Page 46 of Love in Mission City

Which was like a bucket of cold ice being upended on us.

Carter met my gaze. “Shall we take this to the bedroom?”

Heat rushed to my cheeks. “Uh…I don’t have supplies.”

He grinned wickedly. “I might. Been sporting them along with my hard-on ever since I met you.”

I gaped.

He laughed. And rolled off me. He petted Sheffield and Rosebud. “If we give you your special toys, do you promise to behave?”

Sheffield’s tongue lolled in pleasure at being rewarded.

Rosebud gave him the side-eye.

Never quite trusting.

I didn’t blame her. I pointed to the bedroom. “We’re just going to be in there.”

She narrowed her eyes.

“Can I give her a Greenie?” Carter now turned puppy-dog eyes on me.

“I suppose.”

Rosebud and Sheffield tore into their crates. The routine was to give them a Greenie when I went out. I didn’t lock them in, but they ate their treats in peace.

“Or we could just go to my place?”

“On that couch of yours?” I rubbed my back. “I’m too old for that shit.”

“Hey.” He gave me his mock-affronted look. “That happens to be a very supportive couch.”

“By supportive you mean rock-hard.”

He shrugged. “Good back support.”

I laughed. I’d been doing that a lot more of late. “Your call.”

“Greenies and your orthopedic mattress.”

And sex.

I didn’t know what kind of sex. I was truly out of practice. I’d given up on the whole sex thing. On the whole love thing.

Then Carter had barreled into my life, and nothing had been the same since.

“I’ll sneak into the bedroom while you give them the treats.” I did just that. I left the door open only a fraction as I made a beeline to the bathroom. Needing to piss was pretty high on the list, but so was making certain I didn’t have any more sauce on my chin.

After relieving myself, I was relieved to discover I was still clean. I washed my hands and then headed back into the bedroom.

Carter was just shutting the bedroom door. He turned. “I don’t think this is going to work.”

“Well, I suppose I could remain celibate for the rest of my life.”

He strode over to me and covered my mouth with his hands. “Oh hush, you.”

I nipped at his hand.