Dalton, Tymber - Doggy Tales [Doggy Tales] (Siren Publishing Classic) (15 page)

“It’ll be a full moon, beautiful night, perfect for a costume party. Come on, you have to go so I don’t have to go alone.”

At the mention of the full moon, a cloud crossed his face. “I’ll pass, sorry.”

She’d broken up with her skunk of a boyfriend a week before Scudder came to work for Callahan Consulting five months prior and was assigned to her team. Team being a misnomer, because it was just the two of them. She knew Scudder was thirty-five, single, and straight, but beyond that his life was a mystery. They talked about a lot of things, just not about him.

Her pouty face usually won him over. “Please?” She leaned forward, her arms on her desk, trying to entice him to look down her blouse.

He kindly laughed. “Tess, I’m sorry, sweetie. I can’t.”

She recognized the stubborn set of his jaw. Short of begging him to make wild monkey love to her on their shared office floor, she’d thrown just about every hint known to womankind at him that she wanted to go out with him. Well, except outright ask him, but he couldn’t be that thick, could he?

It wasn’t like he didn’t flirt back, because he did. One day in particular left her gasping for breath and heading to the bathroom to freshen up when she realized he’d turned her panties into a squishy, sodden mess. He’d stood in front of her desk, those wonderful hands planted right in front of her. He leaned in, his gaze never leaving hers, until the tip of his nose was a hair’s breadth from hers. She’d been convinced he was going to kiss her, but eventually stepped back with a playful smile.

And he was gorgeous. Six two and solid, with a fluid, natural gait that left her panting after him when she watched the way his tight ass moved inside his khaki slacks.

“I’m going as a sexy witch.” She purred. “You should see how low, and high, my costume is cut.”

His eyes crinkled. “I’m sure it’s very alluring, kiddo, but we need to get this project done or you won’t be going to any party this weekend because we’ll be working.”

It was Thursday, meaning she had one more workday to convince him to take her to the annual corporate Halloween bash, held at the boss’s large, private estate north of Tampa. She would go regardless, but she didn’t want to go alone if she could talk Scudder into taking her.

At lunch he reached under his desk for his small cooler. “You eating with me today?”

She nodded. “Even though you’re standing me up this weekend.” Who was she kidding? They’d eaten together every day since they started working together.

He rolled his eyes, but smiled. “You’re incorrigible, girl.” He gently kicked their door shut and leaned over her desk. “Maybe I’d like to be alone with you, not with a loud, obnoxious group of drunks.”

Her heart pounded as his eyes playfully narrowed. “Just because I don’t want to go to a party with you doesn’t mean I won’t go out with you. All you have to do is ask.”

Speech escaped her for a moment. “I…I thought you didn’t want to go out with me.”

He gently chucked her under the chin. “I just wanted to see how long it took you to come right out and say it.” He straightened and walked to the door, opening it. She still sat at her desk, stunned.

“Well, are we eating lunch or not?” he asked.

She nodded, fumbled her lunch bag, and followed him out the door on feet that didn’t seem to touch the floor.

* * * *

Tessa followed him to the elevator, unable to ask him more because three other people rode down to the lobby with them. But those huge, golden-brown eyes stared at her, slightly crinkled in amusement at the edges, as if he knew exactly what state she was in.

Damn it!
How did he
do
that to her? And why had he kept her in limbo all these months if he knew she liked him?

Their usual spot was vacant, and they sat on the low stone wall near a fountain in the park next to their office building in downtown Tampa.

“How about tonight?” he asked.

“Tonight what?”

“Are you backing out on me already?”

“Oh. Oh! Yes. Where do you want to go?”

He shrugged. God, he was gorgeous. “Where do you want to go?”

To bed with you
, she thought. He looked at his lunch and smiled as she said, “Why don’t you choose?”

“Then why don’t I pick you up tonight at seven?” He met her eyes, and she dumbly nodded.

His eyes crinkled again as he wolfed down his sandwich. God, the man could eat fast. As usual, she was still working on her sandwich by the time he’d finished his whole lunch.

He was an unusual man, with broad, strong hands, yet he could type twice as fast as she could and more accurately. His first day in the office with her he’d spent sneezing, and at the end of the day she felt embarrassed when he admitted it was her perfume. When she didn’t wear any the next day, he offered a sweet compromise, asked her to bring the bottle in the next morning.

He’d waited out in the parking lot and asked for the bottle, then showed her how to spritz it and walk through the mist to get just enough on her.

Tess would never forget how cute he’d looked, his nose wrinkling slightly as if sniffing her, then his broad, beaming smile.

Jesus, I’d kill for him if he’d smile like that at me all the time.

“Much better. That’s more than enough to make you smell gorgeous, girl,” he’d said. And coming from him, it didn’t sound the least bit arrogant or conceited or derogatory.

In fact, her heart had pleasantly fluttered at his words. “Where’d you learn that?” She never realized she used a lot, thought the small spritz she normally used wasn’t over the top.

“I have a pack of sisters,” he’d said with a grin. “Don’t worry,” he added, “you haven’t been blasting everyone out. I’m just overly sensitive, so don’t feel bad.”

