“Sleep,” he ordered quietly.
I turned my head to rest my cheek against his chest.
“’Night, Deacon.”
“’Night, my Cassie.”
My Cassie.
That was me. Deacon’s Cassie.
I closed my eyes.
Deacon moved his hand from my neck to wrap his arm around my back.
Only then did I sleep.
* * * * *
The next day, I quit falling.
The next day, I fell, landed, and knew deep in my heart with a landing so soft and sweet it felt like I’d been enveloped by a cloud, I’d landed right where I needed to be.
In other words, the next day was the day when I realized I was in love with Deacon.
It could have happened the night before with the way he made love to me. And make no mistake, he might have fucked me hard and rough while I was tied to my bed, but it was making love.
However, I was too overwhelmed by the experience to process it at the time.
I was far more alert the next day when we walked into the house of the dog breeder, the man opened a door, and five baby German Shepherds bounded out.
They raced right to Deacon and me but they switched paths quickly because it was Deacon who crouched first.
I watched, standing still, attention fixed completely as it appeared my man was trying to pet all five at once with his big hands.
Then it happened.
A little girl puppy got peeved, started nosing her brothers and sisters, yapping at them, doing her puppy best to push them where she wanted them, miraculously got her opening, and jumped up, clawing Deacon’s jeans at his knee.
“Boss lady,” I heard Deacon murmur as I belatedly crouched too. The rest of the puppies galloped my way when Deacon’s hands wrapped around the girl puppy and he lifted her to his chest.
I did my best to stroke and scratch the gaggle of pups that were climbing about my legs, but I did this with my eyes to Deacon, watching the dog lick his jaw and not stop.
He looked to me.
“This one,” he decreed.
Absolutely.
That one.
“Boss Lady,” he stated.
Absolutely.
That was her name.
There was intensity in his eyes that tightened my stomach just like you feel right before going over the crest of a very tall climb on a roller coaster, loving where you are, excited about it, but you can’t wait to see what happens next.