She groans and rolls her eyes, burying her head against my chest.
"If that was you trying to be sweet, please never do that again."
Chuckling, I stroke my hand along her jaw, my chest warming when her arm wraps around me, and she places a kiss against my bare chest.
As I'm about to roll her onto her back, scratching meets my ears, and I glance over at the bedroom door, sighing.
Alicia rubs her eyes, sits up, and drags the duvet with her to wrap around her naked body.
"I'll message Leo and tell him she's ready for her walk."
Grabbing hold of her arm, before she twists around to grab her phone from the nightstand, I shake my head.
"We don't need Leo to walk her anymore," I tell her, tangling my fingers through her messy, knotted hair. "How about we take her out together this morning instead?"
She worries her lip between her teeth, and her hand moves to her neck to play with the heart locket she never removes.
My gut clenches at the apprehensive look washing over her face, so I lean over, brushing my lips against the side of her body, placing multiple kisses against her skin.
"He's gone, little viper," I remind her, sitting up beside her. "There's no need for you to be couped up in this apartment anymore."
She scoffs, turning to me with raised brows.
"Ironic coming from the man who handcuffed me to the bed so I wouldn't leave."
Huffing, I scrub my hands over my face.
"I'm never going to live that down, am I?"
"Nope."
She grins at me, pecking me on the cheek before clambering out of bed and walking into the conjoined bathroom, closing the door behind her.
"Coffee would be nice," she calls through the door, and I shake my head before dragging myself out of bed and pulling on a pair of jogging bottoms before heading downstairs to put the kettle on.
Alicia starts giggling beside me as we walk down the street on the way to the park I always take Jellybean to. I turn to face her, an amused smile dancing across my own face.
"What's so funny?" I ask.
"I just never thought I'd see this happen," she says, her eyes scanning over me before she throws her head back, laughing even harder. "It's better than I ever could've imagined."
"What?" I frown, glancing down at the black jacket I have on and the dark-wash jeans, wondering what it is she's finding so amusing.
"You, this big, scary, intimidating man walking along the street with a tiny little Pomeranian attached to a hot pink lead. It's comical!"
Scowling, I wrap my arm around her shoulder, tugging her into my side as I grumble, looking down at Jellybean, who's walking beside me, her fluffy little tail swaying side to side as she sniffs the air.
"I don't understand why everyone's so amazed by it. Men have little dogs. I've seen plenty during the times I've walked Jelly before."
She peers up at me, cheeks bunched up, teeth on display.
"I'm glad you finally came around and fell in love with her," she says.
"It's not just her I fell for," I mumble.
Her steps halt, and I cringe, thinking she's paused because of what I said. But when I glance at her, I see her staring off to the side, the smile slowly falling from her face as she watches whatever it is that's captured her attention.
Following her line of sight, I see a couple stepping out of the large arched doors of a church across the street. They're greeted by a crowd of people outside, cheering with glee as they watch the woman in a big, flowing white dress wrap her arms around the man's neck beside her, fingers digging into his tux as he dips her down and plants his lips on hers.
