Page 124 of Lemon Crush

“I did. You know how my mother could burn water and hated sweets in a way that made us occasionally wonder if she was from another planet?”

Amusement lit his beautiful eyes. “That does ring a bell. Your sister doesn’t like to cook either.”

“I know.Myrebellion was taking cooking and baking lessons when I was a senior in high school, so I could survive on more than takeout and salads.”

Loving chocolate was just me being a normal human being.

He pointed at his plate with his fork. “If anyone knew you could do this, family dinners would become your permanent job.”

I laughed between bites. “Keep it to yourself and I’ll bake you a pie.”

He glanced at the water bottle sitting in the center of the table, then back to me. “Is that what I think it is?”

Smart man.

I nodded. “I thought it might help move the dinner conversation along. If we had a lull.”

He carefully put down his fork and wrapped his wide fingers around the makeshift honesty flask, holding my gaze with his. “This feels like a date. Like the romance you said you weren’t interested in.”

My heart skipped a couple of beats. “Good. That’s what I was going for. And maybe some things have changed on that score.”

When he tensed, I sighed and tore my piece of naan into smaller pieces to keep my hands busy. “Or it could just be dinner.”

I had to give him an out. I didn’t want to make it any more awkward for him than it had to be.

“But you want it to be a date?”

“Why not?” I said lightly, wishing this were going better. “We already sleep together and everyone knows it.”

“August.”

Merlin started yodeling from the other room and Wade jolted the table as he tried to stand. It really was too small for either one of us. “What the hell was that?”

“It can’t be good.” I slid out of my seat before he could and raced toward the bedroom. “Hold on, Merlin, I’m coming.”

The reason for his mournful attempt at howling became apparent when I looked into Wanda’s crate.

Oh shit. Literally.

“How did all of that come from you? You’re sotiny.”

I had already grabbed a towel and was trying not to gag as I wrapped up the squirming, poo-caked pup when I felt Wade behind me.

“This was your after-dinner surprise,” I told him when Wanda saw him and started yipping indignantly in my arms. “Bernie told me she’s weaned and her mother’s gone, and that’s why you started bringing her to their place at night. The good news is, we have lots of room here and Merlin is already in love with her. The bad news is, she just exploded.”

He let me talk, following me into the bathroom without a word. The clicking of claws on the tile told me Merlin was bringing up the rear.

“She should be with you, don’t you think?” I asked. “Since you made up the whole same-bed rule and you’re here most of the time, it makes logical sense to have her here too.”

I almost gagged again when Wanda’s paw reached up to bat at my breast, leaving a distinctive smear on my lovely new shirt.

I’ll admit, it threw me off a little. But I was on a mission and I couldn’t be distracted.

“And before you bring up a pet deposit, the other thing I wanted to tell you tonight was that, between my tips and the final installment of my advance that should be coming my way now that the publishers have the full manuscript, I don’t really need a paying renter anymore. And with Chick still seeing his Lyft driver and already tossing around hints about needing more privacy?—”

“That’s what all this is about? You want me to move out?” he asked incredulously. Then he noticed my poo-smudged shirt. “Fuck. She needs a shower. I’ll take her in. Did Bernie give you the body wash I bought for her?”

“By her crate.” Along with her bed, toys, leash and collar. Wade had obviously done a shopping montage of his own.

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