by Emma Roman
She thanked the postman and walked toward the side of her house. There lay Pooch, in all his glory, asleep on his back in the grass. Narrowing her eyes, she stalked toward the dog and hugged her package to her chest.
“What do you think you’re doing there, buddy?”
Pooch jumped up wagging his tail, his tongue lolled out one side of his mouth, and he looked at her with a cheerful expression.
“How did you get out of your backyard?”
Looking around, she didn’t see a place the dog could’ve managed a careful escape. She went to Eric’s door and rang the bell, hoping he was home. As much as she didn’t like the mess Pooch made in her yard, she didn’t want to risk his safety by letting him roam freely around the neighborhood.
After several attempts with no one answering, Jennifer called Pooch into her house and led him to the safety of her yard. As soon as she closed the French doors, Pooch turned and barked. Obviously, that wasn’t where he wanted to be.
To keep the neighbors from complaining, she let him in the house and took down a bowl, filling it with water for him to drink. After slurping it all over her kitchen’s wood floor, he followed her to her office where he promptly made himself at home by jumping into her overstuffed chair.
“Are you quite comfortable?”
Pooch yawned and fell sound asleep.
Shaking her head, Jennifer went back to work on her laptop. When the dog’s loud snores bounced off her walls, Jennifer almost regretted bringing the mutt inside. However, she’d never endanger an animal and chance it’d be run over or taken by a stranger.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t long until she’d grown used to the noise and was able to go about her business. Before she knew it, there was a frantic pounding at her door. Pooch barked and she jumped from her seat.
At the door, Eric waited, a worried frown on his face. “I see you have him.”
She looked behind her. Pooch showed no desire to leave with his master. “Looks like he’s pretty content.”
“Come on, Pooch. Let’s go home.”
The dog shook his head and trotted back to her office and her comfortable chair. Jennifer crossed her arms and felt a certain satisfaction at his dog’s disloyalty. “Looks like he’s happy where he is.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Annoyance had his mouth tight and his eyes serious. “He’s just being stubborn.”
“Oh, is that what you call it?” She lifted her chin. “Maybe I’ll convince him to go home if you agree to go to the Valentine’s Day party with me.”
He slacked his right leg and pressed his hands to his hips. “You’re so desperate you’re willing to hold my dog hostage?” He shook his head. “Damn, if that don’t beat all.”
“Chasity is as mean and vicious as they come. If you think I won’t resort to bribery, you’re wrong. My reputation can’t take another hit.”
She’d said more than she planned. When she first opened the door, she’d had no preemptive plan to ask him to take her to the party again. As a matter of fact, she wasn’t sure where that came from, but it was too late to back out now. Besides, what do I have to lose? My pride? None of that left thanks to my ex.
4
Eric stopped and looked at his neighbor. What had she said about her reputation? Mean and vicious? “All I can say is you need better friends?”
“She is not my friend,” she replied matter-of-factly. Not a single hint of emotion touched her warm brown eyes.
“Then why go to her party?”
“To prove I’m not a total loser. To be able to continue holding my head up in public, and to squash all the gossip.”
“I’m not even going to act like I know how a woman’s mind works, but I do appreciate you taking care of Pooch for me today.’
“How’d he get out? She asked, her brow furrowed.
“Can’t tell. It’s dark out here. I’ll make sure he’s secure tomorrow. It’s the weekend and I’m off.”
“Why does he want out of the yard, anyway? Don’t you have a doggie door?”
“Yeah, he can come and go as he pleases. Usually he’s not one to take off.”
“Oh, he didn’t go anywhere. He was sleeping between our houses.”
“Really?”
“I just didn’t want him to get lost or worse, hit by a car.” She turned and went to her office door. She pointed with her finger for the dog to move. “Come on little doggie. The jig is up. Home you go.”
Pooch lifted his head, took a glance at Eric and dropped his head back down.
“Get off her furniture, Pooch. Let’s go.”
No response from the dog.
“I don’t think he’s interested,” she commented. “Maybe you should go home and come back with a doggie treat.”
“He’s just being stubborn.”
“You hungry?” she asked, heading toward the kitchen.
Eric looked around. He’d never been inside her house before. He’d always assumed their places were similar, but hers was cleaner and filled with better furniture. He had his aunt’s leftover stuff, and the housekeeper didn’t come until next Friday.
“What’s cooking?” He sniffed. “Smells good.”
“Chili. My mom’s recipe. I love comfort food in the winter.”
“I don’t know,” he replied with a touch of skepticism. “I’m pretty fussy about my chili. My grandmother won more chili cook-offs than you have fingers.”
She tossed him a weak smile. “Suit yourself.” She shrugged a shoulder. “You’re welcome to go home and nuke a frozen dinner.”
Damn, I don’t like that option at all.
She set out two bowls and spoons, along with a small bowl of shredded cheese and a container of sour cream. Eric’s mouth watered and his common sense told him to suck it up and enjoy a home cooked meal for a change. His knees nearly buckled when she took a pan of cornbread out of the oven.
