Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44932 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Pippa nodded.
“Yeah, me, too. I’m glad you’re here,” Aspen told her, reaching over to pat her leg. Rexy whined from the back seat. “Okay, boy. Let’s get inside.”
CHAPTER 3
“I’m just going to make some decisions for you. Feel free to tell me to buzz off. If I’d been in a car for a long time, I’d want food, a toothbrush, a shower, fresh clothes, and a nap. Is there anything you’d like to add in there, switch around, or take out?” Aspen asked, watching Pippa’s face.
“No, that all sounds wonderful. But I don’t want to impose on you,” Pippa said quickly.
“Impose, schmoze. I have to eat, too. Jerico always lets me sleep in when I don’t have to go to the base.”
“You’re a soldier?” Pippa asked.
“No way possible. I work in maintenance. I’m not good at making breakfast. What do you think about having lunch for breakfast?”
“To be honest, right now, I’d eat anything,” Pippa confessed.
Aspen walked into the kitchen and started pulling things out of the refrigerator. “In that case, let’s go big. How about a sandwich, chips, and dip?”
“Yes, please. That sounds amazing,” Pippa said gratefully with a smile. She noticed Rexy didn’t get under their feet, but stayed in his dog bed in the corner where he could keep them in sight. Didn’t he beg for treats?
When they carried huge sandwiches piled with sliced meat, cheese, and pickles to the table, she noticed Rexy moved to a different bed, again a short distance away. “How did you luck out to get the only dog on the planet who doesn’t beg for food?”
“Oh, Rexy’s first owner was a complete lowlife—a big brute that beat him. That’s how I ended up with Rexy. I’d hide this sweetie from him when the jerk was drunk. And other times, too.”
“I’m guessing that put you in danger,” Pippa said.
“Eat!” Aspen encouraged.
She waited for Pippa to take a big bite before answering.
“That’s how I met Jerico. He stepped in to save me when he was threatening me at a restaurant. Then he found out where I lived and came to rescue me before my neighbor was released from the police station. I don’t know what would have happened if he hadn’t come to help a total stranger and an abused dog. My door was already damaged from other attacks. It wouldn’t have held.”
“That’s awful. Okay, I think Jerico is incredible now,” Pippa said after swallowing the delicious food. “Thank you for this. I don’t think I’ve ever been so hungry.”
“Of course. You can have two or three if you want them. Jerico keeps the house stocked, especially when the team’s in town. They have a lot of barbecues and informal gatherings.”
“Thank you.” Pippa took another bite and savored it. Funny how not having food could make you appreciate even the most ordinary of dishes.
“Good, huh? How long has it been since you ate?”
“I’m not really sure. I woke up zip tied to the car door. It was scary,” Pippa shared, shivering.
That word, scary, didn’t come close to how terrified Pippa had felt. If not for the accident that freed her, she knew the final destination would have frightened her more. She set the sandwich down as that memory triggered panic inside her.
“Pippa, it’s okay. You’re safe here. I promise.”
She shook her head, unable to free herself. Pippa cringed back in her chair when she sensed Aspen moving.
“It’s just me, Pippa. Aspen. I’m going to go get something. I’ll be right back.”
Unable to respond, Pippa sat frozen in her chair. Feeling a slight movement in the air, she whipped her head around to stare unseeingly toward the disturbance. A metal jingle reached her ears before a warm body pressed against her side. The massive beast comforted her with his sheer presence.
“Good job, Rexy. You’re helping, aren’t you? He helps me when I’m anxious. Pippa, I brought you a friend. This is a stuffie that my daddy bought for me. He’s too fierce for me, but I think he could battle anyone who menaced you. You’ll feel his fur.”
A brush of softness over her hand made Pippa flinch. Aspen repeated the process until Pippa focused on the object. Relaxing her grip on her own arm, Pippa wrapped her fingers around the stuffed creature. Unable to resist, she petted it with her other hand, and the panic eased.
Pippa pulled the soft object to her chest and hugged it tight. She dipped her head to rub her face in the fur. The air trapped in her lungs eased out as she relaxed. A large weight draped over her thighs, tethering her attention to the present.
“Pippa? This is Zale. You’re having a panic attack. I can’t get to you fast enough to help, but you are safe. Aspen and Rexy are there with you.” The familiar masculine voice helped erase the fog from her vision.