“Don’t worry,” he said, addressing Bruno. “Daddy will convince her.”

“Daddy? We’re the parents of a Chihuahua?”

“You never know what the future holds. It would be good practice.”

“For when we had puppies?”

“Can we come in?” I stepped aside. Braden took Bruno off of his leash and he promptly checked the place out and made it his own by peeing on a rubber tree plant. Bruno, not Braden.

“Hey!” Jess exclaimed. “Here, doggy!”

“He answers to Bruno,” I explained.

“Bruno?” She looked confused.

“Apparently Braden and I have a Chihuahua together.”

“I hope he has primary custody,” she said, following Bruno as he headed toward her room. “Wait, doggy. Don’t go in there!”

“Hello, Cameron,” Braden said.

“Hello, Braden. Nice dog. And, um, why?”

“She needs protection. Didn’t she tell you about the letter?”

“A Chihuahua?”

“I promised her father I would get her a dog and her building doesn’t allow pets over twenty lbs. Do you know how small that is? Bruno can bark as well as a big dog can. He’ll alert people.”

“Who’s going to take care of Bruno when I’m at work? He’ll be all alone. And I’ll have to walk him in the evenings. He’ll have to wait all day to pee.” I glanced at the plant. “He’d better wait.”

“I arranged for doggy day care,” he answered.

“Doggy day care? Are you serious?”

“There’s a place right on the way to work. You can drop him off in the morning and pick him up on the way home. He’ll have other dogs to play with and the people there will walk him.”

“Did you check these people out? I mean are they a good place? The bigger dogs wouldn’t pick on him, would they?” I couldn’t help it. I’m a Jewish mother.

“More importantly, can they get him into the right colleges?” Cam added. Braden and I gave him an unamused look.

“I checked them out. They have a good reputation.”

“Well, okay, I guess. You’re going to help me take care of him, though, right? It’s not going to be ‘go ask mommy’ whenever he wants something?”

“Mommy?” Jess asked, returning with Bruno tucked under her arm and one of her slippers in his mouth.

“And are you Daddy?” Cam asked Braden with a smile.

“Of course he is! What are you implying?” I asked indignantly. Jess and Cam gave each other a look that clearly said they thought Braden and I had gone round the bend.

“So, can you convince baby Bruno here to let go of my slipper?”

“Here,” Braden said, digging around in his pocket. He held out a milk bone. And I had thought he was just happy to see me. “Bruno! Daddy has a bone for you.”

“Does that work with you too, Gab?” Jess asked with a laugh.

“Very funny,” I replied. Bruno promptly dropped the slipper and Jess set him down so that he could go get his treat. He looked up at Braden adoringly. He was a daddy’s boy.

“Okay, Gabrielle, we should get going.” He paused. “Do you two want to come along?”

“Yeah, sure!” Cam said with a smile.

“What the hell,” Jess said.

I grabbed my suit-bag and we all headed for Braden’s place with Bruno in the lead on his stylish leash. I had a feeling that I would find all kinds of designer doggie gear at Braden’s place.

* * *

I was right. I discovered that Bruno had his own leather and suede plush doggie bed, a marble bowl with his name carved into it, and enough toys to fill his own play room. How had Braden managed this in three hours? Jess and Cam made themselves comfortable in front of the TV as Braden went to assure himself that Bruno had enough water, just in case it had evaporated in the half hour since I was certain he last checked it. A few minutes later Mark and Adam rang up from the lobby and were at the door, six packs of beer in hand.

“Wow, the gang’s all here,” Mark said as Jess and Cam called out their greetings. Just then I heard the rapidly approaching “clickity click” of tiny nails on hardwood floors accompanied by the “yipping” that only a tiny dog can emit. Bruno had been alerted to the presence of intruders. He came full throttle, stopped short and skidded to a stop at Adam’s feet, barking his little Chihuahua ass off.

“Bruno! Stop! Down! Heel! Shut up!” I tried.

“Quiet Bruno!” Braden said and Bruno immediately stopped barking and sat down.

