“You should be. He’s my first shepherd. They aren’t easy dogs. I did my research and thought I knew what I’d signed up for, but it took a couple of years of hard work. In the beginning, he’d launch at me and bite my butt. Repeatedly.”
Nick laughed, picturing that.
“Yeah, funny,” she said with a little smile, “but he was like a furry piranha. Those sharp puppy teeth hurt, even through jeans. One time, he nailed my arm. I still have scars.”
Don’t we all, he thought.
The sky was now pitch-black, dotted with stars, the moon edging the few scattered clouds with silver. Across the lake, bright lights glowed from the distant row of homes, reflecting on the water. It was quiet, but Nick felt anything but peaceful. A low-voltage undercurrent between them kept him on edge. It didn’t help that he could smell Jannie’s fruity shampoo and something uniquely hers that had him sporting a perma-semi.
An aircraft approached, flying high overhead, and Nick looked up. “Helo,” he murmured.
“You sound just like my brother. He’s the king of identifying random flying objects.”
Nick frowned a little. Fuck no, he didn’t want to remind her of her brother.
Nothing was brotherly in his feelings toward the woman sitting beside him.
He felt her gaze upon him and continued looking up, watching the helicopter until it disappeared.
Jannie picked up her phone, tapped the screen a few times, and suddenly the patio and pool glowed with soft amber mood lighting.
She was studying him; he could feel it.
“Why are you really here, Nick?”
Ah, here we go.
He picked up his glass and took a deep swallow. “I already told you.”
“Try again.”
“Try?”
“Yeah. The truth this time.”
“I wanted to see you.”
“You”—she caught his gaze and held it— “wanted to finally fuck me.”
Good thing he’d already swallowed that mouthful of wine, or it would have shot out of his nose.
What could he possibly reply to that? “Well …”
She nodded. “Thank you for not denying it. You’ve been eye fucking me since eleventh grade.”
Well, then. Busted.
“Guilty.”
“I always felt you staring. You never made a move. Why?”
He tilted his head. “Would you have countered the move?”
A pause. “You did look very different then, but there was always something about you …” Her voice trailed. She shrugged. “I don’t know. Looks are only part of the equation.”
“So is age. You were far too young.”
She snorted. “You do realize all the girls were doing it? And more?”
