Page 20 of Embers of You
“Ouch.” I hold my hand against my chest like she hit me.
Sutton looks up with a small smile, and I can’t help but give her one back. She’s so beautiful it’s hard to not be completely mesmerized by her. Especially with the way she’s looking at me right now. Until she shakes her head and looks back down at Duke.
“So, what’re we doing today?” she asks.
“Anything you think he needs. I want him to get the full treatment, he deserves the best.”
She chuckles softly. “We can certainly do that, it’ll cost you.”
“I’ll pay it.”
“Is your daddy trying to impress me?” Sutton squishes Duke’s face as she asks him.
“Not at all, if I was trying to impress you, I’d have much more elaborate plans to do so,” I tell her. “If you’d like to find out what those are, I’d be happy to show you.”
She ignores the comment. “I’ll call you when he’s ready, in about two hours.”
“I’ll be ready.”
She nods, and neither of us move.
“Anything else you need from me?” I ask.
“Your dog.” She gestures for me to hand her the leash. “And your phone number.”
“Of course.” I chuckle, handing over the leash, and when I do our hands graze each other just like the night I gave her keys back. There’s a shot of electricity that runs through me. The way her dark green eyes shoot up to mine I know she feels it too. I want to say something about it. I want to try asking her out again, but before I can form any words the bird starts barking and she drops her gaze from mine.
She holds onto Duke’s leash, and he trots happily over to her. I write down my number on a piece of paper on the desk, and hand it over.
“Okay, see you when he’s all ready.”
“See you soon.” I watch as she takes my dog to the bathing area. As I walk out the door, I hear the bird squawk,“Shut up, Vern.”And I can’t hold back my laughter. Especially when I hear Sutton shouting out another threat to him about opening up a window to set him free.
“Look who can’t stay away,” my coworker, Will, calls out.
“Believe it or not, you’re not the one I can’t stay away from.”
“Aw, don’t play hard to get.”
I shake my head with a small laugh as I start to get in my car. “I’ll be back later to get my dog. Try not to miss me too much.”
Will waves me off, and I look toward the window at the grooming salon one more time and swear I catch sight of Sutton looking out, but she disappears quickly. Talk about playing hard to get.
CHAPTER 11
Sutton
“Sutton, are you here?”Trish calls out while I’m bathing Duke, who keeps trying to give me kisses when I lean over to scrub his belly.
“Yeah,” I call back, and look over at the doorway to see her standing with an unfamiliar blonde girl who doesn’t look like she’s a day over twenty.
“I don’t think I got a chance to tell you about my niece, Lily. She helps me out around here at the salon during the summer while she’s home from college.”
“Hi, nice to meet you.” I go to stretch my hand out, but then see it’s covered in suds and send a wave in her direction instead.
“You, too.” Lily smiles.
“She helps out with bathing some dogs and nail trims but only comes around a couple times a week.” Trish gives Lily a pointed look like she’s supposed to help out a bit more.
