like knee-high boots.
Mari crooned to her new little friend and an ache broke loose in Savi's chest. The two already had bonded. Savi would fight like a mama grizzly to make sure no one separated them. Ever.
Damián came into the room wearing black jeans and a black T-shirt with a Harley emblem on it looking positively sinister. His hair had been drawn into the queue she'd come to expect. He came over to Mari and hunkered down, reaching out to pet the kitten for a moment.
Achoo!
Savi reached automatically for the box of Kleenex and handed it to Damián. "God bless you."
"Thanks." Achoo!
Red splotches broke out on his face and he was hit by another sneeze. Angelina dispensed the blessings this time.
Savi began to have a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Damián, you aren't allergic to cats, are you?"
Please tell me you aren't.
"Of course not." Achoo! His gaze went to the kitten and he squinted as if the possibility was becoming more real.
No way could she let him take Boots away from Mari. Her little girl needed something stable in her life after all the turmoil she'd been through the last couple of weeks. Mari needed this kitten. She'd already lost all the things they'd had to leave behind—all of Mari's photos, memorabilia from school, books, and toys.
She hoped she didn't lose those things forever. Savi had nothing left of her own childhood, not even from the happier years before Maman left. Having something she could call her own would make her little girl feel more secure.
After all, she couldn't impose on Damián forever, especially in his small place. They were practically climbing over each other as it was. Memories of the tight quarters in the bathroom with Damián sent an unfamiliar tension through her and a flush of heat into her cheeks. She'd imposed on Damián long enough. Maybe this was the impetus she needed to get her and Mari into a place of their own.
First things first. The first step would be to pursue legal channels and check into creating new identities for them. Then she could look into getting licensed in social work, find a job, and rent a separate place where she and Mari could live.
But Savi didn't want to separate Mari and Damián completely. Guilt over not trying harder to unite the two of them sooner ate at her conscience again. Savi owed him the chance to get to know his daughter; to let Mari get to know her daddy.
"Sure looks like allergies to me," Marc said, pulling Savi away from her thoughts. "Do you have any Benadryl?"
Damián nodded, wiping at his eyes. "Bathroom." Marc headed in that direction, while Savi went to the kitchen to pour him a glass of water.
Please let it be a mild allergy. Please.
* * *
Damián pulled in next to Luke's new gray Dodge pick-up truck in the driveway. Judging by the amount of mud on the fenders, he'd been off-road somewhere this morning because it hadn't looked like that last night when Luke had delivered the dollhouse. Marc's friend was becoming a regular at the club. Of course, Luke had worked on the cabinetry and carpentry at the club a few years ago when they were trying to get the club ready to open. The man was a helluva woodworker, but his work creating the beautiful equipment in the club was his real gift.
Lately, Damián had been training the "baby Dom," as Marc liked to call him, to wield a bullwhip. The man had finesse with butterfly kisses and Damián doubted he'd want to go any harder on a sub or bottom—not unless she needed him to. Lately, the newest Dom at the club seemed more interested in learning Shibari from Dad.
Damián wondered how Adam and Karla were getting along on their honeymoon. Hard to believe the wedding had been only a couple weeks ago, given all that had happened since then.
Savi and Marisol had happened. His life would never be the same again. He opened the back door of the Nissan and helped unbuckle Marisol, while Savi eased out of the passenger side. She still moved stiffly, favoring her
Mari crooned to her new little friend and an ache broke loose in Savi's chest. The two already had bonded. Savi would fight like a mama grizzly to make sure no one separated them. Ever.
Damián came into the room wearing black jeans and a black T-shirt with a Harley emblem on it looking positively sinister. His hair had been drawn into the queue she'd come to expect. He came over to Mari and hunkered down, reaching out to pet the kitten for a moment.
Achoo!
Savi reached automatically for the box of Kleenex and handed it to Damián. "God bless you."
"Thanks." Achoo!
Red splotches broke out on his face and he was hit by another sneeze. Angelina dispensed the blessings this time.
Savi began to have a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. "Damián, you aren't allergic to cats, are you?"
Please tell me you aren't.
"Of course not." Achoo! His gaze went to the kitten and he squinted as if the possibility was becoming more real.
No way could she let him take Boots away from Mari. Her little girl needed something stable in her life after all the turmoil she'd been through the last couple of weeks. Mari needed this kitten. She'd already lost all the things they'd had to leave behind—all of Mari's photos, memorabilia from school, books, and toys.
She hoped she didn't lose those things forever. Savi had nothing left of her own childhood, not even from the happier years before Maman left. Having something she could call her own would make her little girl feel more secure.
After all, she couldn't impose on Damián forever, especially in his small place. They were practically climbing over each other as it was. Memories of the tight quarters in the bathroom with Damián sent an unfamiliar tension through her and a flush of heat into her cheeks. She'd imposed on Damián long enough. Maybe this was the impetus she needed to get her and Mari into a place of their own.
First things first. The first step would be to pursue legal channels and check into creating new identities for them. Then she could look into getting licensed in social work, find a job, and rent a separate place where she and Mari could live.
But Savi didn't want to separate Mari and Damián completely. Guilt over not trying harder to unite the two of them sooner ate at her conscience again. Savi owed him the chance to get to know his daughter; to let Mari get to know her daddy.
"Sure looks like allergies to me," Marc said, pulling Savi away from her thoughts. "Do you have any Benadryl?"
Damián nodded, wiping at his eyes. "Bathroom." Marc headed in that direction, while Savi went to the kitchen to pour him a glass of water.
Please let it be a mild allergy. Please.
* * *
Damián pulled in next to Luke's new gray Dodge pick-up truck in the driveway. Judging by the amount of mud on the fenders, he'd been off-road somewhere this morning because it hadn't looked like that last night when Luke had delivered the dollhouse. Marc's friend was becoming a regular at the club. Of course, Luke had worked on the cabinetry and carpentry at the club a few years ago when they were trying to get the club ready to open. The man was a helluva woodworker, but his work creating the beautiful equipment in the club was his real gift.
Lately, Damián had been training the "baby Dom," as Marc liked to call him, to wield a bullwhip. The man had finesse with butterfly kisses and Damián doubted he'd want to go any harder on a sub or bottom—not unless she needed him to. Lately, the newest Dom at the club seemed more interested in learning Shibari from Dad.
Damián wondered how Adam and Karla were getting along on their honeymoon. Hard to believe the wedding had been only a couple weeks ago, given all that had happened since then.
Savi and Marisol had happened. His life would never be the same again. He opened the back door of the Nissan and helped unbuckle Marisol, while Savi eased out of the passenger side. She still moved stiffly, favoring her
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