“It’s not a date.” I say to the dogs, who are less concerned about my anxious statement and more interested in following me around the house as I fret over the perfect outfit. I figure Dorian has seen me at my worst, so any effort I make today will be a vast improvement. I’ve washed and blown out my hair. I’ve shaved my legs and other parts of my body. I’m applying a light coat of mascara to my lashes and a thin layer of tinted gloss to my lips. Now I just have to find a top that’s flirty without being overly sexual, trying but not trying because this is not a date.
I am coming over to meet his sister and her pit bull, as well as get a feel for the house.
I’ve never taken three fosters on a road trip except when I’ve transported a crew to an adoption event.
Last night, Dorian called me as soon as he got home, and we exchanged armchair quarterback commentary until the game ended with the Packers on top by six. It was a close game, and while I yelled a lot, he laughed, which felt oddly comfortable and familiar like something old friends do.
Then he sent me a good night text. And this morning I woke to a good morning text. And after texting with each other all day, I’m struggling to remind myself that this isn’t a date. He confirmed his sister is a fan and would bring her books to the house for me to sign. I’m thrilled to do it because I love meeting fans. In the six years I’ve been published, I’ve hit USA Today once, but never the New York Times, so I’m considered a mid-list author with a decent-sized fanbase. I’m also hybrid, which means not all my books are available in the bookstore, so I grab a gift bag and place one of each of my self-published paperbacks inside, intending to gift DeeDee with a copy of anything she doesn’t already own.
Then I situate the puppies in their kennels and drive to Dorian’s house, a nice rancher with a walkout basement nestled in a cul-de-sac, which usually means a big backyard. I park in the driveway per his direction. Dorian comes out in a pair of well-worn jeans and another fitted T-shirt, this one straining over his pectoral muscles, letting me know exactly how well-defined he is.
“Hey.” He greets me with a smile and a kiss on my cheek.
“Hi.”
“Can I help you unload the puppies?” He follows me to the back of my SUV.
“I thought we’d bring in one puppy at a time, so they don’t overwhelm Brutus.” I open Romeo’s kennel first.
“Whatever you think is best.”
A very pregnant woman stands in the doorway, her hand on her belly. Dorian introduces me, and then we meet Brutus, whose temperament is a perfect match for Romeo. I leave them to play and bring in Candy and then Chastity. We have the four dogs outside in a matter of minutes, Brutus taking on the role of a wonderful older brother for the twelve-week-old puppies.
“You were right, Dorian. I’m in love with Romeo.” DeeDee says as she texts her husband. She glances at me. “Do you already have an application in for him?”
“Not yet. Your brother convinced me to hold off until we could meet today.” I grin at Dorian, who is leaning against the doorway, staring at me, a smile playing at his lips.
“Well, I’d like to put in an application.” DeeDee raises her phone. “John will be here in two minutes.”
“If you get Romeo, which one should I adopt?” Dorian asks.
DeeDee watches the dogs as they chase each other around the yard. “I like Chastity for you. She’s bossy and a little sassy, and I think you need that in your life.”
He shakes his head. “You think I need a hard-headed female demanding things from me?”
“Yes.” His sister says plainly, her gaze going to her husband as he comes through the back door.
I laugh and use the distraction as an opportunity to go to my car and bring in my gift bag of goodies.
After thirty-minutes of playtime and a quick walk to DeeDee’s house to do an inspection, as well as talk books, I have a home for Romeo and Chastity. Dorian is now interested in adopting Candy too because—like me—he can’t fathom breaking them apart. I’m thrilled I’ve found homes that will keep them as a family, even if they sleep in different beds at night, but I’m also overwhelmed at the prospect of losing my babies so quickly and concerned my attraction to Dorian is blinding me to any warning signs.
Dorian pulls me into the kitchen as DeeDee and her husband walk outside to watch the puppies play. “What’s wrong?”
I shake my head, tears springing to my eyes. “I’m going to miss them so much.”
