“You’re babysitting him all the time,” he warns Nicholas and me before leaving.
I shrug. I guess I’ll be doing some dog bed shopping today.
Nicholas stays back to help me and Ashley clean up. Sambounces off midway with a wink and reassurance that he’s not coming back home tonight. He better not be meeting Adrian without telling me first. The fact that Sam doesn’t have any obsession with danger is the only reason I don’t question him more.
It takes us two hours to slowly clear out the area. People really need to learn to use trash cans. But by late afternoon, we’re in my car with Mickey in the backseat.
“Where did Sam go off to?” Nicholas asks, securing his seatbelt.
I start the engine after ensuring Mickey is properly settled in his harness. He doesn’t like it one bit but relents when bribed with his favorite treats. “I never know where Sam is unless he’s in my eyesight.” Lately, I’ve been feeling I need to keep a closer eye on him.
If quitting our operation was hard on me, it must have been horrible for him. He dedicated his entire life to this and only quit because he thoughtIneeded it. I thought I did, too, but now that the novelty of having my days to myself has worn off, I’m scrambling to find something to do.
“He lives an exciting life.” Nicholas nods.
I snort. “Says the werewolf secret agent.”
Then there was Nicholas. He’s patting Mickey, who has shoved his face between our seats, feeling left out. Maybe I can find other ways to keep myself occupied. I’d promised one of the dog shelters from the event that I’d volunteer for them for the next month.
Nicholas covers my hand on the gearshift with his for a second before pulling away. Yes, I’ll be fine. Now, I need to make sure Sam is fine too.
I park in the driveway and let Mickey out. He makes a beeline for my door while we take boxes full of equipment and banners out of the trunk. I pick one of the heavy ones.
“I got it.” Nicholas snatches it from me.
I glare at him as he adds two more heavy ones on top of it. His biceps bulge with the weight, but that’s the only sign of strain in his entire body. He isn’t even in a hurry to move,thebastard. Completely satisfied, standing there, giving me a show.
“Are you done?” he asks, his voice easy, a bit amused.
I narrow my eyes, pick the only box left in the trunk, and stomp over to the door, ignoring Nicholas’s mocking laugh.
He follows me while I try my best to focus on the simple task of unlocking the door. The guy is hot. What am I supposed to do? Not stare as his T-shirt sleeves stretch over those outrageously tanned muscles? The sweat coating his arm is the result of all the hard work in the sunny park, not from the measly boxes that would have taken me at least three rounds to bring inside. It paints a picture I’m too weak to ignore.
“How about we go in now before Mickey bolts, and I do a hundred push-ups for you once we’re inside?”
That makes me snatch my gaze away from his arms and look up at his sparkling blue eyes.
My face gets hot with embarrassment. I quickly put in the code and push the door open.
Mickey rushes inside and crashes into one of his beds. The white one. Without cleaning his paws first.
Putting my box down, I grab a towel from Mickey’s cabinet in the living room and clean his paws before we have to replace the whole thing.
“I bet you’re the only person ever to buy a white dog bed.” Nicholas walks up behind me as I stand up. He drops a kiss on the top of my head, gives me a quick squeeze from behind, then walks away. Despite how often he does it, the casual affection still makes my heart race.
It has to wear off, right? This constant need to have him with me all the time, holding me, talking to me, or just looking at me. It has to go away because I don’t know if my poor heart can take it for long.
Chapter Ten
Snow-White Dog Beds, Secret Serenades, and Shocking Developments
Nick
Elliot busies himself putting away everything from the fair while I lounge on his bed. My eyes follow him as he moves around the room, opening and closing the cupboard doors.
“Can’t you do this after a quick nap? You must be tired,” I try coaxing him. Mickey conked out on what I’m sure is a custom-made bed. Because seriously, who’d try to sell a white dog bed?
Elliot continues moving things around. “If I don’t do this now, the boxes will stay right there for weeks.”
