Puppy Love

by Gloria Herrmann

  “Wow, that’s crazy. He’s probably eager to fill it with lots of babies.”

  “I know. It’s funny. He actually mentioned how lovely it would be if we could get pregnant soon so that Molly and Owen’s baby could have a little friend.” Tiffany laughed.

  “Oh dear. But that would be kind of adorable.”

  “I want to enjoy being married for a minute before we start adding babies into the mix.”

  Mackenzie paused and gave her a thoughtful glance. “I’m glad things are working out for you two. You were downright miserable for those couple of days.”

  “You were right. You said it would work out and it did.”

  “I’m usually right, but no one ever wants to listen to me,” Mackenzie teased.

  “That’s because you’re bossy and no one wants to be wrong.”

  “Not my problem.” Mackenzie taped another box and laughed. “So where is your dear hubby today?”

  “Work.”

  “What’s up with you and that whole scene?” Mackenzie asked. She stacked the freshly taped box on top of another.

  The growing line of boxes proved that Tiffany owned far too much junk. And they had thought Molly was a hoarder.

  “I’m not really sure. Anytime I go in, I’m treated so weirdly now.”

  “That’s because who really likes the boss’s wife?”

  “But I was one of them first. Me being married to Colin shouldn’t change that.”

  “Doesn’t matter. You crossed over to the dark side, pumpkin. No one ever likes the head honcho,” Mackenzie explained as she grabbed her wine glass. “We need more,” she said as she raised her empty glass. “You want some?”

  “Please.” Tiffany sighed. “It sucks because, believe it or not, I did love working there.”

  “I know. But now maybe you can do something you really want to do. What about writing? You used to love that.”

  “Yeah, I actually have been getting back into it. I sort of started a blog,” Tiffany admitted. The wine was making her lips loose.

  “Is it about designer bag knock-offs and how to properly store booze in them? I’d read that shit for sure.” Mackenzie handed Tiffany a glass.

  “I have some of the best booze-smuggling bags.” Tiffany giggled. “Actually, I do talk about bags, Pauly and being married. I kind of like doing it,” she added sheepishly.

  “That’s really awesome. I’m so proud of you, Tiff.”

  They sat on the floor surrounded by towers of cardboard. Pauly was on his favorite napping place, her couch. That dog had no problem taking what he wanted. He was so much like Colin. They both had burrowed their way into her heart.

  Feeling a surge of love pass through her as she looked at the sleeping bulldog, Tiffany asked, “Mac, so what about you?”

  “What about me?” She took a long sip from her wine glass.

  “You need a man.”

  “Ha, they are a lot more trouble than they are worth. I’ve seen it with you and Molly. Granted, it all worked out, but jeesh,” Mackenzie joked. “I’m good, thanks.”

  “It wasn’t that bad,” Tiffany countered as she swallowed the tart wine.

  “Oh, it was. Trust me. I was the one watching it all go down.”

  “Whatever. But I was thinking it might be fun to go to one of those speed dating things. I could be your wing woman,” Tiffany suggested.

  “How much have you had to drink?” Mackenzie gave her a concerned look.

  “Stop. It might be fun.”

  “Painful is more like it.” Mackenzie leaned back against a large box and sighed. “The right guy is out there and I do want to meet someone that’s wonderful. I just don’t want to force it, and speeding dating or trying to pick some psycho offline is forcing it.”

  “Well, it’s my personal mission to get you married off.”

  “Don’t make it be. Love doesn’t work like that. You should know. Both you and Molly met your respective husbands in sort of unusual ways. Something strange will happen for me when the time is right.”

  “Or watch, you’ll meet him like in the most boring way, like at a grocery store or something cheesy,” Tiffany teased.

  “I’d take boring to being hit by a fish or nearly falling overboard off a boat. I’m a little scared of how I’d meet someone with the way things have been going for us.” Mackenzie laughed.

  “I don’t blame you. But, boy, what a story for your grandkids someday.”

  * * * *

  “Please, just take it,” Colin asked again.

