Page 52 of The ABCs of You & Me

She pulls into her parents’ driveway, and we are immediately greeted by several dogs. A small white one I recognize as Yogurt goes absolutely bananas when he sees Sophie.

I wish I could show affection like a dog, I think as I watch her drop down to fully absorb the canine love.

“Sophie Elizabeth Hore, you’re going to be covered in mud!” I hear Nancy shout from the porch.

“That’s the goal, Mom!” she calls back, cackling as another dog pulls her attention away from Yogurt.

Two seconds later, she’s on her butt and five more dogs take the opportunity to get in on the action. Her hand shoots straight up, and I take it as a sign she’d like help so I grab and pull. Except in my enthusiasm I pull her so hard she loses her balance and falls into me.

Deep breaths, I tell myself as every part of her body connects with me.Abort!Deep breaths mean I’m overwhelmed by the smell of her. Citrus and honey flood my nose, and I find myself pulling her in a bit tighter.

She’s got a small smudge of dirt on her forehead, and I reach up to wipe it off. As I do that, her eyes meet mine, and everything stops. My thumb on her head, my arm around her waist, blinking, my heart—heck, the earth probably stops spinning too.

“You don’t have to pretend here!” Cass yells from the porch.

Sophie blinks, and a small smile appears, so small one might call it sad. That’s what my delusional mind tries to convince me of, anyway. Her smile is reflecting my feelings about this all being pretend and also not getting to pretend a little longer today.

I reluctantly let her go and step back, missing the feel of her instantly.

“I’m going to have quite the bruise, I think,” she murmurs as we make our way to the house, the dogs circling our legs the entire way.

“Where?”

“My right cheek,” she says, and when I look over her face, she laughs. “Not that cheek.”

I feel the blood rush north and south as I realize she’s talking about her ass.

Don’t say you’ll check it for her,I warn myself.And stop thinking about her asking.

“How’s the fam?” Cass asks.

“They’re fi—” I begin to say, but the second I cross the threshold into the Hores’ home, I’m bowled over by the delicious smells wafting from the kitchen.

“He’s about to learn the real reason I skipped out on family Easter,” I hear Cass say, but she sounds far away. Can smells dampen sound?

The scent of warm spices fills the air along with pastry, butter, and bacon. I have to swallow again and again to keep from drooling.

“I think we’ve lost him,” Sophie murmurs.

The sound of her voice brings me back, and I look over only to discover she’s not next to me as there’s a tug on my foot. She’s kneeling in front of me, untying my shoes, and god help me I wish the sight of her down there didn’t do what it’s doing to me. There is nothing sexual about untying someone’s shoes in the presence of family, but that doesn’t stop my mind from trying to make it a thing. When her gaze meets mine, my knees literally wobble.

“Um, you don’t have to do that,” I stammer, quickly dropping to one knee to take over the task.

“My mom’s breakfasts tend to have a paralyzing effect on first-timers,” she whispers, her face level with mine.

So does that darn smile.

“Cass has bragged about her breakfasts for years. I should have been prepared,” I say as my brain starts to acclimate.

Sophie releases my laces and stands as I finish my right shoe and stand to toe each one off. I need to pull it together.

A high-pitched squeal has me nearly jumping out of my skin as a dark-haired woman steps into the foyer and enthusiastically embraces Sophie.

“Oh my god, I shouldn’t hug you so hard,” Sophie says, stepping back, her hands hovering over the other woman’s abdomen. “May I?”

The woman, who I now realize must be Marley, the Hores’ neighbor, shrugs. “I mean, not much to feel right now, but go ahead.”

Sophie lays her hands gently on Marley and smiles serenely. “I can’t believe there’s gonna be a li’l Bennett or Marley running around soon.”

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