Dead Pretty

by Samantha Towle

  I give him a confused look. “Here? Why? Are you getting another cat or something?”

  He chuckles, and I like the sound.

  I like making him happy, yet I’m insistent on making him unhappy, so he’ll stop liking me.

  For God’s sake.

  I’m baffling the hell out of myself, so God knows what I’m doing to Jack.

  I just need to … what?

  Honestly, at this point, I have no frigging clue.

  “No,” he answers me. “We’re here to walk a couple of rescue dogs.”

  “Walk dogs? So, is … this our date?” I check.

  Not that it’s a bad thing. But I just figured we would be going to the movies or something like that. Basically, like any other date I’ve ever gone on in the past.

  But then Jack’s not like anyone I have ever dated in the past.

  He steps closer to me again, but there’s caution to his approach. “Yeah. Well, it’s the first part of it.”

  “First part?”

  “Yep. First, we’ll take a walk with a couple of really cool dogs. And then, afterward, I’ll feed you.”

  A dog-walking date.

  It’s different. Unconventional.

  And I absolutely love it.

  I am so totally and undeniably screwed.

  Jack holds his hand out to me.

  I hesitate here for a second. Staring down at his hand. Strong and gentle, waiting for me.

  I feel like this is a now-or-never moment.

  Why now, I don’t know.

  But I feel that if I take his hand and go forward with this date, then there is no turning back for me.

  I pull in a breath on a long blink. Then, I tug my glove off and put my hand in Jack’s.

  Smiling, he curls his fingers around mine. I lift my eyes to his.

  He gives my hand a light squeeze. “Let’s go in.”

  I let Jack lead me inside.

  We walk into the reception area. The woman standing behind the desk—who I would guess is in her fifties with her graying light-brown hair tied back in a ponytail and surprisingly tanned skin for where we live—smiles widely when she sees Jack.

  I know, lady. He has that effect on all of us.

  “Hey, Jack,” she says.

  “Afternoon, Shelly,” he greets her. “How are you today?”

  “I’m good. So, you’ve brought us another victim,” she says chirpily.

  I flinch internally at her word choice—victim.

  It’s stupid that I can still be affected by a single word related to my past, but I am.

  Thankfully, I’m a lot better at hiding my emotions than I once was.

  “Another victim?” I question quietly at his side.

  He glances down at me, a smile touching his lips. “You’re my first, I swear.”

  His attention turns back to Shelly. “Yep. I got you another walker. This is Audrey,” he tells her. “Audrey, meet Shelly.”

  “Hi,” I say.

  “You walked rescue dogs before?” she asks me.

  “Nope. Total newbie.”

  “No worries at all,” she says kindly. “It’s just the same as walking any regular dogs—with just a few rules.”

  “Don’t worry; I’ll bring her up to speed,” Jack tells Shelly.

  She nods. “Well, I just need you to fill out this form, so I can add you to our system.” She slides a form across the counter along with a pen. “I’ll go ready the dogs for you while you fill this out.”

  Picking up the pen, I stare down at the form. It’s nothing major, just basic information—name, address, phone number, questions, like if I’ve ever been charged with animal cruelty. The sort of things you would expect from an animal rescue center.

  But that last question sticks out to me.

  No, I’ve never been cruel to an animal. I never would be. I love animals.

  But animals were killed because some psycho thought it was a way to declare his twisted-up sense of love for me.

  I always fear that another animal could die again because of me.

  Another person.

  I guess finding that rat in my apartment the other day had bothered me even more than I realized.

  Sighing, I start filling out the form.

  I put the pen down when I’m finished completing it and look up and to my right to find Jack leaning against the wall, watching me.

  “You’re staring again.”

  He shrugs, unbothered.

  I like that about him. How he’s unafraid to show what he’s feeling or thinking. Literally nothing seems to faze him.

  “Did I get this wrong?” he asks softly.

  His question surprises me.

  “Get what wrong?” I turn my body toward his.

