Chapter Ten
She chuckled and continued to clean. When she was finished with the kennel, she headed for Grant.
A huge smile broke over her face at the sight of Grant on the floor while five energetic puppies attacked him.
The smile was wiped from her face as the breath abruptly left her lungs.
A feeling very close to love, an emotion she’d never felt before, pierced her heart and scared the shit out of her.
Jennifer reminded herself they’d only just met, and it was way too soon to feel this strongly about Grant. She had to take an emotional step back and slow down before she got hurt.
Jennifer forced a smile before she made herself climb in with them. All five puppies attacked, pushing her down. She laughed uncontrollably while she tried to dodge their little tongues.
Grant tried to pull the wiggly puppies off her, but the second he released one to grab another, that one was back into the fray.
He laughed and gave up, stood, pulled her up, and held her while she caught her breath.
All the while, the puppies bounced and pitifully cried for attention.
Grant tilted her head and drew a deep breath as his eyes focused solely on her.
The heightened color in her laughter brought out the starling blue of her eyes, which at that moment held pure happiness.
Unable to wait another second before he tasted her, he bent and pressed his mouth against her smiling one.
Her body instantly softened, even as her heart pulsed heavily. A moan slid from her throat, and she opened wider for his exploration and gave herself over to him. Her arms clung tightly around his neck as her blood pumped heavily through her veins.
He took immediate advantage and pushed his tongue into the depths of her mouth.
The kiss turned deeper and hotter. Grant jerked his head up and forced air into his constricted lungs.
“I think someone just peed on me,” he said gravely, then held back a groan at the intensely heated expression on her face.
Jennifer’s wide eyes stared unseeingly as she tried to get her breathing under control. When his words registered, a choked laugh burst from her as she looked down. Yup, all over one of his boots. Thankfully, they looked waterproof, so they would be easy to clean.
“I’m so sorry. Let’s get these guys in their kennel, and I’ll take you to the back.”
She led him to a back room that held a shower, a large sink and counter, and shelves of supplies. Grant’s eyes roamed over the well-organized room. “This must be where you bathe them?”
She nodded and wrung out the cloth she’d put a solution and water on before she bent to wipe off his boot.
“And give them the medical attention they need. We also isolate expectant mothers back here for their safety. It has the quiet, serene place they need to give birth.”
Grant looked down at the top of her head.
“Baby, I can do that,” he said and tried to pull her up by the arm.
“No, I’m just about done. I really am sorry you got peed on,” she said as she continued to look down.
His eyes narrowed when he realized she’d tried to hold back a laugh, by the way her shoulders quivered and the soft little sounds she couldn’t hold back. He bit the inside of his mouth to keep from laughing.
“You’re not laughing about this, are you?” He tried to keep his voice firm.
She made a small squeak and shook her head.
“Jennifer?”
Her shoulders started to shake, and desperate sounds of hilarity fell from her mouth.
He pulled her up to stand before him, but she refused to lift her head.
“Look at me,” he commanded as his lips twitched.
She raised her head, looked at the twinkle in his eyes, and burst into laughter, unable to hold it in. He held her against his chest and laughed until they were both breathless, and she had tears that trickled from her eyes.
It was a long moment until they calmed. Jennifer smoothed a hand down her cheeks to dry the tears.
“I really am sorry.” Her face was flushed with mirth.
Grant chuckled, kissed her forehead, and placed soft kisses down her cheeks until he took her mouth.
A blaze instantly erupted when their mouths touched.
It became hungry and burning, pushing at his already shattered control.
He picked her up and sat her on the counter by the sink before making a place for himself in the notch between her legs.
One of his hands cupped the back of her head and dislodged the clip before he loosened her braid to fall free.
His other hand slid down her lower back, pressing her tighter into his hardness.
Her breath caught as a spike of intense desire burned through her veins. Her arms went around his shoulder. Her hips gyrated against his and tried to relieve the intense ache he caused.
He ripped his mouth from hers as his gaze roamed over her face and puffy lips.
“We have to slow down, baby.” A low growl of frustration and need slid from his throat as he watched her still gripped in the realm of desire. “Open your eyes, Jen.”
Her eyelashes fluttered open to try to focus on his face.
Their eyes clashed. Her mouth opened and closed as her body forced fiery moisture from her cunt. A crackle of heat started in her core and spread until it permeated her whole body.
****
Grant
Grant stared at her as a band of emotion tightened around his heart. He couldn’t remember the last time, if ever, he had this light-hearted feeling.
Intense heat gripped Grant. It almost set him off when her little tongue ran over her swollen lips as if to taste him. He physically struggled to calm himself and pull back from the overwhelming need to claim her.
Grant gripped her waist and lifted her down from the counter. He ensured she was steady before he let go and backed up a few much-needed steps.
Jennifer leaned back against the counter, and her hands gripped it behind her for stability.
“I like the way you kiss.” Her eyes widened after she blurted that out.
“I like the way you kiss, too.” Satisfaction crossed his face. He stepped toward her to put himself into her personal space without touching her, unwilling to keep too much of a gap between them. “Can you imagine what it will be like when we finally make love?”
Jennifer lowered her eyes as her teeth bit into her bottom lip.
“Grant, I have to tell you something.” She cleared her throat, and her face grew a darker shade of red. “I don’t have a lot of experience with...”
Grant grasped her shoulders gently, gaining her attention.
“Jennifer, it’s okay. You don’t have to say anything.
I pretty much guessed as much from the way you reacted to me every time, but sweetheart, we’ll go as slow as you want.
The last thing I want to do is hurt or scare you.
” He tightened his grip, and his tone sharpened.
He needed her to understand how serious he was about caring for her.
“I never want you to fear me, okay?” He waited for her nod before he released the breath he hadn’t known he held before lowering his mouth to hers again, letting his tongue tangle with hers.
A moment later, he raised his head, and his eyes roamed over her beautiful, flushed face as the breath see-sawed from their lungs. His hands cradled her face.
“But I hope you decide not to wait too long. The sooner, the better because I’m dying to have you under me and loving you for hours,” his voice rasped deep and low.
He stepped back when he caught the confused, slightly startled look on her face. He had to grit his teeth at the separation, but he didn’t want to pressure her in any way or make her feel uncomfortable.
A shaft of pure need ran straight to his cock when her eyes darkened, and a deep, passion-filled flush covered her skin.
His hands started to reach for her, then froze.
If he got his hands on her, he’d have her lie on the nearest flat surface, taking him deep into her body.
He pushed the excessive hunger for her from his mind.
He would have time later to examine his increasingly desperate need for her.
“Are we done here?”
She nodded.
Grant stepped back farther. “Let’s go eat lunch then.”
Jennifer moved past him and turned the lights off as they went.
“Why aren’t you open today?” he asked.
Jennifer glanced at him as she locked the inside door. “We’re never open on Sundays. It never has been. We have limited personal time, so it’s hard to find people for the Sunday shifts.”
Grant watched her lock the employee door. He pulled her against his side with an arm wrapped around her waist.
“How does Mexican sound for lunch?”
“Sounds wonderful,” she said and smiled up at him.