Thaw wasn’t at all appeased. His snarl deepened.

“Tarass does not hurt me, Thaw. I am good. I am not hurt,” Snow said calmly and stretched her hand above her head searching for the pup.

Thaw’s growling eased, though it didn’t stop as he slipped the top of his head under her hand.

Snow rubbed behind his ears and under his chin, his favorite spots. “Tarass loves me, Thaw. He keeps me safe like you do.”

Tarass remained silent. Though he wanted to throw the pup out of the room and lock the door, he knew that wouldn’t be a good idea. Snow loved Thaw and, while he’d never admit he was a bit jealous of the pup—a crazy thought—he’d never do anything to come between their special bond. But he damn well wouldn’t let the protective pup stop him from making love to his wife.

“I would never hurt, Snow, Thaw,” Tarass said and gave the pup a rub behind his ear.

“I don’t want to put him out of the room and have him think he did something wrong, especially with our return here. He needs to learn this is his new home now, but this situation isn’t helping the matter,” she said, not sure of what to do.

Tarass agreed, though not verbally. He wanted the pup to protect her and if he was put out of the room it would confuse him. In time he would learn, but that didn’t help him tonight.

“Tell him to go sleep by the hearth as he’d been doing. We’ll get beneath the blankets and we’ll have to be quiet,” Tarass said, “for tonight at least.”

Snow reached out to touch his face, resting her hand on his cheek. “You do love me.”

“I told you I did.”

“Aye, you did, but not to get angry at Thaw for disturbing us and not putting him out of the room tells me just how very much you love me and makes me love you even more,” she said and kissed him.

Tarass slipped his hand around to the back of her neck and deepened the kiss.

Thaw growled.

Tarass dropped his head back on the mattress to look up at the growling pup. “I am not hurting her. I love Snow.”

Snow chuckled, reached out to find her husband’s face, her hands landing on his chest that she followed up to his face to cup and plant kisses all over it. Then she reached out for Thaw, took hold of his face and rained kisses over him.

“See, Thaw, I love you both,” she said and repeated the process. “Now you show him, Tarass, that you love us both.”

“You want me to kiss the pup?” he asked, thinking her crazy.

“It will help him understand and hopefully let us make love tonight, uninterrupted.”