  “The date. Bringing you here. Should I have taken you elsewhere?”

  “No.” I frown. “What makes you say that?”

  “Because you look unhappy.”

  “I always look unhappy. I have resting bitch face,” I try to joke.

  He pushes off the wall and takes a step closer, leaning his forearms on the counter. “Did I get this wrong, Audrey?” he asks me again.

  Only … I feel like he’s also asking me something else, but I’m not sure exactly what that is.

  So, I answer the one question I know for sure he asked me.

  I shake my head. “No, Jack. If anything, you got it too right.”

  “Here we are.” Shelly’s voice comes from behind me along with the sound of claws skittering across the hardwood floor.

  I turn and see the two cutest dogs ever.

  One is a Weimaraner, and the other is a gray-and-white Siberian husky with the brightest blue eyes that I have ever seen on an animal before. They actually remind me of Jack’s eyes.

  Both dogs are wearing luminous vests that say Adopt Me on them.

  How anyone could ever abandon these beautiful dogs, I will never know.

  They’re both eager to come over to us, but Shelly has a good handle on them, considering they’re strong dogs.

  I get down to my knees as they approach, giving them both strokes and fusses, getting face licks in return, making me laugh.

  I like animals so much better than people.

  Well, maybe except for the guy standing beside me. But I’m not even allowing my thoughts to go there. Not right now anyway. I can figure out my tangled-up feelings for Jack later—when I’m alone and away from his charming self.

  “Sorry to drop and run,” Shelly says, handing the leads over to Jack. “Ronnie has just brought a dog in. Needs my help.”

  “Go,” he tells her. “We’ll be back in an hour or so.”

  She nods and disappears back to where she came from.

  “Ronnie?” I ask.

  “Her husband. They run this place together.”

  “So, which doggy is mine to walk?” I ask him.

  “You choose. But I’ll tell you, Pork Chop is a puller.”

  “Pork Chop.” I laugh. “That might be the best name I’ve ever heard. And Pork Chop is which dog?”

  “The Weimaraner.”

  “I’ll take the husky then.” I grin.

  Chuckling, Jack hands me the husky’s lead.

  “So, what is my doggy called?” I ask as we begin walking to the door.

  “Gary,” Jack says.

  “Gary!” I burst out laughing. “I expected him to have a super-cool name, like Storm or Loki. Not Gary.”

  Jack laughs as well. “Gary is cool … kind of.”

  “Said no one ever,” I joke. “Aw, Gary, bud.” I pat his head. “Thank God you’re gorgeous because you got shafted in the name department.”

  Not that Gary gives a fudge what I’m saying. His sole focus is on the door and getting outside. Can’t blame the little dude. I’m sure the people here are good to the dogs, but they probably also spend a lot of time in their cages, waiting for someone to take them to their forever home.

  It makes my heart hurt for them.

  Jack opens
the door. He tries to let me through first with Gary, but Pork Chop is not having any of it and yanks Jack through the door.

  Laughing, I catch hold of the door with my hand, letting Gary through first.

  I have a feeling this walk is going to be a lot of fun.

  We set off in the direction of a walking trail close to the center.

  “So, you do this often?” I ask Jack.

  “As much as I can.”

  “You’re a good guy, Jack Canti.” I smile at him.

  For the first time since I’ve known Jack, I actually see a look of shyness on his face, his cheeks reddening a touch.

  If I wasn’t already half-gone for him, I would be now.

  Jack tries to shrug it off, like the cool guy he is, but I know better. “I like to walk, and these guys need walking.”

  “How come you don’t have a dog?” I ask him.

  “One, I don’t think Eleven would be happy if I brought one home. And two, dogs demand more time than I can give to one right now. But it is nice to do this, to help the dogs out in this way.”

  “I get that,” I tell him. Doing something for others leaves you with a sense of worth. “So, tell me the rules for walking these guys.”

  “Okay, so no letting them off their leads unless in a designated area where you can do so. No letting them chase wildlife. And always scoop the poop.”

