Bobbie sighed, but pushed him away. “I’ll be the grown-up here. We can’t derail any progress you’ve made with them in the potty department.”
He gave a reluctant nod of agreement.
She looked around. “Leashes?”
He pointed to a hall rack where they hung, the designs on them matching the dogs’ collars.
“Very cute,” Bobbie praised.
The wriggling pair got even more excited than they already were when Buck reached for the leads. It made him so proud to know they were well on their way to figuring out human cues, and how to be real dogs.
Clipping in, he and Bobbie exited his front door, and?—
“Hey. What’s Spencer doing here?” Buck stated dumbly. “I only left him a couple hours ago.”
Bobbie looked sheepish. “Uh, that would be my fault?”
Buck was confused. “Not following, Bobbie.”
She gave a long, protracted sigh. “Well, my brothers knew I was going to see you at some point today or tonight to pick up Reyghan, and they basically camped outside my job all day so they could follow me home, then probably here.”
“Why?”
“Ostensibly to make sure I didn’t spend more than a few minutes with you, because I kind of had to lie to them and tell them I wouldn’t.”
“Go on.” Buck waited for more, not liking this development at all, as both Reyghan and Cooper watered the grass on either side of the walkway.
“So, as I was leaving the work venue, I called Mason. He said he’d waylay Drew and Jeff on the way to my place so they couldn’t get eyes on my apartment and follow me here. Something about making up a bogus traffic infraction. But he was also a little concerned they’d have figured out where you live and that they might come here, first, so he sent Spencer to keep an eye out.”
“Damn.” Buck rubbed the back of his neck. “I suppose I should be happy my brothers have my six.” Buck snorted, shaking his head. “But you know what this means. We have to invite Spencer in for food. Tabitha left earlier today for an overnight to Connecticut to check out a new to us, three-man sub for our business, and he’s been moping ever since.”
Bobbie grinned. “That’s okay. I really can’t spend much time with you tonight, anyway. I have to be up before dawn to make my sail to New Brunswick.” She canted a head toward Spencer’s truck. “Let’s go see if in order to get a free meal, he’ll give us better puppy-dog eyes than our four-legged friends.”
Buck shook his head. “Nope. No way. Spencer isnotknown for his pleading gazes. He’s a lot more direct. If anything, it’s more likely he’ll just ask what’s for supper.”
“A bet, then?” Bobbie responded playfully.
“Okay. Sure.” Buck was amused. “What are the stakes?”
“Mmm… If he invites himself in without any cajoling, you get to be on top when we get finally together Wednesday night. If he gives us a pitiful stare, I’ll be the one in charge.”
Buck was momentarily struck dumb.
He’d figured—from the discussion they’d had a few days ago in his van—that they’d end up in bed when Bobbie got back from Canada, but hearing it said so concisely from her lips, and in detail, was erotic as hell.
Buck felt his cock swell for the second time in mere minutes, and he couldn’t very well adjust with his brother watching, because he’d never hear the end of it.
He concentrated, instead, on Bobbie’s offer as logistically as possible, as if he weren’t the one who was intimately vested in the outcome.
“Hooyah. That’s my kind of bet,” Buck managed to choke out. “A true win/win situation.”
“I guess it is,” Bobbie agreed with a straight face. “Because either way, he gets to eat with us.”
“That wasn’t the win I was talking about,” Buck rasped.
“I know,” Bobbie snickered, hip checking him.
It took Buck a moment to recover.
