We play that game for a while. It only stops when she barks and puts her little feet up the gate, and
yep, it’s a girl. No weenie in sight.
“Hey, little girl. What’s your name?” I rear back and scan the paperwork on the jail door, and
need to squint to make out the words. Why the hell did I drink so much? “Pe…Peaches? They named
you fucking Peaches?” Her little tongue hangs out, and she smiles. I didn’t know dogs could do that. I
smile back, because I’m not a fucking monster. “That’s an awful name. You need a more dignified
name. Like Lily or Grace. Those would suit you way better.”
Giggles distract me, and I tip sideways to see Colton and Declan on the floor, dogs wiggling in
their laps. Declan has a big, gray, highly muscled dog on his lap, but the giggling is coming from
Colton, who’s letting a tiny dog with a very big tongue lick his ear.
“Ugh. Gross.” Why would he let it do that? I mean, they lick their own butts, don’t they? Seriously
gross. I turn back to my…the…dog. “You look like you have better control of your tongue, don’t
you?” I eye the latch on the gate, hesitating as I eyeball her long coat. She doesn’t have to climb on
me, but maybe I can just pet her. Her hair looks really soft and my fingers are tingling, the same way
they do every time I look at Maya’s hair. Is that weird?
Nah, that’s totally ok.
Maya.
I love her. She’s the best thing ever, and I’m sure her hair is way softer than this dog’s. And she’s
cuter too.
Jonesing for my fix, I scan the room for her. My Maya. The wonderful, sexy, bossy, lovely —.
What the fuck?
I lurch to my feet, grabbing the gate for balance, though I don’t need it. I’m suddenly stone-cold
sober. I take a few steps, stopping next to Abby. She’s standing still, hand over her mouth, her eyes
full of sympathy. And my woman is curled up on the floor in the corner, crying her fucking eyes out.
“What the hell happened?” I growl at Abby. To be fair, it might not be her fault, but the woman is
still on my shit list from this morning, so I’m not too sorry for my tone.
“She’s upset, asshole,” she growls back. The woman has no respect. Doesn’t she know she’s
supposed to fear me? I am her boss.
But I don’t waste any time arguing with her and instead go straight for Maya. She’s curled up a
foot away from a cage that holds a little black dog. The dog’s peering out at her, giving soft little
