Good Girl (Love Unexpectedly 2)

“Mr. Maxwell, Amanda Taylor here with CBC Evening. You two have caused quite a scene tonight, and I just have to ask, because you make such a surprising couple…when was it you knew that America’s redeemed sweetheart here was the one for you?”

I expect Noah to ignore her, but to my surprise he smiles and glances down at me. “You know, Ms. Taylor, it’s a little hard to say exactly…but I think it was the zip ties.”

I let out a startled, horrified laugh and let Noah pull me inside, where he tugs me close for another kiss. Slow, lingering. Sexy.

So…yeah.

That’s a definitely on us being front-page news tomorrow.

Epilogue

I’m in the newly remodeled kitchen mixing up a pitcher of my now famous—or at least tolerable—whisky sours when Noah gets home from the grocery store.

Dolly and Ranger both forget that they saw him not two hours ago, losing their minds in happy barks until he kneels and gives them the proper amount of attention.

I hand him a drink, but instead of taking a sip, he pulls me close for a kiss.

We’ve been together ten months, and for a guy who once went out of his way never to kiss me, he sure can’t get enough now.

“I brought you something,” he murmurs across my mouth.

“Guacamole?”

He swats my ass. “You had that for lunch.”

And breakfast, but who’s counting? Plus, Noah seems to have exactly zero problems with my burrito baby.

Noah hands me a magazine, and I frown in confusion until I see the headline: “Shawn Bates Breaks Down in Tearful Interview, Admits He Never Slept with Jenny Dawson.”

I stare at it for a long time, waiting to feel…something.

After a long moment I set it aside.

Noah is watching me closely. “You’re not going to read it?”

I shake my head. “I’m glad he’s come clean for his own sake, but I guess I kind of quit caring. I’m not really sure when.”

“I have a pretty good idea,” he says, pulling me close.

“You’re not going to cite the zip tie example again, are you?”

“It’s the correct answer to pretty much everything,” he says, pulling me in for yet another kiss.

I kiss him back, and it turns handsy fast, the way it always seems to with us, but Dolly and Ranger are having none of that, careening into our legs as Dolly chases around the owl toy I just bought her, and Ranger chases Dolly.

“All packed for tomorrow?” Noah asks as we sip our cocktails and put groceries away.

“Yup. Short trip, so easy packing.”

“Those are the best kind. Less jerking off for me. And probably for you too, you dirty minx.”

“What happens in hotel rooms stays in hotel rooms,” I say, batting my eyelashes.

“In that case, maybe I’ll have to come with you,” he growls. “See what those fingers get up to.”

“You can’t,” I say a little glumly. “No pet care lined up.”

He sighs and points a warning finger at the dogs. “You and you…very thin ice. How am I supposed to hump your mother?”