Starting From the Top (Starting from 5)

My smile turned into a megawatt grin when a big black dog tore into the room and skidded on its hind legs at my feet, barking like crazy.

“Hey, there.”

“Cool it, Lullah,” Sean commanded sharply, snapping his fingers.

Lullah let out a beleaguered whine, shifting from one paw to the other as though she could barely contain her excitement. I dropped to my knees and held my hand out, utterly charmed. I freaking loved dogs.

“How ya doin’, girl?” I scratched behind her ears, chuckling softly when she licked my cheek. “It’s nice to meet you too.”

“Lullah,” Sean admonished.

“She’s fine. Let her be.” I pet her sleek fur at the same time Sean did. We looked at each other and smiled. “She’s got a lot of energy.”

“She does,” Sean replied, bending on one knee to pet her. “Excuse her manners. She should probably know better by now, but she gets away with murder. Dontcha, Lu?”

Okay, let’s be real…is there anything sexier than a grown-ass, hot guy cooing to his dog? Not in my book. I couldn’t stop the shit-eating grin from taking over my face. Animals had a way of leveling the playing field and encouraging even the most serious adults to act like idiots. If just for a moment or two.

“She’s a sweet pup. How old is she, again?”

“Five.” He handed me the color wheel. “Not a puppy anymore, but not quite a grown-up either.”

“Well, being a grown-up is totally overrated, Lullah. Don’t change.” I straightened at the same time as Sean and knocked my forehead against his. Then I overcorrected, thudding the back of my head on the corner of the wall behind me. “Fuck, that hurt.”

Sean acted quickly. He cupped his hand around my neck and rubbed my scalp soothingly. “Hey, are you okay? Let’s get some ice on that. Come to the kitchen and—”

“No, I’ll be fine,” I grumbled, expecting him to step aside.

He didn’t budge. He massaged the sore spot and said something about a compress. Maybe I needed ice. I was suddenly hot all over. I wished he’d move, but not really. Whatever he was doing to my head felt kind of amazing. I leaned into his touch like a cat, then set my hand on his shoulder, intending to push him away. Instead, I pulled him toward me, opening my eyes when I felt his breath on my lips.

Warning bells chimed and a siren blared, but momentum was a powerful force. He hovered so close and I just…couldn’t…resist. I tugged at his collar and crashed my mouth over his.

So, let’s examine this situation for a second. What the fuck was I thinking? This guy was OFF-LIMITS. All caps. I wasn’t sure I liked him anyway. He was bossy and opinionated, but damn it, he was a good kisser.

He angled slightly to deepen the connection and flicked at the corner of my mouth, silently requesting entry. I moaned when his tongue glided over mine, twisting in gentle exploration as he caressed my head. No kidding, it was like the best spa treatment and my worst idea all at once. I knew I should stop him, but I was the one clinging to him.

And then the dog barked. Boom! Back to awkward reality.

Sean jolted, raking his teeth over his bottom lip as he stepped away. “Uh, how’s your head?”

“Which one?”

He chuckled softly and lowered his eyes briefly to my crotch before glancing at his dog lying between us. “That was…unexpected.”

“Yeah. Wow, I’m sorry. I don’t how that happened,” I finished clumsily. I straightened from the wall and made a beeline for the door.

“Johnny.”

I sucked in a deep gulp of the cool evening air as I turned to face him from the bottom of the stairs. “Yeah?”

“G’night.”

I gave a careless wave and smiled. It was just a kiss. It was just a kiss. “Later, neighbor.”

“Hey, quick question. Do you ever…”

Wish I could disappear? Yes.

A rogue gust of wind whistled scattered leaves across the neatly trimmed lawn. I zipped my jacket and pulled my keys from my pocket. He still hadn’t completed his sentence, though.

It wasn’t like me to press. We were done here. I got what I came for and then some. But for some reason, I didn’t let it go. My nerves were abuzz, and my brain was about to short-circuit.

I called his name before he closed the door. “Mysteries make my head spin. Spit it out. What were you gonna ask me?”

Sean smiled. “Do you ever give guitar lessons?”

Okay. I hadn’t expected that.

I gaped at him. “Seriously? After what I just did? I practically mauled you. I can’t explain why. It must have been the head wound. Fuck, I just think I hit a new low.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he glowered playfully.

“Nothing against you. I’m just…wow.” I pushed my hand through my messy hair and sighed. “What was the question again? Guitar. Right. I used to give lessons. It’s been a while, though. Why? Are you interested in learning?”