Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 227(@250wpm)___ 189(@300wpm)
When the time came, she’d prepared herself and the two of them worked together like a dream. She read his cues and knew he had it. While he rested for the protection test, she took some water.
“You’re looking stressed,” Ameil, a volunteer, said with a smile.
“It’s the tracking, always the tracking that makes me a nervous wreck. I’m fine with obedience and protection but that one always worries me.”
He patted her shoulder. “You two looked great out there to me. Just like you did with the other dogs you have. You and Argo especially.”
“Thanks. That dog and I have an incredible bond.”
“Nearly as good as you and Falco.”
Even after all these years, the backs of her eyes burned at the mention of her heart dog. “Yes, nearly.”
“I’ll see you at the dinner tonight?”
“Absolutely. See you then.” She headed back to where she’d left Pax. He was on his back, completely at ease with everything around him. He’d been her joker and prankster as a younger pup, pushing her buttons but after that incident at her house, his switch had been flipped. He’d been beside Hope when she went down and he’d brought her attacker to the ground, showing an intensity she’d not ever had from him before. Finally, now she felt he was ready to try for his IPO 2 title.
Now they had to wait and search four blinds and demonstrate a back transport of the decoy. That was the new additions, for there were still the IPO exercises. She settled on the ground next to Pax and dug her fingers into his coat. He rolled over and licked her hand.
“Are you ready for this, boy?”
The look he gave had her chuckling. “Right, it’s my issue. Not yours.”
She’d never seen him so focused; he knocked the blind search out of the park and did wonderful with the back transport. The other exercises he was used to doing.
As they finished up and she waited for the judge to give her the nod where she could release him, she whooped and whistled for him to jump up in her arms. He hit her hard with his eighty-five pounds, but she didn’t care. Holding him she kissed him, tears of pride streaming from her eyes.
“You did it, Pax. You passed.” She accepted the congratulations offered and dropped back to her knees to hug him again. “I’m so proud of you.”
A shadow fell over her and she wiped her eyes and tipped her head back to see who stood there. Her heart skipped more than a few beats as she found John standing there.
“John,” she whispered.
“Leena,” he said in a voice as soft as hers.
Pushing to her feet, she did her best not to eagerly eat up his form. Damn man was fine as hell and she’d missed him so much. He bent to say hello to Pax then he turned his eyes back on her.
Moving even closer he stopped right before they touched.
“What are you doing here?” She pushed the words—somehow—past dry lips.
“I came for you. My brother said you were in Oklahoma City having lunch with him the other day.”
“I dropped off a dog for him.”
He frowned, creases appearing in his brow. “A dog, my brother?”
“Yes. Hugo, a Belgian Tervuren.” Her fingers burned with the need to touch him. To feel his skin beneath hers. Taste him on her lips. “Don’t you two talk?”
“We can discuss my relationship with him later. I came for you and to discuss ours.”
“I can’t.” She shook her head. “I can’t, I have to go.”
“Hell, no. I love you, Leena Parsons. I love you with every breath that I take. With every beat my heart gives me. I love you.” He cupped her face. “I want you in my life. I want to wake up beside you and fall asleep with you. I want to see you across the breakfast table. I want to help you do chores.” He swiped her lower lip with his thumb. “I want to be your husband.”
Christ, she was about to cry again. “I can’t move to Oklahoma City, John. I’m sorry but I just can’t.”
“You have cops in your town. I’ll move.”
“Small town cop is a step down and much less active than being part of SRT.”
“I’ll be fine. I want to be with you, and I loved being there. With you. With the dogs.”
She hesitated for half a second before she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him, the leash falling to the ground. She moaned as his taste filled her. This man had come to her life one cold night and had filled it with such heat, she never wanted it to vanish. “Yes,” she whispered against his lips. “Yes.”
* * *
The End