I smirked. “Are you suggesting that your home is clothing optional? Do you have any octogenarian exhibitionists hiding in there?”
Ben laughed. “No, just a dog who’s going to lick you to death. Are you ready to meet?”
“Woof!”
He turned around and looked back inside the house. “Not you, I’m talking to Lori!”
I smiled. “I’m ready, too.”
Ben opened the door to reveal a beautiful black and tan German shepherd sitting there, obedient as can be.
The dog watched me, waiting, his tail wagging.
I placed my hand on my heart. “Oh, he’s so gorgeous.”
“He’ll thank you for that compliment with an onslaught of kisses the moment you step inside the house. Lori, meet Bob Barker.”
I laughed again. “Seriously? You named him that?”
“Woof!”
Ben pointed to the dog. “Well, I couldn’t help adding the last name, but it fits, doesn’t?”
“Woof! Woof! Woof!”
The moment I stepped inside the house, Bob Barker came right at me with his tongue, licking my hands, my elbows, pretty much any part of my arms that were exposed. His tail wagged so hard it banged against the wall with a loud thump, thump, thump.
“It’s so nice to meet you too, Bob Barker!” I scratched him on the head, and behind the ears, which he really seemed to enjoy.
“Okay, enough licking.” Ben laughed and closed the door. “Come.”
Bob Barker immediately went to Ben’s side and sat.
I shook my head in amazement. “There’s no way you taught him that in one day.”
“Of course, I did. It even works on humans, watch this. Lori, come!”
Laughing and playing along, I took a few steps toward Ben until we were face to face, then I reached up and kissed him on the lips. “Wow, you’re good.”
Ben’s smile was gone.
I pointed to his face. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.”
“Yes, there is. You made that exact same face after we kissed at the animal center yesterday.” I blew into my hand and smelled it. “Is it my breath?”
“No . . .” Ben hesitated. “That was the sixth time we kissed and—”
“You’ve been counting our kisses?”
Ben shrugged. “Well, yeah . . . Anyway, this is going to sound completely ridiculous, but I want to initiate a kiss. Just once. Soon.”
I hadn’t realized I had initiated every single kiss between us.
I laughed. “Is this one of those macho-man things? Does it matter who kisses who?”
“No, it doesn’t, but just let me get one in there on my own, okay?”
