Still, I can’t bear the idea of letting go of her right now. She feels good glued to my side with our sleeping dog between us.
“Soon,” I grit out. “Probably.”
“They miss you. Ruthie and Layla talk about you all the time.”
“I’m surprised they even remember me.” I frown because I’m a selfish dick. “The longer I’m away, the harder it is, you know?”
She reaches over to take my hand in hers. “They still love you. We all do.”
I’m relieved that they all have to love me because I’m family. Even Clara. There’s no escaping me, even when I fuck up, because we’re bound together through our parents’ marriage.
“You should invite them up to the Christmas Extravaganza tomorrow,” I tell her before I chicken out. “We could use all the extra votes we can get.”
Her fingers thread with mine and it feels intimate. Forbidden but also right. I squeeze her hand, desperate to cling on to her.
“The girls will love it. Plus, our little baby needs to meet the family.”
Frosty yips in his sleep. Cutest dog I’ve ever seen in my life.
I stroke my thumb over the back of her hand and kiss the top of her head. “Thank you for letting me crash land here, sass. When my world shattered, all I could think about was getting back to you. Somehow, I knew you’d be able to fix it and you’re doing just that.”
She tilts her head up to look at me. With her this close and her parted lips looking positively succulent, it takes incredible self-control not to dip my mouth to hers. How fucked up would that be? I’d deserve a kick to the balls.
Would she kick me?
Or would she kiss me back?
It’s a dangerous line of thought and one I have no business thinking about. And yet, I wonder if her lips and tongue taste as sweet as the treats she keeps feeding me.
“Hey, Eric?”
“Yup?”
Her eyes close and she sighs. “Do you ever wish for something…”
I wait for her to finish the thought, but she doesn’t. She shakes her head and then rests it against my chest. Her unfinished words hang in the air for me to inspect and obsess over each one.
I wish forsomething I can’t have.
The past couple of days, it’s all I can think about.
Does she feel it too? Am I bad person for hoping so?
When she falls asleep, I carry both her and Frosty to her bed to tuck them in. It takes immense strength to leave them and crash on the bed in the room I’m staying in. I lie awake in the dark, my hand lazily stroking cock, wishing I could answer that question.
Yes, sass. I wish that too.
Clara
Frosty loves his carrier. We stuffed Eric’s backpack full of cozy Christmas blankets for Frosty to nest in while we walk around tasting the other gingerbread contest entries. Frosty is wearing a fuzzy green sweater we got at the pet shop. The hood on the sweater keeps snow off his head as he pokes it out between the two zippers. I walk behind Eric making kissy faces at Frosty because he’s literally the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my entire life.
And now he’s ours.
I didn’t think I wanted a pet until I saw him shivering in Eric’s arms yesterday. It was instalove for me. I’d fallen for the little guy immediately and knew he was party of the family.
“Want to meet Layla and Ruthie?” I say to him. “They will be so excited.”
Frosty yips happily. Eric looks at me over his shoulder and smiles. There’s a bit of tension in his eyes that has my heart rate hammering. I sidle up next to him and take his hand in mine.
