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)
He’d found her.
All four dogs fixated on him as he entered, pulling the door closed behind him. Leena had on a pair of warm up pants and a sweatshirt. Strip her and start all over, his brain said. A sentiment, his dick agreed with completely.
“Everything okay?” she asked without looking at him for longer than two seconds.
“Wondered where you’d gone off to.”
“My day starts at four. I get our training in first so I can focus on other people’s animals and today since the weather is only going to get worse, I figured I’d at least get it done and do emails the rest of the time.”
All four dogs were lying around her as she bounced a tennis ball on the floor. None of them moved. He did, approaching her.
“Can I help?”
“No, thanks. It’s almost time for us to finish up and get some breakfast. I just have to run Pax and Erma through the obstacle course once more.” She cracked her neck and lobbed the ball across the floor. “Hope, Wazzu.”
Her bitch took off like a shot, the other three still as marble statues. When she caught up to the ball, had it in her mouth and proceeded to play with it. Leena looked at her other dogs, walked around each of them and released Argo then Pax. She brought Erma with her to the obstacle course. While the other three played and ran around, Leena worked with her younger female. John stayed on the outside of the area as they tackled tires, jumps, ladders, and more.
They got to a low long stretch that the dog would have to crawl and Erma refused. Instead of getting upset, he watched as Leena worked with her, encouraging her to go through, going with her on her own belly under the item. She moved portions of the belly crawl area off and worked with her until she could call the dog through, one section at a time before putting them back together and having her go under the full length at once.
“Good girl,” she praised, roughhousing with the dog. “Once more, girl. You and me together.”
The bark that followed had John crossing his arms and leaning against the wall, this he had to see. Erma kept pace on Leena’s left as they went back to the start. A bit more roughhousing then she settled her dog down. And started.
The jumps, tires, and everything were taken accurately and without a misplaced step. The moment they began running to the crawl, he leaned forward, anxious to see how it would play out.
She issued the command and Erma lunged forward, moving on her belly under the full length of it. John watched Leena’s fist pump but she kept the dog moving, sending her over two more jumps and through a hanging tire before she praised her.
“Yes!” she cried. “Good girl, you did it!” She caught Erma as she jumped up, hugging her then sinking to her knees, arms still around her dog. Her praise was muffled by the dog’s coat and the barking she did.
Together, they walked to the entrance and she sent her off to play with the others. “Pax, hier. One run for you, my young man.”
John waited. Pax ran it clean and she praised him nearly as hard as she had Erma. “Let’s eat,” she called out as she released Pax to play.
John walked to her side, waited for her to look up at him then he kissed her. Dipped his head and captured her lips. Her face shone with the sweat she’d worked up running her dogs and working with them. He didn’t care. She moaned and pushed closer, he snaked an arm around her back and held tight.
“Hi,” he muttered against her lips.
“Back atcha.”
“I thought you’d run.”
Her smile calmed the fear that had swarmed him. “Where would I run to? I know you saw the weather out there when you came here. Not balmy Miami weather.”
“Don’t know where to, but it’s what I thought.”
“I’m right here. Gonna feed the boarders then head inside and take care of my pack. You should go back in, take them with you.”
“I can help.”
“I get it, you’re a man, you want to help but if it’s all the same to you, I don’t want to have to carry you again. You’re not fully healed yet and you were sleeping like the dead when I left you. Even now I see exhaustion and sweat is on your brow.”
He kissed her again. “Yours too.”
“But I’ve been working. You’ve been standing. Go back to the house. I’ll be along shortly.”
“Then we talk.”
Her expression became thoughtful. “Yes. We need to talk.”
Together, they left the building and he continued on to the house when she veered over to the kennel. He let the dogs in the house then shut out the increasing cold and snow to wait for Leena.