He presses his fingers to his lips to tell me not to say anything, then points down toward our feet. I look down to see a tiny, white and orange floof curled up in the crook between Amy’s jaw and shoulder. I raise my hand to my mouth to keep myself from squealing with joy. I can’t believe it! After all these months, they’ve finally accepted each other. More like Bitsy hasfinally accepted Amy. Amy only ever just wanted to play with and love on her.
“SO CUTE!” I mouth excitedly, smiling widely back at Colin, and he shakes his head in happy acknowledgement. This makes my whole morning. Which reminds me. I look over Colin’s shoulder to check the time. It’s close to eight, and I have to be at Portsmouth International by ten-thirty. I’m glad to have a few more minutes alone with my man. I snuggle closer, and he pulls me to his chest. He sighs happily and kisses the top of my hair.
“What were you dreaming about?” he whispers in my hair.
“It was a recurring dream…memory, about the day my father walked out on us. Mom and I. I was six when it happened. He left her for another woman. It’s been so long since I’ve dreamt about it. I don’t know what triggered it this time.”
He tips my chin up, taking a long moment to search my eyes.
“You know I’m not going anywhere, don’t you? I’ll never walk out on you like that. It’s a promise.”
I sigh and nod as he tucks me up under his chin against his chest. I guess my subconscious was churning past worries with the fact that he’s leaving for his trip today and screwing with my brain.Stupid brain…
The moment doesn’t last for long because Bitsy cracks an eye and sees that Colin is awake. She stretches and steps over Amy’s outstretched paw, making her way, with little, happy sounds, up Colin’s body. She nuzzles once against my face, but her main man is awake, and she won’t miss a second of it.
“Little traitor,” I whisper to her as she eats up all the attention from him. He scratches her chin and rubs her from head to the tip of the tail, quite pleased with himself for winning her affections with zero effort. I lift my hand over to her, and she rubs against it. Okay, only partly a traitor. I really don’t blameher. I rub myself all over him too. Amy yawns big and stretches as well before shaking her fur and letting out an, “I need to pee, hooman” bark as she jumps off the bed.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m coming.” Colin sighs, kisses my forehead, and hands me the furball. He slides out of bed, and I admire that tight, naked butt as he pulls up a pair of lounge pants sans boxers which makes me sigh in disappointment. He doesn’t miss a beat and looks over his shoulder at me with a rugged smile.
“Were you just checking out my ass?”
“It’s a great ass.”
An appreciative rumble from his chest fills the room as he walks through the doorway on his morning mission. Such a masculine sound. It gives me tingles. I crawl out of bed and walk to our combined dresser for some underthings. I’m in the top drawer when Bitsy decides to jump up top and climb in on Colin’s side, digging around, trying to make a nest.
“Well, I get it, but that’s not going to work. Out you go.” I go to straighten things when my hand touches something squarish.Hmmm…I hear Colin coming back up the steps and decide to shut the drawer.
“This ass wants yours in the shower now before our time is up,” Colin says playfully as he reenters the room, grabbing my hand and tugging me into the bathroom, giggling. I swear, I will never get enough of this man.
???
“EEEEeeeek!” Holly squeals in delight as she sees me waiting and waving for her attention when she comes out of the arrival gate. We basically plow each other over with the force of our hug, jumping up and down with glee.
“Girl, you look great!” She pulls back, wiping stray strands of rich, chocolate-hued hair from her face as she looks me over, smiling wide.
“You too! You cut your hair shorter! I love it. Give me a bag.” She slings her carry-on over to me, and I catch it with a huff. “Goodness gracious, what do you have in here?!”
“Thanks! I totally needed a change, you know? And everything I need in case they lost my bag.”
That’s my Holly, always ready for the unexpected.
“So, I missed the guys?” she asks.
“Yeah, they took off around the same time I left to come get you. You’ll get to meet them when they get back. How in the world did you manage to get the extra time off? Especially since you’re coming back during Thanksgiving? Not that I’m complaining any!”
“I had some PTO saved up, and I really missed you. I also really needed to get away.”
I look over at her, like really look at her. She looks as if she hasn’t been sleeping well. She’s not telling me something.
“Hollz, what haven’t you told me?”
“We’re gonna need drinks for this discussion. Let’s get closer to home first.”
“Shit. Okay. But you’re going to start talking in the car. We’ll find a Mexican place on the way. In fact, I’m calling the girls. They’ll meet us. They always make things better.”
“I’m going to need a margarita or two. Call them.”
I pull out my phone as we get to the parking lot. Jane picks up on the second ring.
