“Now I’m not sure I want to work with him.”
“I think you want to work with him,” Vivian countered.
“Yes. You’re right. He called now, before we’re in the playoffs, to bounce off some ideas.”
“So…where will you fit into all of this?” she asked.
“Wherever I want,” I told her. “He’s building the apparatus. Then I get to decide if I want to take over a leadership role or simply be a spokesperson. Either way, I get to do something worthwhile and improve lives of dogs and people.”
She snuggled against my side. At least it no longer hurt too much. That was key since we had a game tomorrow. “That’s so cool. Do you know what you want to do?”
“Not yet. I figure you and I need to work that out.” I hesitated. “I have one more year on my current contract. Then I can retire.”
She sat up and tucked her legs underneath her. “Is that something you want?”
“Six months ago, no. Now…” I sighed as I scrubbed my hand over my face. “Practices have gotten harder. I’m taking longer to recover.”
“Aw. Poor big man. Are those bruises bothering you?”
“Yeah,” I grumbled.
“I won’t say you should have iced it?—”
“Thanks. I love you,” I said.
She leaned forward and kissed my cheek. With my beard shorter, I could feel the heat and softness of her lips. I liked the sensation. A lot. There were many firsts, seconds, and fiftieth times with Vivi that I liked a lot.
“Lie down, and I’ll give you a massage,” she said.
“That could lead somewhere naughty,” I said even as I stood and helped her up so I could lie down on the couch. She settled her cute little butt on mine, and I smiled, liking the idea of Vivi straddling me.
“But it won’t because we’re at your mom’s place,” she said sternly.
I sighed because she was right. Then I moaned as she slid her hands down my back to the knotted contusion on my ribs. It didn’t hurt, exactly, but I needed a moment to breathe through to the release of tension. “Oh, I meant to tell you. That house I was interested in is definitely going up for sale.”
Her hands stilled, resting lightly on my sides. “What?”
“We can go look at it tomorrow morning, before I have to head in for the game. It’s in Cormac’s neighborhood, near Hana, too. The place is bigger than here with a bigger yard to get you that dog you don’t think I know you’re stalking.”
Instead of denying it as I’d expected, she lay along my back, the heat from her body warming my muscles further. She rested her cheek on my uninjured shoulder and wrapped her arms on either side of my torso. I loved her affectionate nature, and I realized she hadn’t been able to express her love for anyone this way in a long time.
“You think the puppy would get along with Belladonna?” she asked.
“Of course.” I lifted her hand and pressed a kiss to her palm. She closed her fingers around it, making me smile. It was the little things, really, that made me so damn happy.
In a quick move, I reared up, snagged her from my back and tucked her gently into the cushions before settling atop her. I shifted my hips so my erection pressed against her softness. “Now this is absolutely the best massage of my life.”
She wound her arms around my neck. “Not going there. You were talking bigger houses and yards and fur babies.”
I rocked against her softness. “I’ll give you any type of baby you want, Vivi.” I kissed her long and slow and sweet—the way she deserved.
“I…just want you right now,” she said.
I chuckled as I trailed my lips down her neck. “You’re going to be a great mom.”
“I’ll start with a puppy. I can’t mess that up too badly because I’ll love her and feed her, and she’ll love me back.”
“I’ll help you with anything you want.”
