Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 113272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 566(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 113272 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 566(@200wpm)___ 453(@250wpm)___ 378(@300wpm)
Kellan sighed, then looked at Eli.
“Just go get some rest,” Eli told her gently.
“I don’t know what to say. For all your help,” she replied, looking confused and a bit lost.
He suddenly felt the urge to hug her. To comfort her. Eli must have felt the same thing as he stepped forward with his hand reaching for her.
The dog let out a low growl and Eli paused, staring down at the mutt with an exasperated look. “I’m not hurting your mama.”
“I’m not his mama,” she said. “He’s not even mine. He might have a family out there so I shouldn’t get too attached.”
But the way she stared down at the dog spoke volumes about the way she was feeling. It was clear that she definitely thought of him as hers.
And would be heartbroken if he was taken from her.
“I always wanted a dog,” she said. Then she shook her head and sighed. “Sorry, you’re right. I’m tired. I, um, I’ll see you in the morning. Thank you.”
Kellan nodded and they both waited until she and the stinky mutt disappeared into the room. Kellan frowned when he didn’t hear the lock engage.
He knocked on the door.
“Yes?” she called out.
“Lock the door,” he ordered, nodding with satisfaction as he heard her set the lock.
“How the hell did the room next to ours become free?” Eli asked in a quiet voice.
“It wasn’t easy,” Kellan told him. Some hefty bribery and a bit of lying.
“Thanks for doing that for her,” Eli told him.
“I didn’t. I did it for you.”
Liar.
Eli, at least, had the manners not to say that out loud.
6
Horse was crying like a baby.
“Horse, shh,” she said as she quickly washed him.
Jeez, he was dirty.
He clearly hated being bathed which likely explained why he was so freaking filthy.
Thankfully, he didn’t try to get out of the tub. But he was making enough noise to wake the dead.
She heard a knock on her door and winced. Shit. She must have woken up the people in the room next to her.
“Okay, Horse. Let’s not get me kicked out of the nice hotel at two in the morning, yeah?”
She was beyond exhausted. All she wanted was to climb into bed and go to sleep.
Especially as she had to be up early in the morning.
For a breakfast date.
Warmth unfurled inside her even though she tried her best to ignore the feeling. Because she had no right to feel that way.
These guys were bossy, domineering, gorgeous, sexy . . . urgh. Stop it, brain!
Her phone started ringing and she glanced down at it as she grabbed a towel for Horse.
Arabella winced at the thought of using one of these pristine white towels on Horse. She’d need to leave housekeeping some extra money to cover the cost.
After wiping her hands quickly on the towel, she answered the call on speaker. Then she attempted to get Horse out of the tub.
But for some reason, he wouldn’t shift.
She ignored the sound of her name being called through the phone as she attempted to heave the huge dog out of the bath.
What was wrong with him?
“Horse! First, you don’t like the bath and cry. And now it’s time to leave, you won’t move?”
Another God-awful cry escaped him.
“Make it make sense,” she grumbled as she attempted to heave him up again. She was trying to hurry, knowing that someone was at her door.
But her foot hit a puddle of water and she flew backward. She managed to grab onto the towel holder to ease her fall so instead of ending up on her back, she slid onto her ass.
“Ow.” Tears filled her eyes as she tried to gather her composure.
Suddenly, Kellan and Eli were there. Where had they appeared from?
“What happened? Are you all right?” Eli asked worriedly. “Have you hurt yourself?”
“I’m . . . I’m fine.” Her body was. But her embarrassment was building. She was dressed in just a pair of shorts and a white singlet.
And no bra.
With a gasp, she covered her chest with her arm. “What are you doing in here?”
“Eli heard this awful noise and wanted to break down the door. He thought you were being murdered,” Kellan said calmly.
“I tried knocking,” Eli said. “And I called you. You answered the phone but then you never replied to me.”
“Um, sorry. I was dealing with Horse. He didn’t like being bathed. But he also won’t get out of the tub.”
“It was Horse making all that noise?” Eli asked as he helped her up, holding her steady.
Warmth zinged across her skin, making her feel slightly light-headed.
It’s just because you’re tired.
Yep. That was all it was. It had nothing to do with liking his touch.
Nope.
“Yeah. I’m so sorry he woke you up,” she apologized as she glanced around for a robe or something.
Horse was still sitting in the bath, staring at them forlornly. Once she’d washed him, she’d realized that the majority of the brown was actually dirt and he had mostly white fur with just a brown patch over one eye and on his back.