When I return to Kellen’s house, I find him in the front yard with the ex pen set up and the puppies romping around while Bubba lies in the grass, keeping watch. Kellen has one wriggly puppy in a large plastic tub—he’s giving it a bath.
God, he’s hot. He’s wearing a pair of shorts but no shirt. The tattoos covering his muscles ripple as he works shampoo into the pup’s filthy coat. He glances up as I park and smiles.
When I grab bags from the rear, Kellen calls out, “Hold on just a second… I’ll bring all that in.”
“I got it,” I reply, heading toward the sidewalk.
While still scrubbing the pup, he twists to look over his shoulder at me with a stern expression. “I said… hold on a second. I’ll bring it all in.”
“I’m perfectly capable of carrying groceries,” I say with an eye roll.
“You did the shopping. I’ll do the carrying.”
“You’re washing the puppies.”
“You gave them medical care.”
I stop halfway up the sidewalk, smiling at him. “We make a good team.”
Kellen grins. “The best.” He then picks up the soapy little boy, holds him up before his face, and asks solemnly, “What do you think? Should I keep Dr. Abby?”
The pup’s feet paddle the air, and he licks the end of Kellen’s nose which makes his hot factor multiply by ten and my ovaries start pulsating.
“What time is everyone coming?” I ask, calculating if perhaps we could work in a quickie.
Kellen sets the dog back in the tub and looks at his watch. “About half an hour.”
Well, crap. Not enough time.
I mean, there is, but we have too much to do yet.
“Why’d you ask?”
I shrug, smiling to myself and heading up the porch. “No reason.”
Within half an hour, Kellen has the puppies reasonably dried off and transferred to the backyard to play, I have the barbecue food laid out on platters and in bowls and the beer and sodas on ice.
Kellen changes clothes, lights up the grill to preheat, and pulls me into a searing kiss just as the doorbell rings with our first guest.
It’s Clay and Corrine with a bottle of wine. She’s the company’s resident psychiatrist, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about learning that Jameson needed such services. I don’t like to think of Kellen doing things that might hurt him emotionally and mentally, but I spent a lot of time talking to Corinne last night at the wedding, and she’s fabulous. I know the Jameson people are in good hands.
Impromptu get-togethers are usually near impossible for this lot under ordinary circumstances, but given that everyone’s in town for Bebe and Griff’s wedding, we lucked out.
It’s amazing that all the Jameson guys are happily tied down, and we have a full house by the time everyone arrives.
Malik and Anna.
Cage and Jaime.
Jackson and Camille. Oh my gosh… a real princess eating burgers with us.
Ladd and Greer.
Kynan and Joslyn. A freaking movie star, and she’s so humble.
Dozer and Jessica.
Cruce and Barrett.
The only ones not in attendance are Bebe and Griff, and they get a pass since they’re headed to St. Lucia for an extended honeymoon. Sin and Saint also couldn’t come, but they have a newborn to swoon over.
When we’re all assembled on the back deck—but before Kellen throws the meat on the grill—we welcome and thank everyone for coming on such short notice. A beer in hand and his arm around my waist, Kellen says, “I’m so grateful to have this crew at my back. I’ve not been here long, but the bonds are tight, and I hope we can do many more of these get-togethers in the future.”
He holds up his beer, his sentiment echoed around the group.
“I do have a nefarious scheme in mind, however,” he continues, and I tip my head to look at him curiously. Whatever this is, I’m not privy to it. “You’ve all noticed the puppies out in the yard.”
All heads turn that way, and I giggle as I see one of the pups, belly up in front of Bubba where he lies on the grass, chewing on the big Belgian’s paw.
“There are fourteen guests here. I expect y’all to figure it out, but four of these pups are leaving with four of you today.”
Kynan busts out a laugh, and to my surprise, he immediately says, “We’ll take one.”
The rest of the gang talks, and a few walk into the yard for a closer look. Corinne gets down on the grass, and a puppy pounces on her. I’m pretty sure she’s a goner.
I squeeze Kellen’s waist to get his attention. “Four puppies? But there are five.”
“We’re keeping one,” he says with a smile. “So Princess can have a puppy of her own to take care of when we get her back.”
Oh shit.
Tears bloom fast and copious, and I wheel away from Kellen with a mumbled excuse that I need to set out napkins or whatever. I dart into the kitchen, grab a paper towel, and press it to my eyes.