewok. Your friend from the TV station. Doggies, meet Ben Rhodes, top-notch photographer. Come on, Ben. We need to let them out in the yard for a bit, and then we’ll get started on dinner.” She set Ewok back on his feet.

The dogs knew the routine, so she followed them through her living room with its secondhand furniture and the small dining room with more of the same. Then she turned left into the kitchen. The door at the end of it opened onto a porch and a fenced yard. Both dogs stood waiting impatiently in front of the door.

“Cozy place,” Ben said as he followed her.

“I actually love it. The house belongs to the foundation that runs The Haven and can’t ever be mine, exactly, but it’s mine for as long as I do a good job.”

“Then it should be yours for a very long time.”

“Not if we go broke with the roofing repairs.” Tansy opened the back door. “Okay, guys, out you go!” Ewok shot out first, and then Wookie padded through the doorway and took the porch steps in one bound. She stepped out on the porch and glanced over her shoulder at Ben. “I usually stand out here until they’re ready to come in, but you don’t have to.”

“Sure I do.” He joined her on the porch and closed the door behind him. “I’m not going to cower in the warm house while you’re out here in the cold. In fact, if you want to go in and start heating up that soup, I’ll supervise the operation here.”

She gazed over at him. “You really are famished, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

Something in the way he said it made her heart beat faster. But he was probably talking about food. It was late, well past most people’s dinner hour. “Okay, if you’re willing to watch them, I’ll go turn on the stove.”

“Excellent.”

Ducking inside, she took off her coat and hung it on a peg by the back door. Then she pulled the soup pot out of the refrigerator and set it on a burner. Soon the aroma of carrots, onions, diced tomatoes and potatoes filled the kitchen.

She buttered several slices of her favorite cheddar cheese yeast bread, wrapped them in foil and popped them in the oven. The meal wasn’t fancy, but adding a bottle of wine would make it a little more gourmet. She wondered if he liked wine, and whether he preferred red or white.

Opening the back door, she stuck her head out to ask him and discovered he was no longer on the porch. The sound of his laughter filled the air, mingled with happy dog barks. When she walked out onto the porch, the glow from the porch light revealed a scene that made her heart squeeze.

Ben, who professed not to want animals in his life, was romping with her dogs. Snow fell around them as all three leaped and ran through the cold night air.

As if sensing her presence, Ben skidded to a stop and glanced in her direction. “They were really amped up and I figured they’d give us some peace if I played with them a bit. Was that okay?”

“Of course it’s okay!” She smiled. “But dinner’s ready.”

“We’re a mess.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’ll get some old towels. Be right back.” Still smiling, she went inside to put on her coat and grab the towels.

No matter what Ben might say, his actions proved to her that he would be a happier man if he allowed animals into his life. But she wouldn’t try and convince him anymore. She’d let Ewok and Wookie do it for her.

AFTER HELPING TANSY with doggie cleanup, Ben gestured toward the wood in a metal rack on the back porch. “Do you use your fireplace?”

“I sure do.”

“Mind if I build us a fire and we eat dinner in front of it?”

“Sounds great to me.”

He left his wet boots on a mat in the kitchen. Then he busied himself with logs, kindling and newspaper. Having something to do kept him from thinking about the bonehead comments he’d made about his lack of happy Christmas memories. He had no idea why he’d felt the need to reveal something so personal. Luckily she hadn’t pressed for details, but he’d have to watch himself from here on out.

The fireplace was great, and made him wonder why he’d never had one in any of the places he’d rented over the years. He’d seen them as an amenity for a vacation cabin or a ski lodge, not a home. He needed to remedy that.

While he tended the fire, she set up their dinner arrangement. Soon the fire was crackling nicely and they were sitting on the floor in front of it, bowls of steaming soup and warm bread laid out on her coffee table. She’d fed Ewok and Wookie when they’d come back inside, and they were now both zonked out, Wookie next to Ben and Ewok next to Tansy.

Ben sat beside Tansy with a few inches between them. He’d left that space on purpose. This was a dinner shared by friends, not lovers.

The energy in the room might go a notch past friendship on the relationship meter, but that only served to sharpen his enjoyment of the food and the cozy setting. He couldn’t remember ever being happier. “This is great.” He sipped his red wine and took a bite of the fragrant bread. “Thank you.”

Pausing with her spoon in midair, she gazed at him with softness in her blue eyes. “Got to treat my volunteers right.”

