Page 49 of Broken Ice
Beau didn’t have a pet, so there was no excuse for him to creep around the one closest to him. Which was why he’d annoyed Emilio into taking his dog, Bingo, to the spot.
“This place is sketchy as hell,” Emilio grunted.
It was early in the morning, the sun just rising, sky bleeding out the bruises of the night. It was quiet in their little corner of the world, the sand coarse and a deep, dirty shade of yellow, the stores facing the water shuttered, paint flaking off the walls.
It was a little run-down, sure, but the cove was small and private, and Beau kind of loved it.
“Bingo loves it,” he pointed out, the dog chasing the gentle waves lapping at the shore.
Bingo was a big-ass dog, mixed with a mastiff for sure, his fur slick and dark, legs white with spots all over. His tail was long, curled at the end, his eyes elegant slits that peered at you goofily.
The funniest thing about him by far was how loose-jointed he was. Beau loved watching him walk, Bingo’s hips swinging as if he were on a catwalk. A couple of scritches on his head had him flopping to the floor, belly up.
“Bingo loves everything,” Emilio chirped, but he was smiling, the big softie.
“Especially me, though,” Beau declared, going over to Bingo and pinching his side.
The dog turned, tongue already flopping out of the side of his mouth. Beau had bought and brought one of those ball-flingers, and he used it now, laughing as Bingo chased after the flying projectile with zero agility.
“I feel like his leg is gonna fly right off,” Beau commented as Emilio stood by him.
“It’s like he’s been put together with bubble gum.”
Beau snorted. “Oh my God, yes. Oh, good boy,” he cheered as Bingo returned, but then frowned as the dog refused to give the ball back. “Doesn’t he know how to fetch?”
“He knows the fun part of fetch,” Emilio replied.
They ended up playing tag with the dog, Beau tackling him and Emilio forcing the ball out of his mouth only to fling it away again.
Even in the salty, open air, Beau could tell he was projecting his scent happily. Emilio didn’t make a comment, so he figured it was okay.
They ended up sitting on the sand, panting at the chase Bingo had led them on.
“You have the best fucking dog,” Beau complimented, rubbing Bingo’s ears.
Emilio beamed. “Don’t let Pav hear you say that…but you’re absolutely correct.”
“Trudy’s cute, but she’s so tiny. I like these big dogs.”
“Same. Didn’t have one growing up and always wanted one. Thought maybe it’d be a dick move to get one with how much I travel, but my dog sitter’s great.”
Beau shrugged. “He seems pretty damn happy to me.” He turned, catching Emilio looking at them with an odd expression on his face. “What?”
Emilio snapped out of it, shaking his head. “Nothing. Just…you’re happy here too, right?”
Beau blinked, taken aback. It was already January—three months into the season. Christmas had been spent with his family, all of them visiting from Canada to escape the cold.
Truthfully, Beau was settling into Miami better than he could have hoped. “Yeah, man. It’s fucking great here,” Beau assured. “Why? Am I not fitting in or something?”
“No, nothing like that. You seem good. Just…wanted to make sure.”
Beau raised his eyebrows. “Just checking up on me, Alpha?” he teased, but the words made his cheeks burn the instant they left his mouth.
Emilio didn’t take them lightly either. His lips parted, eyes focusing on Beau, scent thickening into something that got Beau’s pulse pounding.
It was over the next moment, Emilio coughing, gaze skittering away.
Beau’s did as well, eyes on Bingo. Fuck, he was getting so responsive to Emilio’s scent that he’d started slicking up.