That was her first experience with Scudder’s almost freaky skill of sensing her thoughts and moods, and it still surprised her every time he did it.

* * * *

The day crawled. When five o’clock rolled around, he walked her to her car. He already knew where she lived, having picked her up once or twice when her car was in for repairs. He leaned in close. “I’ll see you at seven,” he murmured, and her lower belly contracted in a pleasant way at the near-growling timbre of his voice.

She quickly nodded and got into her car, speeding home to change. She showered and settled on a sundress and paced the living room for twenty minutes until he showed up right on time. He’d showered and changed into jeans and an ironed chambray shirt, casually gorgeous.

Hell, he’d be gorgeous no matter what he wore—or if he wore nothing at all.

Especially
if he wore nothing at all.

When settled in his passenger seat, she was pleasantly surprised he’d opened and held the car door for her. She took a moment to study him. “So why keep me panting after you all these months?”

He didn’t look away from the road, but his lips curled in a slight twist that melted her heart. “You’d just broken up with your boyfriend when we first met, if you’ll recall. I’m not the brightest bulb, but I know a rebound relationship is usually doomed to failure. Besides, we’d just started working together. I didn’t want to come on too strong.”

Their company had a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in regards to workplace dating. As long as everything personal stayed out of the workplace and there was no sexual harassment, they wouldn’t get in trouble.

At a red light he looked at her, fixing her with the full-on force of his big eyes. “I’m still not going to the party Saturday night, though,” he softly said. “It’s nothing personal, and it has nothing to do with you. Any other night, I could go. You should go. Have a good time. The truth is, I have some family stuff to deal with for a couple of days. I’ll be back for work on Monday.”

That wasn’t quite the truth, and she sensed it, but she didn’t want to push the issue. He was taking her out tonight, and she was enjoying herself already.

Until they got to the restaurant. Scudder opened and held her car door, took her hand, and led her inside. In the foyer, he left her near the door and approached the hostess for a table when she heard a familiar, coarse voice.

“Tessa, you bitch. What the fuck you doin’ here?”

Her whole body stiffened. Scudder whirled around, immediately on the defensive. She almost thought he snarled.

Then Scudder was at her side when Reuben, her ex, walked over. He’d apparently been in the restaurant’s bar and smelled like a brewery himself.

Instinctively, she pressed closer to Scudder’s side, and despite her fear she felt calmed when he put his arm protectively around her. “You okay, Tess?” Scudder softly asked.

“My ex,” she whispered. Scudder gently pushed her behind him.

“You have a problem?” Scudder said, drawing himself up to his full height. Reuben was five inches shorter than him, and definitely not in as good of shape.

“Yeah, I got a problem with that bitch.”

“Don’t call her that.” Scudder’s voice had definitely dropped to a low, warning growly tone. “You’ve got two seconds to turn around and walk away, buddy.”

Tessa peeked around Scudder’s side, her arms encircling his waist. Waves of defensive, protective anger washed off him, like heat shimmers on hot asphalt. Despite her fear, she was incredibly turned on.

No one had ever fought for her before. Ever.

Fortunately, a manager interceded and escorted Reuben off the premises. Only when he was gone did Scudder’s posture relax. He turned to her, his arms around her. “Are you okay?”

She nodded and burst into tears.

* * * *

He’d never witnessed her black eyes, her days of coming to work wearing sunglasses inside all day, but he’d heard from a few people that her ex used her as a punching bag. Yet another reason he never tried to put a move on her, because he sensed her fragility, carefully hidden behind her bravado and playful teasing. There was no reason to rush things, because he smelled her only interest was in him.

He was a patient, patient man.

How lucky for him he’d gone to work for Callahan Consulting and met her. He’d felt love at first sight, and knew he’d have to wait a long time before acting on it. Damn the timing of the party. Why couldn’t they have it the week before Halloween? There was no way he could go, not on that night, not this soon, but he knew she was ready to take the next step after she’d ratcheted up the flirty banter over the past few weeks. He’d sensed how disappointed she was that he couldn’t make the party, and he wanted to make it up to her.

Truth be told, he preferred a quiet evening alone with her, anyway.

He pulled her into a quiet corner in the restaurant’s foyer. “Why don’t we go back to my place? I’ll cook you dinner. Would that be okay?”

Her green eyes looked full of fear. She met his gaze and nodded. Still frightened, trembling, her heart raced like a rabbit fleeing for its life.

He put a protective arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead. “Let’s get out of here, sweetie,” he whispered. On the way to the car she studied the ground as they walked. Good thing, because it meant she didn’t see how he swiveled his head and flared his nostrils, looking for any sign of Reuben hanging around.

They made a quick stop at a Publix for groceries, and it didn’t take him long to pull her out of her funk. She was sweet and cute, and God help that asshole if he had five minutes alone with him. He’d rip his throat out for hurting her. At five six she was perfectly curvy and her shoulder-length, unruly brown curls begged for his fingers to tangle in them. Something caught in his throat when he imagined what she’d look like naked in his bed.