bulldog,” he said, pointing over his shoulder.
“Ah, yes. He’s a popular fellow,” she said as she unlocked the glass door and stepped inside. She paused by the bulldog pen and unlocked that door as well, reaching in to collect the little dog in her arms. She returned, gently handing the puppy off to Evan. “I sure wish you’d take one of these guys.”
“As soon as I have a place, Maxey,” he said, strolling to the little rooms. I followed, aching to pet the excited puppy.
Once in the room, Evan set the puppy on the floor. The little guy snatched up the squeak toy in the corner and shook it.
“He’s so cute,” I said as I squatted next to him, stroking his soft fur. “I wish I could have a dog. My landlord will only allow cats.”
“Ugh, cats,” Evan said, engaging the puppy in a game of tug-of-war. “I’m not a cat person.”
“I like cats,” I said as I sat on the floor, petting the puppy while he fought Evan over the toy. “I love them. But I’d rather have a dog.”
“Me, too.”
We played with the puppy for about twenty minutes before handing him back to Maxey and browsing the rest of the store. Evan was fascinated with the playful ferrets while I steered clear of the mice, rats, and spiders. He joked that he was going to buy me a tarantula while I threatened to get him a kitten.
When we left the store, I was surprised to see that it was nearly three-thirty.
“Wow, we’ve been here awhile,” I said after checking the time on my phone and slipping it back into my coat pocket.
“Time flies,” he said, smug, as he took my hand again. “I should get you home, I suppose. I have a few things to do before my shift.”
I was surprised at the disappointment that shot through my heart. “All right.”
As we got into the truck, he looked at me with a grin. “You could come to the bar tonight.”
“I could,” I said.
He laughed as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward my apartment. Silence filled the truck cab but it wasn’t the least bit awkward. I stared at the window, reliving the afternoon, until he parked behind the coffee shop.
“Thanks for hanging out,” he said as I unbuckled my seatbelt.
“Thanks for lunch,” I said as I reached for the door handle. “Strangely enough, I enjoyed myself.”
“See?” he said. “I knew you’d see my charm if you gave it a chance.”
As I laughed, he leaned over to press his lips to mine. Surprised, I closed my eyes as something pleasant floated in my brain.
He didn’t press it, just slowly leaned back, his eyes scanning my face for a reaction.
“I hope I see you tonight,” he whispered, a soft smile on his lips. “I’ll buy you a drink.”
“Okay,” I said as I hopped out the truck and jogged up the stairs to my apartment.
Chapter Nine
It took me until seven-thirty that night to decide to go to Rusty’s. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was getting myself into, but I’d enjoyed Evan’s company all day – what could possibly go wrong?
The lot was fairly empty again, just like on Ladies’ Night, which made me happy. I didn’t want to fight the crowd for a seat at the bar or be stuck at a table by myself.
When I walked inside, the few patrons already there turned as one to see who’d arrived, then turned back to their drinks. I didn’t spot a single coed – it seemed as if the older crowd had invaded the bar for the time being.
I scrambled onto a barstool as Evan filled a plastic pitcher full of beer for a group of gentlemen at the other end of the bar. Once he finished, he filled a glass with diet soda and brought it to me.
“I thought you’d come,” he said, gleeful.
“I was bored,” I said, poking at the ice with my straw.
“Sure,” he said. “Admit it; you can’t resist my raw, animal sexuality and charm.”
“You’re quite full of yourself, aren’t you?”
Laughing, he stepped back. “Do you want a menu?”
“No. I
“Ah, yes. He’s a popular fellow,” she said as she unlocked the glass door and stepped inside. She paused by the bulldog pen and unlocked that door as well, reaching in to collect the little dog in her arms. She returned, gently handing the puppy off to Evan. “I sure wish you’d take one of these guys.”
“As soon as I have a place, Maxey,” he said, strolling to the little rooms. I followed, aching to pet the excited puppy.
Once in the room, Evan set the puppy on the floor. The little guy snatched up the squeak toy in the corner and shook it.
“He’s so cute,” I said as I squatted next to him, stroking his soft fur. “I wish I could have a dog. My landlord will only allow cats.”
“Ugh, cats,” Evan said, engaging the puppy in a game of tug-of-war. “I’m not a cat person.”
“I like cats,” I said as I sat on the floor, petting the puppy while he fought Evan over the toy. “I love them. But I’d rather have a dog.”
“Me, too.”
We played with the puppy for about twenty minutes before handing him back to Maxey and browsing the rest of the store. Evan was fascinated with the playful ferrets while I steered clear of the mice, rats, and spiders. He joked that he was going to buy me a tarantula while I threatened to get him a kitten.
When we left the store, I was surprised to see that it was nearly three-thirty.
“Wow, we’ve been here awhile,” I said after checking the time on my phone and slipping it back into my coat pocket.
“Time flies,” he said, smug, as he took my hand again. “I should get you home, I suppose. I have a few things to do before my shift.”
I was surprised at the disappointment that shot through my heart. “All right.”
As we got into the truck, he looked at me with a grin. “You could come to the bar tonight.”
“I could,” I said.
He laughed as he pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward my apartment. Silence filled the truck cab but it wasn’t the least bit awkward. I stared at the window, reliving the afternoon, until he parked behind the coffee shop.
“Thanks for hanging out,” he said as I unbuckled my seatbelt.
“Thanks for lunch,” I said as I reached for the door handle. “Strangely enough, I enjoyed myself.”
“See?” he said. “I knew you’d see my charm if you gave it a chance.”
As I laughed, he leaned over to press his lips to mine. Surprised, I closed my eyes as something pleasant floated in my brain.
He didn’t press it, just slowly leaned back, his eyes scanning my face for a reaction.
“I hope I see you tonight,” he whispered, a soft smile on his lips. “I’ll buy you a drink.”
“Okay,” I said as I hopped out the truck and jogged up the stairs to my apartment.
Chapter Nine
It took me until seven-thirty that night to decide to go to Rusty’s. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was getting myself into, but I’d enjoyed Evan’s company all day – what could possibly go wrong?
The lot was fairly empty again, just like on Ladies’ Night, which made me happy. I didn’t want to fight the crowd for a seat at the bar or be stuck at a table by myself.
When I walked inside, the few patrons already there turned as one to see who’d arrived, then turned back to their drinks. I didn’t spot a single coed – it seemed as if the older crowd had invaded the bar for the time being.
I scrambled onto a barstool as Evan filled a plastic pitcher full of beer for a group of gentlemen at the other end of the bar. Once he finished, he filled a glass with diet soda and brought it to me.
“I thought you’d come,” he said, gleeful.
“I was bored,” I said, poking at the ice with my straw.
“Sure,” he said. “Admit it; you can’t resist my raw, animal sexuality and charm.”
“You’re quite full of yourself, aren’t you?”
Laughing, he stepped back. “Do you want a menu?”
“No. I
Similar Books
