Page 236 of Love Me in the Dark

“Now. How about some lunch, pup?”

She yapped, a sweet, sharp sound, and then scurried through the door toward the kitchen, her ass wiggling at me.

Life was good.

And it would only get better.

The End.

***************

If you enjoyedthe pet play element of Tamed, you’re gonna love even more of it in Protecting His Pet! Turn the page for a peak…

PROTECTING HIS PET

CHAPTER ONE

The busses were running late again. No big surprise, especially in the middle of September on a day the Cubs played at home. The game having just let out within the hour, the Addison route would be packed with half drunk or totally drunk fans making their way home.

Kara tilted her chin up into the soft wind of fall, delighting in the slight chill. The heat and humidity of Chicago summer had finally broken, leaving a more habitable environment. She hated heat above all else.

“Did we miss it?” Julie jogged up to her at the bus stop, breath heaving from the exertion.

Kara laughed. “No, it’s late. And will be crowded as hell, too.”

“I know. Damn those emergencies.” Julie pulled a pack of cigarettes from her scrub pocket and dug out a fresh smoke. Kara watched Julie light the cigarette then blow a large cloud into the air before stuffing her pack and lighter back into her pocket. “I was hoping to get out before the game ended.”

Kara looked down the street, past the line of cars waiting to get through the traffic light in hopes of sighting the bus. The eye clinic they worked at stayed open later for an emergencychemical burn, making them miss the last bus before the Cubs game destroyed traffic.

“It’s times like this that I wish I owned a car.” Kara gave up trying to find the green limousine and plunked down on the bench. She sat in front of the latest photograph of the top realtor in the area.

“In the city? And where would you park it?” Julie scoffed. It was true. Parking spots were a commodity that her medical receptionist salary couldn’t cover, even in her supervisory role. “You know, you could have left. I was there, so was Dr. Conrad; you didn’t need to stay.”

“Someone needed to check the guy out and make his next appointment. I wasn’t going to leave that up to you. You technicians mess up the schedule whenever you touch it.” Julie looked at her, one eyebrow raised over the edge of the sunglasses perched high on her nose.

Kara wouldn’t let anyone else handle what she considered to be her responsibility, and they both knew it. If it needed doing, she’d get it done. Leaving while there was still a patient in the office wasn’t going to happen. She’d expect any of the receptionists beneath her to stay until the patient had been fully checked out, and she wouldn’t do less than she expected of her subordinates.

A black sedan pulled in front of Kara and she sighed. She hadn’t called him, so of course he’d come to her work looking for her.

“My brother.” Kara waved at the car in explanation. “I forgot to text him, it’s our dinner night.” She waved to Tommy, who gave a curt nod and started playing with his phone.

Julie ducked a bit to look in the window. “He’s sorta cute,” she said, sucking in a drag of her cigarette.

“No, he’s not,” Kara corrected. “He’s my brother. He’s obnoxious… I’ll see you tomorrow.” Kara pulled open thepassenger door and climbed into the front seat, dumping her purse between her legs before snapping on her seat belt. Tommy had already pulled into traffic before she could adjust the belt.

“You didn’t call or text,” he said, flipping the radio off and checking his mirrors. First the side views, then the rearview.

“Had an emergency, and I was cleaning up. I forgot.” She leaned her head back against the headrest. “So, pizza or you wanna go back to my place?”

Tommy checked the mirrors again then gave her a look that suggested she knew better than to think they’d go to her place. “Pizza’s good. Here, order it now and it will be there by the time we get to my place.” Tommy tossed her his phone. Tommy had a specific preference for every one of his take-outs, and all were programmed in his phone.

“Cheese okay?” she asked as she hit the pizza contact in his directory.

“Yeah, yeah, that’s fine,” he nodded, checking the mirrors again.

“You seem more tense than usual.” She tried to laugh, but the muscles in his neck were strung pretty tight and if he checked those damn mirrors again, she’d lose her mind.

He let out a long breath. “Don’t start, okay? Everything’s fine.”