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Prior to last night, kissing Val to prove a point wouldn’t have even manifested itself as an option to me. And look at me now… sitting alone in my house having a minor panic attack because I’m pretty sure I’ve fucked everything up.
I remind myself to breathe through the anxiety flooding my system. A warm weight settles against my calf. Bosco peers up at me, concern in his big brown eyes. Kida originally got him as a companion dog for when she had bouts of anxiety. I’ve seen him do this exact thing to Keeds a hundred times, yet I never put it together. He’s comforting and grounding her, just like he’s doing for me now.
“Thanks, big guy,” I murmur, reaching down to scratch behind his ear. He leans into my touch, and for the first time ever, I feel a connection to him, like he’s more than just a shoe destroying lump of drool.
And then, he farts, ruining the moment and triggering my gag reflex as the rancid odor permeates my entire living room.
“Oh, god!” I launch off the couch, sprinting for the front door. I throw it open, burst out into the night and drop to my knees as I gasp for fresh air. The dirty little bastard trots out after me and plops his fat ass on the grass at my side, his long tongue lolling to the side as he smiles up at me.
I glare at him, and if looks could kill, he’d be in puppy purgatory.
It’s beeneleven hours and thirty-eight minutes since Belle kissed me.
I can’t stop thinking about it. Over and over, it replays in my mind. Her lips… those incredible lips that I’ve dreamed about a million times… finally sweeping across mine. I was stunned at first, taken totally off guard. But it took less than two seconds for my brain to get on board, and I pulled her close and went for it.
And then Maggie screamed her freakin’ lungs out and shattered the moment.
Fucking Maggie.
Pacing back and forth across my living room for the umpteenth time since I got home, I run my hands through my hair. I’ve been trying to figure out what I should do, if anything, and what she was thinking.
Was it just about Maggie? Was that her motivation? Or was it something more? Like, had she been thinking about kissing me and saw it as the perfect opportunity to finally lay one on me?
I close my eyes and shake my head.
Get a grip, man.
I’m still pacing when a crash sounds from the side of the house. Peering out the window, I don’t see anything, so I head out to have a look. When I round corner to my trash cans I’m met with the most adorably huge dark eyes.
“Hey, there, little guy,” I croon to the juvenile racoon raiding my garbage. He’s frozen in place, his little paws clutching a banana peel. He’s so freakin cute. I move toward him slowly, then crouch down a few feet from him.
His head tilts to the side as he watches me carefully. I do a quick survey of the mess he’s made and spot a scrap of an old dinner roll. I reach out and grab it, then offer it to him. He eyes the roll, then me, then the roll again.
“It’s okay, I won’t hurt you. Take it,” I encourage.
After a full minute, he shuffles closer, then snatches it from my fingertips and scurries back again. This time all the way to the edge of the garden bed. I smile and give him a wave; sure he’ll be back soon.
“Night, buddy,” I call after him as he disappears into the darkness.
It’s not the first time I’ve seen him. He’s been hanging around for the last few weeks and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like it. How anyone could hate trash pandas is beyond me. They’re the cutest fucking things around. And I’m honored he keeps coming back to my trash. Although, I think I’ll just start leaving out some scraps for him, so he doesn’t need to make such a mess.
By the time I’m done tidying up after him, I’m tired and ready to call it a night. I have a quick shower, then crawl into bed, more than ready for a reprieve from my thoughts. Unfortunately, that doesn’t quite happen.
I dream of our kiss. Of Belle throwing down for me, then claiming me as hers in front of half the town. Only difference is, it doesn’t stop there. In my dreams we leave Perky’s together, and for the first time in the history of our long friendship, I make love to my best friend.
* * *
By the timeMonday rolls around, Belle and I still haven’t spoken. Mostly because I couldn’t decide how to handle the kiss.
I’m so sexually frustrated, I added three more sex scenes to my current manuscript. It now has significantly more banging in it than anything I’ve previously written. I can’t shake the feel of her perfect curves pressed against me and the soft brush of her full lips from my thoughts.
My knee bounces relentlessly as I sit waiting for the weekly meeting to start. Belle hasn’t arrived yet. No surprises there; she’s never been on time for anything in her life. Snow is leering at me from across the table, so I arch a brow at her. “Can I help you?”
She smirks. “How was your weekend?”
“Fine.” I narrow my gaze. Snow isn’t into small talk.
Her eyes practically sparkle as she shares a look with Ariel, who is sitting beside her. Those two have some weird telepathic connection and it creeps me out.
