Page 10 of Rules of Engagement

I press my lips together. “Don’t be delusional, Margie.”

“What?” Her mood dampens, and I sort of hate myself for it. She was so happy for me.

“You need to keep this real.”

She crosses her arms and sets her jaw. “Are we going to have the kiss argument again?”

I cut my eyes to see if anyone's listening, then I lean forward and tell her through my clenched teeth. “That kiss was him satisfying his ego.”

She shakes her head. “You were wrong then, and you are wrong now. That kiss was more than a kiss. It was … everything a kiss should be, and he has come back for you.”

Gawd,I close my eyes in frustration. “It was humiliating, and he has not!”

She puts her hands on her hips. “I’m not wrong about this, Jorja.”

I back away as I assure her. “Yes, you are.”

She mouths, ‘No, I’m not. He has come back for you!’

Jocko

When Lucifer and I walk into Doggy Style, Desi Whitman’s dog grooming business, Desi pops off, “Well, look at you two studs!”

She walks around the counter, making a big deal about sizing us up. Then she opens her arms and gives me a big hug. “Welcome home, Jocko. Who's your beautiful boy?” She kneels and offers her hand for Lucifer to sniff.

He offers his to shake, and she laughs.

“Lucifer.” I introduce him.

She cuts her eyes at me and laughs out loud. “Does Lucifer suit him?”

“Only in combat.”

“He is beautiful!” She admires him as she shakes his paw. “Please tell me you're going to board him with me?”

“Maybe later. Right now, he's still adjusting to civilian life.”

“Umm, I see.” She nods as she scratches his chest. His lips curl, and his ears go limp in different directions as his eyes close in ecstasy. “Does that feel good, boy?”

“Apparently, it feels terrific.” I laugh at him, as a leg starts to quiver.

“I know how to please a man.” She ruffles his fur, then stands up, puts her hands on her hips, and gives me a look that says that was an innuendo.

I smirk. Desi's easy on the eyes with legs that could wrap a man up in fantasies for a long, long time, and if it wasn’t for Jorja, I would've tapped her way back when and be more than willing to take her up on that offer now, but ….

“So, what brings you by if neither of those is it?” She smirks.

“I stopped by to ask if you had any dogs who could use some extra exercise. Lucifer and I run every morning, and he could use the socialization with other dogs.”

“As a matter of fact, I do have a candidate. Ms. Jenkins has a high-strung Doberman. How far do you run?”

“Five miles.”

Her eyebrows raise. “That would bring her energy level down. What days and what time?”

“Every day at 5:00 AM.”

She looks me up and down again. “And that's why you look like you do.”

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