Page 14 of Sit, Stay, Love
He was so lovely that Sera very nearly forgot how to breathe.
‘Was this part of your lesson plan?’ he asked as he straightened, laughter still ringing in his voice.
She winced. ‘No. Ethan, of course not. I’m so sorry.’
‘Don’t worry about it.’ He touched her arm.
An involuntary quiver rocked her body.
‘How about we go back to my place,’ he said. ‘I can get cleaned up. Then maybe we can take your pony for a walk on the beach? That way, if I land on my arse again, I’ll land on something soft.’
He turned to the women, who were now in a tittering, gleeful cluster. ‘This’ll be our little secret, won’t it, ladies?’
They all spoke at once. ‘Of course’, ‘Oh gosh, yes’, ‘Won’t tell a soul.’
Then Sera watched the women swoon as he sauntered between them, tall and wet and spectacular.
Ethan stepped onto his back deck, drying his hair off with a fluffy white towel. ‘There was mud in places there should never be mud.’ He tossed the towel over the back of a chair. ‘That stuff gets in every nook and cranny.’
Sera frowned. ‘That’s probably more information than I needed.’
His lips quirked into a crooked smile. ‘How’s my man Kev?’
‘Your man is drying off in your backyard after a good hose down. He stunk.’
‘I know how he felt. Shall we take him for a stroll on the sand?’
‘Ethan, are you sure? You don’t have to, you know. We can call it a day.’
He made a pfft noise. ‘We’re bonded now, Kevin and me. Through mutual humiliation. Let’s hope those ladies keep their word and no video turns up onToday.’
‘I think they were a little too shocked to get their phones out.’
‘You’d be surprised how quickly someone can video something if they think there’s a buck in it.’ He sighed. ‘Kevin. Are you ready for take two?’
The enormous dog barked.
Ethan flinched and shuffled backwards a little.
They strolled along the sand, Kevin out in front, hauling Ethan behind him.
A woman jogging on the shore stumbled and almost fell, her foot catching in the wet sand as her gaze trailed after Ethan.
He rushed to help her, the woman’s face turning scarlet as she mumbled a thankyou and quickly jogged away.
‘Does that happen a lot?’ Sera asked, a little bemused.
‘Does what happen a lot?’
‘Women falling at your feet.’
He puffed a laugh. ‘No.’
‘Hmm… why don’t I believe you?’
They kept walking, Kevin still hauling and Ethan hanging on with white knuckles, the wind whipping sea spray through the air.
‘You’re doing great,’ she said, patting his arm.
