When he came back, he straddled my lap, facing me. I made the sort of sound a vinyl cushion makes. He deflated me, in more ways than one.
“You are something.” His bits-and-bobs bracelets creaked and jingled when he brought his hand up to thumb the arch of my eyebrow. “You look very kind. If PBS needed someone to play a veterinarian, you’d be perfect.”
“Thank you.”
“What about me? What am I like?”
“Trouble.” I kissed his forehead. “And light. Lots of both.”
“I’m no trouble.”
“I thought you wanted to be a brat.”
“I want to be your brat.” He lowered his lashes coyly. “What would you do with me?”
“Hmm.” I pretended to think about it. “Probably the same thing I’d do with a misbehaving dog. I’d try to catch you doing something I wanted you to do and reward that.”
“I see.” He bit his lip. “But what would you do when I’m naughty?”
“I give naughty dogs, especially puppies, the best possible chance to be good.”
“How?” His lips trailed from my neck to the skin under my jaw, making me shiver with need.
“I…um…make their environment safe, for one thing. T-take away any attractive nuisances and replace them with things a puppy can have. Reward, reward, reward.”
“I’ve been pretty good. How would you reward me?”
“I’d reward you very well and with alarming frequency.”
“Okay, then.” He smiled and it lit his whole face. “Let the rewarding begin.”
I trailed my hand up his arm. Just that touch was exquisite. His pale skin was soft and cool as I drew my fingers up and over the sleeve of his T-shirt and around his shoulder to rest at the back of his neck.
Our lips met for a kiss as sensual and slow as the music he’d been playing.
“Mm.” He opened, letting me slip between straight teeth that seemed too perfect and white for someone living rough. I imagined his family faced with the cost of orthodontia on top of what must have been massive medical bills and wondered again how anyone who nurtured a child—educated him and straightened his teeth—could let him walk away.
In the corner, Rico fluffed his feathers loudly and chittered as he settled in for the night. Callie dozed peacefully at our feet.
I wrapped my hands around Beck’s hips as if I could pull him closer when there wasn’t space for a mote of dust between us.
He shifted, rubbing his cock deliberately against mine.
“Okay if we take this to the bedroom?” I asked hoarsely.
His smile widened. “I thought you’d never ask.”
I probably wouldn’t have if the entire evening hadn’t felt like a fever dream, if it wasn’t exactly what I’d wanted since I’d first seen Beck on the beach.
He lifted off me, and there was no hiding his arousal. His hilariously tented sweats were soaked with precum. Mine were in no better shape. My spine popped audibly when I rose to my feet.
Beck grabbed hold of the strings of my hoodie and pulled me to him. “Where?”
“This way. Let me cover Rico.”
“I should take Callie out before bed.” He went to the door where he’d hung her leash.
“My yard’s fenced. Just let her outside.”
“Her majesty won’t get her feet wet unless I go.” He tapped his thigh and she followed him to the back door. She was laughably reluctant to leave. It took both of us walking her out and waiting, shivering in the rain while she did her business.
“C’mon.” I ran back inside and grabbed towels from the laundry room. He followed inside with Callie, who lashed us with icy water when she shook. We had to get more towels.
I thought about leaving our damp clothes there, but I wasn’t ready to parade around naked in front of Beck. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be ready, but he dropped his sweatshirt. The luster of him astounded me all over again. I lifted my arm, he fit himself underneath it, and we walked to my bedroom together, followed by the silent, amiable Callie.
At the foot of my bed, I turned to him. “I could still take you back to Cooper’s place if you’d rather. They’re probably home by now.”
“I don’t want to go,” he whispered. “But I should probably call, huh?”
“Yeah, they might be worried.” I took my phone off the charger and unlocked it. “Here. I’ll give you a minute.”
What am I doing?
I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have second thoughts as I washed up and brushed my teeth. Even then, I could tell Beck was no hookup for me. I had no precedent