Page 46 of For the Night

Penelope laughed as she finished setting the table. “Would you say kittens trump lizards?”

Oh. Hmm. “I’d say they don’t really compare. I can’t cuddle with a lizard the way I can with a kitten.” Not that Paws was in a cuddle mood either. He was currently rolling himself over my leg while I leaned back against the couch. “Lane and Ty have invited me down to their place in Florida, and if all goes well, maybe I’ll bring a Mistress, and we can chase lizards and snakes together.”

She didn’t even hesitate with her answer. “I’m afraid your future Mistress will leave the reptile-chasing to her girl because the Mistress prefers furry animals.”

Unbridled excitement tore through me, and I lifted Paws off my leg before I rose to my feet and hurried over to her.

“You said future Mistress!”

She smiled and pulled me in close, right where I wanted to be. “Did I?”

“You totally did.” I snaked my arms around her neck and brushed our noses together. “My hopes are high, just so you know.”

I understood why she was careful. And maybe I was okay with her cautiousness because she wasn’t difficult to read anymore. Her eyes seemed brighter, and she wasn’t holding back as much.

She didn’t say anything now either, and she didn’t have to. She leaned in and kissed me instead, holding me tightly, speaking with her actions. She wanted to hope, and that was enough for now.

I deepened the kiss, tasting her on my tongue, and I eased my fingers up into her soft waves.

She always smelled so damn amazing, like some kind of flowers—never too sweet, more fresh and just…perfect.

She slowed down the kiss and squeezed my butt through my shorts, until she took a breath and rested our foreheads together.

I cupped her face in my hands and ghosted my thumbs over her freckled skin.

“I wanted to ask you something earlier.” She averted her gaze to my shoulder and slipped her hands beneath the waistband of my shorts. “In that house with the big backyard and all the animals, are there kids too?”

Welp.

It wasn’t a shock, at the same time as it was. Dating women who were older than me had taught me a thing or two, and this question tended to come up earlier.

“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “I don’t want to claim I’m too young to have made up my mind, but I’m not in any camp yet, so to speak. I can say I’m not ready right now, all while sometimes saying stuff like, when I have kids… Kinda like that.”

The corner of her mouth turned up a fraction. “Good answer.”

“Yeah?”

She nodded and met my gaze again. “I was the same when I was your age. Then—nothing. Ella didn’t want children, and the notion wasn’t high up on my list either. But…being almost forty and starting fresh…” She winced. “I admit, I don’t want the door to be firmly shut.”

My stomach tightened with nerves in the best fucking way, because things were suddenly real. Maybe she didn’t dare hold out a lot of hope yet, but she was definitely gearing up for it. Otherwise, she’d never bring this up.

“It’s far from shut.” I kissed her again and mirrored her smile?—

Goddammit! Two loud knocks on the door let us know dinner was here. And Ash.

“We’ll talk more later.” She gave me a quick smooch before she went to open the door.

I blew out a breath and instinctively sought out Paws so he wouldn’t escape.

Penelope opened the door. “Nora, can you grab my wallet? I gotta tip the delivery man.”

“You’re funny. You’re so funny that I can’t stop laughing.” Ash strode in, seemingly always wearing his work clothes, and dropped a kiss to the top of Penelope’s head. “Interestin’ venue change for dinner, by the way.” He nodded at me and smirked lazily. “Daughter.”

I gigglesnorted. “Hey, Dad.”

“Uhhh…” Penelope lifted her brows.

So I had to explain. “I texted him the other night at, like, eleven…? And he was like, go to bed, kid, it’s late.”

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