Page 66 of Stick With Me
Another nod.
“It did help us get more comfortable showing… affection.” That’s one word for it. “I don’t regret it…” Oh, thank fuck. “Do?—”
“Absolutely not,” I cut her off. “No regrets here.”
“Good.” She spins the ring on her thumb. “It was good, right?” She looks far more unsure than I ever want her to be. I can’t stand it.
I frame her jaw with both hands, gently tilting her face so her eyes meet mine. “It was beyond good. It was everything. I loved every minute of it.”
A shy smile spreads across her face, lighting up her features. “Me, too,” she mumbles. The urge to kiss her is overwhelming, and I nearly give in, but then she asks, “What are you up to today?”
“Not sure. No practice… hockey practice, I mean… today,” I piece the words together awkwardly. So much for a swift change of topic. “What about you?”
She laughs, letting me off the hook. “Going to meet up with Ada. She offered to help me set up a Kickstarter for the rescue and reach out to southern shelters with high euthanasia rates to discuss partnerships. I already have a few foster volunteers I’m vetting. It’s all coming together.”
Her soft heart never fails to amaze me. She might guard it fiercely, but beneath that tough exterior, she’s tender and caring. I just hope she learns she can trust me with it, that I’ll protect it as carefully as she does.
“Send me the link when you get it set up; I’ll be your first donor.”
She shakes her head. “You’re already doing enough for me, Ry.”
“This isn’t even the tip of what I want to do for you, Sunshine.”
She bites her pouty bottom lip before rising and making her way to the kettle, filling it with filtered water from the fridge.
“Should I take Freddie with me, or will you be around?” Fred, who’s curled up asleep in his dog bed, rouses at his name.
A chime alerts her that the water is up to temperature, and she pours it over a tea bag in her favorite mug.
“I’ll watch him. You go focus on your stuff. I’ll be around, probably heading over to check out Fox’s place. He’s been bugging me to visit.”
She finishes prepping her tea with a splash of milk and a bit of sugar. I could kick myself for not thinking to make it for her earlier, when I was too caught up in my own thoughts.
“Cool. I’ll see you later.” She reaches the doorway but quickly turns back, pressing her lips to my cheek before making her way back upstairs.
“About time. You get a girl, and you forget all about me?” Fox says as he opens the door to let me in. Unlike him, I actually knock.
“You’ll understand when you find a girl you actually take seriously.”
“Doubtful. What’s up? I figure you’d be with Hannah.”
“I would, but she’s working on her rescue fundraising with Ada.”
Fox rolls his eyes. “Glad to hear I’m your second choice.”
I shrug.
“Jackass,” he mutters under his breath. “So, did you start Project Romance? Seemed to be in full effect last night.”
“Yeah. Thanks to you.” I follow him through the kitchen into the living room. His place has a similar footprint to mine, but it’s all clean lines and stark colors. Even the couch looks too modern to be comfortable. I sit down to test it, and I’m right—it’s like sitting on rigid plastic.
“You’re welcome. Have you asked her out on a legit date yet?” Fox asks, squeezing himself into an accent chair that is way too small for his large frame.
“What’s up with your furniture?” I can’t help but ask.
“Way to dodge the question.” Fox narrows his eyes. “And yeah, I know. I thought I could deal with the stuff the previous owners left, but it’s crap. I need a designer… or a girlfriend.”
“Because those are the same thing,” I quip. “What’s the difference between asking her on a date and asking her to do things?”
