Page 62 of Game On

“Yes, I’m aware,” Dorian said slowly. “I’m going in early with you. Remember?”

“Of course.” Jamie let out a little laugh, distracted by both his impending news and the sight of Dorian all put-together and hotter than he had any right to be. “Yes, I remember.”

Dorian’s brow furrowed. “Are you okay?”

“Yup. Sure.” Jamie shook his head and got back to the task at hand. “Just... I have something to tell you.”

“You said that already.”

Jamie sucked in a deep breath. He truly had no idea how Dorian would react. “So... there’s a couple coming.”

Dorian blinked. Leaned back against the counter. “A couple of... pigeons? Cows?”

“What? No. Humans. Obviously.”

“That’s not obvious. You gave me no context.”

“I didn’t realize I had to.”

“This is so entertaining,” Charlie whispered. Brawsiski had stolen Dorian’s barstool, and he and Charlie watched as though Jamie and Dorian were putting on a play.

Mirth danced in Dorian’s eyes. He crossed his legs at the ankles. “So a couple of humans are coming. Go on.”

“A husband-and-wife duo,” Jamie said.

“Okay? Friends of yours or something?”

“Uh. No. They may, potentially...” He swallowed roughly. “Adopt Poppy.”

All amusement fled Dorian’s face. He straightened with a jerk, a glower darkening his eyes to hardened chips of fury. Conversely, his voice was pleasant when he said, “They will, will they?”

“Maybe.”

The doorbell rang, and all four of them jumped.

“That’s probably them,” Jamie said.

Dorian smirked and it was... a little evil. “Come on, Poppy. Let’s go meet the people who think they’re taking you home.”

“Oh boy,” Jamie whispered under his breath, following Dorian and Poppy to the door. Behind him, Brawsiski murmured a low, “Wait, Dorian wants to keep the dog? I thought he didn’t do pets.”

“Hi there,” Dorian said with a fake-ass grin and forced cheer, swinging the door open wide to let Ben and Rebecca Helkio inside. He was white, she had Asian heritage somewhere in her ancestry, and they looked exactly like a typical urban middle-class couple. “Come on in.”

“Ben and Rebecca?” Jamie said with his own fake-ass grin and forced cheer. He held out a hand. “I’m Jamie. This is Dorian. We’ve been fostering Poppy for the past two and a half weeks.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Ben said.

Rebecca ignored them and crouched onto her haunches. “Oh my god, is this Poppy? Hi, Poppy.”

Poppy whined and sat on Dorian’s foot.

Dorian’s evil smirk returned, and although this wasn’t the time—like, at all—Jamie found it sexy as fuck. “She poops everywhere,” Dorian blurted.

Charlie, hovering nearby with Brawsiski, gaped at him.

“Oh, I’m sure she’s not that bad,” Rebecca countered.

“Oh no, she is,” Dorian said gleefully. “Poops everywhere. All the time. On the bathroom mat, the living room rug. One time, she even pooped inside my shoe. I don’t think she likes the feel of grass on her bum. Isn’t that right, Jamie?”

---