Page 106 of Born into Darkness

“I really want to take you right here on this couch,svetik moy, but I have a surprise for you that can’t wait.”

I look down when he tips his head up to look at me. “You do?” I ask.

He grins up at me. “I do.” Leaning in, he gives my breast a soft kiss. “But we’re continuing this later.”

“We better,” I say, making him laugh.

“All right, baby,” he says, fixing my bra and grabbing my shirt. “You can’t go outside like this. I’ll end up killing the man who’s delivering your present, and that wouldn’t be very nice.”

He doesn’t sound like he’s joking, but I laugh anyway and say, “No, it wouldn’t be.”

After I’m dressed, he takes my hand and leads me back outside just in time to see the gate open and a black SUV drive in. I turn to give Max a curious look, but he just grins and squeezes my hand before lifting it to kiss the back of it.

I can feel the excitement coming off him, and it’s downright infectious. I’m already smiling so big my cheeks hurt when a man gets out and opens the passenger side door. I have no idea what to expect, but when I see Wallace come bounding out, making a line straight for me, I let out a surprised gasp and drop to my knees. He gives an excited whine and jumps into my waiting arms as soon as he’s close enough. I hug his warm body to my chest, crying into his soft fur as he licks my face and whimpers with pure happiness at seeing me.

“I missed you so much,” I whisper, pulling back so I can see his pretty face and different colored eyes. He licks my cheeks while he wags his tail, so excited he can’t sit still.

Max kneels down next to us as the man pulls back out of the driveway after unloading several boxes from the back.

“I thought this might make you happy,” he says, smiling at the two of us.

“How did you do this?” I ask, petting Wallace and scratching behind his ears.

Max shrugs like it’s no big deal, like it’s not the sweetest thing anyone’s ever done for me, and says, “I talked to your family about bringing him here. It was Bran who really arranged the whole thing, though. A bunch of your dad’s men flew home yesterday, and Bran made sure Wallace was on the return flight here. He arranged it with your cousin and everything. She even packed a bunch of his stuff, and Sasha also brought us some dog stuff, so he should be good to go.”

I can’t stop smiling, and Wallace is still an excited ball of energy. His enthusiasm makes me laugh as I lean down and kiss his cute, furry head before grabbing Max’s hand and holding it out for Wallace to sniff.

“Wallace, this is Max,” I tell him.

Wallace sniffs the hand that’s offered before looking at Max, giving him that direct eye contact and intelligent stare.

“Hey, boy,” Max says, petting his soft fur. “I hope you like it here. I promise you’ll always have tennis balls to chase and as many dog bones as you want. I can’t promise you’ll always get to be on the bed,” he says, giving me a wink, “but when it’s appropriate, it’s all yours.”

I laugh while Wallace studies the new man in my life. After a few seconds, he licks Max’s forearm and then turns his attention back to me.

“Does that mean I passed?” Max asks, giving him another pet.

“Wallace is a very good judge of character,” I tell him. “Of course you passed.”

“Well, that’s a relief. I think if he hated me, you’d throw me to the curb,” he teases.

“I would not,” I say, “but I would have to find a way for you two to get along. I need you both in my life.” I look between my dog and the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. I love them both so much it feels impossible that my body can contain it all, and I know I couldn’t bear to lose either one of them.

Max cups my face and kisses me before standing and offering me his hand to help pull me up. “Come on, baby, let’s get Wallace settled in before I give you the last surprise.”

“Another one?” I ask, already wondering what it could be.

He grins and walks over to grab one of the boxes. He’s careful to only use his left hand, but I still hurry up and grab the others before he can even think about trying to do it. He notices and gives a soft laugh. Sasha must’ve already dropped the other stuff off inside, because when we step into the garage, there’s a pile of dog supplies waiting for us.

“Wow, I think Wallace is going to end up with a dog bed in every room,” I say, eyeing it all.

Wallace runs around, sniffing everything, and when Max picks up a package of tennis balls, the excited whine he gives echoes through the garage. After dropping everything off in the living room, we step outside and throw the ball for Wallace. I throw it a few times, but mainly I let Max do it, because it’s guaranteed to solidify the growing bond between them. Wallace is a sucker for anyone who will play fetch with him.

Sitting in one of the comfortable lounge chairs, I watch Max throw the ball for Wallace. He’s a bundle of energy, even more so than usual after that long flight, and he’s nothing but a flash of black-and-white fur as he races across the backyard, never seeming to tire, no matter how many times he races after that ball.

Max gives me a big grin. “I really love your dog.”

I smile and say, “Ourdog.”

---