  My face scrunches up at that thought. “Okay. Do you have poop bags?”

  He taps his jacket pocket with his hand, grinning. “Yep. Oh, and one thing I forgot to mention … Pork Chop might be the puller, but Gary is the shitter.”

  “What do you mean, he’s the shitter?” My eyes narrow, and Jack’s grin widens.

  “Gary likes to save all his shits up for his walks. Minimum he’ll take on a walk is two.”

  “Two craps is the minimum!” I stare down at the dog. “What is wrong with you?” Then, I look back to Jack. “What is wrong with him?”

  Jack is howling with laughter by this point.

  “It’s not funny!” I gesticulate. “Right, that’s it! We’re swapping dogs.” I hold Gary’s lead out to Jack. “I’ll take Pork Chop the puller, and you can have Gary the pooper!”

  “No can do.” Jack wipes his laughing eyes. “You’ll hurt Gary’s feelings if you switch now.”

  “What?” I look down at Gary again. He’s staring up at me with those gorgeous Jack eyes, and now, I just feel mean. “Fine,” I huff. I keep up the pretense of being annoyed, but seriously, how can I be with this cutie staring at me? And I am talking about Gary, not Jack.

  Or maybe I do mean them both.

  “Bring me on a date and have me picking up dog crap.”

  Jack chuckles. “Baby, it is nothing but the high life with me.”

  “Hmm,” I grumble, steadfastly ignoring the way he just called me baby and the way my body reacted to it. “You’d better feed me good after this. Well, that is, if Gary and his hundreds of shits don’t kill my appetite.”

  “It’s not hundreds. Probably around five.”

  “Five!” I shriek.

  Jack sputters out a laugh. “Kidding. Four at the most.”

  I frown at him.

  His grin is unrepentant, and it lights up his whole face and those stunning eyes of his.

  I have to fight a smile from creeping onto my own face.

  “You’re an ass.”

  “A hot ass though.”

  I shake my head, still fighting that damn smile.

  “Okay, how about I scoop the poop for you? It’s the least I can do since you agreed to come on a date with me.”

  “Wow. And there I was, thinking chivalry was a thing of the past.”

  “What can I say? I’m the last remaining gentleman.” His shoulder presses against mine as he leans closer, bringing his mouth to my ear. “But not in bed, Audrey. I am most definitely not a fucking gentleman in bed.”

  Holy. Sexual. Shivers.

  How the hell am I supposed to resist him when he says stuff like that to me?

  In one breath, sweet and kind. And then in the other, hot and alpha and so very fucking sexy.

  He’s like the perfect combination of everything I would ever want in a man.

  It’s in moments like this that I am absolutely, positively sure that someone upstairs hates me.

  Gary tugs on the lead, wanting us to follow Jack and Pork Chop. So, I walk on, letting him lead the way, while I try to sort out my jumbled-up mess of thoughts.

  I, Audrey Hayes, am in love.

  With a dog called Gary.

  He’s so sweet and adorable.

  After our walk was over, leaving him at the adoption center was hard to do. Honestly, I would have taken him home with me if I could. If I didn’t have to worry about him being alone all day while I was at work—and also his safety while living with me. Bad things seem to happen to animals around me.

  Truthfully, I worry for Eleven at times. Worry that my bad juju will get her, but it’s hard to turn her away when she shows up, and selfishly, I love having the company when she’s around.

  It makes me feel less lonely.

  And Gary must have been having a good time with me, or maybe he heard my words of complaint because he only took one poop while we were out walking. I am going to go with the theory that it’s because he likes me.

  I’ve already signed up to come walk Gary on my lunch break from work tomorrow. The center is only five minutes away from the library, which is perfect.

  It makes me feel guilty that I didn’t know about this before. I could have been walking Gary and other dogs like him the whole time I have been living in Jackson.

  But I know now, and that’s what I am going to do, going forward. It’s a perfect arrangement for a loner like me. I get company and exercise with Gary, which is something we both need, and I’m not risking getting close to or hurting anyone in the process. It’s a win-win.

