Chapter 5
Shaw
When I finally have the sheer willpower to let Emery go, I wrench my mouth away and drop my hand from her lower back, then give us both space by taking a step backward.
I’m so out of breath it feels like I’ve been on the ice for three periods without a break.
There’s no way I can play it cool or nonchalant about what just happened. I tug a hand in my damp and messy hair, trying to make sense of this sudden, intense attraction.
“Shit, I’m sorry, Emery…” I apologize and wave a hand between us.
There’s a sting of guilt for stealing a kiss that I hadn’t first asked for.
I scan Emery’s face for any hint of alarm, but it’s flushed and there’s a smile darting the corners of her mouth.
She blinks, as if her confusion over the kiss is as great as mine.
“That was out of line, and I’m really sorry. You didn’t come up here expecting to get mauled.”
Emery’s voice is a bit breathless as the corners of her mouth curl up. “I’ll admit, being kissed by you wasn’t on my bingo card today, but that was far better than the drooly ones I’ve experienced when being mauled mauled.”
I’m confused for a second. Has she been assaulted in the past? Jesus, now I really do feel like a creep.
Then a peel of laughter bursts free and the sweet sound of it fills the room. I arch my eyebrows. “Ahh…slobber. Mauled. Good to know where I rate amongst our four-legged friends.”
She lifts a delicate shoulder and chuckles. “Hazards of my job.”
I clear my throat, my concern quickly dissipating. Emery doesn’t seem uncomfortable that I just kissed her without consent, so I decide to just roll with it and not worry so much.
I refocus my attention on the supplies and begin rifling through the bag, sorting the items out as I drop each on the counter one by one. My fingers latch onto a large-banded collar, and I shake my head when my eye catches sight of it in the bag.
“There’s no way she’s going to wear this,” I protest, dangling the blinged-out, rhinestone-encrusted pink collar from two fingers. “That girl is a survivor, not some diva princess. She deserves a collar fit for a superhero.”
Emery tugs the dog collar from my grip and whips it behind her head, wiping her hands as if the problem has been solved. “Consider it done. I will find something more befitting for her.”
I smile in amusement and once again wonder how rescue dogs get their names and who assigns them. Obviously, the dogs can’t tell them their names.
“Did someone name her yet?” I ask, cocking my head to the side.
Emery shakes her head. “She’s just Jane Dog for the moment. Why? Do you have something in mind?”
“Well,” I say, rubbing my chin in consideration, “I haven’t had to name a dog before. Any suggestions?”
Emery climbs onto one of our barstools at the island and I follow suit, my eyes never leaving her full, kiss-drenched lips. As if noticing where my attention has gone, she chews on her bottom lip and tilts her head.
“Hmm… well, it has to be a strong name, considering her beginnings. One that shows exactly what she’s made of. A name that depicts her warrior and survivor attributes. And, based on how she handled herself during her vet examination, she’s also quite the little love bug.”
“She needs a Viking name,” I cut in. We Vikings are fierce warriors on the ice, just like she is off it. “If she were male, I’d name her Thor or Odin.” I catch Emery’s gaze and notice the gleam in her eyes. She nods in recognition and snaps her fingers.
“How about Thora? If I recall from my Greek mythology class in college, the name’s origins are from Old Norse, and I think it refers to strength, power, and resilience.”
My lips curve into a broad smile and I lean forward, so close that I catch a whiff of her soft lavender scent.
“That’s perfect,” I say, my hands molding against her face. “You nailed it.”
And then, because I can’t refrain myself, I claim her mouth once again, her lips parting and opening the invitation I was waiting for.
My tongue plunges inside, tasting her again like it’s a playoff celebration, bells and whistles going off in my head.
I could so easily lose myself in her and this moment forever.
My cock grows hard and antsy in my joggers, and I know it’s time for me to put a stop to things before I take it too far, too fast.
I pull my lips away from hers but leave my palms cupped around her face. Placing one final kiss on the tip of her nose, I drop my hold, but my gaze remains firmly connected with her forest green eyes.
Emery’s face is flushed with heat. Her kiss-drenched lips are swollen and she wears a soft, dreamy expression. Her eyelashes flutter open.
“Wow,” Emery says, followed by an exhale of air from her lungs.
Then she clears her throat, tucks a curl of her copper-penny hair behind her ear and lifts her eyes back to mine, lips curving into a sweet, sideways grin.
“If that’s the kind of reward I get from just suggesting her name, I can’t wait to see what happens when I help you with her training. ”
She gives me an alluring wink, and I raise an eyebrow, casually leaning back and crossing my arms over my chest. “Oh?”
Emery swiftly jumps off her perch and then wedges herself into the V of my legs, where she no doubt can feel my erection.
I drop my arms and secure them around her tiny frame. She bites the corner of her lower lip and peers up at me underneath soft auburn eyelashes, her pert nose scrunching up adorably, eyes gleaming.
“I think we should be open to spending a lot of time together.” She lifts a shoulder and smirks. “Practice makes perfect.”
“Emery, I’m game for however much time is required.”
I place my lips against hers and bite down on her lower lip, then soothe it with my tongue. Shifting my mouth to her ear, I whisper my next words quietly but succinctly.
“For both Thora and me.”