Free Endangered Hearts by Jolie Cain Page B

cloudy and there was a chill to the air. The barks erupted again. Jack knew it was Bear making all the racket since he was the only dog around for miles. What the hell was he was so worked up about? That mutt had probably treed a squirrel. He stood, deciding to go investigate before it started raining. He followed the excited woofs and soon spotted the dog jumping around beneath a huge oak. Jack smiled in amusement at the retriever's antics as he leaped and danced at the foot of the tree.
    Feeling a drop of rain on his hand, he realized that if he didn't hurry he would be caught in a downpour. He decided to take Bear with him back to his own cabin and keep him out of the rain. When things cleared up, he could run the dog back to Abby. He smiled briefly at the thought of seeing her again, but just as he started toward the dog, he heard a very feminine, very irritated voice coming from somewhere above his head.
    "I wish you would just shut up, Bear. It's bad enough being stuck up here, without having to listen to your ridiculous yapping. How am I supposed to figure out how to get down if you won't be quiet and let me concentrate?"
    In amazed disbelief, Jack moved around the tree until he had a clear view of Abby seated on a branch about midway up. With her legs swinging below her, she was shaking a finger at the dog while the other arm was wrapped tightly around the tree trunk. Her hair had escaped from a lopsided topknot, and reddish tendrils were sticking to her sweaty skin. The white tank she wore was streaked with dirt, as were the matching white shorts. She looked like she had been through a mini-disaster.
    Several more drops of rain fell from the sky and the boom of thunder echoed in the distance. Jack knew that it wouldn't be long before they were caught in the midst of a real storm. Abby looked wet and uncomfortable perched in the branches of the tree. She also looked as if her temper were on a very short fuse. An intelligent man would not have provoked that temper. An intelligent man would not have shown his amusement.
    Jack burst into laughter. His loud chuckles quieted the dog and drew a grateful, then embarrassed, and finally indignant look from Abby. As his laughter continued unabated for several minutes, Abby's expression became more and more irate. Her eyes shot green sparks at him and her chin tilted up.
    When his laughter quieted, he moved to stand directly beneath her, attempting to suppress his amused smile but not quite succeeding. Abby stared down at him, an expression of disgust on her face. “I fail to see what is so funny."
    Jack nodded. “Yes, you would."
    She sniffed at that. “Are you implying that I have no sense of humor?"
    He just widened his eyes, laughter dancing in their blue depths.
    Abby continued. “Well, I'll have you know that you are quite wrong. In fact, I have an excellent sense of humor. However, I do not find anything even remotely amusing about this situation."
    Jack just stood there with a huge grin on his face saying nothing. His eyes met hers, and, unwillingly, Abby's own lips began twitching. Soon they were both chuckling at the absurdity of the situation. As Jack peered up at her eyes sparkling with laughter, he knew that she was someone he would not be able to walk away from. Ever. No more fighting it, no more trying to reason his way out of it. It was love. He loved Abby more than he had ever thought it possible to love anyone.
    The laughter died from his face. He stared at her as if seeing her for the first time. Abby's voice pierced his sudden bemusement, “Jack? Are you all right?” Jack shook himself free of his sudden insight. The rain began to fall a bit harder, and he knew that he needed to get her out of the tree as fast as possible. He would think more about their relationship later, once she was safe and sound, preferably flat on her back with his cock buried inside her.
    Jack walked around the tree, examining Abby's perch. He made no comment until he had made a