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I can hear hishumphfrom the other room and it makes me smile.
It's difficult enough getting all of us out of the house on time on a normal day, but today is especially difficult because I have to get to work earlier than usual. I’m the manager at a nearby dental office, and today is our monthly event. It’s the only day we offer a free clinical visit. I love participating because it’s so helpful for those in the community that can’t afford dental work. The only downfall is that it is scheduled early in the morning before normal business hours. Therefore, I’m always scrambling to get everyone ready on those mornings.
Pulling the laces tight on my shoes, I stand. “Everyone out the door,” I announce, then grab my purse and diaper bag off the counter. There's a tug at my pants, and I peer down to see the cherubic face of my green-eyed little girl. She’s smiling at me like I’m her favorite person in the whole world, and I can’t help the warmth it causes to spread throughout my chest.
“Hey, baby girl,” I whisper.
Lincoln, my oldest, is standing on the threshold, eating a powdered doughnut. “Mom, the neighbor’s dogs are outside again.”
“Thank you, Linc,” I respond, hoping I successfully dodged the carnage of his breakfast he spat out while informing me of something I already know.
“Are you dumb? I already told her that!” Maddox hisses his displeasure at possibly not getting the credit for tattling on the neighbor’s pups.
“Maddox! We don’t talk to each other like that,” I scold, scooping Tillie up, hoping to shave a few seconds off the journey to my minivan.
“Is he?” the sweet little voice of my three-year-old breaks through the chaos.
“Is he, what?” I ask absentmindedly before giving her a little squeeze against my chest.
“Is he dumb? Maddox. Is he dumb?” Great. Now my kid has a new question to ask her daycare friends.
“No sweetie, he’s just a boy.” I know that’s probably not the best thing to say either, but I’ve got no time to contemplate the best parenting practices. Thankfully, it’s a bit cool from the crisp May morning air, so at least I’m not going to start my day being frazzledandsweaty. But then I see them, charging toward me. Apparently they dug up everything in the backyard and are now focusing on the front. Zeus and Thor are big babies and the least aggressive dogs I've ever met, but they're incredibly hyper. And incredibly…friendly.
“Quick, get inside!” I urge in my least urgent voice possible because everyone knows kids do the complete opposite of what you want them to do. I don’t need those dogs knocking my kids over like bowling pins.
The boys turn my command into an opportunity to race, and both sprint to the van. Linc is four years older, so his slightly longer legs get him there a second before Maddox.
When they reach the back driver's side, Lincoln shoves Maddox into the car then follows. I get Tillie into her booster seat on the other side, and as soon as I bend over to buckle her in, I hear the pitter-patter of the dogs on the concrete of my driveway. They are close. If I get out of this situation unscathed, I will be grateful. I rush to my door and am about to get in when I glance back to see how far away they are. That was my first and last mistake before I’m shoved against the windows.
Oof. This damn dog weighs more than I do.
Hot breath fans my cheek. A heavy weight presses against my chest and I crack open my eyelids. I’m face to face with Thor. His maw is open wide, enthusiastic to see me. Just when I think I’ll make it out of this with only dirt to wipe off, I get a huge pink tongue in my eye and slobber in my hair.
Fuck my life.
“I don't want any kisses, Thor. Get down,” I command sternly behind gritted teeth.
I swear his eyebrows arch as if he understands what I’m saying because he immediately plops down on his butt. He listened. It’s a small victory, but now my only clean scrubs are filthy.
Damn it. I don’t have any other clothes washed for work. Lincoln and I lost track of time building his science project last night, so it was around ten P.M. when I remembered I needed to do my laundry. I had grabbed the first matching set of scrubs from the dirty pile and threw them into the washing machine by themselves to save time. Unfortunately, I fell asleep on my bed while paying bills online. So much for that bright idea. When I woke at the ass crack of dawn, I had quickly thrown them into the dryer and prayed I wouldn’t have to go to work wearing a wet and musty smelling outfit.
A loud whistle pierces the air, getting the dog's attention and probably everyone else’s in the neighborhood.
“Mickie, shit! I’m so sorry.” My neighbor’s voice sends instant shivers down my spine and I prepare myself for the interaction. “I’ll fix the holes,” Gideon calls loudly as he approaches the mayhem, taking long strides from his yard onto mine.
My breath catches. God damn, is he sexy.
Gideon has to be at least six feet tall with a tight muscular frame. Well, I can only imagine he has muscles because I’ve never seen him with his shirt off. He mows his grass twice a week but has the audacity to do it without taking his shirt off. There have been a few times when I’ve caught myself staring at where his shirt meets his waistline, imagining his six pack and Adonis belt.
His strikingly blue eyes always make him look so serious but behind the stoic expression there's something dark I can’t quite put my finger on. However, I haven’t had the time nor nerve to stand there and figure it out.
Gideon usually has his long shiny brown hair pulled back in a haphazard man bun, but today it’s trailing freely down to the middle of his shoulder blades. If I didn’t want to sound like a dolt, I’d ask him what shampoo he uses.
Ugh. Now my scrubs aren't the only thing wet. After seeing my hot as fuck neighbor, I'll need to change my panties too. This makes me even angrier, although I’m mindful that this reason is completely unjustified.
He’s lived in the home next door for six months, and we’ve only exchanged the platonic, neighborly pleasantries.
I’m not ashamed to admit that he has starred in more than a few of my midnight fantasies, however I’ve never had the balls to approach him. Fuck, even if I had the nerve, I probably wouldn’t have the energy to do anything on the off chance he’s interested.
