Page 37 of Falling Offsides

“The runt? Yeah, last one left,” the breeder says. “Five months, goin’ on six. Small for his age. Scrawny little guy, honestly. Not what most people are lookin’ for in a dog like this.”

“I’ll take him.”

“You wanna come see him first?” The guy asked, confused.

“No,” I say. “I’ll pick him up within the next two hours.”

A beat of silence. “Alright… but no returns.”

“Fine with me.” What asshole would return an animal like it’s a possession? Fucking sickos.

“Ugh, well, we’ll need ID and what not to make sure everything is above board.”

“Sure.”

“Okay, then… we’ll be here and I’ll get him ready for ya. Send me an email and I’ll reply with the pick up address and all relevant documentation to it.”

I hang up with a “thanks” and “see you soon”, then email the address on the listing my interest like the guy asked me to.

The sun’s still up when I pull out of the facility lot, punching the address into my GPS.

When I finally pull into the gravel driveway, the sky’s already bleeding pink and gold. The pup is small. Sleepy-eyed as he crawls over to me on the porch, nipping at the hem of my jeans until I crouch down and he paws his way up onto my thigh. The critter is barely forty pounds and sixteen inches. But he’s got presence.

Holding him to my chest with one arm, I let him chew on the edge of my hood while I sign the paperwork with the breeder and send him payment.

When I get in the car I place him in the passenger seat, nestled in my hoodie. He seems to love it enough that he curls into a tight ball behind my kit bag that I’m using to make sure he doesn't slip and slide anywhere.

The little guy is a character and I just know that no matter what happens, I’m not going to regret taking him home with me. The same way, I’m certain Court is going to fucking melt for him.

I can just picture that soft smile of hers, beaming in her eyes as she pries him from me and showers him with her attention and affection…

“You’re gonna help me win her,” I whisper past the murmur of jealousy that stirs in my chest.

And just like that, the dam breaks.

I’m not just hooked on the girl. I’m absolutely fucked.

This isn't curiosity.

This isn’t guilt.

This is need. An obsession—twisted and sharp and bottomless.

Because whether Courtney knows it or not, she’s mine.

By the timeI roll back into the city, the sky is streaked with dying gold. I veer off the road just before reaching the building and pull into the public lot a few blocks away. No way I’m parking in the underground garage tonight—not if there’s even the slightest chance Courtney might head down there. Not if it risks her seeing my car.

The puppy snoozes in my lap, tiny and warm and curled like a comma. His white paw twitches when I kill the engine and the music stops. Wrapping him up in my hoodie, I cradle him to my chest. I swear he thinks he’s a human baby with the way he nuzzles his nose into me, away from the light ocean breeze.

I slip into my apartment quietly, looking over my shoulder to make sure there’s no sign of Courtney.

The place is blanketed in the soft evening light filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows. The ocean glows faintly in the distance, a silvery outline as I deposit the pup on the kitchen island beside my MacBook and the small bag of kibble the breeder gave me for tonight.

The cheeky bastard nibbles a hole in the knotted sandwich bag only to spit out the piece of kibble he steals and curl himself back into a ball with a huff.

“There won’t be any of this huffing and puffing buddy. You got to turn on the charm.” Scratching his head, I add, “And I know you got plenty of it.”

Bright brown eyes peer up at me with a nudge of his wet nose, asking for more ear scratches when I move my hand to open my MacBook beside him.