Page 25 of Downward Dawg
Elodie
“So, he wants something long-term. That shouldn’t be a big deal, right?”
Chicken lifted his head to look at her over the arm of the couch, and grumped.
Elodie laughed as she ran the dust cloth across the tops of the door frames a final time. She’d been busily cleaning for hours, her unsettled thoughts needing an occupied body to be able rise to the top of her consciousness. She’d tried a long yoga session earlier, attacking some of the complicated poses which left her with aching muscles, but her brain had still been mush.
“I like him. I don’t see why my head is afraid of that fact.”
She grimaced at Chicken.
“Okay, that’s a lie. I do know.” She folded her legs to sit on the floor and immediately had a lap full of dog. “It’s scary, thinking about going down that road. Again.” He licked the side of her face, sniffing at the fading bruising. “You understand. I knew you would, Nuggie. I need to tell him all about my past. He needs to know.”
It was the second day she’d kept the yoga studio closed, not willing to reopen just yet. Dom had offered for her to ride in with him this morning, but she’d begged off. Returning to the studio was inevitable, but the thought of it had the ass-biting happening she’d referred to the first night.
“Maybe I need to just go in on my own.” She rumpled Chicken’s topknot, ruffling his ears. “I think that’s it. I don’t want an audience watching to see if I’ll fall apart. The expectation would bother me.” Shoulders straight, she grounded her seat bones and drew in a deep breath. “I won’t react badly. It’s my space, and it’s up to me to make it safe again.”
Shooing Chicken off her lap, she stood and looked down at her leggings and shirt.
“Entirely appropriate. No need to delay.” Hooking a leash on Chicken’s collar, she followed his dancing path to the door. “Afterwards, we’ll celebrate.” She grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder, hand on the doorknob. “With nuggies for my Nuggie.”
Parking behind the studio, she carefully closed her car door, not wanting to draw Dom’s attention just yet. Unlocking the back door had her hands moving with muscle memory, even as Chicken tangled her legs with the leash. She laughed quietly as they nearly fell through the doorway, the dog excited at being allowed in a new place. It was the work of moments to kill the alarm with the new code Dom had given her, and then she leaned against the shut and locked door, pressing both shoulders against the steel.
Chicken raced around the room, stopping every few feet to smell and nudge things with his nose. He was comfortable, easily accepting of the space, and Elodie’s muscles slowly relaxed.
She made her way to the music pod and booted it up, putting a gentle playlist on to fill the room with soothing sounds. Mats were scattered here and there, a reminder that she hadn’t been able to clean up after her last class.
Happy to have something to do, she picked them up and sanitized them, folding them over the rail running along the walls. Chicken followed her every step, staying close to her now she was moving around. He found a block and tried to nudge it towards her with his nose, growling low when it went in unexpected directions.
Elodie laughed at his antics, stopping abruptly when a brief knock came from the back door.
“Who is it?” This hesitation wasn’t something she’d never felt before, and it grated on her that even this carried a tiny bit of fear.
“Mad Dawg. It’s me, baby.”
Thumbing the deadbolt, she opened the door and drew it open. Dom stood in the doorway, his gaze locked on her. His face carried an expression of worry, brows bunched over narrowed eyes. There was a flash at the corner of her eye and Elodie stomped on Chicken’s leash just as he arrowed for the escape path, pulling him to an abrupt stop in front of Dom. The pooch immediately turned his attention to the man, leaping and bounding.
“Can I come in?” he asked, reaching down to ruffle Chicken’s head.
“Oh, yeah.” She stepped to the side, closing the door behind them and locking it again. “Sorry. Lost my manners there for a minute. Struck dumb by your handsome face.”
“Baby,” he murmured, sweeping his arms around her. Elodie went willingly, nestling against his shoulder with a sigh. “I didn’t think you were coming in, but then heard the music. Wanted to make sure it was really you.”
“It’s really me.” She wrapped her arms around his waist, holding tightly. “I’m glad you came to check on me. Isn’t that silly?” Laughing softly, she angled her head to look into his face. “I was making myself crazy back at home. There’s only so much cleaning one person can do before going insane, and I was nearing the limit.”
“I’d have come and got you. Or met you out back.” He caressed the curve of her cheek, fingers trailing along the edges of the waning bruising. His brows furrowed deeply again as his gaze followed the touch of his hand against her face.
Elodie suspected he would continue to be protective long after the physical evidence of her kidnapping faded away.
I’m okay with that. I kinda like him going all caveman. Me Ella, Dom mine.
“Don’t be mad, but I think I needed to do this on my own. I’m very glad you’re here now, if that helps with the sting.” She was rewarded by a small smile, and his hand wrapped around the back of her neck, pulling her up for a kiss. “Oh, goodie,” she murmured against his mouth. “One of my favorite things.”
“What’s that?” He trailed kisses along her neck, teeth dropping gentle nips, while his tongue darted out to soothe the skin. “Your favorite things?”
“Your mouth on my mouth.” She gasped and leaned into his body, letting him take her weight. “Love that.” Pulling back, she placed a palm against his chest. “But we’re in my workplace, which means it’s a nookie-free zone.”
“Damn, I didn’t know I was violating some rule here.” His mouth didn’t slow, continuing to tease along the column of her throat. “I’m a rule breaker, baby. You gotta know that up front.” Each word was accompanied by a gust of hot air across tongue-dampened skin, and she shivered. “That’s a good reaction. Tells me you’re up for some rule breakin’ too.”
