Page 146 of Sit, Stay, Love
Ethan gathered the tiny dog into his arms. ‘He’d better miss me.’ He put his nose to Harry’s nose. ‘You gonna miss me, buddy?’ The dog’s tongue shot out and licked at Ethan, who managed to swerve just in time for the slurp to hit the side of his face and not his mouth. He waved a hand through the air and grimaced. ‘Maybe you can do something about his breath while I’m gone.’ He put the dog back on the floor.
‘I’ll ask Toby to take a look.’
‘What am I doing?’ a deep voice asked.
She spun to see Toby strolling barefoot down her hall, sleepily scratching his head, in sweatpants that hung a little too low and a grey tank top that clung snuggly to his lean torso. His curly hair stuck up all over, and he looked soft and sexy, and she had to stop from running towards him and wrapping her legs around his waist.
He engulfed her in his arms and pressed his lips to hers and a littlemmmof pleasure escaped her. He was still warm from being wrapped in her bedcovers, and she clutched onto him, enjoying the heat seeping from his body.
He gently broke their kiss. ‘Good morning,’ he said quietly. Then he glanced up and over Sera’s head. ‘James.’ He nodded.
‘Doc.’ Ethan nodded back. ‘Sorry for the early visit.’
‘Harry’s got super stinky breath,’ Sera said, her gaze bouncing between the two men. ‘I thought maybe you could check his teeth?’
Toby shrugged. ‘No worries. I’ll give them a clean and make sure nothing sinister is going on.’ He crouched beside the dog and had a quick look in his mouth. ‘I’ll have to put him under, are you okay with that?’ He glanced up at Ethan.
Ethan dropped beside Harry, and scratched the little dog’s ear. ‘Sinister? Should I be worried? He’ll be okay, right?’
‘He’ll be fine, mate. He might just need an extraction.’ Toby patted Ethan on the knee before he stood. ‘It’s routine. Nothing to worry about.’
Sera thought her heart would burst. The two men would never be friends, there was too much history for that. But their chilly relationship had definitely begun to thaw, and that was a start.
Ethan stayed on the floor for a few seconds longer, ruffling his dog’s fur. ‘I better get going.’ He straightened up. ‘I’ll see you in a few weeks.’ He kissed Sera on the cheek. ‘Send me lots of photos of my dog.’
She saluted. ‘Yes, sir.’
He extended his hand to Toby, who glanced down and shook it.
‘Thanks, doc,’ Ethan said. ‘Let me know if he has any problems.’
‘Will do,’ Toby answered, then added, ‘Have a good flight.’
Sera leaned into Toby’s side as they watched Ethan’s town car drive away.
‘It’s still early.’ She rocked against him, looking up and raising her eyebrows.
He gazed down at her through a mess of curls. ‘Which is great, because I’ve got a hellishly busy day.’
‘Oh. Okay.’ Her sexy morning high instantly deflated.
His lips twitched into a lopsided grin and he tugged her to his chest with a thud. ‘Just kidding. Monday. Appointment-free morning.’
‘You’re a shit, McManus.’ She gave him a teasing whack.
He laughed and lifted her into his arms. She hooked her heels around his waist. ‘Tia will be here in an hour,’ she whispered against the skin of his throat, thrilling at the goosebumps that erupted there.
‘Then we’d better make this quick.’ He waddled them inside and kicked the door closed behind him.
‘Not too quick,’ she said as she crushed her lips to her best friend’s mouth.
