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I love all my different kisses with Tom. The intense ones, morning kisses, goodbye kisses, fleeting kisses, lust-?fuelled kisses. I just need this man’s lips on me all the time.
I’m aware that Keegan could come back inside at any moment, so I’m eager to steal as many kisses as possible before we’re inevitably interrupted. When we are, however, it’s by the sound of knocking at the front door rather than the patter of eight-year-old feet.
“Wow, the dog groomer got here quickly,” I say, forcing myself to pull away from Tom and climb off his lap.
Tom's eyes narrow. “How did she get past the gate?”
He gets to his feet as well and we both head to the front door, cautious to see what’s going on. Tom looks through the peephole and then rears back, a scowl on his face. “Fucking hell,” he mutters. He swings the door open violently. “How do you know my passcode, Sexton?”
“It’s the date you got your first hat-trick for Pride,” Robbie scoffs, walking in with Odette in his arms. “You should make it something a little less obvious. Like your birthday.”
Philip trots into the hallway and Odette bobs her head curiously, but remains tightly curled in Robbie’s arms.
“Woah, what the fuck?” Robbie exclaims, staring at the grey mutt. “I thought you said he was a Schnauzer?”
I shrug. “I said I thought he might have some Schnauzer in him. He’s got the grey fur, and the beardy thing.”
“Yeah, maybe,” Robbie allows, tilting his head this way and that to examine Phillip. “He’s fucking huge, though.”
He’s not huge. He’s not small, but he’s definitely not huge. Compared to tiny Odette, however, a medium-sized dog probably seems huge. Especially if Robbie came here expecting to find a miniature Schnauzer.
Keegan comes running down the hall, eyes widening when he sees Odette. “Another dog! Will they have puppies?”
“Fuck no, Odette is a lady,” Robbie says, moving his body around to shield Odette, as though worried we’re planning to recruit her for a backyard breeding program, even though I know for a fact she’s been spayed, and as we established earlier today, Phillip’s not going to be any help in that kind of venture either.
“Did you just slut shame dogs?” I ask Robbie with a raised eyebrow.
The freaked out expression leaves his face, replaced with a wry smile. “Shit, yeah, my bad.”
“Stop fucking swearing in front of Keegan,” Tom growls, slapping the back of Robbie’s head.
I snort out a laugh. “I’m going to make a cuppa.” I walk off towards the kitchen and I hear the front door finally shut, and then several pairs of footsteps following behind me.
“Are you ever going to put that dog down?” Tom asks Robbie.
“He means on the ground,” I quickly clarify before Robbie can freak out again.
Tom rolls his eyes and a sheepish expression crosses Robbie’s face.
“Alright. But if this one eats her I’m holding you responsible, Whitford,” he warns.
“Mandy says Phillip likes other dogs,” Keegan says with a smile.
“Let’s hope that extends to little white balls of fluff,” Tom mutters to me, not sounding at all confident.
Robbie sets Odette on the floor and we all watch as the two dogs interact. Or, at least, as Odette interacts and Phillip just stands there as though his feet are buried in quicksand, watching as she prances around his legs. It’s adorable.
I clutch a hand to my heart. “Aw, look at them. They’re like a real lifeLady and the Tramp—quick, someone get a plate of spaghetti!”
Robbie chokes on his own breath. “I don’t think so. Odette’s way too good for that dirty old mutt.”
“He’s only dirty because your groomer hasn’t come yet,” I point out. “And don’t be breedist.”
Robbie rolls his eyes, but I see a smile touch his face as he watches Odette and Phillip start to play in earnest. It seems to be a game where Phillip nudges Odette with his head, then Odette skips away before coming back again and the cycle repeats. There hasn’t been any growling and there’s lots of tail-wagging, so I’m going to assume Phillip isn’t actually trying to get rid of Odette when he nudges her.
“Keegan, why don’t you take the dogs outside,” Tom suggests.
“Okay, Dad. Come on, Phillip! Come on, Odette!” he calls, ushering the two dogs to the back of the house.
