"Probably."
Neither of us moves.
Then, from somewhere in the apartment, comes a single bark.
"The dogs," Ace says.
"Right. The dogs."
"They probably need to go out."
I turn my head to look at him.
Right. My very polite cue. I lift my back off the mattress, my body protesting. I scan the floor to locate my clothes, all that cum on my stomach suddenly a massive inconvenience.
I clear my throat. "Right. I'll help you walk them, then I'll be out of your hair. I can come back in the morning—"
Ace's fingers wrap tightly around my wrist just as I'm about to get out of the bed. "Devon."
I look over my shoulder and…damn. I almost forgot how fucking hot this man is. "Yeah?"
He smiles then and somehow he's even more attractive. "That's not— I wasn't kicking you out. You know that, right?"
I blink. "You weren't?"
He lifts up to a sitting position and leans in, placing a tiny kiss on my shoulder. "Stay," he simply says. "We'll walk the dogs, come back and you'll stay. Okay?"
"You sure?"
"I'm going to need help getting all these animals under control overnight."
I grin. "Right. The animals."
"Exactly. The animals."
"Nothing to do withwantingme to stay?"
His ears go pink. "Maybe a little to do with that."
"Just a little?"
"Don't push it."
I laugh and he does too, and Candy barks from somewhere in the darkness.
"Alright, alright," Ace calls out. "We're coming."
We are. And apparently, I'm staying.
CHAPTER 21
ACE
THE PUCK'S COMING at me a bit too fast, but Groover's pass is perfect, landing right on my tape like he knew exactly where I'd be before I did.
Three seconds left on the clock.
Two Seattle defenders closing in.
