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Wheeler gave his dark head a shake and continued pacing back and forth in front of me "You can’t leave me alone with this puppy, Poppy" He stopped in front ofbody wasn’t anger at the er, I had no space for, no tolerance or time for, but fear … that was an old friend and I understood hoerful and consu it could be Fear could exclude all else if you let it and I didn’t want that for hi his panic as his voice shook "I obviously have no clue what I’ isn’t even here for a few hours and I’et so distracted bycare of a baby? Jesus" He shoved his free hand through his hair "I’m not ready for this … for any of it"

The last of his words sliced through ed knife I kneasn’t ready, that his heartache was still too fresh and new, but having that knowledge validated still hurt

"Well, I hate to be the bad guy, but you don’t have much of a choice The puppy needs you and your baby sure as hell is going to need you regardless if you’re ready or not" I kind of needed hi that "Shoving the responsibility off on so that’s co your way, Wheeler" I tucked some hair behind my ear and reached out to pat the puppy on the head He whiave me a worried look similar to the one on the puppy’s face "You can do this, Hudson I know you can"

Maybe it was because I used his first na’s head to the center of his chest, but the harsh lines on his face softened and some of the stark terror leaked out of his eyes He took a shuddering breath and slowly lowered his head so that he was looking at the tips of his boots

"Sorry for the freak-out I usually have a better handle on , and instead of trying to swi pulled out deeper and deeper" He did look like afor anything that see breath, I stepped into him and wrapped both hi in forever and it had been twice as long as that since I’d offered one But this hug felt right It felt necessary It felt right I squeezed hiht feel like you are flailing but you’re keeping your head above water and that’s all that really matters I promise I won’t let you sink, even when you want to" That was a lesson I’d had to learn the hard way It was difficult to appreciate everyone that was trying to help you when all you wanted to doin your own h with not only showing up at his house tonight but also asking for that kiss "You will figure all of this out, one step at a ti to seem impossible because those days always passed I cleared my throat and made my way over to where my coat was thrown on the back of the couch that was uy like Wheeler "Thanks for dinner Next ti’s behavior instead of ours"

He didn’t say anything but he did h had the circumstances been different I was at the door ready to letmy name softly I looked at him over my shoulder and felt , both looking lost and a little bit scared, ree to stay so I could hold both of theure this out on their own and Wheeler really needed the time to see that there was no perfect way to be a puppy parent or a people parent He was going to have to find the way that worked best for him

He lifted his hand and rubbed the pad of his thumb across the curve of his bottoue shot out and followed the sa to find any part of our kiss that hs quiver and had all the air inout

"When I said I wasn’t ready, I didn’t aze slid across the front of hie in the front of his jeans He chuckled and shook his head at h when he toldequipment would be ready for you at the drop of a hat if it was only about sex I’m ready for more than that"

The butterflies woke back up and they didn’t just flutter, they did the damn electric slide across one side ofelse he was dealing with, I didn’t kno he could be I refused to be one of the weights that was tied around his waist dragging him down under the surface of that dark andBesides, I didn’t know that I had ive to anyone, even myself Most of the time I felt like I was hollowed out and e by on the bare ive what I had left to soirl who had never been broken, a girl that didn’t have anything to fear

"You only recently got out of a long-ter The last thing you need is to start another one that has a nearly i"

I was out the door and headed toward ain I toldof their own accord and once again I was looking overin the doorway, shoulder braced against the side, arrasp I needed to e because it was one that coht not be ready for whatever it was he was offering, ht so-of-war been so coht and no reason to be looking, I saw you" The words hung between us as I paused by the car and stared up at hiry and alone you were I sa desperate you were to hide" I shivered and opened my mouth to respond but no words ca "All those things that you thinkthat is i before you saw me and I still couldn’t look away" He tilted his chin up in that badass way guys had and pushed off the doorfraet home so I know that you’re safe I’ll call you if Happy needs you" Not if he neededdid