“Bruno?” Adam asked. I had a feeling that would be a common reaction.

“Is that supposed to be a dog?” Mark asked.

“He stopped you, didn’t he?” Braden asked.

“I was afraid I might step on him,” Mark replied.

“Is this your dog?” Adam asked.

“I got him for Gabrielle, but I’m thinking that I’ll help her take care of him. I’ve been joking around and saying that we’re his mommy and daddy.”

“Oh, that’s so cute!” Mark teased.

“I hope you insisted that this dog be raised Jewish, Gabrielle.” Adam gave me a stern look.

“I’m okay with that. I’m getting kind of interested in Judaism. I’m thinking about taking a class,” Braden said.

“Interested as in ‘hey, that’s kind of cool’ or as in ‘I’m thinking about becoming a Jew?” Adam wanted to know.

“I don’t know. I would have to learn more about it first. You and Gabrielle seem to like it.”

“But we were born this way.” I explained. “We’ve been conditioned from childhood to pretend that a lamp that burned longer than it should have was as exciting as a visit from Santa Claus.”

“I’m just thinking about taking a class to learn more. I’m not exactly a pillar of the Episcopalian church right now though. I doubt that anyone would even notice that I was gone.”

“I think your parents might, but whatever. You want to take a class, I’m all for it,” I said. “In fact, you want to be Jewish? That’s great too, as long as it’s because you really want to be and not because you’re worried about Bruno growing up conflicted.”

“You two are the parents of a Chihuahua and Braden’s talking about becoming a Jew. This is some kind of weird dream, isn’t it?” Mark asked, looking around like he expected to see something.

“Can we get out of the entryway before the beer gets warm?” I asked impatiently. We got out of the entryway before the beer got warm. Everyone settled in and we ordered pizza. We watched a pregame show and began watching the baseball game. Bruno made his rounds, encouraging everyone present to pet and pay attention to him. Eventually he settled in on a loveseat next to Braden and me.

In was an exciting game for the most part, although the Phillies pulled ahead at the end. At the bottom of the ninth inning with our team ahead by four runs I started cleaning up. As I put things away and washed some dishes in the kitchen, I felt Braden sidle up behind me and put his arms around my waist, pulling me close. He whispered in my ear.

“I was only kidding around about the mommy and daddy thing, but I have to admit that playing house with you turns me on.”

“I’ll have to wash dishes more often, dear.” I guess it wasn’t just my shorts riding up last time.

“You know darling, we’ve never had kitchen sex. Perhaps I could bend you over the counter and take you from behind. I’m thinking that I’m just going to pick you up and f**k you against the wall though.” God, I loved it when he said stuff like that.

I glanced up at the living room area which was in plain view. “The game’s almost over. Our guests will be gone soon, honey bunch.”

“As soon as that door closes I’m going to make you feel so good, sweetie pie.” Argh! He was killing me here!

“Well, dearest, that sounds like a sound plan for the future.” I felt myself starting to sweat and my panties got damp. The Astros struck out and the game was over within minutes. Our friends stretched and stood up. My heart started racing as they headed for the door.

“Thanks for inviting us along,” Cam added.

“We do it every Sunday night. Come whenever you want,” Braden said. That was definite progress.

“I guess we’ll play it by ear next week?” Mark asked.

“We’ll be back in time,” Adam said.

“But Braden might be busy making up for the loss of his Saturday night sex.”

Cam offered to walk Jess home and we said our goodnights as everyone left, shutting the door behind them.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Braden turned to me with his hot look and I was up against the wall in seconds with his mouth on mine, his tongue exploring possessively. His hand traveled up under my shirt and into my bra where he gently squeezed my nipple and cupped my breast. Then the other hand traveled under my skirt and into my panties, where he began stroking me.

“Mm. My baby’s ready for me,” he said with satisfaction.

“You gave me advance notice,” I answered breathily.

He pushed my skirt up and my panties down. I slid them off as he freed himself and then he lifted me up and pushed into me as I wrapped my legs around him and gasped with pleasure. With my back braced against the wall he thrust into me deeply over and over and I started moaning deliriously. Through a lust-filled haze I suddenly heard a foreign sound. It sounded like… yipping. Oh no!

