AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He glanced at her and chuckled. “So we won’t have trouble with snoring.”
“No.”
The admission was as close to a declaration that they would be having sex as anything they could have said. Like magnets, their hands reached out. “I can’t wait to hear you snore,” he mumbled.
“We’d better think about taking another walk,” she said, grinning.
“It’s raining.”
“It will help us cool off,” she replied.
“Oh, okay. I guess I should take the hounds out to pee.”
“I like walking dogs. Oh, wait! I forgot I have Tilly. Oh no. I’m so sorry. I need to get back home for Tilly.”
“No problem. Let’s leave now.”
“Bring your dogs. I live on a big chunk of dog-walkable property.”
“Is that right? Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“Positive.”
“We’ll take the truck.”
They worked together, leashing up his dogs and loading them into the back of another huge SUV. As Lila worked, Charlie watched from the corner of his eye. The dogs trusted her and listened to her speaking commands to them, her gentle touch attaching their leashes to collars relaxing them.
“You ready?” he asked.
“Ready. Tilly will be in heaven. Do you have four-wheel drive?”
“I do. Never have to use it, but it’s there, just in case of a major snowstorm.”
“Ha! Well, if you want to put it into four-wheel drive, we can take the back road to my place. It’s a steep climb up that mountain, especially in the rain, but it will save us about twenty minutes.”
She pointed out the way as he drove, the view amazing as they climbed higher. “So this is the shortcut between our houses.”
“Yep. Oops, we’re going to have to go back into San Elijo so I can get my car. Darn, I should have remembered.”
“That’s okay. We’re having dinner together, remember.” Worried she might be trying to get out of their dinner date, he wondered if he’d pushed too hard on the first date. “Do you still want to go out tonight?”
“Yes, I’m really looking forward to it. Up ahead you’ll see a black iron gate. That’s the entrance to my property.”
“Wow, this is really nice,” he said, relieved by her answer. “I’ve always like this area. It’s a little remote.”
“I’m used to it.”
“Is this your family home?”
“It is. I’ll get the gate.”
The dogs were alert, standing up in the back of the vehicle as she got out to open the gate. Standing aside, she waved him through.
“One of these days I’ll get the motor fixed on this thing,” she said, climbing back in. “Now, the real test of your driving skills.”
Laughing, she pointed ahead at a road that was so steep one of the dogs fell over in the seat. “You’d better stay down,” Charlie called out. “Yikes, I bet this is awful when it’s really raining.”
“It’s pretty slick. I spend a lot of time up here alone in the winter because no one wants to climb my driveway.”
