“You already are.” Carter set a hand on her shoulder. “You’ve given him some of the balance he was missing.”
Another wave of tears threatened. Emily blinked again and swallowed twice. “Thanks. That’s exactly what he’s done for me too.”
That and so much more.
And as Emily finished out her shift, her mind kept circling back to Holden and his dog. No doubt, helping other animals was helping him to deal with the void of not having Braddock at his side…and the anxiety of not knowing if the dog would survive his length of service.
She was going to make a few phone calls and have a back-up plan to the one Holden apparently already had in place. Emily had a few favors she could and would collect, if need be, to reunite those two.
Right now, she was looking forward to doing a little reuniting herself.
After rushing home to take care of her dogs, giving them a few extra hugs because she could, Emily drove to Holden’s. By the time she parked and got out, she had her emotions under control, determined not to trigger any anxiety in the guy.
But when the hair on the back of her neck began to rise, she quickly glanced around, and anxiety suddenly triggered deep inside her.
She was being watched again.
Chapter Sixteen
When Holden opened the door to greet Emily, he knew something was off by the way she jumped, and the flicker of unease that momentarily flashed through her eyes.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, reaching for her as he glanced over her shoulder to surveil the area.
The only thing moving were the leaves on the trees. Sinjin’s car was in his driveway, Isla’s was not. The street was quiet, unlike the pub parking lot across Main Street.
“Nothing,” she said, sliding her arms around him. “I’m good. I was just deep in thought when you opened the door. Guess it startled me.”
Holding her waist, he drew back to stare into her face. Warm, brown eyes held his gaze.
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you,” he said, drawing her inside before shutting the door, not fully convinced there wasn’t something else going on.
He also didn’t want to have a conversation on his porch, and he would much rather kiss her uninterrupted and unobserved in the privacy of his cottage.
Apparently on the same page, she shoved her hands into his hair and pulled his head down as he tugged her closer and met her lips halfway.
She sighed and melted right away, and he was all right with that, happy for the open invitation to sweep his tongue inside hers and greet her properly.
When he broke the kiss, he set his forehead against hers. “Been thinking of that since you left this morning.”
She laughed and ran her palms up his chest. “Me, too.”
He kissed her lips and grabbed one of her hands. “Let’s eat. We’re going to need our strength.”
Her mouth opened as if about to protest until his words must’ve sunk in. That’s when her gaze heated to a deep mocha and his resolve to eat first nearly faltered.
“Okay, but fast. Really fast,” she said, tugging him toward his kitchen.
Holden chuckled and was still smiling as they ate their takeout while standing at his island. Neither of them wanted to take the time to sit. Hell, they barely took time to gulp down their food, but within five minutes, their Pub burgers and fries were gone, like his resolve.
“Time for dessert,” he said, moving closer to the smiling woman.
Once again, she laughed and ran her palms up his chest, but this time they glided over his shoulders, and she pressed her glorious breasts against him. “I’m ready.”
“Me, too,” he said against her neck, nuzzling his way to her ear. “Want top or bottom?”
“Mmm…surprise me,” she murmured, her breath hot against his throat as she licked his Adam’s apple.
With a groan, he drew her mouth to his, kissing her long and deep and his pulse jumped when her hands slipped under his shirt and skimmed his abs as she unbuttoned his jeans.
