Dalton, Tymber - Doggy Tales [Doggy Tales] (Siren Publishing Classic) Read Free Page B

them at Ivan before he even reached the stoop.
    “Here you go, brainiac. Jesus, I can’t believe you.”
    Ivan caught the clothes and put them on, returning the towel to the bathroom. “No time for that now. You can kill me later. We need to go.”
    They made it to the park in less than twenty minutes with Jeremy driving. “Where’s your clothes?” Jeremy asked.
    “Off the trail.” They got out of the truck, and Jeremy followed him at an easy, loping pace. Ivan found them still hidden where he’d left them in the brush. He breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks, man. I owe you.”
    Jeremy smirked. “Yeah, well, I’ll hold you to it.” His face grew serious. “Really?” he asked. “You’re sure she’s your mate?”
    Ivan looked down. “I can’t explain how she’s different. You know how normally a woman hits you between the balls when you want her? This one hit me straight between the lungs and eyes. I can’t think about anyone but her, man. It’s killing me not to be at her place, smelling her.”
    “Well, good luck. Should I drop by to check on you?”
    “I’ll call.”
    “Any idea how to tell her?”
    “I think so.”

    * * * *

    Ivan made it back well before she did. He parked in a guest spot and prayed no one had broken into her condo while he was gone. Fortunately, they hadn’t. He put his cell in silent mode before taking it inside. He locked the front door behind him and stripped, looking for a place to hide his things.
    The condo wasn’t large. Where wouldn’t she find them? He looked at her bed and inspiration struck. He lifted the mattress and jammed everything into the middle of the bed on top of the box spring, smoothing the sheet and cover after.
    He shifted back and waited, pacing the condo, sniffing every square inch of it, looking for anything with even a trace of her sweet scent. Or a sign that she had been with a man recently, even though she’d said she was alone.
    My mate.
    He greeted her at the door when she returned not quite two hours after her departure, and he fought the urge to shift and help her unload her groceries.
    “Hey, boy. Did you miss me?”
    He softly woofed. She carried a huge bag of… groan …dog food. At least it was a top-shelf brand, very expensive, human-grade homeopathic food.
    She’d spent some bucks. That relieved him and made him feel guilty that she spent that much on him when he wouldn’t be using it for long if he got his way.
    Lindsey set the bag on the floor and knelt beside him, hugging him, burying her face against his neck and inhaling. “The girl at the store said it’s the best food, none of that Chinese chemical crap to make you sick.”
    She looked into his eyes again. “I should put a found ad in the paper, but I don’t want to. I kept worrying about you while I was gone.”
    Join the club, babe. You have nooo clue.
    She nuzzled his nose and went back to her car for more bags. She’d bought two collars, not sure how large she needed. She looked at him as she held them up.
    “I wasn’t sure what size you’d be,” she said.
    And a leash.
    A little BDSM? Hmm…
    He tried to quiet his anxious cock at the thought. She could lead him anywhere she wanted. Of course it wasn’t kinky to her in this context. He was the perv.
    Only one of the collars fit, a large choker. She slipped it over his head. “I should get you to the vet.”
    He whined. Baby, these balls are staying put.
    “A big boy like you afraid of the vet?”
    He whined again.
    “I promise I won’t have you neutered as long as you promise not to go running off and screwing around. Or don’t go peeing on stuff.”
    He softly woofed, trying not to laugh. No worries on either count.
    She’d also gone to Publix and spent a few bucks. She’d bought him a huge T-bone steak.
    “You want it raw?”
    He woofed.
    She put it on a plate and set it on the floor for him. “That’s a thank-you. There’s three more.”
    Hot damn, that’s more like it. He tore into it.

    * * *