  “No, I can’t. It’s too much, Colin.”

  Colin placed the black plastic card in the palm of Tiffany’s hand. “I want you to take it. We have that function this weekend. Buy whatever you want, maybe something in red.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

  Tiffany rolled her eyes. She’d have thought she’d jump at the chance of being handed a credit card with no limit. But no, there was something that was keeping her from wanting to spend his money. Pride, possibly? She wasn’t quite sure. Normally, Tiffany had no problem spending money. Her fabulous shoe and handbag collection was proof of that. Maybe it was because this money was not really Tiffany’s, despite how many times Colin told her that it was now.

  The past week had been interesting, to say the least, professionally speaking. Tiffany had visited the corporate office again. The reception had still been a little chilly, even from Patty. She had attended another board meeting and found herself literally bored out of her mind. Tiffany wanted to do things, to share ideas, not look over graphs and projections. But Colin had insisted that she learn the business. Colin hadn’t been kidding when he had said that he wanted her to be his partner. It was Tiffany that wasn’t so sure that this is what she wanted now. Being a trophy wife was looking a lot more inviting.

  Married life? That too had been interesting, but in a much more fun way. The chemistry between her and Colin was unmatched to anything she’d ever experienced. Their bodies were attuned to one another and their affection was on a deeper level. Everyday life was more entertaining with Colin around. Even packing and bringing over some of her belongings had proven to be fun. Colin had been helpful and accommodating. He’d told her he wanted to prove that this was the best plan for them. Colin had made the work of moving easy. He’d encouraged her to add her personality to his place. Tiffany had to admit that it did need something. It was so sterile. Colin had claimed it did need something, her. He was giving her complete freedom to come in and change things up. But it was really the little things that were proving to be quite wonderful, like sharing dinner, watching a movie together with a fat bulldog tucked between them. This marriage thing might not be so bad after all.

  Tiffany stared into his dark eyes and spied the dusting of whiskers on his jaw and around his mouth. “Colin, I just feel funny about it.”

  “Babe, look. What’s mine is yours. Don’t be bothered by it.”

  “Have you seen my hoard of handbags?” Tiffany asked playfully. She pulled the sheet up closer to her neck, hiding her nearly naked body. She wore nothing but a sexy pair of panties.

  Colin used one finger to pull the sheet back down. “You’re gorgeous. You know that?”

  She blushed. The way he looked at her made Tiffany feel special. His skin was tan against the brightness of the sheet that was gathered at his waist, barely covering him. They were in his bed, tangled up in the sheet, and it was like heaven.

  Colin moved forward. “I can’t get enough of you. What spell have you put me under?” He began to kiss her and as Tiffany returned the kiss. She bit his bottom lip, tugging it gently. Colin groaned.

  “The same spell you have over me,” Tiffany teased.

  “I agree that it’s some kind of magic.” Colin went for her neck, sucking it lightly.

  Tiffany’s body hummed and she wrapped her legs around him. She ran her fingers along his skin. It was warm under her touch.

  Colin ventured lower, stopping along the way to kiss and lavish attention on each sensitive
spot on her body. When he dove under the sheets, he used his mouth to remove her red panties and he came up quickly, the lacy fabric held in his teeth.

  “Definitely buy something in red,” Colin ordered after he’d dropped the panties and before he ducked back beneath the sheet and in between her legs.

  * * * *

  “We need to tell them, love,” Colin said from across the table.

  They were eating dinner at home. It was a quiet evening. Colin was still dressed in a slightly rumpled dress shirt and slacks from the day’s work. Tiffany watched the muscles in his exposed forearms move as he reached for more sushi. Damn, she loved his arms. She loved all of him, but just that flash of skin…its fine, dark hair and olive skin against the expensive fabric of his shirt did funny things to her insides.

  “I know. I just don’t know how to tell them.”

  “I suggest we take them to dinner and explain what has happened,” Colin offered as he expertly used chopsticks to pick up a rice-covered piece of tuna.

