Page 68 of Taming Georgia

“You had a shitty hand,” he tells me. “An ace won’t do you a bit of good if douche bag over here”—his thumb cocks toward Xavier—“has a hand of trump cards, which you named hearts even though you didn’t have either of the jacks. Remember the jack of hearts and diamonds are crucial to have if going alone.”

He smiles warmly at me, and I know he’s just trying to get me to understand this game, which I find very confusing.

“Yep, horrible hand,” Xavier says.

Luciana nods in agreement, though she’s too sweet to say it out loud.

“I suck,” I admit with a sigh.

“You’ll get it.” Wyatt rubs my thigh. “Just don’t go alone for the time being.” He winks.

“Deal,” I agree.

Luciana shuffles the deck, and I pick up one of the puppies sleeping in my lap and kiss him. He yawns and breathes his puppy breath onto my face. Puppy breath…another scent that will always connect me to Michigan.

The sting of my epic suckage at all things Euchre is softened by the fact that I get to snuggle with sleeping puppies while playing. Dating a guy who owns a shelter has it perks.

We play for a couple more hours, and because of me, Wyatt and I lose every time. It doesn’t seem to bother him that I’m not picking it up easily. In fact, he’s smiled more than his normal grumpy self. I love when he smiles. He’s incredibly handsome always, but that smile of his gets me every time. Xavier and Luciana say their good-byes and head home for the night.

I put the puppies back with their mother and plop down on the office couch, lying across it. Cooper licks my hands as they dangle off the edge. Wyatt sits down at the end of the sofa and places my feet in his lap. He removes my tennis shoes and rubs my feet over my socks. I groan in pleasure.

“That feels amazing,” I tell him with a sigh. My eyes closed, I relax. I’m startled when a furball jumps onto my chest, purring loudly as he nuzzles into me. “Jeez,” I say to the feline that so rudely interrupted my quiet time. “This one’s new,” I say to Wyatt. “Actually, we have a few new office kitties, don’t we?”

“They’re Ethel’s,” he says. “We’re cat-sitting them while she visits family.”

“Oh, yeah. I forgot to ask where she was today. Where’s her family?”

“I have no idea. I didn’t know she had much family. I think she has some cousins in Florida.”

“She went to Florida? How long is she going to be gone?” I’m glad she’s taking time off, but I feel bad that I didn’t wish her safe travels. She didn’t tell me she was going anywhere. I would’ve said good-bye.”

“I’m not certain she went to Florida. She’s been weird lately. I try not to ask too many questions.”

I reach down and pat his arm. “You should ask questions. Show her you care.”

“She knows I care.”

“I know she does but still. Sometimes, we have to go out of the way to show the ones we love that we love them.”

“I promise you, she knows I love her.”

“Okay, just saying.” I stretch my arms out over my head with a purr as Wyatt moves his adoration over to my other foot.

The fluffy orange cat snuggles against my side.

“This one’s sweet,” I say of the cat.

“Yeah, so I’m told. Ethel calls him Pumpkin.”

Wyatt finishes massaging my feet and stands. He holds out his hand for me, and I grab it. He pulls me up off of the sofa.

“Come on, let’s go home,” he says.

My breath hitches at his request, particularly the wordhome.I don’t know why. It’s stupid. I know he’s not implying anything by it, but my heart rate quickens just the same.

Wyatt must notice my reaction because he clarifies, “My home. Do you want to stay over at my place?”

I smile wide, reassuring him that he didn’t say anything wrong. “Absolutely. Let’s go.”

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