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I didn’t mean to fall asleep at Jamison’s…didn’t mean to do a lot of things last night. I drank just enough to let my guard down and get happy, spent enough time with him away from work that the fact that he’s the new owner blurred along with my anger, and it felt like I was just with Jamison, the hot, charming guy I met and bonded with a couple of weeks ago. He ran to get dog food while I stayed with the dogs, and I fell asleep before he got back.
All of this is confusing and I need to get out of here before he wakes up…and never put myself in this position again. I scratch the puppy’s ears and then set him down. He follows me while I grab my shoes and purse and sneak to the door, and I decide I better let him out just in case Jamison keeps sleeping for a while. I open the door to the small fenced-in area and that gets the husky’s attention. I don’t know if she needs to go out or is just concerned that I don’t take the chihuahua away from her, but they both go out and do their business.
“Oh…yeah, we’re gonna have to get some bags for that. Wow. Husky girl, you can do some damage.”
“I’m not sure any woman wants to be called husky girl,” a sleepy voice says behind me.
I smile but school it before I turn around. I can’t be the easy-breezy person I was last night or he’ll get ideas.
“You might be right,” I concede. “What do you think their names should be?”
Confusion flits across his face. “Is it a good idea to name them if someone is going to claim them?”
“It’s either name them or they’re stuck being husky girl and little guy.”
He nods like this is a serious issue and it’s then that I allow myself to take in his grey sweatpants splendor. Geez, how did those get past me? If I didn’t already remember the amazingness he has to work with, the sight of him in those pants brings it all back in vivid detail. I really have to get out of here.
“I’ve gotta go.” I hurry past him and he grabs my arm, stopping me in my tracks. I stare straight ahead, afraid to look at him.
“Hey, it was fun last night,” he says. When I don’t say anything back, he adds, “And I think their names should be Lucia and Delgado.”
“Lucia and Delgado?” I echo, turning to face him. He lowers his hand and I miss the warmth. “Those names just came to you out of thin air?”
“Lucia did. It seems like it goes with Delgado. And…I begged my parents to get me a chihuahua when I was little. I’d never seen a white one like this and it’s a good thing, because he’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen and I would’ve really been disappointed when they didn’t get me one. But his name was gonna be Delgado. My puppy that never was.” He flushes slightly and bends down to pick the little guy up, nuzzling him with his cheek. “But here you are now,” he tells the puppy.
Be still my throbbing ovaries.
Husky girl weaves between his legs like she’s staking her claim while he’s handing out the love, and I don’t blame her.
“Delgado…and Lucia it is then. It feels…meant to be.” I swallow hard, knowing I need to bolt but finding it hard to do it.
I never knew seeing a hot guy with dogs would do it for me the way that Instagram account of guys reading in the wild does.
“It does feel meant to be,” he says softly.
His eyes fall to my mouth and the space between us tightens.
And that’s when I find the strength to move.
I’m at the door when he says, “Scarlett?”
I stop and look back.
His hand moves near his chin and then extends out toward me, almost like he’s blowing me a kiss but…not. I must be seeing things that aren’t there.
“Thank you,” he says.
I don’t know what he’s thanking me for, but I nod. And right before I step inside, I look at him once more. Between him and the dogs, it’s like a rope tugging me back toward the three of them.
“I’ll call Theo and see if he has any supplies on hand. He’s a vet for large animals, but he has a dog and occasionally takes in strays that come through. Once I have leashes, I can take them to my place so you’re not stuck with them…until we see if anyone claims them.”
“I don’t mind keeping them here. But it would be nice to have leashes to walk them and so I don’t have to carry them both to work. Don’t want them to pull a runner.”
Both eyebrows hike up. “You’re taking them to work?”
“Yes.” His voice tilts up at the end, but he says it like it’s a given.
I try but fail to hold back the smile this time. “Okay, well, I will see you guys at work. I can handle the Happy Cow run today since you…have your hands full.”
