Page 19 of All Autumn
Like hell that was going to happen without me being there to watch over her. Thinking of some dude’s hands on her made me want to break something. This entire conversation was pissing me off. “Beau is yours,” I said, as much to surprise her as to get her off the subject of Asheville’s cute guys.
She glanced down at the puppy, now asleep on her lap, then looked at me. “What do you mean?”
When I’d thought of asking Jenn if she and Dylan would be willing to give up one of Daisy’s puppies, the idea had been to cheer Autumn up. Somehow she’d found her cheer without my help.
“I mean that he now belongs to you if you want him. You work from home unless you have an appointment, and he’ll be good company. As he grows older, he’ll make a great guard dog. If you don’t, Jenn said to send him back home.”
Her eyes lit up, and she lifted the puppy in the air. “Did you hear that, Beau? You’re mine now.” Beauregard yawned.
“I have a bunch of stuff for him in my car. Food, leash, bed, his favorite treats. I’ll go get them.”
When I stood, she set Beau on the sofa, then jumped up and gave me a hug. I closed my eyes and swallowed a groan while managing not to bury my nose in her hair and breathing in her cinnamon and apple scent.
Down, boy.
She was going to feel what was happening below my belt in about five seconds. “I’ll just go get that stuff.” When I reached my car, I put my hands on the roof and dipped my head, giving myself a firm talking-to. Everything about Autumn suddenly fascinated me, and I was seeing a woman who’d been a friend since first grade in a whole new light.
My timing sucked. Why couldn’t I have had this revelation before Brian came into the picture? All she needed from me now was to be her friend. Not to mention that if Jenn got a hint of what was going on in my head, she’d castrate me for the things I’d like to do with Autumn.
I slapped my hand on the car’s roof. Orphaned at the age of nineteen, Adam and I had made something of ourselves by sheer willpower and determination. Those were both strengths I would call on to get my act together. Loaded down with puppy supplies, I headed back inside, satisfied I’d gotten my head back where it belonged.
“Ican’t believeDylan and Jenn were willing to give up one of their puppies,” Autumn said as we ambled along behind Beau.
“Only because it was you.” We’d grilled hamburgers, each had two glasses of wine, and I think we were both feeling pretty mellow. Autumn was still in her happy place, and I hoped she meant it when she’d said that she was done being sad. I didn’t hope she meant it when she’d said she was going to go trolling in Asheville.
It was a clear spring night, only a little chilly. The dog was stretched out to the end of his leash, darting from one interesting smell to another. I breathed in the fresh mountain air as I lifted my head to see the stars.
“Quick, make a wish,” I said as a falling star shot across the sky.
She tilted her face up. “Oh, cool. Okay, I made mine. What’d you wish?”
I bumped shoulders with her. “If I tell you, it won’t come true.” Without even thinking about it, I’d wished that someday I’d get to kiss her.
“Then I’m not telling you either.” She slipped her arm around mine.
Now that I’d thought it, wished it, kissing Autumn was in my mind like a drug I had to have. To knock the image of my mouth on Autumn’s out of my head, I said, “Are you nervous about our upcoming trial?”
She exhaled a long breath. “A little. I can’t believe Brian refuses to drop the breaking and entering charges.”
“I’m guessing he’s hoping that will be your incentive to take him back.” I still hadn’t told her the offer he’d made to me.
She gave a very unladylike snort. “Not going to happen.”
Which meant we would have to keep our court date next week. That was going to be interesting.
“Think we’ll be found guilty and have to go to jail? I don’t look real good in orange.”
I grinned down at her. “I choose to believe our attorney.” We’d hired Jed McConnell, one of two lawyers in Blue Ridge Valley, to represent both of us. He was young, aggressive, and smart. He swore that, if we were found guilty, the most we’d get was community service. Of course, if we were found guilty, that would mean we’d both have a record. Brian was proving to be a real pain in the ass.
“Do you still love him, Autumn?” That question had come out of my mouth from nowhere. Probably because as hard as I’d tried to stop thinking of kissing Autumn, I’d failed.
“I don’t know. I don’t want to.”
It wasn’t the answer I wanted to hear.
11
~ Autumn ~
