My eyes drift closed and I lean into the touch. “Where are you taking me?” I ask when he grabs my hand and leads me out the door and down the sidewalk.
He looks down, giving me his brightest smile, complete with panty soaking dimples. “Have a little faith in how well I know you. Would I plan something you don’t love?”
“No, but I would be a little more patient if I had gotten a kiss before this surprise,” I grumble as we turn toward the park.
“You’ll get your kiss. When you see what I’ve planned, you aren’t going to be able to help yourself.”
My feet skid to a stop right there in the middle of the sidewalk. The abruptness takes him by surprise and he tugs on my arm, not realizing I’ve stopped moving. He turns to face me, looking puzzled as I cross my arms under my chest. “Cruz Tellez,I’m not taking another step until you kiss me.”
His forehead creases at my sudden attitude. But I can’t help it. I want to kiss him; I’m a heartbeat away from stomping my foot on the sidewalk like a toddler if he doesn’t get over here and give me what I want.
Cruz looks me up and down before his eyes shift from teasing and playful to concerned. He steps into me, pulling me into his arms and using his finger to tilt up my chin. “What’s wrong, Mi Cielo?”
“I missed you. Whenever someone walked through the door this morning, I was looking for you.” My voice shakes. “I was ecstatic to see you, but you didn’t kiss me. It’s making me question things—did you change your mind?” I try to look away, afraid of what his answer might be.
“Hey, no. Look at me.” Cruz nudges my chin again, so I’m looking up at him. Onlookers walk around us with curious looks. I’m sure more than a few have realized who Cruz is, but thankfully no one stops or pulls out a cellphone. “There’s nothing that could change my mind about us. I’m sorry I didn’t show you that. I was just really excited about our date. Will you let me kiss you now?”
I bite down on my lip. I really want him to kiss me, but now I feel ridiculous for making a big deal of it.
Cruz’s eyes drop to my mouth. “Delilah. You can’t bite your lip like that in public.”
“I can’t?”
“That depends. How okay are you with public displays of affection?” His dark eyes bore into me with an intensity I’m not used to. Cruz steps in closer, crowding me.
“I think I could deal with a little PDA.” His lips crash into mine, stealing my words as he devours me. If he didn’t have his arm wrapped around me, I would tip over. The moan that escapes me is obscene when he sweeps his tongue past my lips. Definitely not suitable for public consumption, but I give myself over to the kiss, letting him show me exactly how much he missed me.
This is the kiss I was craving earlier and then some. I twist his shirt in my hands, matching his intensity before he pulls back just enough to rest his forehead against mine as we both let our breathing return to normal.
“Wow . . . I’m fucking stupid. I should have done that the moment I saw you.”
It takes me a second to find my words, and I make my dad proud. The people pleaser in me wants to tell him not to worry about it, but I feel a little feisty after that kiss. “Don’t let it happen again.”
Cruz chuckles, and the sound vibrates through me, setting off my laughter. “I think I learned my lesson. Ready for our date now? We should hurry. Our guests are going to be very anxious to see us.”
“Our guests?”
“Yep, our guests.”
“You’re testing my faith today, Tellez.”
Cruz threads his fingers through mine as we continue toward the park. My mouth drops open when we take the path around the corner into the green space. Right there, in the middle of the opening, is the bench where we spent my birthday three years ago.
Next to it is a woman wearing a Saving Paws volunteer shirt and holding two leashes. On the other end of those leashes are two very excited puppies. They both have long hair in shades of gray, black, and white. As soon as they spot us, their tails wag, excited at the prospect of new people. And if that’s not enough, there’s a canvas tent decked out with pillows, snacks, and a cooler.
“This is our first date?” My voice is barely a whisper. I look at him in awe. He made it more romantic than Brad’s proposal, but Cruz has always spoiled me. So it shouldn’t surprise me that he excels at planning dates.
Cruz tugs on the back of his neck, looking wary. “Is it too much? We haven’t been to the shelter in a while, and time was tight today. I figured we could walk puppies before lunch, and then I can walk you back toBuns & Roses.”
“Too much? This is the most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me. And so veryus. What more could a girl want? There are puppies, food, and you.”
“Puppies are first. I couldn’t make them wait. Look how excited they are to see you,” Cruz says, leading me to where the dogs are excitedly jumping at the end of their leashes. “Hey, Simone. Thanks for coming to us today.”
“I think you donate enough that walking the dogs a few blocks to spend time with you two wasn’t a big deal. We appreciate all the support, Cruz,” Simone says as she hands us each a leash. “I’ll be back to collect them in twenty minutes. How does that sound?”
“Sounds perfect. Thanks.”
I drop to my knee and give the smaller of the two some ear scratches, which quickly escalate into belly rubs. “What’s her name?” I ask when Cruz joins me to give his pup some attention.
