Page 150 of Wildest Dreams

I hear a loud excited bark and immediately understand why.

I lean up to peek over his shoulder and yelp with fear. A giant caramel brown Alsatian is hurtling towards us at a billion miles per hour.

Tanner turns back to face me and brackets my chin with his large palm. Then he leans down and presses a hungry kiss to my lips.

“Just stay beside me,” he rumbles when he pulls back. “I’ve got this under control.”

In the next second Tanner dips out of the vehicle, closes his door and orders, “Cobe! Heel!”

The dog skids to an immediate stop.

It chases circles around itself a few times before letting out a happywoofand settling quickly into a sitting position. It’s large round eyes flick between the palm of Tanner’s hand andme.

“Oh my God,” I squeal, shoving a hand over my mouth.

Tanner glances at me through the driver’s window, palm still outstretched toward the dog.

“I’m coming to get you out now, okay?” he says gently. “Cobie’s not going to do anything, I promise.”

I glance back toward the Alsatian and it’s set its chin on its front paws, its giant tail thumping frantically up and down against the grass. It catches me looking and suddenly the tail is thumping harder.

I let out a little whimper as Tanner rounds the SUV and opens my door.

He grips one hand over the roof and murmurs, “He’s not gonna touch you.”

“Tanner,” I whisper nervously, fists gripping into the material of my dress.

He leans in to kiss me gently and then pulls back and jerks his chin. “Look at him, baby.”

I reluctantly turn back to look out of the windshield, breathing out a small laugh of surprise when I see the dog belly-up on the lawn. It wiggles around on its back before rolling those big round eyes our way again.

“He’s excited to meet you,” Tanner says, but I don’t miss the way that his whole body is blocking me in right now, keeping me away from his dog in case I suddenly decide that I’m too scared to approach it.

I pick up my rose and the cap, and then I finally nod up at him.

“You’re coming in?” he asks, smile creases appearing in his cheeks.

“Yeah,” I swallow, although I’m nervous as hell.

I take his hand when he offers it, feeling unsteady as I step down from the SUV.

Once I’m out Tanner grabs the sunflowers from the backseat, pockets his keys, and pushes his fingers firmly through mine.

“You got this, baby,” he says quietly, squeezing my hand as we make our way up the driveway.

The dog is instantly on its belly, eyes bouncing between us.

“Cobe,” Tanner warns, jerking his chin toward the front door. The dog glances over toward the house, seemingly weighing up its options. Then it rolls over again and lets out another happywoof.

“I think that must mean ‘no’,” I whisper. Tanner breathes out a laugh, rubbing his thumb over mine.

“He probably… really wants to smell you,” he murmurs, his eyes unblinking, trained on the dog.

“Would that be a good thing?” I ask, swallowing when Cobie’s ears prick up at the sound of my voice.

“If you’re okay with it, yeah,” Tanner murmurs, only looking away from the dog when it finally blinks away from him.

When we finally reach Cobie on the grass, Tanner looks down at me, his expression confident and reassuring.

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