Read Online Baby, Hold On by Stephanie Bond - Free Book Online Page B

sleep or sit or walk,” he explained. “They can even detect skin cells that are expelled through the exhaust of a car a person is riding in.”
    “Amazing. What’s the best way to get my skin cells onto the toy?”
    “Allow me,” he said, then took the stuffed toy and proceeded to drag it lazily over one shapely arm, then the other. And although it wasn’t necessary, he couldn’t resist the temptation of leaning over to drag the toy down one toned leg, then up the other, ending midway up her thigh, at the hem of her skirt. The woman had a hot little body, and considering how she’d rejected his kiss that first night, this might be the closest he’d ever get to it.
    His sex hardened and he set his jaw against the lust that bolted through him. Being so close to Lacey in the tiny cabin these past several days had kept him on a slow burn, and he was ready to ignite. He stood slowly, hoping she didn’t notice his erection.
    “N-now what?” she asked, keeping her gaze above his waist, he noticed.
    “Now,” he started hoarsely, then cleared his throat. “Now you take a walk and hide somewhere out of sight so he can track and find you.”
    “How far?”
    “It doesn’t have to be miles, just enough to make him work for it. I’ll text you when we leave here, so you can get into place.”
    She nodded, then left the cabin.
    Mike stared at the closed door and rubbed at a sudden twinge in his chest. There it was again—the same sense of loss he’d felt when Lacey had left this morning with Sheridan. He told himself at the time he was uncomfortable handing his dog over to someone else, but he now admitted he’d grown accustomed to Lacey’s laugh and the way she seemed to bring light and softness to everything she touched.
    Sheridan would miss her when they left Sweetness.
    Twenty minutes later, his dog roused from his nap and as expected, began frantically searching for the toy Mike held behind his back.
    “Sheridan, come,” Mike said, and was relieved when the dog obeyed.
    Mike revealed the toy. “Sheridan, this is Lacey.” He held out the toy, knowing this was the test: Would the dog take it and run back to his bed, or would he go into tracking mode.
    “Sheridan, this is Lacey,” he repeated, then gave the toy a shake.
    Sheridan barked, then shoved his nose into the toy for a couple of big sniffs, and barked again.
    Mike was almost weak with relief. “Sheridan, find Lacey. Find Lacey.”
    Sheridan barked again, on full alert as he dropped his nose to the ground and began to sniff. This would be tough, Mike knew, because Lacey’s scent was all over the cabin. But the old Sheridan would keep sniffing until he found the freshest scent.
    He watched his dog, his heart pounding against his breastbone. Sheridan circled and backtracked until he stopped at the front door and barked to be let out.
    “Good boy,” Mike said. He texted Lacey the signal, then opened the door and bounded after Sheridan.
    Outside it took the dog a few seconds to pick up her scent again, but he found it and was soon trotting down the asphalt. Mike called out encouragement as he followed behind. Several hundred yards later, Sheridan veered off the road into the brush and Mike realized Lacey had walked toward Timber Creek. When they emerged from the brush onto the bank of the creek, Sheridan walked up to the water, then balked.
    Mike scanned the opposite bank, and caught a sliver of pink through a brush pile. “Sheridan, find Lacey,” he encouraged.
    The dog loped back to him and whimpered.
    “Sheridan, find Lacey,” he commanded.
    Sheridan barked, then turned and went back to the creek bank. He hesitated, then jumped into the shallow water and half walked, half swam to the other side. Mike waded in and followed, his pulse beating furiously to see his dog returning to his heroic self.
    Once Sheridan emerged on the other side, he paused only long enough to shake himself off, then found the scent again in seconds. When he found Lacey