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“It might have been a phantom pregnancy. They happen sometimes.” Brooke turned to him, thankful for the distraction.
Brecken led them inside the half-crumbled building, pointing to the corner of what
must have once been a living room. Sure enough, there was a dog there – medium size with a dark brown coat. Brooke squinted, trying to work out the breed. A little bit of lab, maybe a dash of german shepherd, and at least four other pointers that made her realize the bitch was a mix of everything. As soon as the dog saw her space being invaded, she started snapping at them, barking loudly as she got into an attack position.
“Shit,” Aiden said. “Brooke, you shouldn’t be in here. That thing might be small but it could hurt you.” His voice sounded tight.
She raised an eyebrow at him. “She’s more likely to hurt you,” she said to the huge man standing next to her. “I know what I’m doing.” She glanced at Aiden and Brecken. “I want you to stay back as much as you can. You’re both big men and dogs can be scared of that. Especially if they’ve been badly treated in the past.” Grabbing a couple of things out of her bag, Brooke lay the blanket in front of her and knelt down, being careful not to make direct eye contact with the dog.
“What are you doing?” Aiden asked, as she lay herself down on the dirty floor. Her scrubs already covered in dust.
“I’m making myself as small as possible. Less of a threat to her. I want her to get comfortable with me before I try and call her over.” She pulled a few treats out of the pouch she was holding. “Hey sweetie,” she said softly, keeping her gaze to the right of the dog. “I bet you’re hungry, aren’t you? And scared, too. I don’t blame you. But I promise we won’t hurt you.”
A shadow passed over, and she saw Aiden scoot down, mirroring her position as he laid down beside her. Brooke bit down a smile. Behind her she heard Brecken mutter something and he scrambled to the floor, too.
“Shouldn’t you have a tranquilizer gun or something?” Aiden whispered.
“Do I look like I want to shoot a dog with a dart?” she replied, keeping her body still. “If I missed she’d go crazy. It’s better to win her over.” Slowly, she pushed a treat across the dusty floor, before she pulled her hand away quick. The dog stopped barking, eyeing her warily, but refused to approach the food.
“It’s okay. We’ve got as much time as you like,” she told her. “And there’s more food where that came from if you want it.” Brooke glanced at Aiden. He was staring at her intently, his brows pulled down as he watched her work.
“You want me to make it worth your while?” she asked the dog, keeping her voice light and high pitched. “Okay, here’s another couple. Try them. I guarantee you’ll like them.”
As she pushed another two treats across the floor, the dog tipped her head to the side, her big black eyes following Brooke’s movements. As Brooke let the treats go, the dog stepped forward, snapping at her. She quickly pulled back her arm, ignoring the adrenaline rushing through her.
Take it easy. There’s no rush.
“It’s okay. They’re yours.”
The dog snarled again, and beside her she heard Aiden’s breath catch. “Don’t be scared,” she crooned at the animal, her heart beating fast. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
It was almost a minute before the dog took a step, this time not barking at all. She took another until she was only inches away from the food. The pup dipped her head and sniffed again, before looking up with a wary glance.
“Don’t panic,” Brooke reassured her. “I’m not going to touch you.”
“You aren’t?” Aiden whispered. “How are you going to remove her?”
“Don’t worry. She’s going to come to us.”
With a final look at them, the dog dropped her mouth down to snaffle up a treat. Clearly liking what she tasted, she ate the other two in less than five seconds, her eyes widening as she hoovered them up.
“You like that, huh?” Brooke said, her lips curling into a smile. “I got plenty more where those came from.” This time, she put the treats in the center of her palm, reaching out across the dusty floor until her arm was stretched right out. The dog hesitated, whimpering, before she padded over. Next to her, Brooke felt Aiden stiffen.
“You’re going to let her get close?”
“I need her to trust me. It’s okay, I’ve done this before.” She looked at Aiden, his eyes catching hers. For a second she felt herself shiver all over again.
He smelled exactly the same as she remembered. Warm and woodsy, every inch of him enticing. How many times had she buried her face in that broad chest and felt safe in a way she never had before?
Concentrate, Brooke. You’ve got a job to do here.
The dog had reached her palm. Brooke felt the coarse hair of her muzzle tickle her palm and the warm lick of her tongue as she scooped up the treat. Even after it had gone, the dog was still licking her skin, and the sensation made her giggle with relief.
“What’s she doing?”
“Tickling me.” With caution, Brooke turned onto her side and reached her other arm out. She waited for a minute to check that the dog was okay, before Brooke touched behind her ears, where she knew the skin was sensitive. The dog closed her eyes as Brooke stroked her, still nuzzling against her palm. “There’s a girl,” Brooke whispered. “Such a good girl.”
Still stroking her, she softly spoke to Aiden. “Can you pass me the collar?”
