Page 78 of Training His Pet

He eyed her quietly for a long minute before shaking his head.

“No. We’ll go in the morning but not right now. We can’t just leave in the middle of the night, it’s rude.” He shoved the larger logs to the sides of the fire pit.

She snorted.

Rude.

Heaven forbid.

“Okay, morning then.” She dropped her feet from the chair and rose. “I’m tired. Gonna get some sleep.”

He grabbed her hand and tugged her into his lap. “Hey.” He pushed the hair from her face. “What’s going on in that amazing head of yours?” His voice was soft. The fire created a warm orange glow around him, highlighting his strong jawline and the depths of his eyes.

“I’m just tired, Dax,” she lied while staring right at his nose. “My editor is going to want something soon. I can’t just disappear like this for no good reason.”

“That’s all? Just tired and work?” He tapped his knuckle against her chin until she brought her gaze up to meet his. Her stomach dropped another inch, but she swallowed back the urge to blurt out everything she’d heard.

He’d said it because he meant it.

Telling him the words had hurt her wouldn’t change his mind; it would only make her more of a fool than she already was.

“Yeah. Just tired. Just need to get back to work.” She nodded.

His brow lowered, like he had suspicions.

“I just want some sleep if we aren’t leaving.” She wiggled off his lap. He didn’t try to stop her. But why would he?

“Okay. Yeah. I’ll get the fire put out and be inside in a few minutes.” He nodded toward the house.

“‘Kay,” she said and walked away from him up to the cabin.

After making sure the sink was cleared and the dishes were put away, she checked the living room for anything of hers. Having them all packed and ready to head out at first light would be best. No more talking, or planning... or playing. Just wake up and go.

She paused at the doorway to the bedroom they’d shared over the past few days then headed to her room to pack away her things. The porch door closed, and his steps echoed through the kitchen.

“Erika?” he called. A few more steps and then he was in her doorway. “What are you doing?”

She zipped up her bag and moved it from the bed to the dresser. “Just packing. You didn’t have a bag, so I just put your stuff in mine. We can sort it when we get home.”

He eyed the bag then pinched his lips together.

“I’m hitting the sack.”

“Where’s your collar?” he asked at the same time.

“What?”

“Your collar?” He pointed to her bare neck. “Where is it?”

“It’s in the bag already.” She looked at the duffel bag where her tail and her collar were stuffed at the bottom.

“You took it off.”

“I’m going to bed—”

“You’ve been sleeping in it since I put it on you,” he pointed out, his voice deepening.

“Look. We’re leaving tomorrow. I’m tired and I just figured I’d get us all packed so we wouldn’t have to deal with it in the morning. I wiped down the crate and the horse in the living room. I guess they’ll have to wash the pillow in the crate—”

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