He wasn’t sure if he was the reason for that look in her eyes, but he liked thinking he made her happy, even if it was a friendly kind of happy. “I’m glad I played with the dogs, it seemed to be good for them.”

“It was, and I’m thrilled they got the exercise. They’ll sleep well tonight.”

“Good.” He took a mouthful of soup and realized exactly how hungry he was. He finished off more than half of what was in his bowl before he spoke again. “Does it ever get to be too much, living right where you work?”

“Never. This is my dream. I’ve wanted to help animals ever since I was a kid.”

“Brothers or sisters?”

“No, although my parents had planned to have more than one kid. It took them forever to have me. They were both in their forties. So they filled the house with dogs and cats, instead. Having a lot of animals around seemed normal to me.” She chuckled. “My folks still have quite a menagerie.”

“Here in Tacoma?”

“No, they got tired of the winters and moved to Arizona. They’d love it if I’d move down there, too, but I’ve found my bliss with this foundation. I’m not going anywhere.”

He was glad to hear it. As much as he worried about his intense emotional reaction to Tansy, he didn’t want her to leave town. “I’m pretty settled here, too,” he said.

“It has lots of good points.”

“Yep.” Tacoma had always felt like home to him, maybe because it was the last place he’d lived with Mickey. So, once he was on his own, he’d moved back here. His aunt and uncle had continued to roam, and last year they’d headed to Mexico in an RV. He’d had no word since then, but they’d never been big on keeping in touch.

“It’s great, what you’re doing with The Haven,” he said. “But don’t you ever get discouraged?”

She turned her head to look at him. “You mean because I can’t save them all?”

“Something like that, yeah.”

“The fact is, I can’t save them all, but if I let myself dwell on the negative side of the ledger, I’m wasting valuable energy. Instead I think about all the ones I have saved.”

“The glass-half-full theory.”

“That’s me.”

Indeed. He looked into those luminous eyes and finally began to understand how strong she was and how perfectly suited to the work she’d chosen. “That’s inspiring.”

“Thanks, but I’m inspired by what you do, which seems a lot more complicated to me.”

“It’s not. I keep saying you could learn it.” He tried to keep from staring at her mouth, but it was so tempting. And so very close.

“I could learn the basics, but your talent can’t be taught. You work instinctively to capture the essence of your subjects. I can tell you operate by instinct—so do I with the animals.”

“I’m not always successful.”

She laughed. “Who is?”

“I know, but I get impatient.” He’d made a copy of the footage he’d taken of her at the station. He wasn’t satisfied with it. “Like with you, for example.”

“Me?”

“The camera work I did when you came to KFOR was okay, but you’re so much more…filled with light than what I managed to record. I need another chance.”

Her breath hitched and her eyes grew dreamy. “Filled with light?”

“Mmm.” He realized that he’d moved close enough that their shoulders touched. He risked a lot being this near to her and saying these things, but he couldn’t seem to help it. “You give off this subtle glow. I didn’t capture that in the footage I took.”

“That’s very flattering.” She spoke in hushed tones as she drifted toward him, closing the gap. “But I don’t think I glow.”

“Yes, you do. You’re glowing now.”

“I am?”

“Yes.” He breathed her in. “Here.” He touched his lips to her cheekbone. “And here.” He pressed his mouth against the space between her brows. “And here.” He feathered a kiss along her jawline.

He would have missed her soft gasp if he hadn’t been so close. But he didn’t miss it. “Tansy, if I don’t kiss you right now, I’m going to explode.”

Her lashes fluttered down, concealing those incredible eyes. “Ben, if you don’t kiss me right now, I’ll explode, too.”

“Can’t have people exploding, can we?” He cupped her cheek, his fingers sliding over the silky temptation of her skin. His heart threatened to pound right out of his chest as he hovered nearer. At last, when his breath mingled with hers, he closed his eyes and sought the velvet softness of her lips.

And when he settled his mouth over hers, his sense of homecoming nearly overwhelmed him. Risky or not, he needed to be with this woman, to absorb her warmth and bask in the light that surrounded her.

Then she moaned softly, and the surge of desire that roared through him left him trembling with the effort to keep his pressure light, his touch gentle. But he managed it. She’d yielded this much to him, but if she sensed that his control could snap any second, he might lose her trust.

With great effort, he lifted his head and gazed down at her. Her eyes opened slowly. He waited, breath held, for what they would reveal.

At last, with a quivering sigh, she let him see what he’d dreamed of, but never dared hope for. Passion blazed there…for him.

“I shouldn’t want you,” she murmured.

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