Close to Heart Read Free

worked, from his rugged square jaw to his broad shoulders and his penetrating blue eyes. The man was a giant, towering over her and, while she wasn’t as tall as most models, five nine was usually enough to put her at eye level with most men. Not with this one.
    Everything about him seemed larger than life, from his sheer mass to the bright smile he’d given her. Even his hands were enormous, although she hadn’t seen them used for anything more than kindness as he’d tenderly cradled the dog. He seemed as kind as he was tall, and she thanked her lucky stars that at least one thing had gone in her favor tonight.
    “You sure you’re ready for this?” His voice drew her attention.
    “No,” she admitted, nervously.
    He chuckled quietly. “Don’t think about it too much. It will be over before you know it.”
    His voice was reassuring, deep and smooth, reminding her of rich wine and dark chocolate. Just like both of those things, fantasies were a luxury she couldn’t allow herself to indulge any longer. Not with everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours. She needed to keep her focus on her future, and this side trip in the middle of nowhere had already delayed her more than she could afford.
    As he made the first incision, her blood went cold and her stomach rolled. The scent of antiseptic was all around her, and she suddenly felt queasy. She didn’t think she’d made any noise, but Justin looked up at her, his eyes searching her face.
    “You okay?”
    Hold it together, Alyssa. This is no different from biology class.
    Unable to speak, she nodded. He dabbed at the blood that oozed with gauze, quickly but carefully working his way through the layers of skin before pulling some unrecognizable part of the dog’s insides to the outside of her body. Alyssa was surprised to find that her repulsion passed and curiosity got the better of her as she watched him make another incision, revealing the first puppy. Reaching for the tray of equipment beside him, he plucked another piece of gauze from a pile and pulled open the amniotic sac encasing a small black puppy. He pulled the membrane from the puppy’s face before clipping the umbilical cord and tipping the puppy upside down.
    “Okay, we’re going to move quickly. Here’s the first one. Just rub him down really good and make sure he’s breathing.” He watched her for a moment as she ran the towel over the sides of the puppy. “Good. Don’t forget to move over his face and neck, too. That will help work the fluid out.”
    She tried to follow his instructions, but the puppy gave a gurgled yip. Alyssa froze midstep on her way to the makeshift puppy bed, her gaze shooting toward his in fear. “What did I do?”
    He glanced up, chuckling slightly at her discomfort. “Nothing. That just means he’s alive and ready to meet his mom. Get ready, I’ve got another one for you.”
    She set the puppy on the pile of towels, surprised to find them warm from a heating pad placed underneath. Hurrying back to the operating table, she reached for a clean towel to receive the next puppy. He laid it into her hands and she began rubbing it as she walked toward the bedding.
    “Why do you keep the bed warm?”
    “It’s enough of a shock being born,” he replied as he continued to work. “This way, it’s a more gradual adjustment and it helps regulate their body temperature.”
    They repeated the process in silence while the squirming pile of puppies grew. Some black, some white-blond, but all of them grunting now, nudging one another in the pile.
    “Last one,” he announced, laying it into her hands.
    She could feel the difference in this one immediately. He was smaller than the others and, where the others had been plump with round bellies, she could feel the ribs on this one. Alyssa rubbed at the puppy’s side gently, feeling as if this one might break at any moment, but there was no quiet whine this time. She opened the towel and didn’t see the telltale