Iwoke to the smell of dog breath.
Wait, what?
I cracked one eye open, getting my bearings. Last night surged back in flashes of color. The inn. Me. A very naked Isla.
White light bled around the drapes in Isla’s bedroom, allowing me to make out Ranger’s fluffy ears and his giant brown eyes staring at me from the edge of the bed. I groaned and shoved at his cold nose as it nuzzled my hand. “Go back to sleep.”
He huffed at me, tongue lolling as he slobbered his way up my forearm. He made a low whine, and I propped myself up on my elbow.
“Is it urgent?”
He cocked his head.
“Okay, fine,” I whispered, sitting up on the edge of the bed, trying not to wake Isla. At some point last night, she must have let Ranger in. I spotted his corner—consisting of a large dog bedand a basket of toys. I stood and pulled my pants on. He waited for me at the door. “You know, you’d be a lot cuter if you weren’t waking me up at the crack of dawn to go outside.”
Ranger gave me a look as we slipped into the hall. His energy was veryget used to it. I supposed he was right. I was about to be a dad. The days of late nights on the town followed by long, uninterrupted lie-ins were about to disappear. Ranger led me down the hallway and into the kitchen where he pawed at the back door. I let him out and stood in the doorway while he did his business. When he was finished, he returned, woofing at me to move out of his way.
“It’s too early for your sass,” I mumbled.
He flicked his tail and headed off for the lobby, probably to wait on Maisie’s arrival. According to Isla, the woman absolutely doted on him, stuffing her pockets with treats she snuck to him every chance she got.
“Mm-hmm, good talk,” I said, leaving Ranger to his patrol as I took myself back to Isla’s room. I closed the door behind me softly before kicking off my pants and crawling back into bed, hoping not to disturb her.
“Thanks,” she murmured, rolling toward me. Her eyes were still closed as she pressed her hand to my bare chest. “He gets moody when his morning routine is disrupted.”
I tugged her close, my hand falling to her naked hip. I squeezed gently, thumb sweeping over soft skin. “I could tell. We had a good chat about me being a dad soon and having to get up early. He’s helping me get used to the routine.”
Isla snorted. “Ranger dropping the wisdom, huh?”
“He thinks highly of himself since he has an inn named after him, that’s all I’m saying.”
Isla gave me a sleepy blink, then smiled. “I think it was actually named after his great, great, great granddog or whatever.”
“Still, all that notoriety’s gone straight to his head.” I kissed her temple, and she snuggled into me. Warmth bled across my body, and I felt content. I tried to think back to the last time I’d felt such comfort with someone and drew a blank. I’d had my share of romances—maybe more than my share—but they’d all been blips.
After that relationship with Claire, I’d never let myself get too invested in a woman again. Never let feelings cloud my judgment. Never let another relationship stand between me and the business. Romance was fleeting, but the work would last. The work was my legacy.
And I still believed that. But I was also aware that this situation with Isla was different from anything I’d experienced before. With her, I was building a whole new legacy I’d never imagined. One I wasn’t sure I knew how to handle. And it wasn’t just about being a father. It was about Isla herself and the way she made me feel.
Some part of my brain flashed a warning, red lights whirring and sirens pinging, telling me to pull back. Don’t fall too hard too fast. If it all fell apart—the way relationships always had for me before—the landing would be rough, and that was something we couldn’t afford as co-parents. But another part of me, the one that yearned to hold her tightly, protectively, wanted something more. Something risky.
Something that might lead to loss and ruin. That was a risk I couldn’t take.
Or could I?
I swallowed hard, pressing my lips to Isla’s forehead. She sighed happily, and my chest clenched. How could I turn away from something that felt so right?
“Do you want some coffee?” she asked, stretching before snuggling that sexy body closer against me.
“Mm-hmm. I could be tempted. Though,” I stroked her, “I’m also tempted by the beautifully naked woman in bed with me.”
She tilted her head back, grinning at me. “I am both beautiful and naked, you are correct.”
I leaned forward to kiss her, but before our lips could meet, her stomach growled so loudly it startled us both. “You’re also apparently starving. Or gestating a dinosaur.”
She pressed her hand to her belly, laughing. “My vibe is that it’s a boy the way this baby is sucking the nutrients out of me.”
I let my hand drift down her front, thumb stroking her belly button. “I’ve been imagining a little girl.”
