Two Doms for Christmas by Kat Barrett Page B

who never left the house meet up with
such a handsome Dom who was interested in a woman thirteen years older than
him?
    Ginger walked over and nudged her
arm, and she looked down at the small dog, a tear dripping off her nose. Had
she been crying? “What’s up, girl?”
    She rolled the chair back and
Ginger jumped up into her lap. “I have to consider you guys also. Austin
already has two dogs. What would happen if things became serious between us?
What would I do then? Of course, I’m thinking far off in the future in a day
when I might move in with him. Would I really want to sell our house? How would
you guys feel about moving someplace nicer? He certainly has a bigger backyard,
and he said he has a doggie play room in the basement.” Haley turned to smile
at Sammie. He had less stamina and far less running ability than April and
Jake. Ginger might be okay with them. From what she had seen on walks, her two
got along with other dogs very well.
    Her eyes wandered around the living
room. She had been hanging on to the house for the pure simple reason that
finding somewhere more fitting would require her to go out looking. If
anything, the house was filled with memories that now haunted her. She had
closed the door on her daughter’s room and left it as it was with light
lavender walls and Justin Bieber bedspread. There wasn’t much chance of her
coming back and even if she came for a visit one day, she had certainly
outgrown her room.
    Haley sat petting Ginger for a
while, her eyes going back to the blank page. She needed to write something,
but her mind was completely set on thoughts of Austin. She wanted to call him
and see if he was home yet. Was he still at work? Was he eating dinner alone or
with someone else? The simple thought sent a bolt of gut wrenching anguish
through her stomach. They weren’t exclusive. What if the reason he wasn’t
seeing her tonight was because he already had a date with someone else?
    Ginger readjusted herself, leaning
her head on Haley’s chest. “Yes, I know. Mom is being a jerk. She is driving
herself insane. Maybe I should just get up and do something, or maybe just let
you guys out and go to bed. It’s not like I’m getting anything done anyway.”
    With that thought in mind, she put
Ginger on the floor. Haley shut the computer down and went to the backyard,
turning on the light to check before she let the dogs outside. Once the door
was open, they raced out, taking care of their needs quickly before coming back
inside. The night had turned bitter cold and she shivered, just standing in the
doorway. “Wow, it’s cold out there. You guys made
quick work of that. Didn’t you?”
    With a giggled, she locked up the
door and turned off the light. She flipped the small bolt lock on the back door
closed. It wasn’t like it would keep anyone out, but it was her way to remind
herself to turn off the alarm before she pulled the door open. On more than one
sleepy morning, she had almost done that.
    After giving the dogs a snack, she
went to get ready for bed herself. The wind whistled around the house, the
sound slightly unnerving. Haley walked into the bedroom and then simply grabbed
her blanket and pillow. With Austin in the bed, she had been warm and felt
safe, but alone, she didn’t. She missed him far more than she probably should.
They had only been on one true date. Of course the date had lasted almost
twenty-four hours.
    Ginger and Sammie waited as she set
up the sofa to sleep on. In many ways it was actually more comfortable than her
bed. She shut the front shades to keep out the early morning sun and then
removed her robe to climb under the covers.
    Haley was almost asleep when the
phone rang. She almost dumped Sammie onto the floor as she rolled to get up,
catching him with the side of her hand to keep him from tumbling off. She
quickly pushed him back onto the blankets and then sprinted for the phone.
“Hello?”
    “What’s up?” It was Austin.
    “Nothing. How was