  “Then they’ll think I’m an out-of-control drunk.”

  “You kind of are,” Colin teased.

  Tiffany gasped. “You took advantage of this out-of-control drunk girl, mister.”

  “I’d do it all over again.” Colin winked at her. “Figure the first time you were pissed you kissed me on Owen’s boat. I was an innocent bystander, simply minding my own business.” Colin chewed his bite of sushi. “Then that bit of rum in Vegas. I should write a check to Captain Morgan as a token of my gratitude.”

  Tiffany laughed. “You’re terrible. You know that?”

  “But you love me,” Colin countered with a sly grin.

  “That I do.” Tiffany exhaled. That still didn’t solved how she was going to tell her family.

  * * * *

  “See? That wasn’t too bad,” Colin said as he held open the black SUV back passenger door.

  “I think my mom adores you. My dad? Not so much.”

  “Well, give him time. I think he’s more upset that he wasn’t able to walk you down the aisle.”

  Colin had pulled out all the stops. He had reserved the top of the Space Needle for her family. Her mother and father had been shocked, to say the least. Her mother had fallen under Colin’s spell quickly, no real surprise there. Her father, however, had worn a stoic face and refused to be impressed. He was a hard man to please to begin with and he hadn’t been a fan of all the showy flashiness that Colin had presented. From the amazing meal to the yacht ride around the harbor, none of it had amused her father.

  They had left out several key details of their getting together to keep her father from killing either of them—such as her being drunk at the time of their nuptials, them not really knowing each other but for a second and anything else that didn’t sound remotely good. They’d kept the story simple. Tiffany had done most of the talking and Colin had added his bits here and there. The story was that they were thrown together by two of their incredible friends at their engagement party. That wasn’t too far from the truth. Answering her parents’ questions about them getting married had been a little trickier. Colin explained that he’d never met someone so beautiful and amazing and that he hadn’t been able to imagine spending another second without her. Tiffany’s mother had been dazzled by their whirlwind romance, but her father wasn’t buying it. He had been somewhat polite, but Tiffany could tell he wasn’t thrilled with this new arrangement.

  The evening had ended with hugs. Her father had shaken Colin’s hand and had whispered something in his ear. Tiffany had asked later what was said, but Colin refused to share. Something man to man is what Tiffany had gathered and Colin wasn’t about to break the guy code.

  One family down, another to go. They were leaving for Ireland at the end of the week. Tiffany prayed it would go half as well as tonight had.

  Colin interrupted Tiffany’s thoughts. “I’d be upset too if our daughter robbed me of that.”

  “Then you should be ashamed of yourself,” Tiffany teased as she stopped to kiss Colin before getting inside the car.

  “Oh, he’d be even more upset if he knew what I’m about to do to his precious little girl,” Colin growled, his voice thick with lust.

  “Best to keep that between us then.” Tiffany giggled as Colin slid his hand up her thigh.

  The car ride home was going to be fun, full of teasing and driving each other crazy. That’s what being a newlywed is all about, Tiffany thought.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Colin had also failed to mention just how large his family was. They had all—most of them, anyway—been waiting to greet them as they landed in Galway, Ireland. Tiffany was overwhelmed as arms wrapped around her and many voices proclaimed in thick brogue how happy they were to finally meet her. This was only the beginning of what the next few days would bring. Sitting around a table and eating was a favorite activity. Sharing stories of the past and being asked a million questions took up most of their visit. But Tiffany really liked his family. They were warm and welcoming. The female members of this family—aunts, sisters, cousins and his mother—all treated Tiffany as though she’d been one of them for years. There was no cattiness or awkwardness. They were genuinely happy to welcome her into their lives. Tiffany was now one of the Murphy women and they were thrilled to share all the secrets on how to survive being married to a Murphy man.

  Then there were the men in the Murphy clan. Each had an outrageous personality and she could see how they had influenced Colin to become the wonderful man that he was.

  Humor was huge in this family. Laughter filled the cottage for the days that Colin and Tiffany spent there. Love was proudly on display and now she was a part of that.

