“Oh, sweetie, it’s okay.” Tavi squats and grabs the pint-size guard dog, who’s baring her teeth at me like I just tried to murder her mistress. “I know, I know. You don’t like being left out, do you?”
She lifts the dog to her face, letting the pup lick her all over as she turns half away from me.
“I—” I start, then cut myself off as I rub my neck, where I can still feel her fingernails.
“Thank you, Dylan,” she says as Pebbles continues to lick her all over her face. I’d worry about the pup eating chocolate, but it was flecks. Barely there. And I got most of it off. “I really appreciate you trying to do something nice for me, and I promise it won’t change anything. You don’t need to do it again.”
I want to kick something.
Both because I want to kiss Tavi again and because I don’t know why.
I mean, I knowwhy. Sucker for a damsel and all that. After so many years of being the villain, I want to be someone’s knight.
But I like my women real. Down to earth. The kind who fit in here in Tickled Pink.
Tavi doesn’t.
But for the first time in my life, I wonder if maybe, just maybe, I deservemore.
If it’s okay towantmore.
And she is definitelymore.
The goodandthe bad.
“Back to bed for you, Pebbles.” Tavi stands, still not looking at me, and heads to the corner, where she tucks the dog into a small travel case. “Mama has to clean the chocolate, okay? And if you’re still awake once everything’s spotless, then maybe you can come out and play.” She hits a button on a small device I hadn’t noticed, and the music starts again.
“It’s her bedtime music,” she whispers to me.
Her blue eyes sweep over me once, like she’s seeing if I’m still in one piece, and then she makes full eye contact. “I have to get back to work, so—”
“Yeah. Work. Yeah. You need help?”
“No. Thank you. I’ve got it under control.”
I tuck my hands in my pockets, remember they’re coated in chocolate, and pull them back out.
Tavi Lightly isn’t the only disaster in this room.
Pretty sure right now, I’m worse.
Chapter 18
Tavi
Oh my God,that kiss.
My vagina is on fire, and not likeI should see a doctorbut likeif I don’t jump his bones right now, this will become a permanent case of lady blue balls, and I might never walk again. “You don’t have to do that,” I say,again, as Dylan rises with my chocolate mold in hand and heads for the sink.
I want him to leave.
I also want him to stay and do a strip tease and pour chocolate all over himself so that I have to lick it off him.
“Can’t let the bean paste stain the floor,” he replies, his easy smile not as easy as it was earlier today, but he gets points for trying for normal.
“It technicallyisbean paste.” I can try for normal too.
We can be friends.
