Page 33 of Her Billionaire Bargain (Kensington Square)

I put my hand on her silky hair and prayed for strength. “I did, honey. His name is Bob.”

And he and his ridiculously attractive owner were walking up the driveway to my back door. Bob trotted beside Dex on his pink sparkly leash, some sort of bone clamped between his jaws, while Berry wiggled at my side in obvious joy.

Most people would’ve headed for the front door right away. It was painted a nice deep blue to catch the eye, so there was no way he could’ve missed it. But nope, here he was strolling toward the back, chatting in a low voice to Bob, who paid him no mind as he sniffed and marked every bush and plant I’d so lovingly added along the drive to go with the few that had already been there when we moved in.

“Mama, he’s peeing all over.”

“Yeah, honey, he is.”

“Can we have a dog? I’ll walk him and feed him and put him to bed in my rocker bed.”

Her rocker bed was a remnant from her childhood, made by her grandpa. Originally, it had been intended for one of her dolls, but she’d decided she liked to nap in it back when she was a tiny girl herself. I’d never been able to break her of the habit until she’d outgrown it.

Imagining Bob under the covers in the rocker bed made me swallow a laugh. Why did I have a feeling he’d be just fine with that level of coddling?

Dex spotted us in the window and lifted his hand in a wave as a devastating grin lifted his lips. Bob followed his gaze and started to bark.

“Oh, hey, it’s him, Mama.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “He’s wearing a Spiderman shirt.”

So he was. Along with another pair of faded jeans torn at the knees. Did he get them specially measured to his long, lean body? There was no way they could fit that well just off the rack.

“You didn’t mention he had a doggie!” Berry waved exuberantly, barely able to contain her excitement as she ran to the back door.

“Honey, he hasn’t even knocked yet,” I called. Under my breath, I added, “Or stated his business.”

She yanked open the door and ran outside, colliding with Dex as he unclipped Bob’s leash. He laughed, grabbing her shoulders to right her when she would’ve skidded on the wet flagstone from the overnight rain. “Hey, kiddo. Slow down. You’re going to slip—”

She was already on her knees with her arms around Bob while he slobber-kissed her as if they were long-term best friends. The sound of my little girl’s laughter warmed me so much that I leaned against the doorjamb, just to take in her big smile as she cuddled Bob.

Maybe I should get her a puppy. She was a responsible kid. If I ended up taking on a bit more of his care, so what? If Berry was happy, it would all be worth it.

I looked up to notice Dex watching me. And his expression wasn’t exactly one of fondness. More…wolf-ish.

I did not have room in my life for expressions like that. If I’d acted from instinct, I would’ve backed into the house and slammed the door shut. Instead, I threw back my shoulders and met his stare—which was how I didn’t notice right away Bob had spotted a bright red ball in the bushes and had broken away from Berry to snatch it.

He streaked down the driveway as the ball tumbled out of his mouth and Berry let out a joyful shriek as she chased after him.

I rushed out onto the minuscule back porch, leaning over the railing with Dex at my side. “Hey, wait, that’s the neighbors’ ball.” The kids were forever accidentally tossing it over into our yard.

Berry and Bob paid no mind, happily racing down the driveway in pursuit of their prize. Bob kept grabbing it and then losing it and Berry grabbed it and sent it bouncing again. I started to admonish Berry, then decided to let her have her fun with the dog. They weren’t hurting anything.

“I can go get the ball.” Dex was so close that his warm, minty breath was ruffling my hair. And I didn’t mind. Nor did I mind his large palm resting protectively on my back, probably to keep me from pitching over the railing in my attempt to keep my girl and his dog in my sights.

But I needed to make sure the boundaries were firmly in place.

“It’s fine. They’re having fun.” I glanced at him. “I won’t fall, Dex.”

“Maybe I will. Ever thought of that?” The twinkle in his green eyes was far too riveting. “You could be saving me from a near catastrophe.”

“Hardly.” I snorted. “This porch is six feet off the ground.”

Bob let out a sharp bark, and I looked over toward them to see Berry scrambling after the ball toward the street with Bob hot on her heels. A loud air horn from the big freight truck lumbering toward them sucked the oxygen from my lungs and the scream on its way out of my mouth. Visions of my little girl broken and battered in the road flashed in my head as I blindly rushed down the steps, my cheeks already wet.

God, no. This couldn’t be happening.

Then I realized Dex was already on the move, having leaped over the railing. His long legs ate up the ground amazingly fast and his shouts to my daughter were commanding and decisive—and had her stopping at the edge of the road to grab Bob’s collar as she looked back at him while the truck sped past.

Dex snatched the back of her shirt and hauled her against him in a hug that probably caused some bruises, but was so damn sweet that I couldn’t help crying. That had to be why I was crying.

---