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GOOD DOGGIE

XANDER

August

We beat Dallas last night and are headed back to Boston shortly.

The win was almost as satisfying as seeing Bella on Saturday—and the fact that she finally unblocked me, of course.

She was incredibly happy to see Milo when I dropped him off.

And, if I’m not mistaken, she even flirted back when I told her how beautiful she looked.

My dog was just as elated to see her; the two of them were almost instantly lost in their own world.

I’m not sure he’ll want to leave her side when I get back. He loves her more than he loves me.

And fuck if I don’t want to trade places with my dog. If only I lived in a fairy tale where body swapping were possible.

I’m so damn desperate for my girl. And horny. So horny, I worried my hand would fall off after days jacking off to the memory. Find your own . Why would I need a book when my imagination is full of her? For me, B is for pleasure. B is for so much more than that too.

I unlock my phone and send her a quick text, just to check in. I swear I’m doing my best to not overstep her boundaries.

Me:

What are you up to? Is Milo behaving himself?

Bella:

Watching anime And of course! He’s the best!

Then she sends a picture of Milo on the couch with his head in her lap. When I see it, I’m assaulted by memory after memory. The scene is so familiar. A year apart, and nothing has changed. My dog and his favorite human.

Me:

He will never change

Bella:

I hope he doesn’t! I love him just the way he is

It’s tempting to ask her if she loves me just the way I am, but that would be a direct route to getting blocked again. So, I settle for a safer option.

Me:

What are you watching?

Bella:

Violet Evergarden. On Netflix

Me:

Hm, never heard of it

Bella:

I didn’t think you were an anime fan

Head thrown back, I laugh. It’s almost exactly what I said about Guy Ritchie’s movies.

Me:

Anime kinda grew on me. Did you watch Suzume?

Bella:

The one about the guy who turns into a turtle?

I scoff. Is she trying to catch me in a lie?

Me:

He turns into a chair

Bella:

I’m impressed. And yes, I loved it

I quickly reread our messages. Is it just me, or is she being friendly? And do I sense a flirtatious tone? It’s tempting to ask her if she wants to watch it together, but we’re not there yet. My best bet is to start with an activity that involves Milo. And that’s why?—

“Walker.”

I look up from my phone as Miller sits on the couch beside me.

“What is your dog doing with Isabella?”

My gut clenches. “How did you know that?”

Miller has scruffy stubble on his cheeks, and his eyes are hard. Cold. His expression could be called murderous. I’m not afraid of this fucker, and though it took a lot of time and energy, I’ve learned how to ignore him. Mostly.

“Saw a photo on her Stories.”

That tightness in my gut turns into a painful twist. “She blocked you.”

He lifts a shoulder. “I have my ways.”

I huff. “What’s it to you anyway?”

The wrinkle between his brows deepens. “Are the two of you together?”

“That’s none of your business.” I stand and slip my phone into my pocket.

“Anything concerning her is my business,” he grits out. “She’ll always be mine.”

I shake my head. He’ll never change.

“You’re delusional,” I say as I walk away from the pompous ass.

Parked a few houses down, I survey Millie’s house.

Maybe I should have called first, or at least texted her to let her know I was on my way.

But if I’d done that, I can guarantee she would’ve met me out front.

This way, with any luck, she’ll invite me in, give me a chance to get to know this new version of her a little more.

She’s changed so much. She’s so bold, so confident.

Yet many things about her are the same. Her perfume, the sharp black lines of her eyeliner, her vanilla lip balm.

How she nibbles on her bottom lip when she’s frustrated.

Her sense of humor. The way her eyes blaze when she’s irritated.

She’s still my Bella, yet she’s a new person, one I want to know more about.

With a harsh exhale, I climb out of my car. I wonder if Millie’s home, and what she thinks about me. Does she know I’m trying to win her niece back? She let Milo stay, but I don’t dare let myself hope it’s a sign she still likes me.

The instant I knock on the door, Milo barks.

Yeah, buddy, you need to protect her from unwanted guests. That’s what a good doggie does.

That’s what I would’ve done.

I let out a sardonic chuckle. Good Lord, what is it with me and these thoughts about becoming a dog?

The door opens slightly, and Bella peeks out. It’s a bolt of lightning to the chest, just like it is every time I see her.

“Xander? You said you’d call.”

“I forgot.” With a smile, I rock back on my heels.

She rolls her eyes. Please, Bella, let me in.

She pulls the door open wide but doesn’t move from the doorway, so I stay where I am. Milo rushes to me, wagging his tail, his face fixed in a smile, if that’s even possible. I can’t remember the last time he was this happy to see me.

“Hey, boy.” I kneel and scratch behind his ear. “Did you miss me?”

Bella, to my shock, steps back and says, “Come on in.”

I usher Milo back into the house, considering what kind of treats I’ll shower him with when we get home.

The foyer is small, and the two moving boxes stacked in the corner make the space feel crowded.

I nod at them. “Are you still unpacking?”

Lips pressed together, she shakes her head. “No, they’re for my internship in May.” She turns and pads into the living room, hips swaying, perfect ass stealing my attention.

I clear my throat and follow. Marco mentioned an internship, but that’s all I know. I’m eager to hear about it, to hear about everything, but we’re not there yet.

