The Hookup (Page 42)

Johnny grabbed the jar but bent with his free hand to give his dog’s head a scratch.

He then walked with his dog at his heels to the kitchen. He opened the cabinet that hid the trash bin and tossed the jar in.

He closed the cabinet and bent fully to his dog.

Grabbing his head, he asked, “Wanna go to Izzy’s with me?”

Ranger tried to lick his face.

Johnny smiled at him. “I’ll give her a call. See if Dempsey and Swirl are good with company.”

He rubbed Ranger’s head and moved back to the bathroom to his jeans on the floor. He dug his phone out, called Iz and was not surprised with her answer.

So he pulled a comb through his hair, put on deodorant, clean shorts, jeans and tee, tugged socks and his boots on and he grabbed his wallet, phone and keys.

Then he and Ranger headed out the door to his truck in order to get back to Izzy.

You

Izzy

HEARING A CEILING fan, I opened my eyes and saw tan sheets.

I rolled and saw Johnny in sweats and nothing else at the railing on his deck holding up a cup of coffee.

Ranger was lying at his feet.

Dog and man looked comfortable in their morning repose.

That was, dog and man looked comfortable in their morning repose until Johnny’s head turned and he looked through the windows at me.

He then lifted up his free hand and crooked a finger, also at me.

Like I was mesmerized, I threw back the covers and tossed my legs over the side, pulling myself out of bed. I walked like I was in a dream (because mostly I was) to the door and through it.

Ranger shot up and came to me and I gave him some distracted pets as I made my way to Johnny.

He held his arm out.

I walked right in, pressing my front to his side.

His arm wrapped around but his hand kept moving, pulling up his tee that I’d put on before collapsing in his bed then gliding down, fingers in my panties.

I shivered.

He put his coffee mug down on the railing.

“Passed out on me, spätzchen,” he murmured instead of saying good morning.

“I didn’t sleep well the last couple of nights,” I explained.

“You sleep well last night?”

The day before I’d learned a lot about Johnny Gamble.

I’d learned he had a quick wit and could match Addie quip for quip, a lot of the time doing it even better than her.

I’d learned he didn’t only muck stalls, he did dishes, refilled drinks without being asked, and proved to be an excellent sous chef when you’re cooking.

I’d learned he changed diapers.

I’d learned when his head wasn’t messed up necessitating he convey a message so your heart wouldn’t get broken, he was exceptionally affectionate and sweetly teasing, but there was more.

He was appreciative.

With his eyes and facial expressions, sometimes touches, sometimes murmured words, he showed and told me he liked how I moved. He liked my legs. He liked my hair. He liked my behind. He liked listening to me talk. He liked watching me laugh. He liked seeing me tease my sister. He liked watching me respond when she teased me. He liked the little mini-dress I’d put on (Johnny was coming over to spend the day so I absolutely made an effort) that was a blue and white print with a blousy top and short sleeves and a flouncy short skirt.

He liked me and didn’t hide it in any way.

In fact, I’d never had the admiration of a man aimed at me the way Johnny did it. It was casual, spontaneous, but definite. It was a part of who he was and how he felt about me, not a path he was taking to get what he wanted.

After dinner and after after-dinner conversation, which both involved wine, and Johnny taking me back to his house, I’d barely made it up the stairs and walked a step inside when his lips were at my neck and he said, “Get your ass to bed, baby, before you curl up on the floor and fall asleep.”

I’d turned drowsily to him, eyes to his chest and mumbled, “Tee.”

He took his tee off.

I took my dress and bra off and put it on.

Then I climbed into his bed and went right to sleep.

And having the day I’d had the day before with Addie and Brooks and Johnny, learning all I had about Johnny, I’d slept like a baby.

“I slept great,” I whispered.

He bent his head, brushed his lips against mine and lifted up.

“Did you?” I asked.

“I didn’t have the best nights’ sleep the last few nights so yeah. It was good to sleep solid.”

I nuzzled into him, turned my head, put my cheek to his chest and stared at the sun glinting off the creek.

I felt fur slide down my calf as Ranger slid down my leg to lie down at our feet.

Ranger had a lot going on, what with being back with Johnny then spending the day with new dogs, new people and a baby.

He didn’t seem to miss Shandra.

But once things settled down and he realized this was his permanent reality, he would.

I sighed.

“What’s on your mind?” Johnny asked, the tips of his fingers idly tracing the curve at the bottom of the cheek of my behind.

“Nothing.”

“We don’t do that, baby,” he admonished gently.

I left my check to his chest but still tipped my head back to catch his gaze.

“Don’t do what?” I asked.

“Especially not with a beginning like we had that was rocky,” he went on.

“What?”

“Something bothering you?” he asked.

“No,” I answered.

“You made a noise like something was on your mind,” he stated.

“It isn’t bothering me.”

“And I asked what was on your mind. You said nothing when it was something. And we gotta stay open and out there so we don’t fall into shit that might keep things rocky.”

I lifted my head, turned it back to him and put my hand on his chest.

“I was just thinking that Ranger probably doesn’t get that things have changed and he’ll miss Shandra when he does.”

His hand cupped my behind. “So you were thinking about her.”

“No, I was thinking about Ranger.”

“And Shandra.”

“Well, kind of,” I allowed.

“Not kind of,” he returned.

“A dog can’t communicate like we do, but they can communicate and they have feelings and change is rough for them just like it is for anyone.”

“He’ll be fine,” Johnny assured shortly.

“I know he will,” I replied, also shortly.

“You need to get her off your mind,” he ordered.

I felt cold penetrate and I pushed a little away, stopping only when the pads of his fingers started biting in, and retorted, “No. It seems to me you need to get her off your mind.”

“I didn’t bring her to the balcony, Izzy.”

“I didn’t either, Johnny.”

“We gotta make sure this doesn’t infect what we’ve got or what we got isn’t gonna stay good.”

“I’m all in for that, but just to say, you also need to let me worry about your dog because he’s cute and he’s sweet and he loves you, and he gets along with Dempsey and Swirl and he thinks Brooks is awesome and I like him and that’s me. I’m an animal freak. If I see a humane society commercial with pictures of animals that have been abused, I won’t be able to sleep. I once stole a neighbor’s cat and took her to the vet to be fixed because the neighbor kept letting her out and she’d get pregnant and have babies, and the neighbor would just take the kittens to the shelter every time and that’s not right.”