Dante's Wedding Deception by Day Leclaire Read Free Book Online

swiveled to face him in wide-eyed dismay before relenting. “He’s a St. Bernard. Very gentle.”
    Time would tell. She took a deep breath and faced the front door once again. She slanted her husband a final glance. “I don’t suppose you know whether I like dogs?”
    “You love dogs,” he stated categorically. “And you’re crazy about Brutus. Everyone’s crazy about Brutus.”
    “If you say so.”
    Nicolò slid his key into the lock and opened the door. A series of thuds drummed through the soles of her shoes as Brutus approached at a dead run. He reached the parquet flooring in the foyer and the speed of his forward momentum sent him skidding across the glossy wood. He slid to a stop inches from where she and Nicolò stood.
    Kiley remained frozen in place, utterly petrified by the mammoth animal who probably topped her by a solid hundred pounds and appeared capable of swallowing her whole in a single gulp. The top of his head hovered at shoulder height and every inch of his massive body rippled with hard, lean muscle, while his rich, multicolored coat gleamed with health. He was a gorgeous animal, though right now she found it difficult to summon much appreciation for that fact in the face of overwhelming terror.
    Nicolò dropped to his knees and performed some sort of ritualistic man/dog bonding game that had her backpedaling as fast as her aching hip would allow until her spine hit the front door. If she could have melted into the wood and out the other side, she would have.
    “Nicolò,” she whispered.
    He glanced over his shoulder and frowned. “What’s wrong?”
    She fought to speak around a bone-dry throat. “I think the amnesia may have screwed up my dog appeal.”
    Nicolò came to his feet, creating a solid barrier between her and his dog. “Don’t be afraid. I swear, Brutus is the gentlest animal in the world.”
    “It’s just…” She swallowed. “He’s so big.”
    “Yeah, he is,” Nicolò agreed. He made a hand signal and in response Brutus dropped instantly to the floor in a sphinxlike pose. “So, we’ll take this nice and slow. I’m right here beside you, and I won’t let anything bad happen.”
    “Thanks.” He held out his hand and Kiley took it without a second thought. She even allowed herself to be drawn toward the dog, who didn’t so much as twitch a muscle. “Why isn’t he moving?” It was downright unnerving.
    “I’ve trained him not to.” Nicolò offered a reassuring smile. “You’re not the first person to be intimidated by his size. So I taught him certain behaviors that make him more approachable and less overwhelming.”
    “You’re going to try and get us to be friends now, aren’t you?” she asked with a marked lack of enthusiasm.
    “Yup.” He sent the dog another hand gesture and Brutus dropped his head onto his enormous front paws. Huge melting brown eyes peered up at Kiley. “Kiley, this is Brutus. Close your hand in a fist and just put it in front of his nose so he can smell you. Don’t worry, he’ll recognize your scent.”
    It took every ounce of nerve to do as Nicolò instructed and stoop in front of the huge animal. Closing her eyes and praying she wasn’t about to lose half her arm, she lowered her fist to within a few feet of Brutus’s snout. The dog’s nose twitched and he sniffed her hand. His tail thumped in recognition and he squirmed close enough to lick her. It was as though someone had flicked a light switch. The fear didn’t completely disappear, but how could she resist the sweetness exuding from Brutus?
    She gave in to temptation and scratched behind his ears. After a few short minutes, her sore hip forced her to her feet and she gingerly stood with an assist from Nicolò. “His coat is so soft,” she marveled. “Especially around his ears.”
    “Don’t let him fool you. He’s a cagey beast.”
    “Cagey?”
    “It’s all about food with this one. Be careful when you’re eating because he’ll find a way to distract you