“Who are you?” I cooed, shifting to hold out my hands to the little brown darling in Murphy’s pocket. His pocket, for heaven’s sake. “Oh, you’re just a baby. A wee one. Aww, come here.” The puppy was already trying to do just that, his little legs pumping as he scrambled into my hands.
“Guess all men find you irresistible,” Murphy said in a voice almost too low for me to hear.
Almost.
“Where did you find him? Ah, he’s so sweet.” I tried to hold on to the squirmy puppy while he climbed up my chest and burrowed into the space between my neck and shoulder.
“Picked up him and his siblings on a construction site. I took the others to the shelter—”
“What? Oh, no, no. We can’t give him to no stinkin’ shelter. Right, Latte?”
“Latte?” Murphy smiled. “Did you just name my dog?”
“I’m sorry, I kind of did, didn’t I?” I let out a little self-conscious laugh. “He’s just the perfect color of one, and he’s so warm.” I shifted the puppy so that we were nose-to-nose. He licked mine and I laughed again, the panicky feeling from being fondled by a bunch of strangers fading as if it had never existed.
Thank God.
Thank Latte.
My gaze connected with Murphy as he watched me cuddle with his dog.
Thank Murphy.
“Hey there, Vee, can we get this meeting going, please? Some of us have places to be,” the ponytailed redhead from the group called out.
“Right. Lord. I have to go back over there.” Reluctantly, I started to hand the puppy back to Murphy, then had the brightest idea of my life.
Maybe.
Possibly.
“Hey, do you have anywhere to be?”
Murphy’s expression got a little cagey as he eyed the cluster of restless women behind me. “Depends.”
“On what?”
“If you need me or not.”
Oh, God. It wa
s a damn miracle I didn’t melt into a puddle right there on his boots. This man didn’t say much, but when he did speak, I swore every one of my girly parts did a freaking cheer.
“I do. I do need you.” Desperately. I wasn’t even sure how much and all the reasons why, but right then? I was positive I vitally needed Murphy Masterson in my life.
His hazel eyes softened. “Really?”
“Absolutely. I ran to you, didn’t I?”
He smiled and I wanted to grab his arm again, except this time I’d slide a little south and slip my fingers between his.
My gaze dropped. He had such big hands.
Such big feet.
Did that mean…?
Sweet mercy, I’d been thinking about babies too much. Now I was strictly focused on the process.