Color Me Pretty: A Father's Best Friend Romance

Wetting my bottom lip, I try coming up with a sane response to that. The thumping of my heart said more than my words could because I was beyond them when Theo was like this. “Why are you always so…”

One of his brows quirked.

“Perfect?”

He grinned. “I’ve been called many things before, Della, but never that.” Dropping his hand from my face, he looked me over from head to toe before suggesting, “Want to try getting some more sleep? I need to jump in the shower, but I can meet you in bed after.”

The thought of a naked Theo West only a room away had me unsettled. It wasn’t the first time he’d used my shower. Shortly after getting Ramsay, the dog had peed all over him and he had no other choice but to jump in and use my “girly soap” that made him smell like me. I didn’t think he minded as much as he said because he always told me how much he loved the way I smelled like strawberries when he held me against him. Dallas had to bring him clean clothes that day, meeting me at the door with a smile on his face like he thought more was going on. I didn’t correct him, didn’t give him any indication one way or the other.

I hadn’t wanted to.

“Want to watch a movie instead?” I bargained, uneasy about falling back asleep after the last time.

He didn’t seem appreciative of that idea, eyeing me with disapproval. “I want you to try getting some rest. You look tired, Della.”

I frowned. “Gee, thanks.”

I swore he rolled his eyes, but I couldn’t be sure because he turned on me the same time his eyes had moved. “Don’t pretend you don’t know I think you’re beautiful regardless.”

“Beauty is relative.”

“Get your ass in bed, Della.”

“One movie.”

“Della.”

“What about that action one you mentioned wanting to see? The one set in World War Two?”

He sighed.

“Please?” I added despite myself.

A palm swiped down the front of his face and I knew he was going to agree. Reluctantly, he nodded once. “Give me ten minutes.”

I wrapped my arms around his waist. “I would make it twenty. You kind of smell.”

He swatted my butt and grumbled something under his breath that I couldn’t quite make out, but I could see the amusement dancing in his eyes when he pulled away and pointed toward the couch. “Ten,” he repeated.

“Fifteen,” I called out after him.

It shouldn’t have surprised me that the second he was beside me on the couch, he pulled me over and rested my head on his thigh like we’d done before. With one hand in my hair, the other taking the remote from me, he turned the TV on and…

Put it on Mysteries at the Museum.

I’d almost told him right then and there that I loved him. I loved Theo West, and not just as little Della. I wasn’t sure the love that consumed my chest and soul could be put to words in the way they deserved.

When his grip tightened on me, I wondered if he knew. If, maybe, he felt the same way. Instead of asking, instead of just ripping off the Band-Aid, I remained quiet.

We watched the show in silence.

I was ruffled awake with a pair of lips against my temple and a blanket being positioned over my body. Murmuring something, I reached out and grabbed a warm arm, cracking my eyes open as Theo slid his phone into his pocket.

“I need to get going,” he told me softly.

It took me a minute to sit up and realize the apartment was bathed in sunlight. “What time is it?” He was probably late to work considering it was a Friday morning, not that it mattered since he was his own boss.

“A little after eight.”