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He headed to the back door.
“Please, man, you gotta untie me. The bugs are everywhere. Please. I told you what you wanted. Please untie me.”
“Fuck no. I’m calling the police and animal control.”
“I’ll report you,” Pepper threatened.
“Go for it. I wonder what all you’ll be able to describe that the cops’ll care about.”
“Fuck you!”
“Word of advice. Keep your mouth and eyes closed.”
Mateo hid himself back in the trees and waited until the cops and animal control came. He waited until he was satisfied that all of the pit bulls had been handled well, then he went home.
14
Lainey opened the door and burst out laughing. She couldn’t even see Matt’s face, what with the bouquet of pink, yellow, orange, red and white Gerber daisies in front of his face.
“I think you went a tad bit overboard,” Lainey said when she could catch her breath.
Matt peeked around the bouquet. “It’s just some daisies.”
“Come on in. I’ll see what kind of container I can find for the world’s largest bouquet. You had to have paid some Annapolis florist’s mortgage this month.”
She hustled her way to the kitchen, trying to think of something big enough to house at least three dozen flowers. She couldn’t help but take in the other six flower arrangements that graced her living and dining room. That didn’t even count the beautiful stargazer lilies that she had by her bedside. Thank God she wasn’t allergic!
She heard Matt chuckle as he walked behind her. “I think I might have gone a little overboard.”
“Ya’ think?”
Lainey fished out a pitcher that she used to serve iced tea and started filling it with water. She pulled out her vinegar from a cupboard and her sugar, then put a little of each into the pitcher.
“That’s ingenious,” Matt complimented. “The sugar will give the flowers nutrients and the vinegar is basically an antibacterial agent. How did you know to do that?”
Lainey shrugged. “It’s just what our housekeeper always did at home. She said it kept the flowers fresh. You, being a chemist, would know all the details. I just know to do it.” She set the daisies on the kitchen island.
“I love the smell around here. Thank you, Matt. But you didn’t need to go to all this trouble.”
She watched as his cheeks flushed.
“Yeah, I did. I acted like an ass. It wasn’t just the presentation that had me leaving so abruptly.”
Lainey leaned back against her kitchen counter and crossed her arms over her chest. “You don’t say. Care to enlighten me?”
“I’ve never been on a date with a woman like you before. It was disconcerting.”
She didn’t respond. He was going to have to do better than that.
“You specifically made cookies I would like. You were easy to talk to about anything. I found you… I mean, I find you immensely attractive.” He stopped talking.
Lainey waited a little longer, but he didn’t continue. She knew men like Matt, but he had to be one of the worst cases she’d ever met. Talk about not being in touch with your feelings!
“Are you saying that last Saturday night when you bolted, you realized you liked me? I mean, really liked me?”
She watched as his eyes widened. “Yes. That’s it exactly.”
“And that scared you?”
