Bonus Kisses - Freya Barker Page 0,52

leisurely explore, getting familiar with the tastes and textures of each other’s bodies. When I position myself between her spread thighs this time, our eyes are locked and unguarded, every emotion exposed as we make love.

“We didn’t use anything.”

Taz sets down the coffee pot and turns to face me. “I know.”

“I haven’t…I mean, not since…” I run a frustrated hand through my hair at my bumbled attempt. “There hasn’t been anyone else for a long time, but still I should’ve—”

“It’s okay,” she interrupts, the tug of a smile on her mouth. “I’ve always been careful.”

I note she doesn’t say there hasn’t been anyone and I feel that in my gut. I have no right—fuck, I know I don’t—but the thought of her with someone else…

“Stop that,” she snaps, closing the distance between us. She puts a hand in the middle of my chest and lifts her face up to me. “If we start looking back instead of moving forward, we don’t stand a chance.”

She’s right. Of course she is.

I stroke her chin with the backs of my fingers. “Point taken.” My eyes scan her face before I get us back on topic. “What about pregnancy?”

Taz lowers her gaze as a blush deepens on her cheeks. “What about it?” she whispers.

“Taz…”

Her eyes snap back to mine. “Don’t worry about it, okay? I should still be covered by my last Depo injection.”

“Well, that’s good, right?” I try, not fully understanding her snippy tone. But I clue in when she turns away again, biting her lower lip. “Sweets…” With my index finger under her chin, I coax her to look at me. “It’s not that I wouldn’t be happy to find out you were pregnant with my child. I’d be over the fucking moon. What I am saying is we might want to time it better. Get everyone used to the fact there is an us, before we think about adding siblings and grandchildren.”

Taz

“Before you go, Charlton could do with a bath.”

I try not to roll my eyes at Mrs. Myers’ request. Monday it was a walk he needed, and if not for the dog’s adorable face when she mentioned the magic word, I would’ve refused her.

Looks like I set myself up for more extracurricular tasks.

“Mrs. Myers, looking after Charlton is not really part of my job description,” I politely remind her, as I bite the inside of my cheek.

“Well, forgive me,” she fires back tartly. “I thought, having been raised in a church-going family like yours, you would’ve at least picked up some basic sense of charity for those less fortunate. If your sister were here, she would’ve—”

I raise my hand to cut her off, taking a deep breath in. “Mrs. Myers,” I force myself to say calmly, when I feel all but calm. “I will give Charlton a bath today, but I suggest for future reference you perhaps could find a mobile groomer who is able to come to your house.” Before she has a chance to answer, I scoop up the overweight dog and carry him upstairs to the ancient bathroom.

It’s a good thing Mrs. Myers is my last appointment for the day, because bathing Charlton proves not to be as easy as the dog’s laid-back demeanor might’ve promised. It was a twenty-minute struggle with the surprisingly agile beagle. By the time a fresh smelling Charlton hobbles down the stairs and takes up his spot at his mistress’ feet for a nap, my entire front is soaked, my forearm is throbbing with an imprint of the old dog’s surprisingly powerful jaws, and my patience has worn thin.

“Now that wasn’t too bad, was it?” the old hag taunts as I silently grab my things.

I freeze at her words. It’s the last straw.

“Mrs. Myers, it’s that I’m a nice person, and my parents raised me well, or else I would be tempted to file a personal injury suit.” I shove the arm that bears the clear markings of Charlton’s chompers in her face. “Now I’m sore, I’m soaked, and I’m half an hour late getting home, so if you’ll excuse me.” Without another word I walk out of her house.

By the time I’ve stopped by the walk-in clinic for a tetanus shot—the dog broke skin—called Nathan to give him a report, and pull into our driveway, I’ve cooled off a little.

Meredith called me earlier in the week, and I’d planned to pick up a few things for the dinner party we arranged for tomorrow. It’s a good thing I’ll have the day