“You can come see them any time you like.” He pulls me into his chest and wraps his arms around me. He smells amazing. While it might be nothing more than soap, he’s got a woodsy, spicy scent to his heated skin, and I want to sink into his embrace.
“I like to keep in touch when the adopters are amenable,” I mumble against his chest.
He pulls back and lifts my chin with his fingers. “I hope we do a lot more than keep in touch, Cersei. Now that business is complete, I’d like to take you out.”
I smile. I can’t believe this hot guy wants to take me out. Yes, I write romance for a living, but I don’t experience it firsthand often. “Aren’t you cooking me dinner tonight?”
“Yes, I am, but I didn’t want to presume this was a first date.”
“What is the difference between cooking me dinner and a first date?”
He licks his lips, his head tilting toward me, his gaze zeroing in on my mouth. “Well, to start, a date would end in a kiss.”
I suck in my breath, mesmerized by the intensity of his gaze. He has the look of a starved man, and I’m dessert. Last night I thought I’d imagine it, but now I’m sure the attraction is mutual and my lustful thoughts are not in vain. “Maybe you should kiss me now and get it over with.”
He grins and kisses the tip of my nose. “When I kiss you, my sister and her husband will not be within earshot. Speaking of which, I’m going to kick them out so I can start dinner.”
As if DeeDee knew he was talking about her, she walks around the corner at the same time Dorian pulls away, leaving me cold and aching for more. “So, we filled out the application and sent the adoption fee for all three puppies to the PayPal account you gave me. Can you check to ensure it transferred?”
I pull my phone out of my pocket, and just as she said, a notification for the payment is there. “All good.”
“Great. We’re going to run to the pet store to buy beds, food, toys, and whatever else strikes our fancy.” DeeDee smiles and grabs her purse. “We’ll leave you guys to your dinner and come back to pick up Brutus and Romeo in an hour.”
“Make it two hours,” Dorian says as he puts a giant pot on the stove and casts her a look I think she’s seen before.
DeeDee rolls her eyes and follows John out the front door, waving goodbye over her head.
Dorian chuckles and shakes his head, and I note the sibling teasing and love between them.
“Can I help with anything?” I offer halfheartedly.
“No offense, but—” he shakes his head “—I don’t want you touching my stove.”
I smack his arm as I feign shock. “Fine, I’ll stand here and be pretty instead.”
“You’re doing a damn fine job, too.” He winks at me, and I melt a little more inside.
“What are you cooking?”
“Steak and shrimp Alfredo.”
My jaw drops open. “You’re going to cook me surf and turf when I couldn’t cook a frozen pizza without charring it to a crisp?”
He shrugs. “I’m trying to impress you, remember?”
I wait until he turns toward me, his hands full of shrimp, and slide my fingers onto either side of his neck, pulling his lips down to my own. With his hands full, I kiss him with all the wanton desire surging through my veins. For a man who can’t touch me, he holds me captive with his tongue and backs me up against the counter with his size and prowess.
He bites my lip, making me moan and pull my head back. “What are you doing to me, Cersei?”
I gasp for breath, as surprised by my forwardness as Dorian. “Well… I figure I’m not going to impress you with my cooking—”
He leans his forehead against mine. “So, you’ll impress me with your kisses instead?”
“Are you impressed?”
“Very.” He kisses me chastely before pulling away and tossing the shrimp into a large pan. Then he turns to the sink and lathers up his hands before rinsing them clean, his eyes on me the entire time. After drying off, he backs me into the corner cabinet, his chest pressed against mine, hands gripping the counter on either side of my hips. He has an intensity about him that I like, one completely focused on me at this moment. Otherwise he seems easygoing, but right now, I can’t mistake the direction of his need and desire as anywhere other than where it is. Me. “But the next time you sneak attack me like that, I will not restrain myself, and our dinner will go up in smoke.”
I grin. “I don’t want to ruin an amazing meal, but I wanted to make sure you knew this was a date.”
“Oh, it’s definitely a date.”