Page 5 of Forbidden Secrets
Melanie gave him a quick look.Her cardigan had slipped off one smooth shoulder to reveal the strap of a tank top.No bra strap made him wonder if she was wearing one.And he should definitely stop those thoughts.Any idea the hard punch of attraction the day before had been a one-off was definitively proven wrong.Fuck.
She cast an amused glance in his direction.Gage took it as a plus she didn’t appear pissed about the croissant.“You’re right that Pancake knows no boundaries.Has she had obedience training?”
“Several classes.She uses her manners only when she wants to.”
Pancake dropped to the ground and began tugging at the penguin’s wings.
“Hey, Pancake, give me my stuffie.”Addy reached for it and Pancake was ready to play tug.Gage made a grab for her, but she evaded him and pulled the penguin from Addy’s grip.Addy grabbed it again and in seconds the penguin was ripped open, and bits of fluff littered the patio pavers.
Gage expected tears, but Addy turned to him, eyes wide.“Is this mayhem?”
The kid killed him.“This is exactly mayhem.”
He grabbed Pancake by the collar and snapped on her leash, saying in a firm voice, “No, Pancake.”
“Yeah, Pancake,” Addy said.“That’s not nice.”
Pancake didn’t give a shit about Gage’s admonishment, but ducked her head when Addy spoke.
The older couple came to the door to watch the drama.Great, an audience.
“Sorry, kid.It looks like I owe you a stuffed penguin.”
“It’s okay.Mom’s good at fixing things.Maybe she can fix Puffy the Penguin.”
Melanie was wearing black leggings, the deep green cardigan hanging below her hips.She bent down to gather the fluff.Gage liked a curvy woman and Melanie had good ones.He forced himself to look away from her perfect heart-shaped ass.Nope.Not going there.He didn’t want to be attracted.He hadn’t seen a husband or boyfriend, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t one.Even if she wasn’t attached, Gage wasn’t relationship material.He was finally feeling like he had his shit together and didn’t need any more complications than those already dogging him.
Melanie rested her hands on her knees.“I don’t think Puffy can be saved, Addy.We’ll have to give him a proper burial.”
“It’s okay.Pancake thought we were playing.”Addy looped an arm around Pancake’s neck, ducking her head as she whispered in the dog’s ear.
The older woman came out onto the patio, eyes narrowed at Gage.He knew a protective parent when he saw one.He handed Addy the leash.“Hold on to this a minute.”
He crossed to the woman and held out his hand.“Gage Landry.Pancake and I live next door.”
She shook his hand.“Donna Bukowski.I’m Melanie’s mom.This is her stepdad, Paul.”
Gage shook Paul’s hand.
“We live in Sisters proper,” Paul said.The guy looked to be about seventy and had an erect posture and a shrewd gaze.Gage pegged him as ex-military.“Mel or Addy need anything, they’ve got us.”
“Got it.Sorry about Pancake.She’s a thief and likes kids.I’ll work on keeping her from bothering your daughter and granddaughter.”
“I like dogs and can deal with Pancake.”Melanie telegraphed a warning glance to her mom, then turned back to Gage.“Addy’d be heartbroken if she couldn’t visit with her new bff.”
“Yeah, I’d be heartbroken.”
The two of them turning big brown eyes on him?He was positive there wasn’t a man alive who could withstand their pull and he didn’t like it.
“That doesn’t mean she can come to your house and be a pain in the…butt.”Melanie’s raised brow said clearly he was on shaky ground.
He took the leash from Addy and Pancake did her best prisoner-facing-the-executioner walk.“C’mon, mooch.And don’t even think about slow walking it.”He gave a general wave and tugged Pancake to follow him.
CHAPTER TWO
“Bye, Mom.Bye, Pancake.”
Melanie watched her little girl climb the steps to the bus with her green and pink backpack.Thursday had been move-in day, then Friday afternoon she and Addy had gone to Mill Creek Elementary, where they’d met her new teacher, Mrs.Delgado, who had shown them her classroom with its small-scale furniture and cheery bulletin boards.
