“Baby, when it comes to you, I’m not dealing.I’m fucking living.”His hold around me tightened.“Now drag me over there so I don’t have to take your temperature.”
I nodded with a laugh, delighted that my man knew me so well.I took his hand and dragged him off to look at the animals.
In the end, despite the drama of being followed, it had been a damn good day.
The two kittens—sisters, a gray tabby and a calico—delivered to our door the next day as a surprise from Hudson only made it that much sweeter.
Chapter 17
Iawoke in my favorite way—with a naked Lucy draped around me like a liquid vine, her intoxicating scent and soft skin a balm I hadn’t known I needed and now couldn’t live without.
It had been three incredible weeks since the break-in, and Lucy and I had fallen into a natural rhythm living together.
Bernard now hung proudly in the sitting room, and the kittens, Scout and Jem—named after Lucy’s favorite book—created an incredible amount of chaos for such small beasts.
I’d never had cats, but I had to admit the little buggers had grown on me.Poor, patient Ranger, who they’d immediately adopted as their parent, couldn’t yet say the same.
It had become a nearly daily routine to explore the property.Lucy’s eyes never failed to light up at the wide-open spaces, and I could see her beautiful mind working through all the possibilities I’d yet to take advantage of, given my touring schedule in years past.
If it were possible, I think she loved the house and property more than I did.
One of my favorite sounds had become the piano music filtering through the house when she found a quiet moment to play, the kittens inevitably toying with her shoelaces.
In short, it had been perfect—if not for the other shoe I couldn’t help but feel would drop.We’d changed her number as agreed, and there had been nothing from her parents or ex since.
Then there was the idea of having to leave her.
Having my muse beside me had resulted in a nearly finished album I’d never been prouder of.With the pressure from my label to wrap it up and release it, the prospect of a supporting tour loomed on the horizon.While part of me wanted to share my music with the world, the other couldn’t fathom being parted from my girl.
She shifted in my arms, coming awake slowly as she often did.She slept hard, I’d learned, and took time to fully come to her senses in the morning.
“Morning, baby.”I nuzzled her neck, and she arched into me.“Sleep okay?”
“Mm-hmm.”She snuggled closer.“Did Griff drop the dogs off already?”
After some convincing from my woman, Griffin had taken to dropping his dogs off with us whenever he had long shifts.
“She’s naked in my arms, and her first thought is about dogs,” I muttered without ire.One thing was for sure, my girl was an animal lover through and through.“No, baby, not yet.”I kissed her temple just as my phone rang on the bedside table.
A quick glance at the screen revealed Davis’s name, and I grimaced.
“You should answer, honey.You can’t avoid him forever.”
I had been avoiding him.I knew what he wanted—I just wasn’t sure how to give it to him.
“I’ll answer him.”I rolled on top of her, settling between her legs with a teasing smile.“Later.”
Later that morning, Lucy poured us both coffee while I worked on our omelets.Griffin’s dogs suddenly raced past the window, tongues lolling.Ranger immediately whined to join them, and I let him out, smiling as he bounded after the shepherds.
Griffin often dropped the dogs off without coming into the house.He only had so much patience for chit-chat, even with me.It had taken me nearly my whole life to fully understand that, while Lucy accepted my brother’s personality immediately.She gave Griffin his space and sparred with Riley as though she’d been doing it all her life.
She fit in perfectly with my family.I couldn’t wait for her to meet Haley and my nephew, whom I didn’t see nearly enough.
“Your day?”I asked as I slid her plate in front of her.
“I have a meeting with my publisher.”She looked gorgeous sitting across from me with hardly any makeup on, her incredible eyes bright with enthusiasm.“This last book was so impressive.I want to make sure it’s on her radar.Then I told Goodie I’d swing by the restaurant to help her with a few interviews.”
“You lined up some solid prospects.”I nodded proudly.My girl was so talented—her business acumen, her ability to identify literary talent, and her musicality made her uniquely multifaceted.She still didn’t understand just how special she was, but I was determined to show her every day.