“Amazing. What color choices do you have? I’m thinking a blue would really suit him, you know?” he said as he walked over toward the newly-named employee, his voice growing quieter with the distance.
Flicking her gaze back to me, she gestured toward Mercy. “No one really bats an eye at her. What drew you to her, if you don’t mind me asking? She’s a favorite around here, and well, I’m quite fond of her gentle spirit.”
“I have a thing for being drawn to the fierce yet soft things in life.” Looking past her toward Oren, I couldn’t help but grin as I watched his gestures become far more animated, his excitement evident. “Not only that, but I know her story is complex. And I, myself, have had a difficult life. I can see it in her eyes, that desire to be understood beyond the surface. To be loved even through the flaws that cover your skin or the nightmarish hell that haunts your past. I see a lot of myself in her.”
“I see,” she said, a smile forming on her lips. “No wonder she connected instantly. It’s like your souls mirror one another.”
Lifting a leash from the hooks bolted into the wall, she unlocked the cage, Mercy walking with graceful steps to her. Latching the metallic hook to her collar, she scratched behind her ears before planting a kiss to her forehead. “Seeing her happy is all I’ve ever wanted, and I have no doubts you’ll give her the life she should’ve been granted from the start.”
My lips drew together in a tight line, and as I went to open my mouth, a single tear rolled down my cheek. Huffing a laugh, I swallowed, wiping it away with my thumb as I looked at the woman so willing to pass off such a gentle soul. “Thank you.”
“Thankyou,” she corrected, handing off the leash to me. “Something tells me you don’t hear that often enough, but you should know that kindness you hide won her over.”
I offered her a gentle smile, curling my fingers around the rope. “It seems you’re great at reading people.”
She shrugged. “Should’ve been a psychologist, but dogs are still easier than people.” She gestured to Oren. “That’s a good man you have, you know. The whole time he was staring at you while you watched Mercy, and he had the dumbest grin on his face. Safe to say, I think he picked the perfect dog for himself. Prince is nothing but a maniac shoved into a tiny ass dog. Good luck with him, though he is hilarious.”
“Funny thing is,” I started, watching as Oren rubbed Prince’s belly, his head tipping back with his esteemed laugh. “That dog is quite literally him, which is why they’re so fitting for one another. But you’re not wrong. He is an amazing man, one I am more than honored to be able to hold in this life.”
“I would say it’s the same for him.” She pressed her palms together, interlocking her fingers with precision as she cleared her throat. “How about we get the paperwork started? Mercy’s looking excited for the first time in a very long time, and I’d hate to keep her waiting on her first car ride in five years.”
Locking eyes with Oren, he dipped his chin, and my heart bloomed with the love behind such a basic action. Turning back to her, I mirrored his movement, giving her a small smile. “Let’s do it.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
OREN
Wiping a smudge of white across my face, I stuck my tongue out as I stirred the batter for the cake I’d decided to make from scratch. A simple vanilla cake with pink frosting—one you’d see in any grocery store.
But fuck me.
This shit was harder than my cock last night when Thorne decided to tackle me to the ground, unaware he’d waited for me.
Adjusting the pink apron he’d elected to get me as a joke, the wordshot tamalespelled across the front, I smeared batter from my hand onto it. Apparently, I wasn’t theonlyone with the idea to give Mercy a taste as he stole the spoon, gifting it to her as she happily licked my hard work.
“Do you want this fucking cake to get done, or would you like to continue to block my kitchen space?”
Craning his head to look up at me from where he sat slouched on the barstool, his dimples made their appearance. “I am simply allowing Mercy theprivilegeof tasting your immaculate cooking.”
She sneezed as if in agreement, and I couldn’t help but shake my head. “Yeah, well, if you want anyothertastings to happen this evening, I need space to finish this. We have guests arriving any moment, and you’re the one who kept bothering me while I was cooking.”
“Andyou’rethe one who wanted to make asimplecake,” he mocked, his shoulders bouncing with his laughter. “Not my problem, you elected to hop into Betty Crocker mode.”
“Notmyproblem, you elected to kiss me as a distraction. I’m behind schedule, and this is our first party in our home. I want it to be perfect.”
“You wanteverythingto be perfect all the time, dove.” He stood, kicking the barstool beneath the counter before walking toward me. Positioning himself at my back, he wrapped his arms around my waist, planting a gentle kiss to the side of my head before whispering, “And let it be known, this entire shitfest wasyouridea, so I don’t want to hear you whine about a schedule.”
“Oh, shut up. I’m doing it for the children,” I mocked, craning my neck to plant a kiss on his cheek. “Prince loves an audience, and it’s about time he had some company to entertain him.”
Craning his head further, he nuzzled into my neck, nipping against my skin. “I’d much rather entertain something else…”
“You’redistractingme again, and it’s working. I’m about to say fuck it to the cake, andfuckyou instead.”
His lids lowered, hooding his honeyed stare. The baseball cap he wore pulled his long locks from his face, twisted back just the way he knew made me weak. “Maybe that’s exactly what I want, Oren Valens.”
“Yeah, Thorne Graves?” I bit my lip, raising a brow in contemplation. “But thechildrenwill see,” I whispered, feigning a gasp.
Grabbing my wrist, he pulled my palm to rest flush against his already hardened length. “Yeah, and they know when to look away.”
