Page 148 of Wildest Dreams

I slap my free hand over my forehead and squeal, “What kind of owners get an Alsatianand then also get a Pekinese?”

He breathes out a laugh and bites playfully at my wrist.

“I’m going to be eaten alive,” I whimper, soaking in my last ever look at the larch trees that Tanner is gunning past.

“By me maybe,” Tanner smirks, flashing me a cocky grin when I peek up at him. Then he has the grace to look a little guilty and he squeezes my thighs over my dress as he returns his attention to the road. “They’re both rescue dogs,” he says. “And Cookie’s only got three legs.”

“Oh my God,” I whisper, closing my eyes. “You have a three-legged Pekinese, and you freaking named it Cookie.”

Tanner snickers, rubbing his thumb more firmly into my thigh.

“The Alsatian’s called Cobie.”

“Great,” I deadpan. “A name for my killer.”

“Baby,” Tanner says, laughing kindly. “Please don’t believe those stereotypes about big dogs. He’s a total sweetheart, my mom trained him so good.”

I purse my lips, unconvinced. “Dogs don’t like outsiders,” I say, worrying my bottom lip between my teeth.

“He’s fine with everyone, and he’s even better with family.”

I look up at him. “I’m not family, Tanner.”

Something like a smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth. “Baby, he’s a dog. He’s going to know that you’re mine.”

I arch a petulant eyebrow. “And why’s that? Is he also a mind-reader?”

Tanner tries to bite back his grin. “Ash.” He flicks a glance my way. “What I meant is that his senses are stronger than a human’s. He’s going to know that you’re family because he’s going to smell my scent all over you.”

I blush so hard that my cheeks turn darker than my dress.

Twenty minutes later we’re driving through Carter Ridge, and Tanner is pulling up outside a small local florist’s to get something for his parents.

“Wanna come in? I’ll be two minutes, tops,” he says. He clicks open his seatbelt and wraps his forearm around the headrest of my seat.

I blink at his biceps straining through the dark cotton of his shirt, before looking up at him with love-struck eyes and shaking my head.

He smirks down at me, grabs my chin, and kisses me hard.

“Two minutes,” he murmurs, before hunching beneath the roof of the G-wagon and trudging heavily into the shop.

A little bell tinkles about a minute and a half later, and Tanner leaves the florist’s holding the largest bouquet of sunflowers that I’ve ever seen.

He grins when he sees my surprised expression and he muscles his way into the driver’s seat.

“Wanna smell them?” he asks, gently tilting the bouquet my way when I lean forward. I pull back after a second and offer him a little smile.

“Your parents are super lucky,” I tell him, and he smiles even harder, shifting the bouquet to his other side so that he can kiss me again.

“Close your eyes,” he murmurs as he pulls back a little.

“My eyes are already closed,” I giggle, but I swallow nervously in anticipation anyway.

I hear a lot of shifting around, the rustle of bouquet cellophane, and then there’s only stillness in the cabin of the car as he waits for me to open my eyes.

“Open them,” he says and my heart thunders in my chest.

Because in Tanner’s hand is a single red rose.

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