Page 8 of Merry with a Single Dad

“Foot. She’s having double bunion surgery,” I said.

“Ouch.”

“Yeah,” I added, laying halfway on him after crawling into bed with him.

It started with little circles and swirls of his finger on my back. His hand moved lower and lower. When he slipped underthe soft fabric of my nightie, electric zings zipped through me, and my body tingled.

Featherlight tickles against my skin woke me up.

When I glanced up, he had that look in his eyes that let me know I could say no if I wanted.

But I didn’t want to.

I wanted him.

All over again.

All over me.

“Em,” he whispered my name. And as quiet as it was, it was husky and sexy as shit.

I pulled him to me, so now he was half on top of me.

Our mouths met.

The kiss was slow, deep, almost worshipful.

Even though we had to be quiet because Hudson was down the hall sleeping, we could take our time tonight.

There was no timetable to meet. No one-hour time limit.

We didn’t have to hurry.

So, we didn’t.

Chapter Four

Emily

“Get the balls!” Hudson yelled.

Four furry bodies charged after the balls we threw. Gigi had been with us for a couple of weeks now and had become an honorary member of our fur family. Luke, Moose, Rufus, and Gigi raced back to us, the yellow tennis balls tucked between their jaws. On command, they dropped them at our feet.

“Good job!” he said, patting each of them with me as we rewarded them with rubs to their heads and ears.

Luke’s giant, lolling tongue dangled from his mouth as he smiled up at us. Of course, he wasn’t really smiling, but for a dog, that’s exactly what it looked like. This dog still yanked at my heartstrings. For as much trouble as he was sometimes, he was just like my boys—wanting love, affection, and praise.

Gigi, in true fashion, sat prim and proper. She hardly needed any commands. Celine worked with her daily on her routine, and part of that was a morning run-through before she took her on a walk.

I jerked my head toward the edge of the fence line. “You want to see who will win?” I asked Hudson.

He grinned, nodding enthusiastically. “I think Moose will,” he said as we moved to the starting line.

“You do? Hmm,” I murmured. “I think Luke will.”

Our racers sat on their invisible markers.

“Okay, on three,” I said to Hudson, then waited for him to count down. We threw the balls as far as we could and yelled “Race!” together.

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