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A moment later, a soft howl sounds from the rec room, followed by the footsteps of rampaging puppies. Bacon bursts into the kitchen first, woofing as he lifts worried brown eyes to mine.
“Hey, buddy,” I say, my voice trembling. Clearing my throat, I add, “We’re fine, no worries. It was just the oven.”
Cheese, the handsome ginger puppy emits a warble of anguish that makes both Gideon and I laugh, banishing the last of the tension.
“Yes, I’m sure,” I assure the dog. “We’re fine, and as soon as the sweet potatoes cool down, you can all have a treat.”
Egg flops down on the floor, squirming in happiness at the word, exposing the circular orange spot on his mostly white belly.
I kneel down, laughing as I rub his tummy. “Yes, a treat for all the good boys. Now that you’re sunny side up, I see why you’re named Egg.”
Gideon sets the sheet pan on top of the stove and turns to us with a grunt. “You’re right. I didn’t notice that before. Maybe egg is the perfect name for you, buddy.”
“Or Sunny.” I glance up at him, petting Egg as Bacon and Cheese squirm closer, angling for affection. “If he were mine, that would be one of his nicknames for sure.”
Gideon arches a brow. “If you’re looking to adopt, I could pull some strings.”
I shake my head. “No. Sadly, I won’t have time for a dog in my new life. It wouldn’t be fair to Sunny. And he’s so attached to his brothers. It would be nice if they could find someone willing to take all three of them.” I rotate between the three puppies, delivering neck scratches and tummy rubs. “They’re such sweethearts.”
“Sweethearts who are going to get at least two times bigger before they’re finished growing and need regular exercise and playtime. That’s a lot of work and a lot of dogs for most people. I’m sure once they’re placed in good homes, they’ll be happy with their new families.”
I stand, moving toward the sink on the other side of the stove, keenly aware of how close Gideon is as I turn on the water to wash my hands. “You’re probably right.” I glance his way, desperate to return to our previous conversation, but unsure how to make the transition.
Luckily, making eye contact is enough to thicken the air between us all over again.
Gideon runs a hand through his damp hair. “You’ve made some very good points, Sydney,” he says, and I know he isn’t talking about the dogs.
I bite my bottom lip, loving the husky way he says my name. “I have,” I agree, faking a confidence I don’t completely feel.
“But I think we should eat,” he says with a half-smile. “A person shouldn’t make decisions on an empty stomach.” He nods toward the cabinet above me. “Would you mind putting rice in two bowls while I sauté the spinach?”
“Sure,” I say, though I would rather we put off dinner until after he’s ravaged me against the refrigerator.
Or he could lift me up onto the cabinets so I could wrap my legs around his hips…
My usually PG-13 mind is suddenly alive with X-rated kitchen fantasies.
I don’t know what’s happening to me, but I have no interest in slamming on the brakes. I’d rather pour fuel on the fire, and I know just the person to ask for advice…
I pull two bowls from the cupboard and quickly spoon rice into the bottom of each, before telling Gideon, “I’ll be right back. I promised to send my friends pictures of the dogs. I’ll take them to the puppy pads in the garage to go potty, snap a few shots, and be right back.”
Gideon nods as he drops pieces of sweet potato into a napkin. “Sounds good. Don’t forget their treat.”
“Thanks.” I accept the napkin before grabbing my cell from the island and tucking it into the pocket of my sweatpants. To the dogs, I add, “Come on, guys. Let’s go to the garage and potty. Then you can have a yummy treat.”
All three puppies squirm faster, proving they know exactly what a “treat” is, and Egg flops down on his back again, showing his Sunny side. Clearly, he’s the submissive one of the bunch, a thought that leads my brain into uncharted territory as I move through the rec room to the entrance to the garage.
I’ve never been a fan of the whole Dom/sub theme in romance novels—that’s more Elaina’s thing—but I wouldn’t mind it if Gideon wanted to boss me around in bed.
In fact, I think I’d really, really enjoy it.
In the garage, I quickly coax all three very good boys into peeing on the puppy pads and reward them with a treat. Then, I throw one of the tennis balls on the shelf in the corner for them, letting them run off some of their puppy energy as I text the girls—
Hey guys. I’m home safe and about to sit down to eat with the pilot, but I’d be a lot happier if he were having ME for dinner…if you know what I mean.
I realize this is totally not my style, but he’s so kind and sexy and saved me from getting crushed by a tree at the airport. He’s also fifteen years older, but there are zero Dad vibes. I’ve never been this attracted to a man in my entire life.
I’ve also never had a one-night stand or seduced a man who’s put off by our age gap. (But he almost kissed me before the oven alarm went off, so this is NOT an exercise in futility. He’s feeling the energy, too. He just needs a little push, I think.)
