“Jesus,” he mutters and takes off.
“Come here.” I’m a limp noodle in Walker’s arms, too sleepy to fight him. He props me on his chest and raises my arms, sliding the soft material down and over my head. I sigh happily at the smell of his day-old cologne and scent of his fabric detergent.
“Shit, it’s a lot easier to undress you,” he complains.
“Why are you dressin…” The words fade off as I start to doze again.
I barely feel him laying me back and tucking the covers around my waist before I’m in dreamland again. There’s no telling why he’s up so early, but I can’t find the energy to care. Neither of us has to work today, so my plan is to sleep until my body recovers from what Walker refers to as “fucking a redhead’.
Maybe I shouldn’t have poked the bear, but it was too fun to pass up.
I fall back into a deep sleep, only stirring once when I hear Marcus’s voice in the living room.
No telling how much time passes, until I feel a damp, cold spot on my cheek, followed by several sniffing sounds. I swat at the air and come into contact with something hairy. My body goes stiff as my eyes flutter open. I find myself staring into the most crystal blue eyes I’ve even seen.
I squeal, yanking my head back as the eyes lunge at me.
“Come here, boy. Let’s let her wake up.” Walker speaks gently. As soon as he lifts the animal, it gives a small whine, and I realize it’s a puppy.
“Oh my God!” I scramble to a sitting position and wipe at my face to make sure I’m not seeing things. “Is that a-a-a…” the words escape me.
“Great Dane puppy,” Walker finishes for me.
“What’s he doing here?”
“He’s ours.”
“He’s ours?” As I repeat it, the dog squirms furiously, trying to escape Walker’s hold.
“Yeah, baby.”
I bounce in the bed, now fully awake, and clap a few times, which sends the puppy wiggling more. “Let me hold her.”
He lets the dog go, and it immediately pounces on me, licking everywhere. I hug it close, squealing with delight and surprise. “Hey there, sweetie,” I coo over and over.
“It’s a he, not a she,” Walker corrects me.
I nod to let him know I heard him, continuing to love on the wriggling animal. “You got us a dog?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Why ruin the surprise?”
“I love your surprises!”
My arms cradle the puppy until it’s in a lying position, and I can get a good look. He’s grey like Micky, but his eyes are so much bluer. His tongue licks my arm as I rub his belly softly. “He’s so beautiful.”
“I hate to break up this moment, but we need to move him. Marcus and I took him out for a while, letting him roam the yard. But the excitement is bound to make him pee. Let’s get him off the bed.”
“Okay.” I throw my legs over the side and stand with him in my arms.
“Emi, let him down.”
“I don’t want to.”
“He needs to sniff around the house.”