Page 48 of Breathless With Her

“It’s a place you would have recommended anyway,” Amelia said from across the kitchen.

“Good. Now, tell me what you need.”

I just looked at him and wondered how this was my life now. I had so many people to rely on, so many people that hadn’t been in my life before when I was with Nicholas.

I didn’t know what to say, didn’t know what to do. And I was afraid if I focused too hard, I would cry again. So, I pushed those thoughts out of my head and went to my mental checklist.

Being busy would help. And then I could think about my feelings.

Maybe.

Or maybe not.

Chapter 10

Devin

* * *

I leanedback against the wall and eyed the massive dog in front of me. Oh, it looked friendly. Generally, they all did.

It narrowed its dark eyes at me, and I tilted my head, trying to look calm. As if I weren’t a threat. I wasn’t a threat. The one with the very sharp teeth and shaggy head of hair, that one was the threat.

“Are you eying my dog?” Dimitri asked, walking into the living room with two beers in hand.

“You say dog, I say beast.”

Captain, the very friendly and adorable, aging Golden Retriever barked once, and then leaned in to my outstretched hand.

I wasn’t afraid of dogs, not really. I had just been chased by one or two. And never by the big ones. No, it was always the small ones, the ones that made those yippy sounds. Yes, those were the ones that others in my profession called evil. They would latch onto your ankle just like in the media, and you’d have to shake them off. But you couldn’t shake off poor Poopsie. Because if you did and you hurt it, it was your fault. Not the dog’s, or the owners’, who let the little rat come at you.

I pushed those thoughts from my mind, though, because now I was just ranting inside my head about invisible dogs that didn’t actually exist. I was not afraid of dogs.

And I loved this one.

Captain had been in Dimitri’s life for a while now, and he was sweet, caring, and seemed to know that I was slightly put off by the four-legged persuasion. He was always nice to me, and I was pretty sure he fucked around with me, as well. As in he slowly stalked me and narrowed his eyes at me, just to see what I would do.

But Captain was a good boy.

And I loved dogs.

I just didn’t want one.

Maybe not until I retired.

“Captain, come here,” Dimitri said, holding back a laugh.

I glared at my brother and held out my hand for the extra beer. “I don’t hate your dog.”

“I know you don’t. And I know you’ve probably told yourself that in your head over and over again. But, really. It’s like you want to be a stereotype.”

I took a sip of my beer and pointed the neck of the bottle at my older brother. “It’s not a stereotype if it actually happens. And, I’m pretty sure your dog just likes to mess with me.”

“Yes, because he can totally do that.” Dimitri met gazes with his dog, and I swore I saw a look of understanding there. Yep, they were messing with me. I seriously loved Captain. I loved all the sweet dogs that were in my life. I just didn’t really like the yipping ones that attacked me when I was trying to deliver mail. But whatever. It was a hazard of the job and something I had to deal with. Daily.

“Anyway, thanks for inviting us all over for dinner,” Dimitri said, petting Captain’s head.

Captain had been named after Captain America. Dimitri and the new love of his life were equally addicted to all things Marvel. I didn’t mind, but the fact that I had walked in on them in their kitchen at one point saying something about being on their left, and ‘I love you three thousand,’ and something else about pants being taken off and America’s ass, I really wanted nothing to do with their fascination with Marvel.

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