Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 111980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 373(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 560(@200wpm)___ 448(@250wpm)___ 373(@300wpm)
She sounds delighted with her own observation, but she’s not the first person to say that. Esmeralda mentioned it a few weeks ago. I denied it then. It’s harder to deny it now, and I’m not sure I want to. But if Sawyer and I haven’t figured out what we are, I’m not going to hash it out in front of a client.
I should say something evasive, but Sawyer steps in, nodding to me. “That’s because she’s my dance partner. For the fundraiser. We just did a dance lesson tonight, and we had to get real close. I’m a terrible dancer. But Chloe’s great. And we have a lot more dance lessons to do. Dancing makes you…” He pauses and looks to me, hunger in his eyes. “Closer.”
And just like that, he handles the awkward while covering for me.
When we leave, we head back to my car again so I can take him to the studio to get his car. Roxie’s chugging along like she needs a long nap. I chatter on about the things I need to fix in Roxie.
“Chloe,” he says, interrupting, his tone heavy, and maybe this is where he’ll say we shouldn’t do that again, and my heart lurches. I didn’t realize till now precisely how much I don’t want him to say that.
“Yes?” I ask, all chipper.
“I figured you’d want me to keep our secret.”
Our secret.
It feels like we have a lot of them, even as we dance in public. “I do,” I admit.
“I’ll keep it then,” he says, sounding solemn and vulnerable all at once. When we reach the dance studio, I park the car. He scans the lot, and when he confirms the coast is clear, he grabs my face. “You’re so fucking sexy when you’re jealous.”
“Shut up,” I mutter.
“I’ll shut you up,” he says, then he crushes my mouth with a hot, possessive kiss that ends too soon.
But I grab his collar. “You didn’t want to hug her. That’s why you were all stiff and awkward at first.”
His eyes darken, and he’s quiet for a beat. The air feels charged once more in the silence till he says, “I think you should know I’d much rather practice with you.”
He leaves, and I watch him go, wishing I knew what would happen next with us—even though I shouldn’t want anything to.
28
DIRTY DEEDS
CHLOE
Answers don’t come the next day. There’s no time at work. Not that I’d ask Sawyer anything at Dog Tails. What would I even say to him? I want to bang you again?
You want more than that.
I’m too busy working with new clients. I took Sawyer up on his offer, and as soon as Captain scampers off into the daycare to hang out with his ten new best friends, I say hello to my first client of the day. A woman named Lauren who booked me for her grumpy Chihuahua after learning I was working on the show.
We get to work on the spicy old boy, and if anyone tries to tell you big dogs are scarier than little ones, they’ve never met a grouchy Chihuahua.
But spicy pups are one of my specialties, so I help her with some management skills for the tooth-baring tiny dog. When I say goodbye to the client after an hour, I peer over the counter at the daycare play area. I’m not looking for Sawyer; I’m checking out Captain. I find Sawyer anyway though. He’s trying to get Captain’s attention, waving to my dog, who’s running in circles with…something in his mouth. “You stole my tie from my office,” Sawyer says to Captain.
Oh shit. My dog is supposed to do better than that. But he’s cavorting around the daycare with an emerald-green tie in his possession—a new prize. I swing open the gate, whistle, and say, “Captain, bring it.”
My boy jerks his snout to me, then trots over gamely, dropping the tie in my outstretched hand. He backs up and waits with a waggly tail. Like he was a good boy to listen to the command.
Shaking my head, I take the silky neckwear, give him a stern look, then point to the corner. “Go sit in the corner.”
With his head hanging, he heads to the corner, knowing he was naughty to take the tie.
“I’ll get this cleaned for you,” I say to Sawyer, apologetic.
Before he can answer, Levi calls out from one of the tubs, where he’s bathing a Bichon. “Hey, Captain. Can you take my sneakers? I need those cleaned too.”
“Oh, Captain, my headband needs a refresh,” Hazel says from her spot tossing rope toys to the pack.
“Captain, take my sandwich. I want a better one,” Zuri says as she toggles her mouse at the front counter computer.
“Don’t tempt him, especially with the sandwich,” I say, then return to the gate, waving the tie Sawyer’s way. I really want to make this up to him. “Really, I’ll have this washed.”