Ashlyn hasn't spoken a word since the age of eight, and her heart's never felt more protected. But, when the confident and ever so charming Derek stumbles into her quiet little world, her emotions-and forbidden desires-have never been so loud.
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Bumper's breath smelt strongly of chicken and something else when he jumped up and trailed his tongue across Ashlyn's face. Laughing, Ashlyn tried to push the golden retriever away so she could enter the house, but he kept up his incessant grooming.
"Bumper, what are y—" Kass rounded the corner and came to a stop when she saw Ashlyn and Zion standing in the doorway. There were smudges of dirt on her face and pieces of grass in Kass' hair. It looked as though it had been an eventful morning on Bumper watch.
"It's about time you two got here." Kass rolled her eyes playfully in exaggeration, a bag of dog food in one hand, a dog leash in the other.
"Do you wanna go for a run, boy?" Zion asked, scratching Bumper behind the ears.
"Already done." Kass grinned, hanging the dog leash on the hook beside the door. "Got to keep our boy in shape for all the ladies." She winked. Kass then launched into a story about their time at the park earlier that morning and all the dogs that had followed Bumper around.
"You're our three-legged Casanova, aren't you, boy? Yes, you are. Yes, you are." Kass crouched down in front of Bumper and scratched his face. Bumper panted excitedly, daring to lick Kass' face, who squealed in response.
Ashlyn leaned against the wall watching Bumper's tail wag with enthusiasm, enjoying all the extra attention and praise that he was getting. Kass stood and left the room, returning a moment later with her handbag in place of the bag of dog food. It was time for them to go.
Ashlyn nudged Zion with her shoe to get his attention.
Guess we'd better hit the road running then. She grinned, enjoying the way Zion squirmed at the mention of running.
"Help me," Zion pleaded, though there was no one to help him out of this one.
Their mother had suddenly been called away by a friend, so he was stuck with Ashlyn for the morning. He'd volunteered to join her for a morning run, and she wasn't about to let him back out now. Kass just enjoyed it too much, seeing him tortured like so.
"Oh, you are so screwed, Z." Kass laughed, patting him on the cheek. "It was nice knowing ya!" Kass continued to laugh her way out the front door, and over to her ute parked on the side of the road.
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