Page 14 of Bewitching Her Monsters
Shrugging off the negative thoughts, I rush out to the living room. Realization dawning on me that I probably shouldn’t be running since I have a new, skittish dog here now.
The dog is standing at attention, watching me closely, but doesn’t seem overly spooked by my sudden appearance. He must have expected me with the door knock. Clever boy that he is.
I appreciate he didn’t automatically and incessantly bark at someone on the porch. If no one claims him, I might keep him if he can play nice with my other fur babies. Oh, damn, I need to let him out to go to the bathroom if he didn’t already use a rug in my house. Ugh. I’m not used to having dogs.
Hearing scuffling feet at the door, I remember I have someone waiting for me. I remind myself to let the dog go out to the fenced backyard after I deal with this intrusion.
I spy through the peephole and see the stupidly handsome dominant guy from the bar waiting for me.
I spin and slam my back to the door as if to brace it closed. Or brace me from the panic I feel. I pant with nerves. My body heats.
Is this a hot flash? Nerves? Arousal? Check all the above?
“Fuck,” I murmur to myself. “How did he find me? And what is he doing here?”
I suck in a breath to calm down and count to five to clear my head. My hand clasps the ‘protection’ pendant hanging around my neck that my abuela gave me.
The dog watches my whole chaotic display with interest.
Studying the canine, he seems like the type who would attack this visitor if this guy is a bad dude.
I swing open the door and plaster on a fake smile. “How can I help you?”
The man’s eyes narrow on me, and he doesn’t immediately respond. Finally, he tilts his head as if he’s confused. “You look familiar.”
My face burns with a blush. He knowsexactlywho I am. Stop bluffing, dude. “We might have both been at the bar down the road last night.”
He grins, and his dark eyes trail down my body, taking me in—not in a creepy way, butnot notin a creepy way either. “Ah, yes, of course.”
He has a hint of an Irish brogue, but there’s something else that I can’t yet place.
His quiet attention is disarming. Hell,he’sdisarming. And he looks like he could literally remove my arms with no effort.
He must stand a foot taller than me, at least six-foot-five inches of sculpted muscle, highlighted by his form-fitting long-sleeve shirt and expensive-looking jeans that hug him in all the right places.
Eyes up, Jade! On his face! Be a good girl… Ugh. Don’t say good girl right now.
“Did you need something?” I ask and sort of hope he’ll growl and tell me it’s me he needs. Then he’ll throw me over his massive shoulder and carry me off to ravage me.
Keep it together, naughty girl.
He smirks as if he’s read my mind.
Shit, my face probably gives me away. I don’t think I can get away with casually checking my mouth for drool. Even if he can’t read my face, I’m sure he just assumes that’s what’s going on in my mind. This man exudes barely bridled masculine power.
He’s ruggedly handsome with a strong brow, perfect black hair, and the darkest brown eyes I’ve ever seen that look like volcanic obsidian.
I’m ready to fall into his gaze when he finally answers me.
“I’m looking for a lost… canine.”
I’m suddenly protective of the mutt and close the door enough to block this man’s view into my house. “Yeah? What does this dog look like?”
“Much like the one I just saw sitting in your living room.”
Whoops. Too late. I’m not great at being covert.
“Is he yours?” a bit of loss seeps into my voice. I don’t want to let the grumpy dog go. I was hoping we could go for a walk before I reported him to animal control. If no one claimed him, I wanted to adopt him. Make him feel safe.
