Page 97 of Forget About Me

And I think Ben’s bag barks.

BEN

The entire car ride from Logan Airport to Arlington, I’m in contact with Lucy. But it’s not enough. Good thing the holiday makes it an unusually short trip. If I had to sit through regular Boston traffic, I’m pretty sure I’d explode. I need this woman more than I need to breathe.

The moment she parks on the street in front of my dad’s house, I take her gorgeous face in my hands and kiss her hungrily. “I need to be skin to skin with you in minutes.”

“I’m with you,” she breathes between kisses. “But I’ve got to take care of something first.”

Groaning, I run a hand down her luscious thigh. “I thought you were letting other people do the caretaking these days.” I can’t keep the frustration out of my voice. During the car ride she told me all about her plans for the new training center. I’m on board with her staying focused on herself. But I’d like to be second in line.

She takes my hands in hers and squeezes. “I am, but I couldn’t say no to this.”

Before I can make any kind of argument, she stops me with a finger over my lips. “I promise this will only take a few minutes and then I’m all yours till Thanksgiving dinner.” She looks pointedly to the bag at my feet. “Besides, don’t you have something to take care of as well?”

I make an over-the-top face no acting coach would ever let me get away with. “All right. But let’s get to it. I don’t want to waste another minute.”

Heaving myself, my bag and my special carry-on out of the car, I follow her a few steps before I realize she’s heading across the street, away from my warm apartment where we can be naked. “Where are you going?”

She reaches back to grab my elbow. “You’ll see.”

With a growl Puck would’ve been proud of, I let myself be pulled along as she opens the gate to Vera Rosen’s backyard, practically skipping down the brick path along the side of the house and up a set of outside stairs. She opens a door without knocking. Dropping my hand, she disappears inside. When she reappears, she has a wiggly and whimpering ball of fur in her arms. “Meet my new responsibility.”

Before I can say anything, my carrier erupts with a series of yaps.

Lucy heads back outside. “I’ve got to take him outside to p-o-t-t-y. Come on.”

Moments later, I’m next to her again, shivering in the cold morning air. Lucy’s doing her high-pitched “Go potty!” and “Good boy!” routine. Thankfully, I don’t have to do the same.

She looks over with a raised brow. “You said you’d explain when we got back here.”

“I guess we both have some ’splainin’ to do. But first, I need another kiss.”

I hope Mrs. Rosen isn’t up yet, because my hands can’t get enough of this woman.

“Can we go inside?” I manage when we come up for air. “It’s freezing out here.”

“A couple weeks in California and you’ve lost your New England edge,” she teases, punching me before scooping up my new friend. “If I can’t get your story, can I at least have your name, little dog?”

“It’s Tuck.” I pick up her dog and head for the stairs. “And I promise I’ll tell you her story if we can go inside and get naked.”

Thankfully, she not only follows but agrees to let the dogs have a quick nap in their respective crates while I show her just how much I missed her.

Every damn inch of her.

Clothes thrown back on, we release the hounds and sit with them on the floor. As they get to know each other, I tell her about my new career plans and new apartment.

“New York, huh?” she says when I’m finished.

Taking her hand in mine, I press it to my heart. “You and this relationship are my first priority. But we’re young. We both have careers that could really take off. Moving to the east coast means I can build on the career I’ve started without being so far away.

“I know your new venture will take a lot of your time right now, but I hope you’ll visit me in Brooklyn sometimes. When I don’t have to be in New York for work, I’ll be back here.”

She just nods slowly.

“I know it’s a lot to take in, and maybe I should’ve talked to you first before moving ahead. But I also felt like I needed to show you—and me, I guess—that I’m taking charge of my own life and career. That I’m in the driver’s seat for once. I just hope you’ll always be there next to me.”

Finally, she pulls me close for a quick kiss. Then, hands on my cheeks, she separates us an inch. “Okay. I get it. I did the same thing with the training center. From now on, though, we are partners in all things. We talk about the big changes.”

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