Page 6 of Ravenous

Once she was asleep, she didn’t wake up for anything.

But if I had a neighbor who didn’t mind coming over…

My thoughts had nothing to do with the fact that Joy was young and pretty. She wasn’t my type. The last thing I needed was a sweet, dimpled, blue-eyed human in my life, except as a babysitter.

Nope.

My heart was closed to females–she-wolves and humans alike. It couldn’t contain the pressure of loving a four-year-old pup. Plus, I didn’t have enough time to manage one tiny female and myself. There was no way I was going to complicate things by getting involved with a woman. Especially a human.

Not even one that smelled like pralines and sunshine.

“Is that Joy?” I tapped the paper Remy was drawing on.

She nodded her head, her red curls bobbing. “Uh huh. You can tell by the bun on top.” She pointed to the yellow ball above the stick figure’s head. “How do you write her name?”

“Let’s sound it out,” I said, taking a cue from Remy’s preschool teacher, Riley. “J-J-J.”

She stuck her tongue into the corner of her mouth, just like she always did when concentrating. “G?”

“J. But you’re right, G makes that sound, too.”

Remy’s face scrunched up as she drew a giant letter J at the top of the paper in yellow. She traded out the yellow crayon for a blue one. “And then what?”

“Oh-oh-oh.” I made the sound with my mouth.

She glanced at me for confirmation as she drew an O beside the J.

I nodded.

“Is that all?”

“Y. Like in Remy.” I hoped she wouldn’t ask why it wasn’t pronouncedJoey, then, because I sure as hell didn’t know. I didn’t think they taught exceptions to sounding things out quite yet.

When she’d added her crooked Y, she held it up. “Can I bring it to her?”

My dick twitched under the towel at the thought of returning next door. Which was exactly why I had to say no.

“Not now.” I stood and ruffled Remy’s hair. “Daddy has to get dressed and figure out something for you to eat for dinner.”

“Can we buy popsicles?” Remy asked.

An image of Joy licking her raspberry popsicle flashed through my mind. That tongue dragging up the side as she perused my body with her leisurely gaze.

Suddenly, my mouth watered, and it wasn’t for popsicles.

Maybe I should be neighborly. I could bring Remy over to deliver the drawing. I could introduce myself properly and get off on a better foot with my new neighbor. After I got dressed.

More importantly, I could get another good whiff of her scent.

That would be the only reason for going over there. Not because I was interested.

I definitely didn’t want Joy to lick my popsicle. Or to open those thighs for me to get my face between them.

I wasn’t wondering whether the scent of her arousal smelled as sweet as the rest of her.

Nor what sounds she’d made when she got excited.

Nope. Not going there. You didn’t screw your neighbor. That had to be a fucking rule, right?

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