“Mhm…” she murmured, while her body continued to exhibit a few stray tremors. “That answer your question?”
He chuckled, running his hands up and down her spine, which did little to help her body to settle down.
“You are magic, Holden Jones,” she told him between breaths while tracing a line down his chest with her finger. “A wizard at making my strength disappear. Got any magic to restore it? Because I have to be at work in forty minutes.”
“How about I make your favorite breakfast—pancakes?” he asked.
And look at that, she had enough strength to lift her head and glance down at him. “And fresh strawberries?”
“Of course.” He grinned.
Holden was the only guy who had truly paid attention to her likes and dislikes, and not just with sex. He actually knew her favorite food type—Mexican. Her favorite breakfast as he’d just stated, her favorite color—green. Her favorite song, country artist, favorite dog breed—Great Dane, like Scooby—but she’d never tell Princeton or Queenie and loved them dearly. The man knew her better than she knew herself at times.
“Okay.” She grinned back. “I’ll let the dogs out then grab a quick shower.”
He brushed a chunk of hair off her face and pushed it over her shoulder. “I’ll take care of them if you want. I don’t have to be at the shelter until later. My first class is at eleven. I can grab a shower after we eat.”
Yeah, he was a keeper. And a great teacher. The new dog owner class Kade had started implementing last weekend with the intent of holding it once a month was a huge hit. So much so, that he had asked Holden if he’d be willing to teach it again this weekend too.
Emily suspected some of the participants signed up because Holden was a hottie. She didn’t blame them because…yeah, he was smokin’ hot.
He was her hottie, and she couldn’t believe that out of everyone he could have—and there were a lot of women who threw themselves at him—he only wanted to be with her.
Warmth filled her chest to the point of bursting, and for the first time ever, she wished she had normal hours with Saturdays off so she could spend the day with him. But she would see him throughout the day at the shelter between calls and that made leaving him now a little easier.
“Okay, thanks.” She kissed him quickly on the lips and found the energy to roll off him and the bed then managed to stand without wobbling. “I won’t be long.”
He smiled lazily up at her, his arm thrown back behind his head as he gazed down then up her naked body with heat simmering in those hazel depths. “On second thought, maybe you need help.”
She chuckled. “If you join me, we’ll both be late.”
Emily rushed into the bathroom and shut the door. Not to keep him out, but to keep herself from rejoining him in bed.
Thirteen minutes later, invigorated by the shower, she was dressed, with her wet hair pulled back in a simple ponytail and on her way downstairs wearing a smile she couldn’t seem to drop lately.
Not since she’d started seeing Holden.
And as she walked into the kitchen, her heartbeat thudded a little louder at the sight of the gorgeous guy standing by the stove wearing nothing but a pair of jeans and a boatload of muscles and ridges.
No shirt. No shoes…big problem.
She wanted him again—still.
“Pancakes are just about done,” he said from over his shoulder. “I’ll let you handle the coffee.”
What she wanted to handle was—
“Woof.” Queenie rubbed against her, gently demanding her morning petting.
Emily snickered. “Okay, girl.”
She knelt down and gave both the Rottie and eager Princeton some love and attention…and belly rubs. They loved their belly rubs. It was something Queenie had only recently started to allow. It was a huge show of trust, so of course, Emily would oblige, even if her pancakes got cold. No way had the dog ever received them before, so from now on, there would be a lot of belly rubs in Queenie’s future.
When Emily finally stood and washed her hands, Holden had a plate of pancakes, a bowl of cut strawberries, and two mugs of steaming coffee near silverware and two empty plates on the kitchen island.
“Thank you,” she said. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to help.”
He shook his head. “No worries. You were taking care of more important things.”
