Page 12 of Wicked Flirt
Josh gave her a sympathetic look. “Bad day?”
Hailey pasted on her beauty-queen smile. It popped up in high-stress situations. “I’m fine.” Rose’s head popped up from Hailey’s doggie purse; she belatedly noticed Josh and started barking her head off. Her purple striped bow bounced comically in time.
Josh bared his teeth at Rose, took a few more orders from their nearby friends, and went to get the drinks.
Hailey murmured to Rose, taking her out of her purse and cuddling her close. Rose craned her neck around to growl at Josh low in her throat.
A few minutes later, Josh served up their drinks and growled back at Rose. “Hailey, if you can’t get your dog to be quiet, take her outside.”
Hailey stared at Josh. “You called me by my name. Not princess.” Rose quieted, ears perked for trouble as she stared at Josh too. Princess was Josh’s go-to sarcastic nickname for Hailey, probably because of her beauty-pageant wins. She had many tiaras to her name. Hailey called him cad, beast, or scoundrel in return. Very entertaining.
Josh smirked. “It’s hard to call someone who French-kisses their dog princess.”
Hailey gasped. “I donotFrench-kiss my dog!” Rose added her two indignant cents with ferocious barks. It was hard to say who was barkier. Truth was, they’d all witnessed Hailey letting Rose give her sloppy dog kisses right on the mouth. Lexi didn’t judge. There was nothing wrong with loving your pet.
Josh pointed at Rose. “Quiet or you’re out.”
Hailey scowled and exclaimed over the noise of Rose’s barks, “It’s ladies’ night! We have a right to be here.”
Josh rolled his eyes. “She’s a dog. Not a lady.”
“A girl dog,” Hailey said.
“That makes her a bitch,” Lexi quipped. “High paw, Rose.” She lifted Rose’s paw and gave her a little high five, which distracted her for a moment, quieting her down.
“She’s also a therapy dog,” Hailey informed Josh. She dug around in her purse and pulled out a tiny blue doggie T-shirt. “Here’s her official therapy-dog shirt.”
“Isn’t she supposed to be wearing that?” Josh asked.
Hailey stared at the shirt in obvious distaste and tossed it back in her bag. “It’s not a good look for her.”
Lexi stifled a laugh and caught Marcus looking over at them and smiling. He stood and headed her way.Gulp.She really hoped he’d forgotten she’d said he was an orgasm-inducing eye-fuck the other day.La-la-la. Super-casual neighbors. Zero eye-fucking here.
“Just keep her off the tables,” Josh snapped at Hailey. He put both palms on the bar and leaned close to Hailey, setting Rose off on another barking rampage. “And keep her away from the bar!”
Marcus stood next to Hailey and held out his palms. “Can I see her?”
Hailey handed Rose over to him, and Rose quieted. Marcus lifted Rose, cooing at her, “Aren’t you a beautiful girl?” He held her against his chest and rubbed behind her ear. Rose’s little tail wagged like mad.
Marcus turned to Josh. “Try to use some of that rusty charm on the ladies. It works on all species.”
Lexi found herself smiling, watching as Marcus shifted Rose, holding her cradled in one arm, belly up. He rubbed her belly with one big hand, and Rose’s back leg kicked happily. She really hadn’t expected dog cuddles from a hulking male like Marcus, practically oozing testosterone.
Marcus grinned at Josh. “See where a little charm can get ya?” He lifted Rose up to his ear. “What’s that?” he asked as though she’d said something instead of just licking his ear. “Uh-huh. This is serious.” He turned to Hailey. “Rose says the bows you make her wear are undignified. The other dogs are making fun of her.”
Lexi laughed.
Hailey adjusted Rose’s striped bow, which had flopped down. “She loves looking pretty. We spend hours grooming. It’s her favorite thing.”
Marcus shook his head sadly. “She says that’s your favorite thing.”
“Oh, you!” Hailey said. “Give me her.” Marcus handed Rose back, and Hailey clipped a leash to her collar. “Excuse us. We need a quick break outside.” Hailey would never say pee. Much too classy.
Mad swooped in, offering to take Rose for a walk. Hailey handed her over without a word. Mad had been the one to take care of Rose before they all gave her to Hailey as a gift. Rose had been part of an intervention designed to calm Hailey the frick down when she was in hyper mode after ending her long-term friends-with-benefits arrangement just as Josh got a girlfriend. Every one of their friends believed Josh and Hailey belonged together, if only they’d stop fighting long enough. Josh was single now, so it was a possibility, however small.
Hailey took a small sip of her cran-vodka before tossing back half the glass.
Josh stared at Hailey, his brows drawing together. “I can’t get over how much alike you and your mom look. It’s like twins almost.” Josh was an identical twin, so he would know.