“No, no Bruno,” I panted. “Daddy’s not hurting mommy. Daddy’s making mommy feel so good! Oh baby, so good!” Bruno didn’t let up, though. If anything, the yipping got louder and he started running from one side of Braden’s legs to the other.

“Quiet, Bruno!” Braden tried, sounding desperate, as I pushed my h*ps hard against him and squeezed my inner muscles tight. “Oh fuck, yes!” he groaned loudly. Bruno kept yipping louder and louder. “Bruno! Quiet! Daddy wants to enjoy this.” He started moving his h*ps faster.

“Yes! Like that!” I cried and he started pounding into me.

“Tell me how much you love it baby,” he grunted as Bruno kept yipping.

“So much! I love it so much! It feels so good!” I moaned and Bruno started jumping.

“Who’s f**king you Gabrielle? I want to hear you say it!” The yipping was unrelenting and now Bruno was running in circles.

“Oh Braden! Braden! Only you!”

“You’re mine, Gabrielle,” he bit out, and then Bruno started doing something that transcended annoying and moved into the realm of the really weird, and not just a little disturbing. He grabbed on to Braden’s leg and started pumping.

“Bruno! Jesus! Stop that!” Braden bit out, sounding distracted as he shook his leg, trying to get Bruno to let go.

“Why is he doing that?” I gasped, confused.

“I’m pretty sure he thinks this is a game.”

“Only mommy and daddy get to play, Bruno!” I pleaded.

Braden took a deep breath and lowered me to the floor. He pulled my skirt back down and closed his pants over his erection. Bruno let go and looked up at him quizzically like he couldn’t figure out why we had stopped playing the humping game just when it was getting good. Braden gave him an exasperated look and grabbed my hand and his keys. “Let’s go.”

“Where?”

“To the roof garden.”

“The roof garden?! We’re leaving?!”

“Nobody else is ever up there and it’s a nice night.”

We took the stairs and when we got there Braden found a dark spot and once again lifted me up and braced me against a wall. The city lights sparkled in the distance. I felt him slide into me again and start moving more slowly. He buried his mouth against my neck and pushed into me deeply while I moaned and ran my hands up and down his back. Without any further distractions it wasn’t long before I felt myself get to where I needed to be. Braden sensed it and started talking to me again. This time, though, he didn’t talk dirty to me. The things he said were romantic instead and they turned me on just as much.

“Gabrielle, you’re so beautiful. And sweet. And sexy. It’s never felt like this before. I want to lose myself in you. I want to be inside you forever.”

“Braden, I need you so much.” I felt myself slip over and fall into oblivion and then a couple of minutes later he let go and joined me. We held on to each other tightly as sensation and release washed over us and then we stood there panting with our foreheads pressed together.

“Braden,” I said after a few minutes, “are we going to have to have sex on the roof from now on?”

“No, baby. We’re going to have sex in the bedroom and Bruno is going to wait in the living room. I just had to get out of there.”

“Okay. Just asking. I figured it might get cold eventually.” We headed back downstairs where Bruno met us at the door and gave us a dirty look. He was obviously deeply offended that we were not willing to involve him in our sex life.

* * *

I told Braden that I had to help Jess with something the next night. That was technically true. He said that he would watch Bruno and invite Adam and Mark over to play cards and hang out again. He still wanted to spend the night together, though, so I told him that he should come by and pick me up at ten and that I would go back to his place with him. I knew that I was cutting it close but I didn’t want to act suspiciously by being out late on a night before court. Besides, how much garbage could she have anyway? So the next night Bruno was off at Daddy’s place when Jess and Cam and I piled into my Mini Cooper at eight-thirty and headed for Marla’s townhouse. We parked down the street and strolled casually toward her address. When we were in front of it though, we encountered a little problem. The homes were narrow and attached and there were a whole bunch of garbage cans standing together. You couldn’t tell which one belonged to which house. Shit!