Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 81994 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81994 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
“Did you think I had someone here?” I ask him, my eyebrows coming together, thinking the look of hurt I caught.
“No, but you were acting strange, and then the crash happened, so I didn’t know what to think.”
“I wouldn’t do that to you,” I tell him softly. The thought alone feels like a lead weight in my gut.
“I know that”—his hand comes up, cupping my jaw—“but sometimes when you have something that seems too good to be true, you start waiting for it to crumble to pieces around you.” My breath catches in my throat and tears fill my eyes. “You, Autumn Freeman, are the most important thing in my life.”
“Stop,” I choke out.
“I love you, baby.”
“Love you too,” I sob, burying my face in his chest, and Tubs takes the opportunity to start licking me, making my sobs turn into laughter.
Kenton tilts my head back again, kissing me. “Where’s his kennel?” he asks when his mouth leaves mine.
“Kennel?” I ask dizzily.
“Where he sleeps,” he prompts.
“Oh, I got him a bed.” I point to the large, fluffy dog bed that is now in the middle of the floor, where I’m sure Tubs dragged it.
Kenton looks at me then the bed and shakes his head. “Get his leash and collar.”
“Why?” I ask, going over to the bags I put on the bed with all his stuff in them. I dig through until I find his baby-blue collar with rhinestone studs and his leash that matches. I turn around, my head bent as I take the tags off both items.
“Hell no!”
I jump at his voice and lift my head. “What?” I ask, looking down at my hands, where his eyes are pointed.
“He’s a boy.”
“I know,” I say, feeling my eyebrows draw together. “That’s why I bought blue.” I hold up the collar and leash so he can see them better.
“It has sparkly shit on it.”
“The girl at the pet store told me they’re the ‘in’ thing. I even got him a couple of shirts that are blue,” I tell him.
“Scratch that. We have two stops to make—one to Petco and the next to wherever the hell it is you bought all that crap so we can return it.”
“We don’t need to return his stuff.”
“It was one hundred degrees outside today with eighty percent humidity. He’s covered in fur. When the hell would he wear a shirt?”
That’s a good point, but I don’t want to give in; the things I bought are cute. “He can wear them around the house.” I shrug, walking towards him with the collar undone so I can put it around Tubs’s neck.
“He’s not wearing shirts around the house.” He shakes his head, pulling the stuff out of my hand and giving me Tubs.
I turn and watch him go back over to the bags of stuff I bought, look through it, and mutter the whole time. By the time he’s done, all he keeps out is the dog food.
“Let’s go.” He puts his hand on the small of my back, leading me out of the room then down the stairs to his car.
When we get home that night, Tubs has a new kennel, a few toys, and a plain, black leash and collar, but I did make it out of the store with a new harness that has blue hearts on it, much to Kenton’s disapproval.
*
“Stop him!” I shout, running after Tubs, who is racing away from me with one of my bras hanging from his mouth.
Kenton blocks his path and bends down, picking up the fur ball, who is still gnawing on my bra, and when Kenton tries to take it from him, he starts acting like it’s a game of tug-of-war.
“Bad puppy,” I tell him, unlocking his jaw with my fingers and grabbing my bra, which is now covered with dog slobber. “It’s not funny,” I snap at Kenton when his laugher follows me as I go back into the bathroom, tossing my bra into the hamper before going to get a new one out of my underwear drawer.
“I told you having a puppy is a lot of work,” he says, walking into the bathroom behind me.
“I know, but he’s so cute,” I say, putting my bra straps over my shoulders and hooking the clasp behind my back.
He starts to laugh again, but this time, the vibration of his laughter is against me as he slides his hands around my waist. “You sure you gotta go to work?” he asks, kissing the skin of my neck.
“I wish I didn’t.” I move my head to the side so my neck is more exposed to his mouth.
“Stay home with me.”
I hear the plea in his voice and turn in his arms, looking up at his face. I know that, after what happened with Sophie and Nico a few weeks ago, he has been on edge and hasn’t wanted me too far away from him, and it’s not surprising. Having someone you know and care about kidnapped and then having to help rescue them would do that to anyone.