Page 31 of Pretty Puppy

Lee chuckled. “I might be getting to that point as well. Let’s get going and stop at the grocery store so we can get stocked up with all your favorites. Sound good?”

Ash grinned. “Sounds amazing.”

Lee had taken him back for real, and that alone was worth any pride-crushing moments he had to endure.

Chapter Twelve

Once they finished shopping for groceries and got a new jacket for Ash—despite Ash’s protests he already had one in San Diego—they arrived home and enjoyed some hot chocolate in front of the fireplace, chatting about Lee’s recent renovations to the resort. Then they shared dinner making duties and Lee found himself vaulted into the past, the memories of their time together and falling in love flooding him with their intensity.

But this was now, and it was time to move forward in their renewed relationship.

“Gah, I’m stuffed.” Ash pushed his mostly empty plate away. “I want to take the last bites of the cauliflower potato mash, but I’ll explode.”

Lee chuckled. “We can’t have that. Much too messy to clean up.”

Ash smirked. “Such a comedian.” He patted his tummy. “I can’t believe you made that gross vegetable taste so good.”

“Well, you helped.” Lee rose from the glass dining room table, gathering his dishes. “Come on. Get your plates so we can wash everything up. I’m afraid I’ll be forced to go back to work tomorrow, so I want us to spend the next few hours before bed enjoying each other.”

Ash popped up from his chair. “Does ‘enjoy’ mean sex? Like, serious, hardcore, ass-pounding sex?”

Lee frowned at Ash before making his way to the kitchen. “It might, if you watch your smart mouth.” He glanced over his shoulder, Ash trailing after him with a fallen expression. “I need more romance from my sweetheart, that’s all.”

“Iwaskind of an asshole before, wasn’t I? I hope you’ll give me some time to prove I’ve changed before you give up on us.”

Lee set the dishes down on the counter with a clatter, startled at the sound of fear in Ash’s voice.

“Hey, don’t do that. C’mere.” He held out his arms and Ash stepped into them after putting his plates in the sink. Lee rocked Ash back and forth. “I fell in love with you then exactly as you were. Time and space only proved to me how real that love is, that it can’t be broken. I never thought of you as an asshole, not once.”

He pulled back, chuckling as he gazed down at Ash. “Perhaps aggravating and flighty at times. But still kind-hearted, funny, smart and beautiful. That hasn’t changed. Cut yourself a break, okay? I already told you the past is the past.”

Ash nodded, exhaling with a long sigh. “Okay. You’re right. I’ve had five years of regret, of playing things over in my head until I thought I’d go crazy.” He rubbed his backside. “And I’ve paid the price in more ways than one.”

“Same.”

Ash arched his eyebrows. “Seriously? I was the one who fucked up.”

“Language.”

“Screwed up.”

Lee quirked a smile. “Better. As I said, I played my part, too. Let’s move past all that. I want to live in the present.” He lifted his eyebrows. “In the now, right?”

“Right as usual, Daddy.”

They went back to cleaning up, and as Lee got the coffee maker ready for the next morning’s brew, he decided it would be a good time to bring up another aspect of their relationship they hadn’t discussed too much yet.

“Are you still Champ when you’re a puppy?”

Ash regarded him with a grin, leaning with his back against the sink. “Yeah. But Champ hasn’t been getting any attention lately. Hasn’t for a while.” He poked out his bottom lip. “Poor pooch.”

Lee grinned back. “I think we should do something about that tonight. What do you say?”

Ash wiggled his hips and twirled around. “Yes! I say yes.” He made an abrupt stop. “Do I still get a treat when I twirl?”

“Champdoes.”

Ash’s mouth rounded in a small ‘o’. “What sort of pup treats do you have? I can dolotsof twirling.”

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