thirty-three-year old
mother who freaked out in fear when she got close to a dog. Besides not being Ronnie’s
type, Kayla didn’t have time to date anyway. And he was an
employee!
This
thing
that was building between them…it wasn’t going to happen. She couldn’t let it happen.
* * *
The following morning Kayla had just finished up her shower and pulled on her robe
when she heard Ronnie knocking.
She headed downstairs and saw the mess the girls had left behind before they went
down to the basement as she made her way to the front door. She opened the door, ready
to apologize for adding to his to-do list again, and nearly screamed out loud.
A dog the size of a small cow sat on her porch at Ronnie’s feet.
She backed up slowly.
Dogs had teeth…big teeth that could bite.
She felt the unhealthy rhythm of her heart and heard herself gasping for breath. She
managed to make it over to the couch just as she fainted.
“Kayla!”
She blinked her eyes open. Ronnie’s rough hands were on either side of her face and
he was looking down at her with worry. Something wet and rough tickled the palm of
her hand. She looked down at the large animal licking her and this time she really
did cry out, “Oh, God… A dog! Please get it away.”
“Buck, down,” Ronnie ordered.
The hulking beast lumbered over and spread himself out on her brand-new rug, letting
out a loud sigh as though settling in for a nap.
“Are you okay?” Ronnie asked.
“No. I’m terrified of dogs,” she said, moving aside the bottom of her robe to show
him the scar on the inside of her knee from when she was eight. “When I was young,
a stray dog in the neighborhood wandered into the yard where I was playing. My squeals
of fun somehow upset him and the next thing I knew he lunged at me and sank his fangs
into my leg. I ended up not only getting stitches, but a series of shots as well.
I’ve been terrified of dogs since that day.”
Then it hit her…Ronnie’s friend Sergeant Buck was a dog!
Chapter Four
Never in his whole life had he seen someone faint until just now. Kayla had just passed
out from a mere
glimpse
of Buck.
After a few minutes, she sat upright as her breathing returned to normal, but he could
tell she was still a nervous wreck. She kept a close eye on Buck and looked ready
to make a break for it at any moment. Had he known about her fear of dogs, he wouldn’t
have brought Buck along today. Kayla had enough on her plate without Buck scaring
the life out of her.
“I can take him back out to the truck,” he offered. Buck whined and covered his nose
and one eye with a large paw.
Glancing at Ronnie and then back to Buck, she said, “Did he understand what you just
said?”
“I would imagine. He saved my life a couple of years back and he’s been with me ever
since,” Ronnie replied.
Her gaze finally left Buck and came back to meet his. She had been sitting far back
against the couch while he knelt in front of her, but she suddenly leaned forward
and placed her hand on his cheek. Her face was only a few inches from his. The urge
to kiss her took over. He moved closer slowly, giving her a chance to back away.
She surprised him when she closed the distance between them and pressed her mouth
against his. She tasted like summer rain, refreshing and warm. He wanted more of her.
Definitely more…a lot more. Slanting his mouth, he captured her lips again for a better
taste, but it only made him hungry for something else. Buck whined and Kayla pulled
back.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that,” she said, looking away from him.
“I agree. I’d much rather you faint at
my
feet than his. I outrank him in more ways than one.” He grinned.
He wanted to push Kayla down on the couch and do more than just kiss her, but there
were eight teenage girls in the house. He would wait.
The past couple of weeks he’d found himself flirting with Kayla, unable to stop
mother who freaked out in fear when she got close to a dog. Besides not being Ronnie’s
type, Kayla didn’t have time to date anyway. And he was an
employee!
This
thing
that was building between them…it wasn’t going to happen. She couldn’t let it happen.
* * *
The following morning Kayla had just finished up her shower and pulled on her robe
when she heard Ronnie knocking.
She headed downstairs and saw the mess the girls had left behind before they went
down to the basement as she made her way to the front door. She opened the door, ready
to apologize for adding to his to-do list again, and nearly screamed out loud.
A dog the size of a small cow sat on her porch at Ronnie’s feet.
She backed up slowly.
Dogs had teeth…big teeth that could bite.
She felt the unhealthy rhythm of her heart and heard herself gasping for breath. She
managed to make it over to the couch just as she fainted.
“Kayla!”
She blinked her eyes open. Ronnie’s rough hands were on either side of her face and
he was looking down at her with worry. Something wet and rough tickled the palm of
her hand. She looked down at the large animal licking her and this time she really
did cry out, “Oh, God… A dog! Please get it away.”
“Buck, down,” Ronnie ordered.
The hulking beast lumbered over and spread himself out on her brand-new rug, letting
out a loud sigh as though settling in for a nap.
“Are you okay?” Ronnie asked.
“No. I’m terrified of dogs,” she said, moving aside the bottom of her robe to show
him the scar on the inside of her knee from when she was eight. “When I was young,
a stray dog in the neighborhood wandered into the yard where I was playing. My squeals
of fun somehow upset him and the next thing I knew he lunged at me and sank his fangs
into my leg. I ended up not only getting stitches, but a series of shots as well.
I’ve been terrified of dogs since that day.”
Then it hit her…Ronnie’s friend Sergeant Buck was a dog!
Chapter Four
Never in his whole life had he seen someone faint until just now. Kayla had just passed
out from a mere
glimpse
of Buck.
After a few minutes, she sat upright as her breathing returned to normal, but he could
tell she was still a nervous wreck. She kept a close eye on Buck and looked ready
to make a break for it at any moment. Had he known about her fear of dogs, he wouldn’t
have brought Buck along today. Kayla had enough on her plate without Buck scaring
the life out of her.
“I can take him back out to the truck,” he offered. Buck whined and covered his nose
and one eye with a large paw.
Glancing at Ronnie and then back to Buck, she said, “Did he understand what you just
said?”
“I would imagine. He saved my life a couple of years back and he’s been with me ever
since,” Ronnie replied.
Her gaze finally left Buck and came back to meet his. She had been sitting far back
against the couch while he knelt in front of her, but she suddenly leaned forward
and placed her hand on his cheek. Her face was only a few inches from his. The urge
to kiss her took over. He moved closer slowly, giving her a chance to back away.
She surprised him when she closed the distance between them and pressed her mouth
against his. She tasted like summer rain, refreshing and warm. He wanted more of her.
Definitely more…a lot more. Slanting his mouth, he captured her lips again for a better
taste, but it only made him hungry for something else. Buck whined and Kayla pulled
back.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that,” she said, looking away from him.
“I agree. I’d much rather you faint at
my
feet than his. I outrank him in more ways than one.” He grinned.
He wanted to push Kayla down on the couch and do more than just kiss her, but there
were eight teenage girls in the house. He would wait.
The past couple of weeks he’d found himself flirting with Kayla, unable to stop
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