Page 18 of First Love

I turned around on the path, but Sammy stood rigid as he looked into the woods. While the path was well lit with a few lights I’d strategically placed, the woods were so dark. What could he possibly see?

He tipped his head up, telling me he maybe smelled more than he saw.

“What is it, buddy?” I squinted but had no hope of seeing anything. “It’s probably a deer or a fox. C’mon.” I yanked more firmly on his leash, breaking his high alert stance. He let out a series of barks but then ended up running for the house. I had to jog to keep up with him and still hold the leash.

When we arrived back at the house, we were both breathing heavy from our run.

“I had other exercise in mind for tonight, pal, but thanks.” I swiped a hand across my forehead, not surprised to find sweat there.

Sammy got to his hind legs and scraped his paws on the front door.

“No,” I said in a low voice. “We don’t do that.”

He circled around me, using his body to nudge me closer to the door with each revolution.

“Are you herding me? When did you get into the herding business, you silly dog?”

I opened the door manually because Amelia had my phone. Sammy scurried in, and when I closed the door, he sat in front of it as if guarding it.

“Are you keeping me in or something out?” I crouched and scratched between his big ears after removing my shoes and hanging up my coat. “Let’s find Amelia.”

I scooped him up, holding him like a baby in my arms. He soaked my face with his tongue as I entered the living room. When I didn’t see Amelia there or in the kitchen, I followed the sound of her voice down the hall. I found her sprawled on my bed, my flannel shirt she still wore sagging to reveal one sexy shoulder. Her golden hair cascaded around her shoulders, and I wanted to plunge my fingers into it.

She smiled when she saw me and that lit me up inside.

“Okay, thanks, Franklin,” she said into the phone. “I will.” She laughed. “Yup, you too. Take care.” She tapped the phone to end the call then gestured to me and Sammy. “You always carry your dog to bed?”

“Pretty much.” I set Sammy down beside her and he instantly wiggled into her lap. “But you shouldn’t be jealous. I carried you to the guest room bed upstairs.”

“And then proceeded to carry me to a whole other plane of existence with your love-making skills.”

I bowed slightly, making her laugh. I loved the sound of it and the way her unusual eyes glittered in the light of the lamps on my end tables.

“How did your call go?” I asked as I slid onto the bed, hoping to take my dog’s position in Amelia’s lap.

“Fine. My boss Franklin was very understanding. Said he’d hold my position for two weeks while I get things sorted out in case I want to come back.”

“You must be amazing at your job for them to hold it for you,” I said. “What do you do?”

“I’m a landscape architect,” she said. “I love working outside.”

“Maybe you want to lend me those skills tomorrow?” I motioned to the doors in the bedroom that led out to the patio. “I was just thinking while walking Sammy that I’m ready to renovate out there now that the inside is done.”

Amelia got to her knees and bounced a little on the bed. “Oh, I’d love to help you. It’d let me feel as if I was paying you back for everything you’ve done for me.”

“You don’t owe me anything, Amelia. I didn’t mind helping you.”

“Especially helping me out of my clothes?” She pushed me to my back and draped herself over me.

“Hmm . . . I’m not sure.” I lifted a hand to corral her hair behind her ear then to caress her cheek. “I should probably help you out of my shirt to see if I don’t mind doing that.”

Grinning, she sat up, her sweet ass pressing against my rapidly-forming erection, and gestured to the buttons on the shirt. “Go for it.”

That was a command I didn’t need to think about.