The living room, which used to be dark green, is now decorated in light colors. Between that and the big windows, the space looks more open. When we were together, Bella worked on sketches for her aunt, but they didn’t look like this.

“Did you decorate this room?” I ask.

Smiling, she surveys our surroundings. “Yeah. Millie hired a contractor to do the remodel, but she let me do the design.”

“Remember how stressed out you were when she asked you to design it but couldn’t tell you what she wanted?” I chuckle, lightness spilling through my body. “You did great. It’s beautiful.”

“Thank you.” Cheeks pink, she ducks her head, though a moment later, she zeroes in on me. “Congrats on the win. You were fantastic on the field. The whole team was, I mean.”

“Thanks. I wasn’t sure you’d be watching.”

“I didn’t plan on it.” She giggles. “But it seemed appropriate with Milo here. Besides, you know my aunt loves watching you play.”

“Yeah, I always thought she was my biggest fan.” I wiggle my eyebrows. “Though are you saying Milo and Millie were watching football? Not you?”

“We all watched.” She walks past me, and once again I’m consumed by her beauty.

Dear God. Bella is in black leggings and a sports bra, showing off her taut stomach. The sight makes my mouth water. And don’t get me started on her full tits. They’re everything.

“Do you want coffee?”

“Coffee?” I blink, snapping out of my daze. I’m like that damn Kronk from The Emperor’s New Groove , one big wall of muscle with no brain. “ Coffeeeee . Yeah, I’d love some.”

As she walks away, I give my cheek a slap. Wake the fuck up, Xander.

I take my time following her, soaking in all the details, recalling memory after memory. When I catch sight of the peonies on the table, my skin hums. She kept the flowers after all.

She moves with ease as she doctors two cups of coffee.

The sight makes my chest ache. I miss having her in my kitchen, watching her try out a new recipe or perfect one of her favorites.

She’s always so passionate about what she’s working on.

I miss everything about her, and in this moment I can’t help but think: What if I’ve lost her forever?

“Miller still watches your Instagram Stories.” The words rush out of my mouth before I can stop them. I don’t know why I’m telling her that, except that I want her to be careful.

She sets a cup of coffee in front of me then props one hip against the counter and sips her own, her focus fixed on me.

I pick up my own mug. “He still thinks he has a chance,” I add quietly.

“Never,” she says, her tone firm. “I’m sorry you’re still stuck dealing with him. And for the year you had when I was…” She trails off. “We both know I should’ve filed charges. I made a mistake, and I’m sorry.”

My stomach lurches. “No. You don’t need to apologize. He’s the issue here. You did nothing wrong,” I assure her. “It’s all good now. I learned how to tune him out.”

“That’s good to know.” She smiles. “Can you wait for me here? I need to grab my gym bag.”

“You go to the gym?”

She nods.

“Which one? Maybe I can join you for a workout sometime.”

She laughs, skirting the table. “Sorry. I prefer to work out alone.”

While I wait, I unlock my phone and doomscroll my socials.

“Alexander?”

I wheel around in my seat and meet Millie’s gaze. Her eyes are wide, her lips parted.

“Hey.” I jump to my feet and envelop her in a hug. “How have you been?”

“I’m good, thank you for asking.” Millie tilts her head to the side, assessing me. “Are you here to pick up Milo?”

“Yeah.” I shuffle my feet under her scrutiny. “Thank you so much for letting him stay.”

She waves a hand. “I love seeing him, and I love how happy he makes Bella.” Her words are genuine, warming my skin. “Congratulations on your win, by the way.”

“Thank you.”

“She watched too. I think it was good for her—the game and spending time with Milo.” She pats my hand. “You’re on the right track. Just be persistent and present.”

My heart leaps.

Holy fuck. Did she just give me her blessing?

“I better head out.” Bella appears, her brow knit as she looks from Millie to me. “Is everything okay?”

Her aunt kisses her cheek. “Just thought I’d say hi to Alexander.” Bent at the waist, she gives Milo a pat. “It was so good to have you here. Maybe your human will bring you to visit again soon.” She looks up and winks at me before straightening.

“I’d love to.” I grin, leaning in to give Millie a kiss on the cheek.

“Can I walk you out?” Bella asks.

Out front, her duffel bag thrown over her shoulder, she crouches to stroke Milo’s fur.

“Bye, boy. I was incredibly happy to see you.” As she stands, she gives me a small smile. “Thank you for letting me spend time with him.”

“You did me a favor, a big one. I should be thanking you,” I say, roughing my free hand through my hair. “Any chance you’d be interested in watching him next time I’m away?”

Her eyes light up. “I’d love to.”

Yes! I want to scream and throw my fist in the air. Instead, I say, “Thank you.”

“Well, I better go.”

“Got anything fun planned today?” I ask. I’m not ready to let her go.

Her lips kick up on one side. “After my workout, Millie and I are having dinner with Ben and Tom.” She takes a step back. “Anyway…bye.”

“See you, Bella.” I make a point to use her name, curious about how she’ll react.

She shoots me a look but wordlessly strides to the driver’s seat of Millie’s car.

Baby steps. Today, we took the tiniest step in the right direction, and that’s enough for now. I won’t rush this. I won’t push. Patience. Resilience. Calm. Nothing else.

But I know exactly what I’ll do next.