Total pages in book: 29
Estimated words: 26941 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26941 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 135(@200wpm)___ 108(@250wpm)___ 90(@300wpm)
I head toward the stage at the same time Axel, still in his sweaty T-shirt, comes bounding toward me, obviously still amped up from the performance. “I’d say we rocked the house,” he says with a pleased grin.
“Yes, Mr. Ego, you did.”
He sweeps me into his arms and seals his lips over mine. He kisses me long, hard, and deep, and totally too much for a public place, but I get lost in him anyway.
By the time he lets me up, I’m breathless. “I love what you did for the shelter. I can’t thank you enough.”
“No need to thank me. It’s a worthy cause.” He hooks an arm around my waist. “Besides, I’d do anything for you.”
“And I’d do anything for you. Which brings me to my surprise for you.”
He narrows his gaze. “You can’t have a surprise for me. I have one for you.”
I shake my head. “Nope. You aren’t going to one-up me, Axel Forrester.”
He lifts his shirt and wipes the sweat from his face with the material.
My gaze falls to his six-pack, and I’m surprised I’m not drooling. “Stop trying to distract me,” I say.
He laughs and whispers, “We could leave now. Nobody would know.”
I shake my head. “Not yet. Surprise, remember? Come on.” As I lead him to the parking lot, I begin to explain. “Since we are together…” We are alternating staying in the gatehouse on my family’s property and in his empty house that he still refuses to decorate. Neither of which is ideal, but that’s a discussion for another time. “I figured that I would add to your stability factor.”
We reach the lot where Norah and her volunteers have the puppies who are available for adoption. Nobody can just take a dog home today, but they can meet the dogs, fill out an application, and be vetted afterwards. Then someone will call them if they are approved as a pet owner.
“Stability factor?” He comes to a halt. “I thought we were past those issues.” Panic seems to invade his expression.
“We are. Relax.” I put a hand on his chest to reassure him. “This is a good surprise. I just meant that we’re living together, and I’m around to take care of a pet when you’re on tour. No upheaval involved.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You will.” I lead him around the booth and pause where a large crate sits alone with a black and white dog inside, who appeared disinterested in everything going on around him.
“Walter?” Axel asks, excitement in his tone.
The dog’s ears perk up at the sound of his name.
Smiling, I watch as Axel walks over, and the dog’s long tail begins to wag as he paws at the kennel gate to get to Axel.
“Is he up for adoption here?” Axel asks.
“He’s taken,” I say, carefully watching Axel’s face. He doesn’t seem to understand yet, and I can’t torture him another second. “Baby, open the crate and take out your dog.”
His gaze swings to mine. “You…?”
I nod.
“What about Dakota? Will they get along?” he asks, his body vibrating with contained happiness.
“Well, I’ve had them play together a couple of times this week, and I even brought Walter home to make sure there were no immediate territorial issues. They got along great. So go get your dog!”
Axel’s gaze swings from Walter, who is still pawing at the crate, to me, as if unsure of who he should hug first.
“Go!” I wave a hand toward Walter.
Axel lets his new dog out of the crate and drops to his knees, Walter immediately nuzzling his head into Axel’s stomach.
I step behind the makeshift tables and booth and pull out a leash from a box. Walking over to my man and our dog, I clip the leash onto Walter’s collar, one I’ve already gotten for him.
“My mission here is complete,” I say, handing him the leash.
Axel rises to his feet. “But mine isn’t. I told you I have a surprise, too, remember?” He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a key.
I wrinkle my nose in confusion.
“In case you think I don’t listen, you need to know that I do. You wanted stability. A house. Kids. A future. I don’t know about you, but I want to have you to myself for a bit before we have kids. I plan to marry you, so don’t worry about that. But I refuse to live in your mother and stepdad’s gatehouse, and my rental isn’t right for us. So I took it upon myself to change our living situation.”
I narrow my gaze. “You did … what?”
“I bought a house that you’re going to decorate. Or get help decorating. Whatever. In other words, I also took care of our stability situation.” He grins, obviously pleased with himself.
I fling my arms around his neck and kiss his cheek over and over.
“You don’t care that you didn’t see it first?” he asks warily.