“Caroline, can you please go wash your hands?”
“Five more minutes?” Caroline begged.
“Now, please. I won’t ask again.”
Caroline rolled onto her belly and hopped to her feet. Though Sherlock remained lazily on his back, Riggs spun around just as quickly and trotted off toward the kitchen. Distracted, Caroline knelt to give Sherlock a belly rub.
“I hear you want a rematch in Monopoly,” he said to Caroline, hands on his hips in a taunt. He hoped to draw her attention away from the dog and closer to washing up.
“Yeah!” She shimmied to her feet and raced over to him, mimicking him with her own tiny hands on her hips. “I got robbed!”
“Well, you cook that lasagna tomorrow, and we’ll play Monopoly.”
“Yay!” She hopped up and down a few times, riling Sherlock from his lazy spot on the rug. When she hugged Denver’s leg, Sherlock pushed his way in and leaned in, too.
“Better get those hands washed, don’t you think?”
“Okay!” Caroline darted for the half bath tucked around the corner from the kitchen.
“Thank you.” Sophie’s appreciative, dazzling smile graced her soft lips. Lips Denver dreamed almost nightly of kissing. If his plan played out, maybe he’d get that very chance next week at the Moose Days Festival. No way he would give up on winning Sophie without at least getting in a kiss.
“Rematch!” Caroline announced when she popped out of the bathroom, Sherlock right at her hip.
“Tomorrow. Right now, it’s time to eat.”
Caroline hung her arm over Sherlock’s neck, and the two marched off into the kitchen. Whenever the pair got together, they were nearly inseparable. He couldn’t have picked a more perfect dog if he’d tried. Neither stated the obvious that Caroline would need to wash her hands yet again.
“Thank you, Denver. I really appreciate it.”
Here, without eavesdroppers lingering and the light roar of conversation protecting their privacy, Denver resisted the urge to tuck a loose wavy strand behind Sophie’s ear. Her gaze dropped to his lips. However brief, he’d seen it. His heart thundered in his chest. He could take a single step forward and draw her into his arms. Kiss her until her toes curled. “Do you have enough to get school clothes?”
Her smile fell as she folded her arms across her chest. “I have it figured out.”
Nice job, Denver. Way to shatter the moment. He should stop while he was ahead, but looking out for Sophie and Caroline was his top priority. Even if he had to be a little pushy about it. “If you needed a little more—”
“I don’t.”
