Finn chose one of each color, the blonde, the chocolate runt, and the friendly black puppy. The assistant took the rest back to their pen.
“Two girls and a boy,” Kyle said.
They observed them playing together and with only three pups, the runt seemed to come out of her shell and was now holding her own with her rough and tumble siblings.
“Dad, you know I was thinking, it’d be sad for Charlie not to have a sister or brother. He might get lonely.”
Ella’s heart ached, “But he’ll have you Finn. You can sleep and play together.”
“But what about when I’m in school?”
“Son, you’ve got to pick one. That was our agreement.”
Finn’s face scrunched up in concentration, “Well, I like them all but seems like Charlie picked me.”
Ella held the chocolate lab while Finn deliberated. She fell asleep in her arms. Kyle put his arm around her and nibbled on her ear. “Lucky puppy,” he whispered.
Kyle found himself becoming aroused watching her snuggling the pup against her breasts. He wished it were himself nestled there. She glanced up and caught him staring and gave him a wide smile, her eyes sparkling with happiness. He leaned down and kissed her softly on her full lips. “You’re so beautiful.”
She whispered, “Kyle, what if I took Lucy here and you and Finn take Charlie. Then they could have play dates and they wouldn’t be lonely.”
His laugh lines crinkled around his eyes as he said, “I knew it. I called this one the minute we sat down.”
She laughed, “You did not!”
“I swear.”
“What’s so funny?” Finn asked.
“Looks like Charlie doesn’t have to be lonely. Ms. Softy here thinks she would like to take Lucy home with us as well.”
Finn jumped up and threw his arms around Ella waking the sleeping puppy. “I love you so much Ella! Lucy ya hear that? You’re coming home with us too!”
Kyle was moved by the scene before him, it could be a scene from a Norman Rockwell painting. He suddenly felt fiercely protective and knew he would go to any lengths to safeguard his family.Family.Well there it was.Now he was going to have to do something about that.
“Well I guess we’ve made our decision. Let’s get out of here before we end up with three.” Kyle said.
On the way home Finn sat in the back talking to Charlie, telling him all about his new home and the adventures they would have together. Ella held Lucy, asleep in her lap. Kyle reached over for Ella’s hand and squeezed tight. She squeezed back.It was scary to feel this deeply,Kyle mused. He had never felt this exposed in his life. It also brought out his primal protectiveness which equaled his sense of vulnerability.
Ella was having her own inner battle. She had yet to mention the L word out loud. Did Kyle feel the same? Was she fooling herself to think that this was more than an affair? He was the most beautiful man she had ever laid eyes on and a billionaire to boot. She wished he wasn’t. Why couldn’t he be some average Joe? Who did she think she was? How could she ever hold his interest for the long haul? She knew the man sitting next to her held her heart in the palm of his hand. If this ended tomorrow, she would never be the same.
She knew she had to work up her courage to have a serious conversation sometime soon. But not tonight. She didn’t want this to end yet. She wasn’t ready to hear that he didn’t feel the same. For now, she’d be content to live in the moment. It was too late anyway. She was already in the deepest of waters, she just hoped that she didn’t drown.
31
Deb and Ella sat on her living room floor playing tug of war with Lucy and an old sock. She was growling and flinging her head from side to side like a real badass, all ten pounds of her.
“She is adorable!” Deb said.
“I think my old hound Bernie is smiling down on us.”
“He’s probably thinking,it’s about time, Mom.”
“In a few months Lucy will be able to go on my runs with me.”
“So tell me how are things with the billionaire?”
Ella blew out a big breath, “Do you have to remind me that he’s out of my league?”