Page 3 of Lips On My Heart

She snorts. “Fitting, don’t you think?”

I laugh. This woman is fucking funny. A beauty with a sense of humor.

“Um, now that you know my dog isn’t going to kill me, will you please let me go?”

“Yeah, sorry.” Reluctantly, I release my hold on her. She felt too damn good near my skin. She takes a deep breath—as if to calm herself—and gives me a shy smile, which I return.

Lithely she slides off the boulder and opens her arms to Hades, who bounds right into her embrace. He knocks her flat on her beautiful ass, licking her all over. Giggles and squeals erupt from her. I can’t help the grin spreading across my face. The dog has to weigh more than 150 pounds, beating my pixie by at least fifty, but clearly, he’s her baby; he even tries to crawl into her lap.

“Yeah, it’s okay, Hades. Mommy’s okay, big boy. Thank you for trying to protect me. I love you, too. Who’s Mommy’s good boy? Yep, it’s you, yes it is,” she says in a higher-pitched voice.

Chuckling, I slide down the boulder next to her. Hades growls in warning. Apparently, he’s not a fan of mine. My smile widens because the big beast is protective of hismamá.

“Hades, no! I know he scared us, but this is Mommy’s friend, um…” She looks to me.

“Maceo,” I answer.

She nods before looking back to Hades. “This is Maceo. He’s okay. He thought Mommy was in trouble and was trying to help. He’s sorry he scared us. Okay, big guy?”

A snigger slips past my lips and I run a hand through my unruly hair. “It’s funny how you talk to him, like he actually understands what you’re saying.”

Hades growl. “Hades, no growling,” she warns before turning her attention back to me. She stands to her full height, which I’m guessing is no more than five-two, making me well over a foot taller than her. “Of course, he does. Every damn word. He’s the smartest dog.”

Amused, I laugh, but in the corner of my eye I catch Hades, who is baring his teeth at me, making no noise behind hismamá’sback. The dog is smart, I’ll give him that, hiding the threat he’s making to avoid being reprimanded. Maybe he does comprehend humans.

“Well, he’s definitely protective of you.”

“Yeah. I heard enough horror stories about Colorado’s wildlife to know I wanted to get the biggest, toughest dog to accompany me on my runs—for both companionship and protection. I adopted him from the Humane Society, but his name was different. They named him something obnoxious: Licorice.” She makes a face of disgust and I shake my head. “One look at his sweet golden eyes and I was sold. Brought him home and we’ve been inseparable since.”

No longer seeing me as a threat, Hades snorts and starts investigating a nearby brush pile.

I need to know who this little spitfire is before she goes on her way. I extend my hand to her. “Well, I guess proper introductions are in order. Maceo, but you already know it.” I give her my best panty-dropping smile, praying it works on her. From the pretty blush growing on her cheeks, I’m guessing my charm is having the desired effect.

“Josephine,” she says in a soft voice as she takes my hand. We shake hands for a moment, and I bring the back of her hand to my lips to place a kiss on her silky skin. I don’t know what possessed me with this fucking chivalrous behavior. I’ve never kissed someone’s hand before. But something about her makes me want to put my hands and lips all over her, right here and right now, while still being a gentleman.

“Josephine,” I murmur. “Beautiful name for a beautiful woman.”

She giggles and I swear to God it sounds like little bells, perfect and musical. She’s fucking gorgeous, and it makes my chest ache. I palm the area with my free hand to ease the pain. She rolls her bright blue eyes, but she’s clearly flattered based on how her blush spreads from her face to her cleavage. “My, aren’t you the charmer.”

My grin turns wolfish and my inner asshole takes over. “I’m hoping to charm the pants right off you.”

Josephine blinks, shocked. “You’re bold.” She shakes her head as if to clear it.

Still holding her hand, I pull her closer till I’m bending down to her ear. I’m so fucking close I can smell the citrus scent of her skin mixed with what I know is the scent of her arousal. It’s fucking euphoric and nearly primal. “Is it working?”

Her pupils dilate and the corners of her mouth turn up. “Not at all.”

She lies. I chuckle at the challenge she’s presenting.

Her bright blues narrow at me. “I’m not that easy.”

Maybe true with the men in her past, but I can tell by the flush of her skin and the way she’s shifting her thighs together, I’m affecting her as much as she’s affecting me. I may have a shot at being the exception.

I don’t need to get to know a bedmate in order to have sex with her. Honestly, being willing, attractive, and clean is enough. I’m not in it to form a connection; it’s just sex. And the women I’ve hooked up with before are of the same mindset.

But Josephine isn’t the typical woman I go after, and if she was, she would already be trying to run a hand up my body. Josephine is…surprising in some odd way I can’t discern. She needs to be wooed, and to feel connected to any man she allows in.

These are uncharted waters for me. But looking at the little beauty and how enticing her body is, I’m willing to give it a whirl.

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