Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 43373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 217(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 145(@300wpm)
Rocco laughed. “You think you might be able to help me?”
“Well, I can tell you not to pick your dog over a woman, and I don’t see you with a dog, so I guess that won’t be happening.” Graham shrugged.
“You picked a dog over a woman?”
“Hey, Buster wasn’t just any kind of dog, all right? I truly believe he was my soul mate, and I loved him. I loved him enough to help with an experiment that, let’s face it, has gone very badly.”
Rocco leaned against the wall of the porch and turned his full attention to Graham. “Doesn’t it scare you?”
“Dying?”
He nodded.
“I guess. I mean, I don’t want to die, but if I do die, and what people say is true, there is a Heaven and Hell, hopefully I’ve done everything right, and when I do, Buster will be there waiting for me.”
There was an odd smile on Graham’s lips, and Rocco knew what it meant. The man was happy with the thought of finally seeing his dog again. He’d never had that connection with a pet, or anything. He thought about Rose and how he’d messed up big time.
“So, tell me how to fix this with Rose,” Rocco said.
He couldn’t believe he was asking a human to help him, but he didn’t see what else he could do.
Graham laughed. “I know this is going to sound crazy, but have you ever thought of just hanging out with her? Getting to know her, talking to her, learning what she likes?”
Rocco ran a hand down his face. “I have not had time to do any of that shit.”
“Well, seeing as you’re on guard duty, why don’t you try? It can’t be hard, can it?”
He didn’t get to ask him to elaborate as Rose stepped out to the back porch. She’d pulled her long blonde hair back from her face, and she wore an off-the-shoulder sweater in a pastel blue, as well as a floral skirt.
She offered him a smile, and then handed him a cup of coffee. “I saw you didn’t have one.”
Rocco had come straight outside, wanting to make sure their infected hadn’t done a runner.
“Thanks, I was checking on our prisoner,” Rocco said.
“Hey, I am no prisoner, I’m a forced guest.”
Rose laughed. “There is nothing forced about you being here.” She took a seat beside Graham, and Rocco’s wolf didn’t like that.
Even though the man beside her didn’t emit any scent and didn’t appear to be a threat, his wolf still wasn’t happy about it. Gritting his teeth, he tried not to growl or allow the sight to affect him, but it was next to impossible.
“You know what, I’ve got to go take a shower. I stink, and I did an awful lot of sweating last night.” Graham let out a dramatic sigh. “Once I’m done, I’ll make us all breakfast.”
Graham gave him a wide stare, and he suddenly realized the other man was leaving them alone.
Shit and fuck were the first thoughts that rolled through his head, as panic started to assail him. Followed closely like relief, as he moved closer to Rose. He didn’t know what to expect at first, part of him figured she’d get up and leave. Rocco was even more shocked as she rested her head against his shoulder.
“Morning.”
“Morning,” he said.
The wolf inside him, as well as himself, was cheering that she’d chosen to lean on him. He felt on top of the world.
“Are you worried our prisoner is really going to escape?” Rose asked, and turned toward him.
He stared into her eyes, and couldn’t help but look into those beautiful depths.
“No, but we don’t know how he is going to react.”
“He’s not like the others, is he?” she asked.
Rocco thought about all the other infected humans he’d seen. Most of them were in a state of panic, sweating, scared, unable to control their bodies. Most of them struggled to form a coherent sentence. Graham was nothing like that.
“No, he’s not. I know you’re not going to like this,” Rocco said.
“Then don’t tell me.”
“I have to. I don’t want you getting to close to him. Not because I don’t trust him, but in case he doesn’t make it. I don’t want you to be hurt because of his loss,” Rocco said.
“That’s sweet,” Rose said.
He turned to look at her and found her staring right back at him. Those eyes and lips, it was like he couldn’t control himself, and as he leaned in close, he waited for Rose’s rejection, but it never came. He took possession of her lips, kissed her, and knew there was going to come a time when a kiss would not be the only thing he wanted.
****
Rose tried not to stare across the yard at Rocco. Even though it was cold out, and Graham and Rocco were helping her complete the final part of her weeding, Rocco had gotten hot and taken his shirt off. She shouldn’t be staring.