Page 11 of Unravel Me

“Here.” Adam’s at my side in an instant, taking Piglet’s leash in his hand, swapping me for Bear’s. “You take Bear down; I’ll get Pig.”

Before I can protest, he leans down, kisses her forehead, and then stands and pats his chest. Piglet rises to her hind legs, paws on Adam’s torso, and he hoists her into his arms.

“’Atta girl,” he chimes as my mouth gapes. “Go ahead.”

I look down at Bear, and he cocks his head to the side, like he’s thinking he might want a ride too. “Not a chance, big fella.”

He huffs, then starts trotting back down the stairs. When we reach the ground, Piglet’s looking mighty smug and content in Adam’s arms.

I roll my eyes as she licks behind his ear. “You little flirt.”

Adam sets Pig down and takes his hat off, running his fingers through his tousled curls before covering them up again. “Did you drive here?”

I shake my head.

“Do you, uh…need a ride? I walked here, but I don’t live far. We could walk to my place, and I could drive you back.”

“That’s okay. The shelter isn’t far from here.”

Adam nods, glancing over his shoulder. He scratches his neck and points behind him. “Well, I’m going that way.”

I point in the opposite direction. “And I’m going that way.”

His head bobs. “Guess this is where we say good-bye.”

Now I’m the one head-bobbing. It’s so awkward. So I make it a hundred times more awkward by thrusting my hand out. “Nice to meet you.”

He looks at my hand, then back up to me. At my hand again, then me. He grins, so wide, so amused, so damnsmug. “A handshake, huh? So formal.”

My eyes narrow, arms going across my chest. “What do you suggest?”

He shrugs, and when he takes a step toward me, my heart jumps to my throat.

“You know, Rosie. I wasn’t having the best day when I ran into you. Or rather, when my dog tackled you to the ground. Maybe he knew what he was doing, though. Because my day got a hundred times better after you fell into it.”

He takes another step forward, and in all the panic that ensues at the thought that this handsome, kind man might actually be…flirtingwith me, I lose control of my body, accidentally crossing one ankle over the other and promptly tripping over my own two feet, crashing into him.

Adam chuckles in my ear, low and hearty, his breath tumbling down my neck as he holds me to him. “You’re trouble, aren’t you?”

That t-word sparks something inside me, something lost and broken, and I cling to Adam as he squeezes me for a moment that ends too soon.

He gives Piglet’s chin a scratch, and with one last look in my direction, he winks at me. “See ya around, trouble.”

CHAPTER4

I’LL TAKE THE WHOLE BOTTLE, PLEASE

ADAM

I’m dying.

Figuratively, of course.Maybeliterally. Ask me again in two hours.

An ankle hooks around mine below the table, and I barely resist the urge to drag my hands down my face. I clear my throat, unhook my leg, and carefully tuck both of my feet below the safety of my chair. I take a sip of my red wine, set it down, and then pick it right back up and throw back the rest of the nine-year-old pinot noir when the tip of Alessia’s heeled foot touches mine again.

“You really like wine, huh?” she asks, blue eyes hooded, lashes batting.

“That obvious, huh?” I don’t think I’ve ever tossed back two glasses in less than ten minutes.

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