Page 109 of Sit, Stay, Love
Sera laughed. ‘I didn’t realise you were such a perv. Surely you’ve seen the thirdThrone of Kings?’
The young woman nodded and grinned. ‘Oh yes. Yes, I have.’
‘He was wearing a lot less than a towel in that.’
‘Mm-hm,’ she said dreamily. ‘So much less.’
A deep voice cleared behind them. ‘Are you ladies talking about my arse?’
Tia’s face went beetroot red, but Sera just grinned and said, ‘Your award-winning arse, don’t you mean?’
He laughed and wiggled his butt at them just as the front door flew open and slammed against the wall with a bang.
A rush of air blew up the hall and Sera sucked in a breath.
Toby stood there, his soaked shirt stuck to his chest and rain dripping from his curls. It was as if all the air left the room as the two friends stared at each other, locked in a moment only they understood.
Then Toby flicked his gaze to Ethan. ‘Are you wearing my clothes?’
‘We got drenched,’ Sera said in a fluster as her gaze flicked up and down Toby’s wet body. ‘He needed something warm. I didn’t think you’d mind.’
He stared back at her, his tongue darting across his lips, before he shrugged an ample shoulder. ‘Not at all.’
Tia picked up her bag. ‘I’d better go.’ She ducked past Toby. ‘Bye, Dr McManus.’
‘See ya, Tia. Drive carefully.’ He turned to Sera, ‘I got some dog food samples today. I thought you might want them. I’ll put them on the verandah.’ They held each other’s gaze for another beat, then Toby said, ‘Let me know if the dogs like it.’
‘Do you need a hand, doc?’ Ethan asked.
‘Nah. You’re dry. I’m wet. I’ve got it.’
Ethan nodded. ‘I was about to suggest we grab an early dinner. Would you like to get out of the weather and join us for pizza?’
Sera turned and stared at Ethan, then turned back to Toby, who looked as caught off guard by the invitation as she was.
Toby shook his head. ‘I don’t want to intrude.’
‘It wouldn’t be a drama,’ Ethan said.
Sera sighed and stepped forward. ‘You know you’re never intruding. Go sort the dog food then come in. I’ll find you one of your sweatshirts.’
His brow furrowed. ‘Are you sure?’ he said just to her.
‘Of course I’m sure,’ she said just to him. After the awfulness of the night before – the fighting and the kiss – she was so relieved to see him standing in front of her, being his normal self, that her heart was doing happy little skips. She wanted to leap into his arms and nuzzle his… Nope, she didn’t want to do that. Definitely not.
‘Okay then,’ he said. ‘It would be good to get back at least one of the fifty-two sweatshirts you’ve stolen from me.’
She laughed. ‘I do not have fifty-two of your sweatshirts.’
‘Okay, fifty-one. And a pair of my underwear.’ He smirked. ‘You don’t have those on too, do you, James?’ he called to Ethan over Sera’s head.
‘I draw the line at wearing your underwear, doc.’
Sera grabbed the grinning Toby, spun him around and pushed him out the door. ‘Be nice,’ she hissed in his ear.
‘What are you talking about? I’m an absolute delight.’
The two men leaned against Sera’s kitchen counter in matching sweatshirts, like grumpy twins. Ethan was taller than Toby by a few centimetres, but both had broad shoulders and long legs, which they had crossed at their ankles. Their wet hair was slicked back, Ethan’s neat, Toby’s a little unruly, and they each had one of their large hands wrapped around a bottle of beer. If Sera hadn’t known one was an actor and the other a vet, she’d have sworn they were a couple of models getting ready for a photo shoot.
