Page 48 of One More Chance

“That makes two of us.”

I eventually pull into the driveway of a sprawling ranch house. The distracted Simone at the beginning of the trip has transformed into the grinning woman next to me. We walk up the path to the front door.

“You ready, Trouble, to get our puppy?”

“Absolutely, Cannon.” She directs her grin at me, and it’s the best feeling.

Simone rings the bell. The crisp sound fades, replaced by the rapid fire of little barks from the other side of the door that grow louder.

The front door clicks open and several little noses poke out through the narrow gap.

“Hi, Simone,” the woman says, still keeping the door mostly shut. “And you must be Lucas.”

“That’s right. And you’re Tina?” I reply.

Simone is too busy smiling at the yapping golden furballs to pay attention to us.

“That would be me. Hold on a second.” Tina shuts the door. When she reopens it a moment later, the puppies are chasing after a ball that is rolling in the opposite direction. “Come on in.”

We step into the house. A few of the puppies decide we’re more interesting than the ball and come tumbling toward us.

“They’re so adorable!” Simone crouches and holds out her hand for them to sniff. They lick her fingers, and her expression almost does me in.

I’d get her a dozen puppies if it kept that smile on her face.

Tina kneels and pets one of the dogs. “This would be the one you fell in love with when you saw the videos. Why don’t we go into the backyard so you guys can get to know the puppies better before you make a final decision.”

We follow her into the fenced off garden, the puppies bounding after us. They’re small now, but they’ll end up bigger than Troy’s Cavapoo.

We spend the next hour playing with them.

Simone tosses the ball. A few of the puppies are now snoozing in a sunny spot. Others have gone off to explore a different distraction. One little guy goes chasing after the ball and pounces on it. Simone laughs, threads her fingers with mine, and takes me over to where he’s playing.

She releases my hand, crouches, and fusses over the pup. He yaps and wrestles with her fingers. He’s a cute and rambunctious little squirt who already has Simone wrapped around his paw.

I crouch next to her, but instead of watching the puppy, who is now tugging on my sneaker shoelace, I smile at the way Simone is all lit up as she watches him.

“What do you think?” she asks me, her eyes bright. “Who’s your favorite?”

My smile widens into a grin. “The same one who has stolen your heart.” I pat his head and gently disengage him from his target.

22

Simone

My husband of eleven days is standing on the scaffolding, fastening the window trim to the house Troy and his crew are renovating. Lucas’s shirtless muscles flex and bulge as he works, and the hot midday sun is turning his tanned body into a glistening tease.

I lick my lower lip, imagining what it would feel like to trace my tongue over the finely crafted ridges and valleys of his body.

Tasting him.

Exploring him.

The air releases from my lungs with an audible sigh. Or whimper.

This…this Lucas is not the one from my college days. This Lucas is all man. All mouthwatering, leaves-my-body-tingling-at-his-touch man. And I want him. Badly.

“Hey, Simone,” Troy calls out.

---