“He’s a doctor now. An internist,” Isla said. “They’re engaged.”
“That’s wonderful!” Thea clapped a hand over her heart. “You must be so proud.”
Both Santiagos nodded immediately, and Thea did an imaginary victory dance for a job well done.
“Please tell her I said hi and to look me up when she’s in town next.” Then she turned to Aiden, who was staring at her with an incredulous expression on his face. “But right now I think we need to get our girl home and fed, don’t you, hon?”
As if on cue, Blue looked up at them with an adorable little whine that made the whole group laugh.
“Absolutely,” he said, smiling down at her. He dipped his chin toward the Santiagos. “Good to see you both.”
They headed toward the exit, but Tony’s voice stopped them. “Wait.”
Aiden’s hand tensed in hers as he turned back around.
“I was sorry to hear about your father’s health issues. How’s he doing?”
He tensed even more, and she dropped his hand to slide an arm around his waist. Not for the Santiagos’ sake but because he looked like he could use the comfort.
Although he kept his eyes on Tony, he dropped his arm over her shoulder and hugged her to his side. “He’s getting the best treatment we can find for him, and we’re hoping for good results.”
“I’m glad. Give him our best,” Tony said. After a beat, he added, “Drop by the store sometime if you’d like to see how the work is progressing.”
The tension in Aiden’s body dropped, and he nodded. “I will. Thank you, sir.”
After they said their goodbyes and stepped through the exit, Aiden stopped dead on the sidewalk, gathered her close, and dropped a fast, firm kiss on her lips. “God, you’re good. Do you even know how good you are?”
“How good am I?” The words sounded shaky as they escaped her lips, but what else could she do under that hot, admiring gaze?
“So fucking good, killer.” He kissed her again, not in an overtly passionate way but with a comfortable, proprietary press of his lips against hers that Thea enjoyed way, way too much. “I’ll fill you in on the way home.”
Sixteen
“Thea? Blue?”
Aiden’s steps echoed on the newly exposed wooden floor in the living room as he moved to the kitchen. The glow of the late April sun filled the room, but there was no sign of the woman he was looking for, or her dog.
“Thea?” This time he raised his voice, and an answering “up here” floated down the staircase.
He bounded up the steps and into the master bedroom, but that was empty too. “I’m here to take final measurements for the cabinet install,sugar lips.”
“Oh yay!”
The balcony. Her voice was coming from the balcony. His breath froze in his lungs as he sprinted to the sliding door and found her on her knees, trying to coax Blue away from the railing in the far corner.
She tossed a look over her shoulder. “This little lady got out and refuses to—”
Her words ended in a squeak when he stormed onto the balcony and scooped her up, cuddling her close to his chest where his heart was flailing against his ribs. Her arms wrapped around his neck as he carried her across the wooden boards in two long strides.
Once they were safely inside, he turned and gave a sharp whistle. “Blueprint!”
At his stern command, the dog trotted inside and sat on her haunches, her tail lashing back and forth against the floor and her tongue lolling happily. He kicked the door shut with his heel and wrapped a hand around the back of Thea’s neck, pressing her face to shoulder.
“I told you it’s not safe!” He was shouting, but fuck, she might’ve just taken a decade off his life.
She pushed back to look at him, pointing toward the balcony. “And I told you Blue got out, and I—”
“It could’ve collapsed,” he rasped. “It’s a twenty-foot drop. You could’ve been hurt. You could’ve…”
