Page 46 of Too Hot To Touch

Lincoln

I head backto the office to pick up the puppies before I head back to the animal shelter to pick up Adeline. She’s waiting out front when I pull up and she slides in before I can hop out to get her door.

She turns around and coos at the puppies as they try to jump all over her. She laughs as Quiche climbs up on the center console to lick her face.

“I missed you too, guys.” She laughs as she tries to pet all of them at once.

The ride home is pretty quick and soon I’m pulling up in front of the house. She helps me get all of the puppies inside and we both collapse on the couch. She laughs as we watch them run over to their toys and start to play almost instantly.

“I love you.”

Her laughter cuts off abruptly as she looks at me with wide eyes.Yeah, maybe I shouldn’t have just blurted it out like that…

“I’ve loved you since the first moment that I saw you. Roman and Flynn hired me to investigate Aspen. They were trying to get her to go out with them but she wouldn’t give them the time of day. They wanted to know if she was seeing someone else but instead of finding a boyfriend, I found you. I started keeping an eye on you then. I knew you were sick, that you had a tumor and needed surgery and I was about to offer to pay for it when Roman and Flynn did instead. I never would have let anything happen to you, love. I’ve been trying to get you to see how perfect we are together. That I would do anything for you. All I want is for you to be happy but I really want to be the one who makes you happy. I know you might need more time but I just need to know, will you ever give me a shot? GiveUSa shot?

CHAPTER 19

Adeline

I stare wide-eyedat Lincoln as his declaration spins around in my head. This is it. My heart beats wildly in my chest as I look up into his eyes.

“Yes.” I whisper but I’m not sure that he heard me.

I have to clear my throat to try again.

“Yes, I can give you, this, a chance.”

“Oh, Adeline.”

The next thing I know, I’m being crushed in his arms.

“You have no idea how happy that makes me. How happy you make me.”

I cuddle into him further as his arms stay locked around me. We stay like that for several long minutes before the dogs start barking and we pull apart.

“Why don’t we order some food? I can take the dogs outside and then we can feed them before the food gets here.”

“Sounds perfect.”

He stares at me for a second and then he leans down towards me. His lips stop a breath away from mine but I can feel his warm breath as it skates across my lips. His eyes meet mine, looking for permission. I look up at him and lick my lips before I close the distance between us.

His lips are warm and firm against mine. His hands come up to cup my face and I feel his tongue as it licks against my lips, seeking entrance. I moan as my lips part and his tongue pushes in. I hesitate before slowly stroking my tongue against his. He groans and it emboldens me. I tunnel my hands into his hair and pull him closer to me.

“Ruff!”

A little ball of fur launches at us and we break apart as it pushes between our bodies. Lincoln scowls down at Quiche and that just makes me laugh harder. Lincoln sighs but as I keep laughing, he smiles at me.

“Hamburgers?” He asks.

My stomach growls and I nod my head.

“With milkshakes?” I ask.

“Anything for you, my love.”

He pulls out his phone and orders our dinner while I get the dogs hooked up on their leashes. We take them outside and let them do their business. The dog food should be delivered tomorrow and we only have two more days until they can be off the bottled food and onto puppy chow.

We herd them all back inside and Lincoln helps me make the bottles. We just finish feeding them when the doorbell rings and I finish up with the puppies while Lincoln pays for the food.

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