Page 29 of See Her

Penny jerks at her leash which is looped around my wrist, eager to sniff at every square inch of this new environment, while I try not to let her send the salad and brownies I brought flying. Thank God both are in sealed Tupperware containers. Thank you, Mom.

Penny pulls me along as she pursues the scent she just picked up. While my mind laughs at the idea of that scent being leather and musk, I’m sure it’s likely that of the other canine. I try to keep her on the paved path that Jack said leads back to an extended driveway, and I follow it back and to the side of the house.

As I curve around the side of the gorgeous structure, the property, sure enough, opens up to reveal a beautiful garden and pool patio area. I recognize the smaller but equally beautiful building in the far corner to be the pool house where Jack resides, and the screen door opens, allowing Jack’s dog Trooper to come barreling through as Jack rolls his eyes behind him, hefting an amp in his powerful arms.

The German Shepherd makes a beeline for Penny, tearing across the yard, and I quickly release her leash so that I don’t get yanked across the lawn, and the side dishes don’t get obliterated.

Jack lets out a sexy chuckle at the dog’s shenanigans as he carts the amp to his truck’s flatbed. Once he’s relieved himself of the weight, he swaggers my way, his smile melting both my heart and my panties. I offer him my own, which I know he loves, as we both close the distance.

“Baby,” he greets and my heart kicks out a few hard thumps as it tends to do whenever I hear my new name. Jack takes the containers from my hands and places them on the nearby table to properly greet me. “Come here,” he sweetly orders. Lifting me off the ground, Jack pulls me up in an engulfing hug, and my legs automatically go around his waist. He tilts his face up to kiss me, releasing a satisfied groan against my lips. The kiss lingers, our lips melding together, our heads in a dance of counter movements, and I let out an approving squeal as his hand travels down to cup my ass through my jeans.

“How was your day?” he asks tenderly, after pulling away but not setting me down.

“Good. What are you up to?” I ask as I smile at him.

“Just loading up some equipment for the show tonight so that I don’t have to do it later. Speaking of which…”

I yelp as Jack shifts my weight and hauls me over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry and starts strutting effortlessly towards his truck. A thrill zings through me at the mention of tonight. Turn it Up is playing a Thursday night show, which I’ll not only be attending, but that Jack insisted on escorting me to after we grilled out.

“Hey! No!” I laugh against the back of his t-shirt that surrounds me in that smell I love. “You’re supposed to cook for me first!” I remind him.

“Oh, right.” He promptly swivels us around in the other direction, making my hair whip around my face. Gradually, he lowers me down the front of his body, just a little bit at a time, until we’re face to face again. He imparts another kiss before finally setting me down. “In fact, the grill is ready. What did you bring?” he asks as we mosey back over to the table.

“A boring salad to go with the steaks,” I admit before the good part, “and brownies for dessert.”

“You made brownies?” He gapes and grabs at the flatter container and wrestles the lid open.

“Yeah. Like I said, I don’t cook a lot but I love to bake, and these are my favorite so…”

I rest my hands on the small of my back as I trail off, and I hear another voice coming from somewhere beyond the driveway.

“Jack?”

“Your sister?” I ask, looking around for the source of the voice.

“Yeah,” he says, standing upright. “Back here!” he calls to her. From under the shrubbery arc alongside the house I walked through earlier, I see a slender woman, taller than I am, with dark hair that just comes to rest on her collarbone. I also notice she’s in scrubs.

“Hey,” she says approaching. “I could smell the grill firing up all the way from the driveway.”

“Do you want me to throw a steak on for you?” he asks.

“Nah, that’s okay. I can see you have company.” She turns to me with a welcoming smile. “Hi, I’m sorry, my brother’s rude. I’m Sarah.”

“Come on, you didn’t even give me a chance,” Jack says, shaking his head as she steps towards me, extending her hand which I step forward to shake.

“I’m Mayzie. It’s really nice to meet you. Your home is amazing,” I say gesturing around the place.

“Aw, thanks.”

“Well, if not a steak, would you like a brownie?” I offer.

“Oh, I can’t say no to one of those!”

“Careful, they’re laced,” Jack says.

“Shut up,” we both say back to him, laughing.

“He’s just saying that because he wants them all to himself. They’re his favorite,” Sarah says, grabbing one out of the Tupperware I’m offering her.

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