I shoot her a smirk. “Wasn’t a request,mi Cielo.” Gripping her waist, I bend and lift her onto my shoulder.
She lets out a yelp. “Levi!”
From his spot on the couch in the next room, his nose remains in his book as he replies, “I’m not getting in the middle of this.”
“Traitor!” Blake shouts back, sounding so indignant that momentarily, I fear she’ll smother Levi in his sleep tonight.
But she made her choice.
Blake kicks her feet as I grab her coat off the hook by the back door. “You can’t do this every time I refuse to follow you around like a dog.”
“Watch me,” I taunt her.
“Bear, this is your time to shine,” she prompts the pitbull.
I fail to stifle my amusement. “He won’t.”
“Yes, he will,” she argues back.
With my hand on the knob, I wait, letting Bear prove my point. “No, he won’t. Dogs don’t bite the hand that feeds them.”
Bear lifts his head from where he lies on his cushy bed that Blake insisted on buying for him. That dog is going to be spoiled, but he does his job when needed. Bear assesses the situation, humphs, rests his head, and resumes his nap.
“Ifeed him,” Blake contends.
“So do I.”
She pushes on my back, attempting to straighten her spine. “Have you been sneaking him treats?”
I let my silence speak for me.
“Santi, you can’t do that!” She pounds a fist on my back.
Returning her blow with a slap on her ass, I carry her out onto the back porch. “Too late.”
The heat from the sun warms my skin, and I relish it. I may have lived here my whole life, but a change of pace is always nice.
Marching across the worn path in the snow from the porch to the barn, made by my treks back and forth, I tote Blake to the spot where Jack waits with Ace and Shadow. I asked him to get them saddled when I went up to the house earlier.
I deposit Blake on her feet and slip her arms into the sleeves of her coat. Securing the zipper, I whip out the gloves I stashed in my pocket and slide them on.
Blake frowns at me like a petulant child. “Are you done dressing me,Dad?”
Her insult has the opposite effect, and I feel my cock stiffen.
“You can call me Daddy any time,” I reply with a wink, and her cheeks fill with a perfect pink color. Motioning to the horses, I retrieve the reins from Javier. “Let’s ride. Shadow is already tacked up for you.”
“Have fun,” Javier salutes, making his way deeper into the barn to get back to work.
Blake’s obstinacy dies as she caves, seizing Shadow’s straps. “This feels irresponsible.”
I wave off her concern, mounting Ace. “You’ll be fine. The case will still be there when we get back.”
“Santi…” Blake expresses her hesitation as she places one foot in the stirrup and swings her other leg over Shadow’s back.
“Shadow missed you. She told me herself.”
“If the horses are speaking to you when you talk to them, then it’s probably time to put you in a home, old man,” she teases.
