Page 67 of Speechless

“Later, baby. You okay?”

The smile became soft and shy. She licked her lips, rolled them together. A happy little sigh escaped her, a breathy huff of air. “Liked it.”

“Me too.” Connor kissed her forehead, exhaled deeply. God help them both when sex came into the equation—Jenna would be flying high as a kite, and he’d be right up in the skies with her. “We’re not rushing into this, okay, Jenna? We’re taking it slow.”

She swayed, that wondrous smile in place even as her eyes fluttered closed. The strain of the morning catching up with her, he mused as he pulled her down onto him. She mumbled something, snuffled quietly, and fell asleep.

Connor shook his head and picked her up, carried her over to the couch where he could settle in with her and the TV remote. A lazy hour before Sarah arrived sounded good. An hour with his sleeping woman in his arms, maybe a nap of his own.

He flicked on the TV, cursed a blue streak as a rather energetic orgy burst onto the screen in a flurry of limbs and sound.

“Fucking Cain!”

Chapter Fourteen

Seven pairs of eyes watched her.

It was quite disconcerting to be under such intense scrutiny after a nap, especially when four of those pairs weren’t human, and another pair belonged to a stranger who scared the crap out of her.

Jenna was sorely tempted to let the child come play so she could sneak back into hiding until the tall, steel-haired man went away. Her little was already enamored with the four big, intimidating dogs sitting to attention.

The man spoke with Connor, not paying his dogs any mind, yet they didn’t move. Not one muscle. But they had her in her sights, which freaked her out completely.

“Relax, Jenna,” Sarah murmured, moving to stand beside her. She rubbed Jenna’s arm briskly. “You’ll feel better once you’ve been introduced properly.”

She shook her head. “I don’t like them.”

“That’s okay, sweetheart. If you don’t think you’ll get on with any of them, that’s fine. Just give them a chance?” Sarah pointed subtly at a big black dog with short, cropped ears and muscles like a bull. “That guy might be too much for you. Hell of a dog, though.”

Connor nodded as the man said something, then turned and extended his hand to Jenna. “Come on, baby. I’d like you to meet Mackintyre and his crew.”

She blanched; her feet rooted to the spot. This was quite close enough, thank you. So far, she’d managed not to pee herself with fear, but between the man and the dogs, her bladder was primed. She didn’t really want to be puppy kibble for four large dogs if she moved wrong or did something stupid like trip and fall over her own clumsy feet.

Hard green eyes, several shades lighter than her own, studied her. The stern face of Mackintyre was lined, weathered, and she got the impression he didn’t take prisoners in his line of work.

A hand pushed between her shoulder blades. Beside her, Sarah nudged her along with quiet, firm grace.

Dressed in a pair of Connor’s sweats, the legs rolled up at the bottom, and the shirt she’d stolen for her own, Jenna resisted. “No.”

Immediately, the pressure retreated from her back, became a slow, circular rub over her rigid frame.

“Someone hurt you, girl?” Thunder rumbling down the mountains, that was Mackintyre’s voice. Boulders smashing together in an avalanche.

The confidence she’d gained from being around Connor and Sarah and Cain fled. She braced to follow it, wished fervently for Moose. Her knees buckled, but Sarah’s arm whipped around her waist and held her up.

Mackintyre grunted thoughtfully. “Brought you the wrong dogs, Doc. Cain said you’d be best with a working guard dog, which is what I’ve got here.” He flicked a finger at the four motionless dogs. “Cane Corso needs a strong handler; so does the Malinois. Got the Doberman, but he’s not much for living in the house.” He ran his tongue around his teeth and shook his head. “Pit Bull might be your best bet, but Angus came from the pound. Not sure how he’ll cope with a…sensitive female as boss.”

Connor nodded, held out his hand. “I understand. The situation’s more complex than Cain knew, so he wouldn’t have the full data to give you. I’m sorry to drag you all the way into town, but I appreciate it.”

“Now hold on a minute. Didn’t say I couldn’t help, did I?” He eyed Jenna—she could feel his eyes raking over her as she kept her gaze submissive, trained on the carpet, when he was looking at her—and grunted again. “You like dogs, girl, or are you scared of them?”

“I-I l-like them, S-Sir.” The honorific slipped out automatically.

“Polite, I’ll give you that. You anything but scared of these four boys?”

Jenna shook her head fiercely.

“Thought so. I’ll be back,” he told Connor and, with a snap of his fingers, walked out of the living room with the four massive brutes at his heels. The door didn’t slam, but the quiet click finished the job of taking her knees out from under her.

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