Page 61 of Winning the Nightcap

She jerks back, seemingly shocked I would offer at all. “Aiden, no. I can’t take your money while…while we’re…”

“While we’re what, Bec?” I ask, arching an eyebrow in her direction, daring her to admit what we’re becoming…what we are to each other already.

“While we’re…talking.”

“Hmm…that’s right…talking.Conversationswith you are certainly my favorite.”

“Aiden, be serious, I can’t accept a donation from you—that’d be wrong. I’m not telling you about all this so you’ll throw your money at me. Just…just let me work with New Hope. We’ll figure this out.”

“Why would that be wrong? It’s okay to rely on other people sometimes, Bec. You think I’m playing professional ball because I did it all on my own? Fuck no, I had help from more people than I can count. It’s more than okay to ask for help. And it’s okay to accept an offer when it’ll be useful for what we both know is a great cause. Let me help, Bec.”

“I don’t know. It feels weird. How about you just come to the event and get Hop a sibling? Help in that way.”

“As much as I would love that, Hopper needs my full attention right now, especially with my schedule picking back up soon. But I’ll be there for whatever else you need.”

I didn’t expect Bec to draw a line between her professional life and me. There’s no reason I wouldn’t want to lend a hand to a cause as great as this when I have plenty to give. But a small part of me does feel relieved to know she isn’t eager to dive into my wallet. Not that I ever thought she would be—I know Bec isn’t that type of person—but after a few dates gone wrong, it’s something I steer clear of when it becomes obvious.

“Having you there in a show of support will be more than enough. I…I really appreciate you being such a great listener.”

Bec gives me an idea—unintentionally, I’m sure. She doesn’t know it yet, but there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to support her. This is just our beginning.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Bec

The morning of the adoption event, the drone of my apartment buzzer startles me, even though I’m already awake. I’ve been staring at the ceiling of my bedroom, unable to fall back asleep after a fitful night, racked with nerves. I drag myself to the intercom.

Who would buzz me this early? It’s seven in the morning.

“Hello?” I call out, voice still groggy.

“Good morning, sunshine. Caffeine delivery to the hottest dog trainer in town.”

His voice has me straightening up immediately. “Aiden? What are you doing here?”

He chuckles on the other end of the speaker, and I can practically hear his smirk as he replies slowly, enunciating every syllable, “I repeat. Caffeine delivery. Can Hop and I come up?”

“Uh, yeah, sure. Just give me just a second.” I hit the buzzer to open the entrance door and begin to run around in a flurry, trying to find some pants. I settle for a pair of pajama shorts and don’t have time to replace my holey, ancient T-shirt before he’s knocking at my door. Dammit, why don’t I sleep in cuter clothes? I haven’t had to worryabout this since Josh.

I open the door to find Hopper sitting at Aiden’s side, but his paws start to dance with excitement while he tries to restrain himself from leaping on me. Aiden is dressed in joggers, a sweatshirt, and a simple jacket. He shouldn’t look that yummy in lazy clothes while I look like something that crawled out from underneath the bed on Halloween.

“Hey, gorgeous,” he says. Aiden cues Hop to follow while he walks through the doorway, pressing a light kiss to my forehead as he passes me by. A familiar flutter starts in my stomach at the simple, sweet gesture. The enticing aroma of coffee pulls me into the kitchen, and I join Aiden while he unpacks a drink carrier. “This is for you. They added sugar, but I thought you could use extra…get over here.”

He reaches out, wrapping his hand around mine and hauling me into his firm chest. His fingers find their way from my jaw to the back of my neck as he leans down, kissing me with unsatiated hunger. I kiss him back with enthusiasm and use my hands to pull him closer to me by the front of his sweatshirt. A small moan escapes me as he pulls away, both of us breathing each other in.

When I open my eyes, his are still closed. He leans farther into our embrace, tucking my head against his chest. We stay there, in no hurry to separate, and he holds me tightly in his arms. I love a steamy kiss, but you can tell a lot by the way a person hugs too. The feeling of Aiden around me is comforting and exhilarating all at once. His hold on me tightens briefly for a moment before he pulls back.

“I missed you,” he says.

“It’s only been a few days since I’ve seen you.”

“I’ve become addicted. A few days feels like a lifetime.” He reaches around me to grab my coffee and hand it to me. “Big day today. You ready?”

I sigh and take a sip. “You couldn’t have picked a better day to save me with coffee. I couldn’t sleep at all lastnight. I’m exhausted, but I’m ready.”

“You should have called me. I could have come over to help you work through those nerves.”

I smile at him over the lid of my drink. “Yeah, I bet you could have. But then, I don’t think that would have helped me get any more sleep.”

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