“Are you…afraid of dogs?”
His gaze snaps back to me, eyes wide for a split second before he exhales a long, drawn-out breath. “Aye. That’s one way to put it.”
I don’t want to laugh because I can tell this is no joke, but...
“You’re telling me that big, bad, fearless Callan MacKenzie is scared of precious fluff balls?”
He winces, clearly not thrilled with where this conversation is heading. And that’s when it hits me. I try to hold it in, but a laugh bursts free before I can stop it. “I’m sorry, oh my gosh, I’m so sorry.” I gasp between giggles. “It’s not funny, I swear. I promise Nugget won’t harm a hair on your head. But Cal… Dogs? Of all the things, it’sdogs.”
“I was attacked by one when I was little,” he admits. “Vicious thing.”
Well, now I feel like an asshole.
“What kind of dog was it? Not a German shepherd, I hope.”
He shakes his head quickly, his gaze flickering toward the floor. “It was a…uh…chihuahua,” he confesses.
And that’s when I lose it completely. “A chihuahua?” I gasp, barely able to get the words out between fits of laughter. “I didn’t realize ankle biters could leave such emotional scars.”
His face flushes bright red. “Aye, laugh it up. Those wee devils are more ferocious than you’d think. All teeth and attitude.”
I try to compose myself, wiping tears from my eyes. “I’m sorry, I really am. It’s just… I never expected you to fear a dog that only just reaches your knees.”
“That’s because they’re sneaky,” he argues. “You don’t know what it’s like to face off with one of those wee bastards. They come at you from all directions, all teeth and no fear. It’s like a battle of wills.”
I raise a brow, still laughing but trying to hold onto some semblance of seriousness. “A battle of wills, huh? And who won in the end, Callan? The chihuahua?”
“Aye,” he mutters. “The chihuahua won. And don’t you forget it.”
I can’t help but soften, my grin fading as I meet his eyes. “Well, Nugget’s a sweetheart, I promise. How about we introduce you two properly? You’re the two most important men in my life.”
A slow smirk creeps onto his face as he eyes Nugget with a suspicious glance. “The two most important men, huh? Should I be jealous?”
I laugh, shaking my head. “Only if you’re worried about him stealing your side of the bed. He’s a cuddler.”
Callan leans in closer, his voice dropping into a teasing murmur. “Don’t worry, lass. I don’t plan on sharing your attention.”
“You’re trying to distract me,” I scold. “Just hold your hand out and let him sniff you.”
Nugget stares up at us with his head tilted to the side. His big brown eyes are wide, trying to understand every word we’re saying.
Callan stretches out a reluctant hand, fingers stiff like he’s facing down a coiled viper instead of a wagging tail. I try not to laugh, but it’s hard when he’s so…serious.
The tension in his shoulders tells me this is no joke to him, though. I can see he’s fighting more than just embarrassment. Nugget, oblivious to Callan’s obvious apprehension, sniffs his outstretched hand with enthusiasm. His tail wags harder, and with no warning, he plants a big, wet lick right on Callan’s knuckles.
I bite my lip, watching as Callan freezes. His eyes widen in shock, quickly morphing into disgust.
“What was that?”
“He likes you.”
He glances from me to Nugget, his brow furrowing in confusion. “That’s how he shows it? By slobbering on me?”
I scratch Nugget behind his ears. “It’s a compliment, trust me.”
Callan sighs, shaking his head, but I notice the faintest curve of a smile tugging at his lips. “This beast and I have very different ideas when it comes to compliments.”
“Do you, though?”
