Emotion stings behind my eyes and nose, but I manage to hold it all back, not wanting to cry in front of Theo any more than I have already. The poor guy got more than he bargained for when he stopped me on the sidewalk—the least I can do is save some of the trauma-dumping for the mirror in my bathroom. If I evenhavea bathroom after Cecilia and Phoebe find out that I can’t cover my portion of the rent.
Theo stays silent for the rest of the ride, his expression not giving me any indication of what’s going on in his head. I sneak a few subtle glances at him out of my peripheral vision, admiring how gorgeous he is. I’ve obviously seen him plenty of times at work, but the dim light does his features absolutely no justice.
His skin is flawless—not a blemish or dark circle in sight, despite the fact that he probably spends an obscene amount of time practicing, then damn near closes down the club at least two nights a week. His ocean-blue eyes peek out from behind long, thick lashes. Soft pink lips draw my gaze lower, and for a fleeting moment, I wonder what it would be like to kiss them. I’ll blame it on my second-trimester hormones, which have slowly been making themselves annoyingly known, because I hardly know this man. The very last thing I should be doing is fantasizing about him.
Before my imagination runs away, Theo turns, pulling up to a security keypad and punching in some numbers. The white gate in front of us swings away, allowing him to continue down a long, asphalt driveway.My eyes go wide as they ping-pong back and forth, taking in the sights in front of me becauseholy shit. It’s beautiful, but definitely not what I expected for a young bachelor. I figured he’d live in a luxury condo building like Eric, with a concierge and guards standing at every elevator. This is an actualhouse. The entire property is impeccably manicured, with trimmed shrubbery and perfect diagonal lines in the short green grass. This place is everything my childhood dreams were made of while I shared a one-bedroom apartment with my mother.
“Do you live here alone?” I ask, unable to stop the question from coming out. I’m assuming he doesn’t have a girlfriend, since I never see him out with anyone, but this is a lot of house for one person. Sure, he has enough money to hire landscapers and a cleaning staff, but still. I couldn’t imagine being by myself in a home this gigantic.
He stops in front of the garage, pushing a button overhead. The door slowly slides up, allowing him to pull inside before putting the truck into park. He turns my way, fingers absentmindedly unbuckling his seatbelt with a soft smile. “It’s just me and my rescue pup for now.”
For now.
I wonder what he means by that, but I don’t get a chance to ask before he’s hopping out of the cab and rounding the hood. I undo my seatbelt, adjust my clothes, and reach for the handle, but Theo is already there, opening my door like a real gentleman.
“Careful getting out,” he says, extending a hand forme to take. I do, allowing him to help me slide down, the toes of my worn-out shoes touching against the concrete while he keeps his fingers curled around mine. The touch sends warmth skittering up my arm. It’s not suggestive or sexual in any way. It just feels…nice. Like someone cares, which I haven’t had in quite some time.
The connection is broken entirely too soon, but to my surprise, it doesn’t stay that way. Because as soon as I step away from the vehicle, I feel the heat of his fingertips settling on my lower back. The gesture is small, something I’ve experienced with other men, but it makes my heart skip as he ushers me toward the door that I’m guessing leads inside.
“Fuck. Boner,” he grumbles, and at first, I think I heard him wrong. I know it’s possible that I’m not the only one who’s feeling things right now, but announcing an erection out of nowhere is a bit odd.
“What?” I croak, my cheeks heating with embarrassment. He turns my way, and I do everything I can to keep my stare from moving south, so that he and his…situationcan havea moment of privacy.
“My dog,” he replies. “He’s kind of an asshole. He’s not mean or anything, but he gets really excited and jumps up on people when they come in. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
I can’t stop my nose from scrunching in confusion. “You named your dogBoner?” I’ve heard some pretty weird pet names, but this one might take the cake, which is wild since our landlord when I was ten had a cat called Pants.
“Uhhh, yeah. It seemed like a cool idea at the time,because who doesn’t love a good hard-on?” He smiles boyishly, but it quickly morphs into an adorable cringe. “I didn’t think about taking him into public places. Or having to yell it out the back door so loudly that the neighbors can hear. It was a bit of an oversight, but unfortunately, it’s the only thing he answers to now.”
I giggle, the mental image of Theo shouting the dog’s name in a park full of elderly people making my stomach do flips. He’s really funny—a breath of fresh air in the middle of my very messy life. For a moment, I almost forget that I just lost my job, that I don’t have a way to pay my rent, and that my baby’s father doesn’t want anything to do with us.
Almost.
Everything in me deflates like a slow-leaking balloon when reality settles back in, my shoulders lowering as melancholy intrudes on the few seconds of happiness I’ve had today. Thankfully, Theo doesn’t notice the change in my demeanor as he steps in front of me and twists the door handle. As soon as the hinge creaks, a loud howl fills the otherwise silent house. The sound of paws sliding across the floor before finding purchase, followed by a chaotic blend of barks and nails clicking against hardwood, has a smile blooming across my face. I love dogs, and it’s been a while since I’ve been able to hang out with one.
“Stay behind me,” Theo instructs as Boner gets closer to the room we’re standing in, his hand reaching back and splaying across my abdomen protectively. I’m not even sure he notices he’s doing it, but the way he shields my almost non-existent baby bump while weawait the dog’s arrival has my breath catching in my throat. I can’t tear my eyes away, my brain glitching and hypnotized by the sight. Maybe I’m just touch-starved and horny, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything hotter in my life. I’m sure the baby and I would be fine if Boner did jump up on me, but the fact that Theo is preventing it unleashes something deep within me that makes me crave more.
As if my body has a mind of its own, I take a small step forward, pressing into the palm in front of me. Heat radiates through my clothes, and I swear I feel flutters in my tummy when his fingers unconsciously flex around it. I let out a shaky breath, but before I can make sense of why I’m reacting this way, a giant ball of fluff barrels through the archway.
“Calm down, buddy,” Theo says, reaching the hand that’s not still touching me out to pet his four-legged companion. He ruffles Boner’s floppy ears, patiently speaking while the dog hops around like a very large—and extremely adorable—bunny rabbit. “You have to chill out if you want to meet our new friend, okay?”
Too excited to consider his dad’s warning, Boner only gets more hyper, impressively leaping off the floor while his tail wags behind him. I can’t stop the laugh that bursts from my chest at how energetic he is…and how he’s not listening to a word Theo says, despite his calm tone.
“You think this is funny?” he tosses over his shoulder with a playful smirk. “The little shithead has no manners. In fact, he just got kicked out of his fifth daycare today. He’s a menace.”
I roll my eyes, clicking my tongue against the roof of my mouth. “Nonsense. He’s a good boy. Look.” Reaching out from where I’m tucked behind Theo, I manage to lay a hand on Boner’s head, stroking the soft fur. As though he’s helping me prove a point, he slowly calms until he’s just standing there looking up at us with his tongue hanging from one side of his mouth.
“See,” I say, stepping out and lowering to my knees so the dog and I are face-to-face. He swipes a gentle lick across my cheek before lowering his nose to my belly and taking a sniff. I giggle when he presses into me, andthere’s that flutter again.My doctor said that since this is my first pregnancy, it’s hard to know when I’ll feel the baby move, but I can’t stop myself from finding comfort in the idea of him or her being happy in this situation.
“Okay, Miss Dog Whisperer. How did you do that?” Theo asks. “Usually, when he meets someone new, he practically knocks them over before he finally tuckers out and lies down.”
I look up, a saccharine smile spreading across my face. “Maybe he just likes me better than he likes you.”
FOUR
THEO
This fucking girl.
