“Would she help me out with that tonight?”
Tiara made a weird sound.
“Dai, have some faith.” I smacked my ass. “These babies never fail. Yeah, I think it’s a long shot, too, but if I play my cards right, I know I’ll win this challenge.”
I opened my closet and skimmed through my suit collection. “Black or midnight blue?”
One bark.
“The black Armani it is. Excellent choice, my—”
The towel was dragged off my waist, and my head whipped to the side, where my not so innocent dog was chewing on the fabric, looking like she’d just won a life supply of bones. “You little naughty girl. I’m starting to think you like to see me naked.”
“Woof!”
“Davvero? Okay, but you have to ask nicely and maybe, just maybe I’ll do a little dance for you. This attitude, though, won’t get you anywhere. Now be a good girl and give it back.”
“Grrrrrrr!”
I bent and grabbed the towel free edge. “Don’t grrrrr me, young lady. Give it back.”
She snatched it and ran outside the bedroom, almost dragging me with her. I chased her naked across the apartment. The little thing was fast and got some maneuvers. But in the end of a perilous fight, I retrieved the precious towel, and barricaded my business before she’d have her revenge. She might be small, but those teeth…Aayay.
She hopped and landed in my lap, her intentions not exactly pure. “No. No treat for you.” I carried her and put her in her bed in the living room she never used. “I’m gonna get dressed so I won’t be late, and you sit here and think about what you’ve done.”
Squeaky squeak.
“Now you squeak, eh? Wasn’t it grrrrr a second earlier?”
She sat, looking at me with sad puppy eyes, making those little squeaks again.
“Oddio.” That little cagna tugged at my heart and wouldn’t let go. I bent and took her in my arms. “Va bene. Just this once I won’t punish you. I still won’t dance for you, but you can stay in my room while I get dressed. You have to promise to be a good girl and just sit and not give me anymore trouble. Deal?”
She rubbed her head on my chest, and I smiled, stroking her hair.
I set her on the bed as I put the suit on, and she sat there, enjoying the show, being a good girl and not trying anything even when I was paying extra attention to adjust the bowtie to perfection or when I put on my socks and dress shoes.
“All right, I’m ready. How smashing do I look, baby girl?”
Her tail wagged rapidly.
“I’ll take that as stupendo.” I put the mask in my pocket and wore some cologne. “I think she’ll appreciate this. She seemed to like how I smelled with it this morning, even if she wouldn’t admit it.”
I took the little naughty gift I’d bought and kissed Tiara goodbye. Then I drove to the flower shop and got the classic. An elegant bunch of red roses. Simple and classy and fit for anything, just like every woman’s little black dress she had to have in her closet. I didn’t spend more than five minutes in there. The shop owners knew me and my orders by now. I swore they had them ready for me every day.
At seven twenty-nine, I parked and ascended to the penthouse. I took a deep breath before I rang the bell. Nervous? I felt like having first date jitters, and I never had that.
It’s just a date like the thousands you’ve had.Just be you.
Chuckling at all the weird ass feelings this woman had evoked in me since this morning, I rang the bell.
CHAPTER 7
Gabrielle
When I opened the door, I tried not to stare.
If this morning I thought he couldn’t have been any hotter, I was wrong. I’d pictured him in a suit earlier, but now that he was in one… Even my imagination didn’t match this incredible reality.