  Now, if only I could figure out this thing with Jack—how to handle my feelings for him, how to shut them down, and how to turn off his attraction to me—then things would be A-OK.

  Jack reserved us a table at the local Japanese restaurant. I absolutely love Japanese food. It’s another tick in his good box. Sigh.

  The restaurant is close by the adoption center, so we leave his bike where it’s parked and walk the short distance.

  I haven’t been in here before. Well, I haven’t been anywhere in Jackson, except for the library, coffee shop, and supermarket.

  We approach the restaurant. Jack opens the door, letting me in first.

  It’s toasty warm in here, and the smells are amazing. My stomach rumbles eagerly. It has been so long since I ate in a restaurant.

  I take my gloves off, pocketing them. After unwinding my scarf from around my neck, I unzip my coat and remove it.

  There’s a coat rack by the door, so I hang my things on it. Jack does the same.

  Looking around, I feel a little underdressed to be here in my jeans, sweater, and boots. The other diners are dressed much nicer.

  But there is nothing I can do about it now, and it’s not like I’m here to impress anyone.

  Yeah, sure you’re not, Audrey.

  Anyway, Jack’s seen me way more dressed down than this. The guy has seen me dressed in sweatpants, for God’s sake.

  Even still, I can’t help but straighten my sweater out, and then I tidy my hair as best I can, tucking away stray hairs behind my ears.

  “Stop worrying. You look beautiful.” Jack’s hand slips into mine, giving it a gentle squeeze.

  My eyes lift to his. “I’m not worried.” Liar.

  His brow lifts, his expression one of skepticism.

  “Fine.” I sigh. “I just feel a tad underdressed for this place.”

  “I never took you to be a person who cared what others thought.”

  “I’m not.” The old me … she would have cared though. “But I also don’t like to stand out either.”

  Jack regards me with those clever eyes o
f his. Like he is reading my thoughts.

  Thankfully, the hostess approaches, breaking the moment.

  She’s around my age and very pretty.

  “Hi, guys.” She smiles at Jack, not me. I can’t even be mad because I get it. I would be the same if I were her. “Do you have a reservation?” she asks him.

  “Yes,” he tells her. “Canti. Table for two.”

  She glances down at the listings on the hostess stand, running her finger down the paper. “Yep, here you are.” She grabs two menus and says, “Follow me, please.”

  She leads us over to a table for two by the window. Jack pulls the chair out for me.

  “Still being a gentleman?” I tease, taking the seat, referring back to his earlier comment that practically set my libido on fire. A fire that still hasn’t gone out.

  Still, I shouldn’t have brought it up because saying stuff like that is only going to move things with him in a direction that it shouldn’t go.

  Like Jack and me having sex.

  Jack sits in the seat across from me, taking his menu from the hostess, his eyes fixed solely on me. “You ready for me to stop being a gentleman? Because we can leave right now and go back to your apartment.”

  To bed.

  His meaning is crystal clear, and the sexual tension thickens the air between us.

  I can’t help the smile that tips up my lips and the words that leave my mouth. “You have to feed me first.”

  So, apparently, I am going to have sex with him tonight.

  Seems my sense and life rules got lost somewhere along that trail we walked the dogs on before.

  That, or the sight of Jack’s tight ass walking in front of me in those jeans woke the old Audrey up. She never had any qualms with talking about sex openly. Was confident with men. Until …

  Nope, not going there right now.

  I am enjoying this little game the two of us are suddenly playing though. It makes me feel … alive.

  The old me is back for the night, and I honestly like it.

  There is nothing clean about the grin that Jack gives me. He rests his elbows on the table, linking his fingers together, stare still fixed on me.

  I can’t look away from him either. I feel like it’s only the two of us in the world now.

  It’s exhilarating and utterly fucking terrifying.

  A shadow falls over the table, breaking the moment between us. Leaving whatever Jack was about to say a mystery.