LITMIR.BIZ

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to her. If she hadn’t been making a documentary that had the potential to ruin his sister, he’d have been tempted to join in. “Oh, hey...is that a Red Ridge greeting? The knee licking?”

      “Looks like it is now.” He really couldn’t blame Echo for his lapse. She had the nicest knees.

      “I know you’re busy.” She waved a hand to indicate the compound, where the K-9s were waiting patiently for their partners. “And I need to get back to my little boy, but I’d love to fix up a time to speak to you.”

      “That isn’t going to happen.” He was about to launch into his rehearsed speech about her chosen profession, when the sound of a woman’s voice raised in shrill alarm drew his attention back to the training area.

      “Esmée! Oh, dear Lord.” He narrowed his eyes, catching sight of Hester Mull standing at the edge of the K-9 compound with her hand over her mouth. “I just turned away for a second...”

      With lightning speed, Esmée had already broken into a run. Catching a glimpse of a small figure in a red sweatshirt among the dogs, Brayden was just behind her. He overtook her before she could run into the compound.

      He caught hold of her arm, pulling her back until she was behind him. “Leave this to me.”

      “Rhys...” The word was choked from her as she gazed at her son. Weaving his way among the dogs, the boy appeared smaller than ever. There were gasps and exclamations from some of the onlookers.

      “Somebody do something. Those dogs will tear him apart.” The unknown woman’s voice grated on Brayden’s nerves.

      Catching sight of Danica Gage, a K-9 trainer, he gestured for her to keep the onlookers away and ask them to be quiet. As Brayden stepped into the compound, Rhys approached Echo. Wrapping his arms around the dog’s neck, the boy pressed his face into thick, golden fur. When Brayden reached them, Echo gave him a look that seemed to say, “Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”

      Echo stayed perfectly still as Brayden carefully loosened Rhys’s hands from around his neck. As soon as he had freed the boy from the dog, Esmée was there. Dropping to her knees at her son’s side, she scooped him into her arms.

      “Dog,” Rhys said, pointing to Echo.

      “What did you say?” Esmée stared at him, her face growing pale.

      “Dog.” Rhys seemed slightly impatient at being asked to say the word again.

      Esmée’s hand shook as she raised it to cover her lips. Tears filled her eyes, spilling over as she gazed at him.

      “I know it looked bad, but he wasn’t in any real danger.” Since she was clearly in shock, Brayden attempted to reassure her. “These dogs are well trained. None of them would hurt a child, and Echo is just a big cuddly toy.”

      She shook her head, the tears flowing faster now. “You don’t understand. Rhys doesn’t talk. That was his first word.”

      * * *

      Brayden squatted next to Rhys, who stood within the circle of Esmée’s arms. She was still having a hard time believing what she’d just heard.

      “This is Echo.” As Brayden pronounced each word slowly and deliberately, Esmée held her breath.

      “Ko.” Rhys tried out the word carefully.

      “Close enough.” Brayden held out his hand, inviting the little boy to come closer. “It’s okay.” He raised his eyes to Esmée’s face and she knew the reassurance was for her sake more than Rhys’s. “Echo is great with kids.”

      So are you. Her son could be a little shy around strangers, but she watched him take Brayden’s outstretched hand. She got to her feet as they approached the dog.

      “Esmée, I’m so sorry. I don’t know how he got away from me.” Hester came to stand beside her.

      She shook her head. “He said a few words, Hester.” Tears blurred her vision again momentarily. “The dog got him talking.”

      “Oh, my.” Hester slid an arm around Esmée’s waist and she leaned her head gratefully against the older woman’s shoulder as they observed Rhys interacting with Echo.

      Brayden was talking patiently to the little boy. “Echo can shake hands, but you have to tell him what you want him to do. You have to say ‘paw.’”

      As soon as he said the word, Echo raised his paw and Brayden took it, shaking it to demonstrate what he meant. Rhys started to laugh. It was a sound Esmée hadn’t heard since that awful night in Wales when Gwyn had attacked her. Although he often smiled, when Rhys had retreated into his silent world, he had stopped laughing.

      Now, watching Brayden shake hands with Echo, her little boy’s musical chuckle rang out. It was the sweetest sound she had ever heard.

      “Now you say it.” Brayden positioned Rhys in front of Echo. “Say ‘paw.’”

      Instead, Rhys gave the dog another hug. “Ko.” His voice was muffled by Echo’s fur.

      “Can I get a picture?” Esmée’s hand shook as she took her cell phone out of her pocket.

      “Sure. Echo is a narcissist, he loves posing for photographs,” Brayden said.

      As if to demonstrate, as soon as Esmée aimed her phone to take the picture, Echo shifted position so his search-and-rescue vest was on display. He looked up at her, big eyes shining, his mouth wide as if he was smiling. She had never had much contact with dogs. Her mother’s job had kept them moving around too much for them to own one when Esmée was growing up. Now, looking at Echo’s kind, intelligent face, she thought there was probably a lot to be said for the benefit of a canine companion.

      “Let’s try the paw thing once more.”

      Esmée realized what Brayden was doing. He was using his dog as therapy, getting Rhys to talk to Echo. Her throat tightened with gratitude toward this man she didn’t know. No one had grasped what Rhys needed so quickly, or done something about it with such efficiency.

      Slowly, patiently, Brayden got Rhys to say the word paw to Echo. Rhys squealed with delight when Echo lifted his paw on command. He shook it, then insisted on doing it over and over.

      “That dog is going to have a sore leg.” Even though she was laughing, Hester had tears in her eyes as she hugged Esmée.

      “Now it’s Mommy’s turn to shake hands,” Brayden said. “Tell her to come over here.”

      Esmée held her breath as Rhys looked over his shoulder, his eyes shining. “Mommy, say ‘paw.’” He pointed. “Ko.”

      Although she had stayed positive, telling herself he would talk, there had been times when she had wondered if she would ever hear him call her “Mommy.” All she knew was she’d have given everything she owned to hear that word on his lips. As she sank to her knees next to Brayden, wrapping an arm around Rhys’s waist, she wanted to relish the moment, to imprint it on her memory forever.

      Rhys wasn’t going to give her time to get emotional. “Say ‘paw.’” Having found his voice, he seemed determined to use it.

      Laughing, Esmée went through the routine of shaking hands with Echo, who, she decided, must be the most patient dog in the world.

      Brayden straightened and stood over them. “Sorry to break this up, but Echo and I have to go put on a show for the crowd.”

      “Of course.” Esmée lifted Rhys into her arms. “We have to say goodbye now.”

      “Bye, Ko.” He waved a hand over her shoulder at the dog.

      Esmée wondered if Brayden had any idea what he’d just done. For an instant, they gazed at each other. His eyes were unusual. More green than blue and fringed by thick, dark lashes, their expression was intense. When she first saw him, her first thought had been that he was unapproachable. Devastatingly handsome, but, oh, so

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