She made love slowly and passionately with Rodney. Going down on him in a sixty-nine as he ate her, then fucking him off and on for an hour. Through it all Duke would not go away from the bedroom door for more than a couple minutes in response to her commands. It seemed like she had no control over him any more.
"That damn dog," complained Rodney. "I wish you'd get rid of him or teach him to behave, mind his own business. He really gets on my nerves."
Janey felt the glimmering of her final resolution to this problem of long-standing. There was no possibility of making Duke "behave", as Rod so innocently put it, because once he had got him involved with her sexually, there could be no real turning back unless all the desire for her were trained out of him. And she hadn't the heart to be so hard on him.
There was one way out she could be sure of. The next day she visited Margaret in the evening. "Oh! So this is your Great Dane! What a beautiful animal! Did I ever show you my pictures of a red-boned coonhound I used to own…"
"A what?"
"A red-boned coonhound. A very special breed developed through selection by dog breeders. One of the most beautiful animals you'll ever want to lay eyes on."
Once inside Duke began to bark at the other dogs in the house, for Margaret had brought in a few others besides Bela. The two women shushed the dogs and tried to soothe them and even get them together. One of them, a boxer bitch, was in heat and attracted Duke after a while. Janey watched the dog circle her, sniff her, and start to get in the mood for mating, too. She watched with a strong dose of regret and a certain pang of jealousy.
But this was going to be all for the best.
"Thanks for letting me take care of him, Janey. I've never had such proud-looking animal as he is. You know I'll take good care and you can come any time to visit him or take him with you."
Janey thanked her and left with the exhilaration of having released herself from a burden. It was painful, but she'd get over that. You'd never have guessed her mixed feelings from the light bounce in her gait. Near the corner, she passed the pet shop where Margaret often took her puppies. A bunch of cute little ones pressed up to the window as she passed smiling down at them.
Just around the corner she got into her car, started it, and sped off to meet Rodney.