  Tiffany had not been prepared for this visit to go this well or to fall in love with a family on the other side of the globe.

  Galway was a harbor city and home to the cliffs of Moher. The place was rich in history. All those magical things she’d heard about Ireland were all true, except leprechauns. Colin teased that Tiffany wasn’t looking hard enough. Green? Yes, it was indeed as green as Americans portrayed it to be in movies. Storybook didn’t even begin to describe the charm of this wonderful place.

  Then they traveled to Dublin. All Americans knew that name. Tiffany got to experience the incredible energy and vibrancy of the large city before they departed for home. It was a rushed trip and Colin wanted to squeeze in as many of the sights as possible. He wanted Tiffany to get to know his country, but Colin teased that he was more content spending their time at the inn, cuddled beneath the covers.

  As they boarded the plane home, Tiffany was crushed to leave. A week was not enough time. She could have spent months there—maybe even years—taking in all the beauty, both rugged, natural and refined and to spend more time to get to know his amazing family. No, a week hadn’t been nearly enough time. They would definitely need to come back.

  * * * *

  Mackenzie had offered to babysit Sir McCartney, aka Pauly, the bulldog that was wiggling hysterically at Tiffany’s legs. He was in a frenzied state, rubbing against her and whimpering.

  “God, he missed you,” Mackenzie said as they stood inside her living room to pick up their precious pup.

  “And I missed him, too. Yes, I did. I missed my little man,” Tiffany cooed to Pauly, working him up further. Slobber hung off his jowls and his pink tongue waved as he struggled to catch his breath in all the excitement.

  “Glad to see he missed me,” Colin said. “There was a time when I was his favorite, you know.”

  “Well, sorry to say, but that time has passed. He loves me best now.” Tiffany stuck her tongue out at him.

  “Come and sit, you guys. Tell me everything,” Mackenzie demanded as she led them to her couches.

  “Oh my God, Mac, it was incredible,” Tiffany started. “His family is so great. Ireland is just as beautiful as you’d imagine. We are so going back and I’m bringing you guys next time,” Tiffany gushed as she sat next to Colin, opposite of Mackenzie.
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br />   “I love America. I have a love for Ireland. It’s home. But America is incredible, a land full of opportunity,” Colin argued.

  Tiffany shooed him playfully with her hand. “Nah, it has nothing on Ireland. Mac, trust me. That place is spectacular.”

  “That’s great.” Mackenzie listened while Tiffany went over more details of their trip.

  Tiffany was aware that she was probably boring Mackenzie to death, but she couldn’t contain her excitement. Tiffany wasn’t much better than Pauly, just minus the drool and heavy breathing. Colin watched her with amusement and rolled his eyes as Tiffany described everything she’d seen.

  “Well, we better get him going,” Colin spoke of Pauly like he was their child. Tiffany and Mackenzie giggled.

  Tiffany hugged Mackenzie and said, “Thanks again for watching him.”

  “He was a doll. Anytime.”

  Colin loaded a very happy bulldog into the back of his car. He opened the door for Tiffany and they headed home.

  After Tiffany buckled her seat belt, she released a happy sigh.

  “I’m glad that you really enjoyed meeting my family,” Colin said as he started the car.

  “They are amazing. I miss them so much.”

  Colin leaned over and let his lips brush against hers. “You’re amazing, and I can’t wait to get you home.”

  Tiffany giggled. “I’m serious.”

  “Me too.” Colin pulled away from the curb and smiled at Tiffany. “I plan on showing you how serious I am.”

  * * * *

  Tiffany stared in wonder at just how damn sexy Colin looked. He’d curled his hand around his cock and trained his dark eyes on her. She sat across from him with her legs spread wide. She was completely naked except for her black Manolo Blahnik heels. Tiffany used her fingers to trace her silky folds and Colin grunted as he watched her pleasure herself.

  “God, you’re so hot,” Colin growled through clenched teeth as he stroked himself faster.