Inherited:OneChild(25)

"Six more Madam-sized dogs are impossible, especially if these little   guys are as klutzy as their mother." He released a gusty sigh. "I'll put   the word out. We'll find good homes for them."

Isabella yanked on his arm, shaking her head.

"You want to keep them all, don't you, sweetie?"

She nodded emphatically.

He hesitated, wondering how he could explain it in terms she'd   understand. "Do you remember your mommy and daddy telling you about the   day they adopted you?" He could tell from her expression that she did.   "They adopted you because the lady who gave birth to you … like Madam  gave  birth to all these puppies … couldn't take care of you, even though  I'm  sure she wanted to. Your birth mommy did a wonderful thing. She  found  someone who would love you and give you a safe home because she  wasn't  able to. In a few weeks, when these puppies are ready to be out  on their  own, Madam won't be able to take care of so many. It's our job  to find  good mommies and daddies for all of Madam's puppies, people  who will  love them and keep them safe. Families with children like you  who need  their own Madam. Do you understand?"

He could tell Isabella wasn't happy about it, but she nodded   reluctantly. He tossed a relieved smile over his shoulder in Annalise's   direction, shocked to see the tears streaking down her cheeks.

Fortunately, Isabella was so preoccupied with the puppies, she didn't   notice. With an inarticulate murmur, Annalise escaped the intimate   circle and distanced herself from them. Jack followed. Some instinct   warned that his wife was hanging on by a mere thread, and, without a   word, he pulled her into his arms.

"Honey, what's wrong?"

She simply shook her head without responding.

To his relief, Sara and Brett chose that moment to show up. They took in   the situation in one glance. "Got a mite worried when no one appeared   for breakfast." Sara spoke in an undertone. "Brett had a strong   suspicion about what was going on. Mentioned just last night that Madam   looked a bit plumper than a few weeks of decent meals could explain."

"I was going to give you the heads-up today," Brett added. "But I see Madam decided to break the news to you herself."

"That she did. Maybe if I'd had more experience with dogs I'd have   caught on sooner." Jack spared his wife a swift glance. She continued to   cling to him, her face buried in his shoulder. "Would the two of you   mind keeping an eye on Isabella? Annalise isn't feeling well and I'd   like to take her back to bed."

"Oh, dear," Sara said in concern. "Would it help if I fixed a pot of tea or a bite of toast?"

"I'll let you know," Jack assured. "I suspect Isabella will stay glued   to Madam's side for the next few hours, so I don't think she'll be any   trouble. Call on the house phone if you need me."

With that, he wrapped an arm around Annalise's waist and ushered her   from the room. The second they entered the master suite, she turned and   curled into him. His arms closed around her, holding her tight. He felt   the shudders ripping through her and caught the small gasping sounds.  He  waited out the storm, trying to pinpoint what had set her off.   Something about the birth of the dogs was all he could come up with.

At long last, she pulled free of his hold. "You can let me go now," she insisted. "I'm sorry to cause such a ridiculous scene."

He tipped up her chin and regarded her in naked concern. "Tell me what's   wrong. Is it the puppies? Did they stir old memories of some kind?"                       
       
           



       

She waved that aside. "Not exactly. I don't know why I reacted in such a   silly way. What you told Isabella … " She gave an embarrassed shrug.  "I'm  sorry. For some reason, it made me cry."

Aw, hell. "You do understand that we can't keep the puppies?" Just the   thought of six more dogs as large as Madam rampaging through the house   left him weak at the knees. "We can't give that many dogs the time and   attention they deserve. We'd be doing them a disservice."

She lifted her tear-streaked face to his. "No, no. I understand that part."

"I'll find good homes for them. The best. I have a lot of contacts in   both the local community and the business world. We'll find people whose   homes and lifestyles are well suited for a large dog."

"I know you will. It's not that."

Another possibility occurred to him. "Was it what I said about   Isabella's adoption?" he asked uneasily. "Joanne and Paul were very open   with her about the subject, very matter-of-fact about it. They wanted   her to understand the truth from an early age so there wouldn't be any   unpleasant shocks later on in life. Not that they were cold-blooded   about it," he hastened to add. "They were two of the most loving   individuals I've ever known, and their daughter was at the center of   that love."

"Everything that's happened to her just seems so unfair."

He hadn't quite gotten to the root of the problem and found himself   floundering a bit in his attempt to pin it down. "That won't be an issue   for her anymore," he reassured. "Not now that she has the two of us."

"But what about Mrs. Locke and CPS?"

Jack lifted Annalise's face and thumbed the remaining traces of tears from her cheeks. "They don't stand a chance against us."

A smile splashed across her face like sunshine following a cloudburst.   It brightened her eyes, banishing the darkness. "How could I forget?   You're Jack Mason. No one can stop a Mason once he makes up his mind to   accomplish something."

He leaned in until they were almost nose to nose. "In case you've forgotten, you're a Mason now, too."

Her smile faded. "A temporary Mason," she corrected softly.

That did it. He caught hold of the lapels of her robe and reeled her in.   Her warmth collided with his, her soft curves locking with stunning   perfection against his hard-cut angles. He released her robe and sank   his fingers into the mass of inky ringlets spilling down her back. They   wrapped around him in joyous abandon, allowing him to anchor her close.

"Did it feel temporary last night when we made love?" he demanded. "Does it feel temporary when you're in my arms like this?"

He could read her uncertainty. "You know that's not what we agreed-" she began.

His mouth tightened. "I'm changing the terms of our agreement."

He didn't give her an opportunity to reply, stopping the incipient   argument with a kiss. He kissed her with a passion that had little to do   with Isabella and everything to do with his own selfish desires. Her   reaction was instantaneous. She returned his embrace with an urgency   that stole every thought but one. To lose himself in her. To join them   in a way that would defy any and all attempts to force them apart. To   bind and blend and mate one unto the other until two became one.

She must have felt something similar because she looked up at him and   the longing in her eyes nearly unmanned him. "Please, Jack. Make love to   me."

A final rational thought kept him from doing just that. "You're exhausted."

She shook her head. "Not that exhausted. Never that exhausted."

He couldn't resist. In all honesty, he didn't want to. He tugged at the   belt anchoring her robe. It parted, revealing the paper-thin nightgown   beneath. A brush of his hands sent the robe fluttering around their  feet  in a pool of vibrant aqua silk. Next he captured the two straps of  her  nightgown and drew them down her shoulders, baring her desire as  he  bared her. His clothing followed until all that remained between  them  was pure desire, a white-hot blaze that drove them toward the bed.

She sank into the mattress and lifted her arms to him, offering herself   like some pagan goddess. He didn't hesitate. He claimed what she gave  so  willingly, branding her with his weight and desperate urgency. He  found  her brea**sts and claimed those as well, teasing them to  rigidness with  his teeth and tongue. Her arms enfolded him, pulling him  closer still.  And he sank into her heat, feeling the lap of it  surround him, hearing  the roar of it burning in his ears.                       
       
           



       

"I need this. I don't think I can survive without it. Not anymore."