AllFreeNovel
Share Us
When Mia let out a guttural growl and started to stalk Miles, Jade grabbed the muzzle. “That’s it, Mia. You’re going straight into your crate until morning.” Exasperated, Jade looked from face to face. “Does anyone have any ideas?”
“I know a woman in Los Angeles,” Brogan began, “She’s sort of a dog whisperer.”
Jade’s eyes bugged out. “Like Cesar Millan?”
“In a way. She runs a Bichon rescue center in Thousand Oaks. Taylor Prentice is her name. In addition to the rescue center, she works and trains all kinds of breeds. She fixes doggie insecurities. And I highly recommend her. I hate to say it, but Mia seems overly jealous of Miles for some reason. Did you see how she acted when Miles got his pup cup first?”
Jade’s brow furrowed. “No. What did she do?”
“She didn’t like it. Don’t kid yourself. Mia keeps her eyes trained on Miles when you’re not looking.”
“I noticed it, too,” Kelly said. “Mia’s antsy when he gets within ten feet of her.”
“Would Taylor make a house call? Or do I need to go to her?” Jade wanted to know.
“I’d have to ask. But if we’re going to Carson tomorrow to talk to Helene Toussaint, you could ride with us. We could drop you off at Taylor’s ranch.”
Jade shook her head. “I’m interviewing the Reschers tomorrow afternoon.”
“I forgot about that. I’ll give you Taylor’s number then. Maybe she could offer some suggestions over the phone.”
“Sure. But could you call Taylor first and explain the problem? Then I’ll follow up after my podcast tomorrow night. If I need to make the trip there, then so be it.”
“I’m exhausted,” Kelly announced. “And you two must be ready to hit the hay yourselves. Don’t worry about Jade and me. You’ve already given us a tour of the guest house. You guys don’t need to do a thing.”
“It is getting late. If you need anything between now and the morning, text me,” Brogan offered.
“Or me,” Lucien said. “Although the guest cottage is fully stocked. There are eggs and milk in the fridge, coffee beans on the counter, and cereal in the pantry. That’s especially true if you get up at the crack of dawn. Or maybe you don’t want to join us for breakfast. Either way, that’s fine. Whatever the reason, you should be able to find something to eat in the guest house.”
“Sounds like you’ve thought of everything,” Jade stated as she got to her feet. “No need to pamper us.”
“I feel like I could sleep for twelve hours,” Kelly noted as she headed across the lawn. “You don’t have to worry about me getting up at the crack of daylight.”
Brogan watched them walk away. A laugh escaped. “Sleep twelve hours with a puppy? She must already be dreaming.”
Lucien curled his hand behind Brogan’s neck, brought her in, and pressed a kiss to her lips. “I’m sorry I acted like a jerk.”
“I already said I forgave you. You even have witnesses.”
“I don’t care about witnesses. I care that I hurt you. I’m willing to make it up to you.”
Brogan tilted her head to study his eyes. “That sounds interesting. What did you have in mind?”
“Putting this case aside for tonight and showing you how much I love you.” He put a finger to her lips. “No more talking about suspects. No discussing the trip to L.A. tomorrow. I want to take you to bed. No distractions. If we didn’t have overnight guests, I’d make love to you under the stars, right here on the patio.”
“I think I’d prefer a bed.”
He twirled a few strands of her golden hair between his fingers. “That can be arranged. Give me ten minutes to corral the dogs and lock up, and I’ll meet you upstairs.”
She twisted his shirt in her fists. “You have five, or the deal’s off. The clock’s ticking.” With that, she let go and started to walk away.
He watched her strut to the doorway. “I’ll make it in three. But I want you naked when I get there.”
“You’re wasting time,” she teased and disappeared into the house.
15
Breakfast in bed. Through bleary eyes and the fog bank of sleep, Brogan’s first impression was Lucien—already dressed in jeans and a light blue button-down shirt—holding a breakfast tray across the room.
