Saved by the Rancher - By Jennifer Ryan Page 0,110

hold back the happy sob of tears. A puppy jumped up in the cradle, large paws dangling over the side. She let out a happy bark.

“There’s a puppy in the babies’ cradle.”

“Sally made a friend at the hospital,” Jack joked.

“She’s okay.”

Sally wagged her tail and raised her head to look at them.

“She will be in a week or so. She needs lots of rest, but she’ll be just fine. Like you.”

Jenna knelt beside Sally and pat her softly on the head. Jack kneeled behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders.

The puppy let out a bark and pounced back and forth, trying to get their attention. Sally whined, but lay back down.

“So, what do you think? She’s four months old and she’s already housebroken.”

“How did you do all this? You were at the hospital with me.”

“Busted,” he said and grinned. “Summer helped. I told her what I wanted, and she and Beth took care of the house. Summer picked up Sally this morning and called to tell me about the pup, who needed a home. I wanted something special for you to come home to.”

“It’s a wonderful surprise. She’s so cute.”

Jenna scooped up the puppy, who turned into a ball of energy. She licked Jenna’s hand and pawed at her as Jenna tried to keep a good hold and not hurt herself in the process.

“I think she needs a name.”

“You didn’t name her?” she asked.

“I thought you’d like to name her,” Jack said, and gave the fur-ball a pet.

“Really?”

“Yes, so what do you think? What are you going to call her?”

“Anything I want?”

“That’s kind of a long name for a puppy, but if you want to call her that,” he smiled and shrugged.

“Funny. Anything-I-Want sounds like a racehorse, actually.”

“She’s a golden retriever, not a racehorse. So what’s her name?”

The puppy rolled around on the floor, trying to bite Jack’s boots. She barked at his feet and pounced again. Bored with the boots’ lack of response, she bounded onto the dog bed with Sally, gave her a lick on the nose, plopped down and cuddled up to Sally for a nap.

“I’m thinking. How about Trixie?”

“I like that. Trixie will suit her fine. It’s a spunky kind of name, just like her.”

Jenna went into Jack’s arms. “Thank you, for all of this. It’s wonderful.”

Jack kissed her softly and tilted her head back, so he could take the kiss deeper. “I’m so glad to have you home.” He kissed her cheeks and her forehead and trailed kisses down her neck. “With you wrapped around me, I finally feel whole again.”

“I feel the same way. I know it’s the middle of the afternoon, but I really need to lie down.” Jenna rested her head against his chest. “Will you crawl in bed with me? You must be exhausted. You’ve hardly slept for days.”

“That’s the best offer I’ve had today, but more than I need to sleep, I need a shower and a shave. Why don’t you get in and I’ll join you in a few, once I’m cleaned up.”

“How about I join you for that shower, and then we both get in bed together. You can shave later. I kind of like you all scruffy looking.”

“You do, huh?”

“Oh, yeah.”

She kissed him again and followed him into the bathroom and a hot shower. Jack helped wash her hair. After drying her with soft strokes, he carried her to the bed, laid her down in the soft sheets and showed her how much he’d missed her. All the emotions he’d held inside, he poured into making slow, sweet love to her. He stroked her softly and kissed her gently. When he entered her it was with slow aching strokes that had him melting into her. He kept his hands gentle on her hips and kissed her with all the passion and love he had in his heart.

The sweetness of the leisurely rhythm relaxed her and made her feel even closer to him. She clung to his shoulders and pressed her hips to his, taking him deeper. She held him inside her and clung to him with her face buried in his neck. She couldn’t get any closer to him, yet she tried.

She needed the closeness more than anything. He kept his pace unhurried and rocked his hips harder and deeper into her. Her passion built, her inner muscles squeezed tight, and he increased his speed. He drove home again and again, and they both reached the peak together. He held her close and kissed her