Me Carter; you Jane

3

The limo rocked from side to side as four large wolf-like canines growled and barked at the occupants inside while throwing themselves against the steel doors. They sat outside the Thorne estate, letting the animals attack the car.

Carter frowned at Trina as she stared out the window, screaming that they hated her. Jane just stared at the enormous teeth of the beasts outside the door. She was not afraid; Mr. Thorne needed her help, and she could not do that with an infected wound from a wolf bite. She calmly sat in her seat with her briefcase on her lap and her purse beside her.

He would have to do better if he tried to test her resolve with some mutant beasts he called dogs.

Carter watched Jane for any reaction of fear, but she gave none. Instead, she looked at him as if asking if he was ready to go. The car continued to rock, and Carter's anger began to grow. A frown accompanied the snarl on his lips as he looked out the window.

"Platz!" The rocking stopped, and the dogs lay down. Everything was quiet, and Trina finally stopped screaming.

Carter glared at the bun-wearing Miss Prissy. She sat across from him, unafraid of the animals around the vehicle waiting to hurt her.

"My mother bought those pets for my birthday."

Jane glared right back at him. "She cares about your safety, Mr. Thorne; we all can see that from their ferocious greeting."

Smart-ass,

"You might want to remove the jacket; it's 100 degrees out there."

Jane's glare remained on Carter as he glared right back at her.

She got her first good look at this bold Texan. He was muscular and powerful, about twenty-five or twenty-six years old. His dirty blonde hair was neat, and his beard shaved close to his face. The bone structure of his face was one of power with the square jaw and hard everything else.

His eyes were a deep shade of blue or green, but they were not smiling at her anymore. She already knew he was strong. Her chest still ached from his outrageous greeting. She wondered if he did that to scare her.

He wore a loose white shirt and blue jeans over a body that she was sure had cords of muscles where there should be none. He was as irritating as his girlfriend was, and they deserved each other.

Carter opened the door, and the oppressive heat rolled inside the air-conditioned car. It headed straight for Jane as if it knew she did not belong there. It circled her body like a cocoon and began squeezing the energy from it.

The cowboy smiled at her concerned expression, satisfied that something had caused her discomfort. He stepped out of the car. The dogs stayed where they lay and wagged their tails, happy to see him. Trina quickly closed the door behind him and looked at Jane.

"They hate me."

"I find that so hard to believe, Miss Miller."

Trina balled her fists and glared at the woman across from her. Then, after about fifteen seconds, she calmed down.

"I'm sorry about all that stuff at the office and on the jet. It's Uncle Henry. He has this hate for me that I don't understand. I didn't pursue Carter; he pursued me. He acts as if I'm out for his money. I don't tell Carter to buy me all this stuff. I made him return that necklace to the jeweler last week. It would be best if you watched out for him. He hates any woman around her nephew."

Trina looked out the window, and the dogs growled at her from where they lay. She looked at Carter as he frowned at her. He wanted her to leave the car immediately so Edward could move it. Trina looked down at the dogs again and shook her head.