Page 66 of The Huckleberry Bookshop

Something nudged his calf, and he shook his leg, jostling Athena.

“Am I too heavy?” She pulled away, and he tugged her right back, kissing her again.

But it did feel as though something was trying to climb his leg.

The puppy.

It had the worst timing ever.

He broke the kiss and reached down to scoop up the dog, depositing it in Athena’s lap. “I think I may have accidentally adopted this guy.”

“So weird,” she mused, her lips a ruby red from all that kissing. Irresistible.

He leaned closer, kissing her again until the dog yipped at them.

“Know where that Brant guy might be? Dylan thinks I adopted this pup, but I thought I was just holding him for a bit.”

Mullens rubbed the dog’s ears. It unsteadily circled Athena’s lap twice before curling up. Athena stared at the dog, then at Mullens for a long moment.

“What?”

She shook her head. “Nothing.”

“Tell me? Did I get punked or scammed or something?”

“No, it’s just that Brant doesn’t give a dog to just anyone. Even if it’s ugly.”

He covered the pup’s ears and shot her a look. “Like your big-headed cat is much better.”

“Hey!” She choked on a laugh, the cheery mood a good look on her.

“So this Brant guy?” he pressed. “He’s the local vet and animal control officer who takes in rescues…and then just leaves them with people?”

“Usually he’s really careful and particular.” Athena had that odd look again.

“I make a good impression,” he said with a cheesy grin. Immediately he recalled her first impression of him and internally winced, amending his claim. “Usually.”

“Do you even want a dog?”

“I don’t know.” He pulled her in, close enough to kiss. “But I know that I want you.”

She tried to hide that smile he loved so much. “We’re not talking about me.”

“But I’d like to be talking about you. You and me, to be specific.”

“Yeah?” she said, her tone full of doubt. “Trying to avoid discussing your future?”

“I thought I was?”

Suddenly she was way too focused on the dog in her lap, and he wondered if she believed that he’d told her a lie earlier: that when it came to women, it was always her.

She was the one he thought about when he woke up, when he cooked or ate. When he worked out or chose an outfit for the day. It was her. Always her.

“Is there a you and me?”

He caught the glint of fear in her eyes and she looked about ready to flee if he gave the wrong answer.

“There sure is. I’ve even been asking about rentals in town. Landon gave me some stuff that was horribly out of date, but I was—”

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