“I love the this.” He lifted her up, helped her wrap her legs around his waist, and started toward her bedroom.

“Wait!”

He froze.

She pulled free and slipped her feet into her strappy high-heeled sandals one at a time, using his arm for balance, eyes locked on his. “Okay, now.”

With a low, appreciative groan, he reached for her again, just as his phone buzzed a notification. He swore creatively and she knew it had to be the security app.

“Get it,” she said.

He let her slowly slide down his body and pulled his phone from his pocket. When he brought up the security cam, he snorted and turned the screen so she could see it as well.

His dad was sitting on the side of his bed. He was holding the camera, staring into it. “Son? You there?” He shook the camera before bringing it up to his mouth like it was a phone. “I don’t mean to interrupt you,” the lips said. “I mean, I really hope you’re getting some. But I kinda doubt you’re lucky enough to catch that sweet, amazing girl. Anyway, just in case, I’m scout’s honoring you. I won’t leave this bed until daylight. You are welcome. Oh, and P.S. to cutie pie Coma Girl—he’s pretty amazing too.” Then he set the camera on the bookshelf in the hallway and went back to bed.

“He’s kind of adorable,” Emma said.

“I’m pretty sure no one in the history of ever has accused him of being kind of adorable before.”

“Don’t worry.” She grinned at him. “You’re even more adorable than he is.”

Simon grimaced. “I think that just lowered my testosterone levels.”

“As if.” She pushed him into her room and onto her bed.

He fell back, giving her a sexy, half-lidded look and a smile as she knelt on the bed next to him.

Splaying her hands across his stomach, she let out a hum of pleasure when his ab muscles quivered. She tugged on his shirt until he shucked it, then continued to strip everything else she demanded, getting her mouth on everything he exposed. She was just settling in for some serious fun when he rolled her beneath him with a rough, “My turn.”

He got her out of her jeans. He was good too. It’d taken her a good five minutes and almost a pair of pliers to get into them but he had her free in a matter of seconds—leaving her in nothing but the shoes.

Simon sat back on his heels, taking her in. “You’re so beautiful, Emma.”

So was he. Leanly muscled from head to toe, giving off pheromones and testosterone until she felt almost drunk. Emma came up on her elbows. “You could have a flaw, you know. It’d make your bed partner feel less inadequate.”

“I’ve got plenty of flaws.” He wrapped his big hands around her ankles and tugged. She fell back and he slowly climbed up her body, kissing every inch as he went. “One of them being so muleheaded that this almost didn’t happen. But you, Emma, you’re flawless.”

“Those are some pretty great rose-colored glasses you’ve got on.” She had scars. She hadn’t been able to run in a year, so she’d lost muscle tone. And in recovery she’d found a love for chips. Oh so many chips . . .

“You’re perfect, Emma.” He kissed her then, kissed her until his mouth melted her into a puddle of sensations. Then he took that mouth on a tour south, lifting his head only to give her a directive. “Relax.” He ran a hand down her left leg until she managed to unclench. “Good. Stay that way.”

“But . . .” She bit her lower lip. “I have to tighten up to . . . you know, get there.”

His fingers were being diabolical even as he held her gaze. “I don’t want you to move. I’m going to do all the work, and you’re going to get there. Trust me?”

When she nodded, he lowered his head and kissed first one inner thigh, and then the other.

And then in between . . .

She flew apart for him in shockingly little time. Rising up, he protected them both with a condom, then wrapped her legs around his waist and sank into her. With a mindless moan, she dug her fingers into the hard muscles at the small of his back, trying not to bite his shoulder and failing.

She felt his rough laugh and then his mouth found hers again. After that, everything was blinding white light.

SIMON STIRRED, ENTANGLED in warm, sexy, sleeping woman. Emma had her face pressed into his throat, a hand low on his belly, and a leg thrown proprietarily over both of his.

Neither of them were wearing a stitch of clothing, although he was wearing a smile that wouldn’t go away. She’d called him out on his bullshit, made him face his fears, and . . . nothing had blown itself up.

Just went to prove that she was smarter than he was. Because while he’d been focusing on holding her at arm’s length, she’d broken down his defenses with one smile. The one that warmed his heart and slipped under his guard until he not only needed her, he also loved her.

She drew in a deep breath and opened her eyes. “Hey,” she whispered. “You have to go.”

“Yes.” He kissed her softly, then not so softly, and the ever-present searing sexual attraction between them reared its head again. She put a hand to his chest. “It’s okay, Simon.”

Her words warmed him more than anything else could have. She understood his life, she got it.

And he felt something he hadn’t felt in a long time. Hope.

Chapter 21

Step 21: Don’t judge.

A week later, Alison was at Paw Pals. She stood behind the front counter, but off to the side, working on inventory on her laptop. Saturdays had never been her favorite day, at least not since she and Ryan had broken up. With no work to distract her, the weekend days had always stretched out in front of her, a yawning, lonely silence.

She liked to think of herself as a true introvert, but that wasn’t actually accurate. She didn’t really enjoy being alone. She wanted to be surrounded by people who loved her, she just didn’t want them to talk to her.

She’d told Emma she would take the Saturday shifts. Normally they didn’t take in as many clients on Saturdays, which Alison had made it her business to know. She’d made it her business to know everything, including the fact that Gabby had been overpaying herself while severely underpaying Emma.

She’d told herself she didn’t care about Emma as a person, that this was a business arrangement only, but it’d bothered her a lot. Emma had been a huge asset to this place. She’d deserved better.