Page 27 of Like You Want It

CHAPTER SIX

FIN

I pull into my parking space and throw my SUV into park, then rest my head on the seat, letting out a relieved sigh.

I can’t even put into words how glad I am that tonight is over.

I knew the minute Susie mentioned she invited Carly to dinner that the whole night would be a mistake. Something that crawled under my skin and festered like a disease.

This Carly chick is… different. While I can think of a dozen other words to describe her – feisty, erratic, happy, and ballsy just a few among them – different is really the best word to use.

And sexy as fuck.

I allow myself just a second to think back to that morning last weekend when I’d been woken up by her ridiculously loud music. She’d been so tiny and sassy that it had taken me a second to really see her.

Not only does she have a head full of that thick chocolate hair, but that little button nose and big blue eyes are straight out of a comic book. A strong jaw and long neck, a petite figure that she keeps in shape with the yoga she mentioned tonight.

I force myself out of the car instead of thinking of her contorted into a million different poses in some tight yoga pants.

She’s an infuriating mess, and I shouldn’t be thinking about her at all. I have enough problems on my plate without adding her to the mix.

I stretch my aching muscles when I step out of my Chevy Tahoe, then lock up and head to my front door.

I pushed myself through a really intense work out this morning, and followed it up with a really long day of work – weekend work being one of the many joys of self-employment – so my body is killing me. The pizza is also not sitting well with my stomach and I feel like falling into my bed and sleeping for days.

But there’s not a chance in hell that’s gonna happen.

I hear the noise the minute I unlock my door. The sound of claws slipping and sliding all over my hardwood floors. A slight whimper of excitement. The jingle of a dog collar.

My sweet girl Maxie comes flying around the corner and slams into the hallway wall. She shakes it off in a second and continues to barrel towards me.

One of these days, she’s gonna really hurt herself, but it doesn’t deter her from racing in my direction with full speed whenever she hears me at the door.

“Hey beautiful girl,” I say, crouching down to wrap my arms around her and give her belly some rubs. “Did you have a fun time with Auntie Lydia?”

She gives me lots of sniffs and licks and spins around about ten times, nearly whipping herself in the face with her tail. I’m assuming it was a good day.

Maxie is an English Spaniel that I adopted last year when I made the mistake of visiting a dog shelter with a friend of mine who wanted to buy a dog for his daughter.

I don’t care how much of a hard ass you are. You go to a shelter and see those big sad eyes looking at you, begging to be taken home and snuggled with, you’ll be adopting yourself a new dog.

Besides, I’d just left the military and moved into this house, and the whole thing made me feel pretty lonely compared to the past few years living with other SEALs. It’s been a long time since I’ve lived alone. Or, I guess,mostlyalone. A dog was exactly what I needed, and the fact that I can smile at her every single day is enough.

I stand up and head for the kitchen, Maxie trailing in my wake.

I need a beer. Or three.

Though, really, I’ve had plenty to drink tonight considering I have an early meeting in the morning.

But one more couldn’t hurt.

“Hey Fin,” I hear from my right when I walk into the kitchen.

“Hey gorgeous,” I say with a smile and a wink.

Lydia blushes. She always does. But she chucks a hand towel at me from the stack of laundry she’s folding on my kitchen island.

“Everything go okay today?”