Most of the stress was melting away with the warmth of the crackling flames and the feel of Austin’s hands patiently working the knots from her back and shoulders. The air was scented with lavender and she inhaled deeply, sighing in sleepy contentment. Med was rubbing her feet and lower legs, and Sammie was curled up at her head. He was resting after he had introduced himself to April and Jake. The three dogs had gone outside to play in the snow for a while and had then come back in to crash in the warm room with their humans. Austin leaned forward, his naked chest brushing against her back as he kissed the back of her head. “Want to go to sleep for a while? You must be tired.” “I would love to. Didn’t you have to go to work today?” “Med and I should try to go in for a few hours at least. Will you be okay?” “I’ll be fine. Is there anything I should know about the dogs or the house?” “Not really. The dogs will let you sleep, and the house takes care of itself. We will throw some more logs on the fire before we leave.
