“You talking baby talk to Muggles.” And the fact that even that turned him on. “Think he’ll let us shower together?”

“Of course he will.” She held the dog’s face. “Muggles is a good boy, aren’t you, Muggles?”

Blissful over the attention, Muggles wiggled and jiggled his strong, squat body everywhere. “Keep that up,” Cannon warned her, “and he’s going to pee on you.”

Muggles did follow them into the bathroom, but he rested on the rug outside the tub and snored while they showered. As long as he could be close to Yvette, he was happy.

Since he felt the same, Cannon sympathized.

Within an hour they were on their way to the rec center. Armie’s tournament was happening soon, and though he’d ended up with stitches in his butt, it hadn’t slowed down his training, or his determination to fight.

“Doubtful,” he’d said, “that anyone plans to punch my ass.”

Cannon knew better. Armie was as likely to receive a kick there as anywhere, but he also understood Armie’s need to push through. Luckily the stitches were out now, and he’d cleared his physical.

“Have I told you lately,” Yvette asked, “how much I enjoy being at the rec center, watching you work with Armie and seeing everything you have going on in the community?”

Muggles gave him a look, then went back to staring out the window, his tongue lolling and his tail thumping.

The statement was out of the blue, making Cannon curious, but he said only, “I’m glad.” She might not realize it yet, but she fit into every aspect of his world, and he into hers.

As he kept telling her, they were good together.

Maybe it was time to push her a little after all.

They’d get through the rest of today, and then tonight, when they were alone, after he’d given her another screaming climax, he’d tell her that he loved her.

Then they could start working on making a future together.

* * *

SWEAT BUILT ON Armie’s shoulders as he continued to work the heavy bag.

Cannon stood off to the side, watching and deciding what to have him do next. When his cell rang, he pulled it from his pocket. “Hello?”

“Hey, stud.”

Vanity? Yvette’s friend now called often enough that he’d come to recognize her husky voice. “What’s up, California?”

“Mmm, not much. Eating a banana split.”

He smiled. “Is that code for something?” Vanity could be so outrageous, he was never quite sure of the things she said.

“Yeah. A banana, ice cream, whipped cream.” She made another “mmm” sound. “And a cherry on top.”

“So did you call me just to tell me that?” He turned the phone away from his mouth and told Armie, “Break in two minutes.”

Nodding, Armie started kicking and punching harder, making the most of the remaining minutes. Off to the side, he saw Yvette chatting with Harper, Muggles sprawled on his back beside her feet.

“I knew you’d be at the rec center,” Vanity said.

“Yvette’s here, too. Did you want to talk to her?”

“Did I call her cell?”

“No. You called mine.”

“There you go. Must be you I want to talk to, huh?”

Wondering what she wanted, he went over to stand by the reception desk. “So what’s up?”

“I agree, Cannon. Let’s get right to the point.”

Had he been rude? “I didn’t mean—”

“Now that the scrote is gone—”

“Scrote?” Cannon asked.

“Yeah, you know, short for scrotum, aka Heath.”

He laughed outright. “I know what it means, and yeah, Heath is as gone as a man can be and still draw breath.”

“Exactly. So anyway, since I don’t need to keep tabs on his sorry butt here in Cali—”

“I never meant to saddle you with that.”

“It was my pleasure. Now, are you going to let me tell this or not?”

“I am,” he promised. “Go ahead.”

“I was thinking I’d visit,” she blurted.

Worried about her reception? Hell, as Yvette’s best friend, he wanted to meet her. Thanks to their phone conversations, he felt as though he already knew her. “You’re always welcome.” As he looked out the big front window, a flash of long blond hair caught Cannon’s attention.

“Yeah? Anytime at all?”

“Absolutely.” With a phone to her ear, the blonde paid a cabbie, then threw something in the big trash can out front of the rec center.

Probably another woman signing up for the women’s self-defense classes. They’d start right after Armie finished his fight. The promo was out, and already Denver and Stack had offered to lend a hand, which probably accounted for how women had rapidly filled the class roster.

“How about...now?”

Lost in thought, Cannon said, “Sure.” Forgetting the woman on the street, he grabbed the water bottle and a towel and headed to Armie. “When does your flight come in? We’ll pick you up.”

“No need.” She cleared her throat. “I’m here.”

“Here?”

“Well, behind you, actually.”

That was when he realized how quiet the gym had gotten, everyone staring toward the door.

The blonde.

He turned, and sure enough, there she stood. A Barbie look-alike, Yvette had said. He wasn’t that familiar with Barbie, but yeah, he saw it.