Kiss of Death by Meryl Sawyer

Author:Meryl Sawyer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2007-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY

WHITNEY HELD JASPER as she watched Kris Simpson bring out the teaser bitch. Jasper squirmed in her arms, anxious to be put down. Whitney didn’t have much experience breeding dogs. When she’d been in high school, she’d worked part-time at a kennel. She’d seen two breeding sessions between the owner’s Wheaten terrier bitch and a male who’d been brought in by his owner. No teaser bitch had been required.

“Ever seen an A.I.?” asked Kris.

Whitney shook her head. She supposed that if she’d thought about it, she would have realized champion dogs, like many champion racehorses, wouldn’t be allowed to breed on their own. The risk of injury was too great. The sperm was collected, then the bitch was artificially inseminated.

“Mandy is in heat and so is my crested, Princess Arianna. She was best in her class at Westminster last year.” Kris held up a small device that looked like a large syringe with a balloon-like sack on one end. “The teaser bitch gets the male excited, then I collect the sperm.”

“You’ll inseminate Princess Arianna yourself?”

“Yes. I’ll freeze the leftover sperm for use on my other bitches when they come into season. That’s why I paid so much money.” She patted Jasper on the head. “I’ll get three, maybe four litters out of this guy.”

Whitney had no idea what this woman had spent for Jasper’s services. Considering Jasper was an international champion, his offspring would be worth a lot. “Will we get the pick of the litter?”

Kris glared at Whitney. “Didn’t you read the contract? I’ll keep all of the puppies.”

“I didn’t see the contract,” Whitney muttered. “I just help Mr. Hunter with Jasper.”

Things must work differently when breeding champions, she decided. The owner of the male usually had pick of the litter.

“Put Jasper down and let him get a good sniff before I bag him.”

She set Jasper on the concrete floor. He looked up at her and whimpered. “Go on now,” she said encouragingly. Jasper pawed her shins, begging to be picked up again. Physically, he showed no sign of being interested in the teaser bitch.

Kris tapped her on the shoulder. “Let’s leave them alone. We can watch it on the television in my office. I can get back out here before he ejaculates.”

Whitney used her leg to scoot Jasper aside. She hurried out of the enclosure. Jasper scratched at the gate and yipped as if his paw had been caught in a trap.

Kris led Whitney down a short corridor to an office. The walls were lined with framed pictures of Chinese crested dogs and the ribbons they’d won. The photographs and ribbons were encased in Lucite boxes. A black satin ribbon was draped over one box and Whitney assumed that dog had died.

Kris sat behind a glass-top desk and carefully put down the collection device. Whitney took the chair opposite her. The breeder picked up the remote control and flicked on the wall-mounted flat-screen television. Jasper’s plaintive yips filled the room. The TV showed the little dog still pawing the gate while the teaser bitch kept circling behind him.

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