Will repeated it, “Muffy. That’s a good name. All right, Caroline. Muffy it is. Muffy is your puppy and if you want to name her Muffy, we will.”
“I think that’s a cute name,” Ava agreed, sitting in a chair, wanting to intrude as little as possible on uncle, niece and puppy.
“We’ll call her Muffy, and in a day or two, she’ll know her name. I have a trainer coming by who will work with her every day. He’ll be here tomorrow and work with her for a week, then come back when she’s a little older because she’s too young now for a lot of the training.”
Caroline picked up the pup to place it in her lap. The white pup stretched out, falling asleep in minutes. “She’s a baby, Caroline,” Will explained. “She’s worn out and she’ll sleep soundly for a little while because that’s what most babies do. When she wakes up she should go outside—I’ll take her—and then she might want some water.”
Later, when dinner was finished, Caroline slid out of her chair and ran to sit with Muffy.
“You’ve handled this just right, Will,” Ava said.
“I never been so at a loss as I am with her,” he said quietly while Caroline ran around and Muffy chased her. Laughing, Caroline climbed in a chair.
“Look at her laugh, Ava. She hasn’t done that since we lost Adam.”
Ava sat back, observing the scene, watching Caroline reach down to pet Muffy.
When it was story time, Ava got up to go, crossing to Caroline to touch her head lightly. “I’m glad you have Muffy. Dogs are fun and they become part of the family. Good night,” she said, brushing Caroline’s cheek with a kiss.
“Good night, Miss Ava,” Caroline said quietly.
Ava smiled at Caroline. “Good night to Muffy, too,” she said, touching the pup’s head as it slept again in Caroline’s lap.
As Ava walked out of the room, Will came after her. “Ava, wait.”
She turned. He had changed clothes after dinner, pulling on jeans and a T-shirt. He caught up with her. “Wait for me downstairs. I missed you last night.”
She could refuse. Instead she nodded and he headed back to Caroline.
She went by her room to take the clips out of her hair and let it fall loosely around her shoulders. With a cursory glance at herself, she went downstairs to wait, taking her cell phone to send texts to her sisters.
It was over an hour before Will came through the door. Closing the door behind him, he crossed the room in long strides just as he had before to pull her up into his arms and hug her. He leaned away. “Thank you! You have to admit today was a big, giant change.”
She smiled at him. “I will agree it was. You’re a good dad, Will. You handled everything well.”
“I’m flying by the seat of my pants with her. I don’t know what’s best, but she talked to us. She named the pup and said she wanted it. She’s even laughed out loud twice. Ava, I can’t tell you how grateful I am.”
“I still say I haven’t done that much, and you would have thought of a puppy before long yourself.”
“I might not have. I haven’t in all the time Caroline has been in my care.”
“It’s a beginning, Will. Maybe she will be happy enough to talk more often.” Ava turned to walk away to sit. Will caught her arm, turning her back to face him.
“Ava, come here,” he said in a husky voice, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her. His kisses were passionate, driven, and she was swept away, unable to resist kissing him in return. She was adding to her problems with him. Night by night, she was binding her heart to Will in a manner that was going to hurt when she broke away.
“I want you,” he whispered.
“Will, don’t mistake your gratitude for something else. There can’t ever be anything much between us.”
“Oh, yes, there can,” he said. “There can be so much. I’m grateful, but I know the difference. You’re a gorgeous, sexy woman and we have an electricity we both feel always.”
Her heart pounded with his words, magic words that were another tie that bound her. He framed her face with his hands and kissed her possessively, his kiss conveying his intent. She resisted for seconds and then kissed him in return, wrapping her arms around his slender waist, holding him tightly while they kissed.
His hands roamed over her, caressing her, unfastening buttons. She should stop him, but it was impossible. Too soon she would be gone, back into her busy working life and her solitary hours on her own.
In minutes he had stripped his shirt and boots, He cupped her breast to caress her while he continued kissing her and then leaned down to kiss each breast while his hands slipped lower, unfastening her slacks and letting them fall.
He stepped back, holding her hips while he looked at her. “You’re beautiful,” he whispered. He picked her up, carrying her to the sofa where he placed her on his lap, kissing her without pause as his hands moved over her.
When he shifted to lie down, holding her close, she slipped away and stood, turning to gather her clothes. “Will, we’re going further and further and I don’t want this. I’ve told you why. We have to work together all summer. I can’t get deeply involved with you and I can’t have a quick, meaningless fling.” She yanked on her shirt and turned to face him. He had walked over to her and slipped his arms around her waist.
“I want you, Ava. You want me, too. You’re fighting something that you also desire.”
“I’m going to keep fighting you on this. I will not get emotionally involved or too physically involved. I just can’t do it. I shouldn’t kiss you. I need a solid commitment—you can’t give me that.”
“Ava, take life as it comes. I’m not looking for a one-night fling. I promise you that. Frankly, I think you’re lecturing yourself. This is something you want. We both want. I still say it’s time you come back into the world and live a full life the way you were meant to. You’re too much a desirable, beautiful woman to shut yourself away and live a solitary, empty life.”
“I don’t see a summer fling as any solution.”
He kissed her cheek, her temple and then her mouth, holding her close. She only had on her blouse and a narrow strip of lace panties. The kiss deepened, changed and became passionate. She was sliding right back to where she had been only minutes ago. She wriggled away from him.
“I’m going, Will. You’re too damned appealing, but I do have a shred of willpower.”
He smiled faintly at her as he if knew it was only a matter of time until he seduced her. She stepped into her slacks, buttoned them and walked toward the door.
“Ava,” he said in a commanding tone that stopped her and she looked back at him. “It’s early. Let’s sit and talk. This has been a very special day and it’s too early to end it now. I want to savor the moments.”
She took a deep breath and nodded, caving the minute he asked.
“I
