Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 69537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 348(@200wpm)___ 278(@250wpm)___ 232(@300wpm)
I almost hoped that I never had to rely on her to serve and protect me.
She came off as a real bitch.
Rooster came back and I said, “Rooster, can you find the remote?”
We’d been working on that at my apartment over the last week.
I was notorious for taking the remote with me wherever I happened to be going. Bathroom. Kitchen. Bedroom. Laundry room.
The only problem was, I had trouble finding it when I inevitably left it there.
Over the last week, I’d made it a little game for Rooster, and when he found the remote, he got lots of cuddles, kisses, and treats.
But since I wasn’t at my own place, and I had no clue where Gee left his treats, he’d have to settle for cuddles and kisses.
“He’s going the wrong direction,” Delphine grumbled.
“Well,” I said. “You could also hand it to me. I can give you the cuddles and kisses I was going to give my Rooster when he found it.”
“I think not,” she immediately disagreed.
I guess that meant she wasn’t going to hand me the remote, either.
The door opened and closed, and slightly out of breath breathing joined us in the quiet room.
“Did you find him?” I asked, turning in my seat like I could see the man when I did.
“I didn’t.” Garrett sighed.
“Told you,” Delphine mumbled, quiet enough for only me to hear.
A nudge at my hand caused me to smile.
I heard Gee draw in a deep breath.
“You found it,” I said, cuddling Rooster close and burying my face into his neck folds. “Good boy, Roo. Good boy.”
“What did he find?” Gee asked as he came closer.
“The remote,” I said. “I was getting jittery with the quiet, so I was going to turn the television on.”
“I don’t have cable,” he admitted. “I rent my movies when I want to watch them.”
I gasped. “You don’t even have Netflix? Hulu? YouTube TV?”
It was silent for a long moment, and then Garrett cursed. “Sorry. I shook my head. That was rude. I’m sorry.” He paused. “Delphine, you could’ve handed her the TV remote.”
“She didn’t want to be showered with my kisses and cuddles,” I admitted. “Plus, it’s something fun Rooster and I do.”
Another wet nose touched my hand, and I smiled as I reached out and ran my fingers over the silky fur of Boss’s ears.
“Someone’s jealous,” I teased.
“That’s Delphine’s dog,” Garrett said. “Boss is currently in front of the treat bowl because he did a job and expects to be rewarded.”
“He’s a good boy,” I said as I continued to pet the new head in my lap. “Delphine, what’s your dog’s name?”
“Rufus,” she clipped. “I call him Ru for short. You said ‘Roo’ and he thought you were talking to him. That’s his release word.”
“Ahh,” I said. “I’m sorry if that annoys you. I know that you have to be able to control your dog.”
“It’s fine,” Garrett answered as he nudged me with a hand. “Hold out your hand and you can give them some of these treats.”
I reached up high since all of a sudden I had a dog on one side of the couch next to me, and I didn’t want whomever it was to steal the treats before they were given.
“You have Boss on the couch with you,” Garrett said. “He won’t eat it out of your hand. You’re in his spot, though. That’s why he’s so close.”
I smiled as I closed my hand over the treats.
There were two, so I assumed one was for each Roo/Ru.
“Here you go,” I held out my hand to the one closest—Rufus.
Rufus took the offering and retreated. Meanwhile, Rooster got impatient and started to nudge my belly with his nose, ordering me to give it to him.
I giggled and did just that.
Once he had it in his mouth, he, too, jumped onto the couch on my other side, effectively blocking me in.
“There are two very large dogs blocking me in,” I admitted. “Gee, what kind of dog is Boss?”
“Boss is a traditionally colored German Shepherd, but he has a longer coat. A little more black on top than the usual depiction of a GS.”
“And what about Rufus?” I questioned, moving my head a little more toward where I thought Delphine was standing.
She sighed, long and loud, not letting her frustration go unknown.
Okay, so she didn’t like me talking to her.
Noted.
“Rufus is a Malinois,” she replied.
“Rufus is brindle colored. About a hand shorter than Boss,” Garrett answered, sounding weird.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing,” he grumbled under his breath.
“Oh, okay.” I was surprised by his surly attitude.
No longer feeling like I was welcome and needing to get back to my apartment quickly now that I did, I scooted out from between the two dogs and said, “Come on, Rooster. Time to go home.”
“I’ll walk you down,” Garrett suggested.
“Actually, I’m just leaving. I’ll walk her down,” Delphine immediately interjected.