“It’s good that you’re willing to play stepdaddy to my fur-babies,” I said.
“Of course I am,” he answered, giving Oreo pets and scratches as the dog rolled over for a tummy rub.
I smiled. “You’re definitely getting brownie points for that.” I motioned around the room. “So now what? You want to sit, stay, or beg?”
“Ha-ha,” he said. “Is that your way of telling me to stop begging you to marry me?”
“I’m not sure,” I said. “That depends on whether or not you insist on marking your territory.”
“Hmm,” said Charlie, scratching his chin as if he was thinking about it. “You know, I might be compelled to bury my bone.”
“Not funny, Charlie.”
“Wrong. Very funny, Jaime,” he said. When he stopped laughing at his own jokes, he let out a long breath. “Anyway, I guess I’ll be the perfect gentleman and say goodnight. It was nice to meet your dogs. They’re great.”
“Thanks. I had a wonderful time tonight.”
He grinned. “So did I, and I think your dogs and I came to an understanding,” he added with a genuine smile. His eyes shimmered with mischief, though, as he said, “’Night, Jaime.”
“’Night, Charlie,” I said and locked the door securely behind him, with my heart racing.
I stared at the dogs as they whined at the door, and I felt sorry for poor Max when he tried to jump off the couch to be with his big brothers. A few minutes later, I gathered up the leashes for all four and hauled them outside to the grass to do their business. When I set Max down, his legs shook as he leaned against mine for support, but then he took a step and another, wagging his tail happily all the while.
“Good
boy, Max,” I encouraged, smiling widely. I knew working with animals was what I was meant to do, even if I couldn’t do as much as I wanted. That small act of saving and rehabilitating Max was at least enough to show me that I was still good at something in my life. “All right, you four, who wants to watch a movie with Mama?”
Four tails wagged in response, and the my pets trotted around me, licking my hands and jumping on me as I bent down to lift Max into my arms again.
“Then move it, troops! It’s movie night, and I’m thinking...romance.”
Chapter 12
I was awakened the next morning by loud banging. Frustrated, I waved my hand at the noise, as if I could somehow shoo it away, but it only grew louder. I grimaced and buried my head under the pillow on the couch where I’d fallen asleep. When silence resumed, I let out a sigh of relief and settled back into the cushions, ready to sleep another day away. I felt myself drift right back into sweet lumber.
Suddenly, the banging from before returned and made me jump and roll right off the couch.
“Shit!” I snapped as my face slapped against the hardwood floor. “Who is knocking on the door so hard this early?”
All the dogs barked and whined, scratching at the door and looking at me in a panic.
Wincing, I pushed to my feet. “Who is it?” I yelled.
“Jaime, it’s me, please open up.”
Figures he’d show up early in the morning to drive me insane, I thought, fuming mad.
“Sorry, Charlie. It’s too damn early, and I’m pretty homicidal before my coffee,” I yelled through the door.
“I’ll take my chances. Just open up,” he repeated, “and I hope you’re wearing something decent.”
“A nightgown,” I informed him, even though it was none of his business. “A flannel one, with a robe.”
“Sexy.”
“You wish.”
“A guy can dream, right?” he said with a chuckle that I could hear through the door.