Damn, he loved that.
He walked into the kitchen and pulled out a chair. “Since you’re twisting my arm.”
She tossed him a self-satisfied grin. “Yeah, you don’t want me to have to hurt you, do you?”
She placed a bowl of thick chili with chunks of sirloin instead of hamburger and lots of beans. Its spicy aroma had him practically drooling.
He picked up the spoon and shoveled a scoop into his mouth. Chewing slowly, he savored the spicy mixture with his eyes closed.
“That good, huh?”
He opened his eyes and saw a small saucer sitting beside him with two slices of cornbread, already buttered. “Thank you. It’s very good.”
She eased into the chair across from him and shook out her napkin, draping it across her lap. “As good as your grandmother’s?”
He looked across at probably one the prettiest women he’d yet to meet. Her shoulder length, dark blonde hair was loose around her face. It softened her features and brought out the warmth of her eyes. She wasn’t more than five feet five inches tall, but she had curves in all the right places——he couldn’t help but notice her boobs.
“Now, that’s not fair. My poor old granny lived to be over ninety years old. Made her chili until the day she died.” He pointed at her with his spoon. “You may have just gotten lucky this one time.” He leaned back in his chair a wiped his mouth with the linen napkin. “It’ll take years of me eating your chili before I can make a comparison.”
She looked at him with a smile tinkling the corners of her plump lips, “Really, all that long?”
“Chili is serious business here in Texas.”
“I know that. I was born and raised here not three blocks away.”
“Really, you’re parents still here?”
“No, they retired to Branson, Missouri. My dad loves to fish.”
“Nice up there.”
They both turned as Pooch came into the kitchen and went to his water bowl. “Hey, traitor, you find a new home?”
“No,” Jennifer said quickly. “I like him, but he snores like a freight train.”
&nb
sp; “You’re telling me. At night, I make him sleep on the couch.”
5
CHAPTER SIX
It surprised Jennifer that they were so comfortable sitting at the same table eating dinner, yet couldn’t be civil in the yard. Strangers might presume this was the norm for them, when nothing could be further from the truth.
She’d never admit it where anyone could hear her, but she’d never intended to invite Eric for dinner. Now that she watched him carefully beneath her lowered lids, there was no denying his handsome good looks.
Bet Amy would love to hear me admit to that.
Sitting at her kitchen table made him a lot more appealing then standing in the yard arguing.
The chili tasted delicious. As it was her go-to comfort food, she was quite proud of her ability to cook up a pot in no time while staying close to the original recipe. She moved the food around in her bowl as she snuck a glance at the man across the table from her.
“What do you do?” she asked.
“For what?” He grinned. “Fun?”
She closed her eyes and shook her head before glancing across the table at his handsome features. “Work. What do you do for a living?”
“Oh, I’m a US Marshal.”
What?
“You’re a cop?”
“No, I’m a US Marshal. Big difference.”
“I know, but, but...”
“But what?” A touch of innocence flashed across his face.
“I thought you were a garbage collector or a gangbanger.”
He put his spoon down. “Why in the hell would you think that?”
“I’ve never seen you in a suit.”
“Not everyone in law enforcement wear suits or uniforms.”
She felt horrible at the assumption she’d made about the man. She’d thought he was someone else completely. “Obviously.”
He chuckled. “You were willing to go to a party with a gangbanger? Man, you really are desperate.”
“I told you.”
“For the delicious chili,” he reached down and petted his dog, “and since you took care of Pooch, I’ll go to the damn party with you.”
Relief flooded her entire body and she relaxed for the first time in days. She wouldn’t be a laughing stock after all. “Thank you. All we have to do is show up, spend about thirty minutes there, and then we can safely be on our way.”
He sipped his iced tea and stared at her over the rim of his glass. She supposed he thought she was a loser who couldn’t find a date if her life was at stake. Little did he know.
“You’re saving my life, you know.” She shoved her food aside. “Due to some unusual and unfortunate circumstances, I can’t afford to let the high-society jackals see my underbelly. They’re like sharks swimming in a sea of blood.”
When he smiled, she noticed the dimple in his chin. Strange how charming she found that. “Why bother with such people.”
“Because they know other people, and it’s those other people I’m concerned about.” She winked. “They’re called exes. And I can’t afford to appear weak or lonely.”
He tossed his napkin on the table. “Oh, so I’m just a piece of meat?”
She pushed out her chair and stood, taking her bowl to the sink. “No, but you are just for show.”
“You sure know how to make a man feel good.”
Before she knew it, he stood beside her, rinsing out his own bowl. He leaned down and put the dish in the dishwasher then took hers and put it there as well.
“Thank you,” she muttered, slightly surprised that he wasn’t a Neanderthal who didn’t know his way around the kitchen.
He refilled his glass and sat back down, scratching behind his dog’s ears. “Pooch, you’re spoiled rotten to the core.”
The dog growled and moved away from him to over to her. She reached down and patted him on the head. “That’s a good boy. Don’t let him push you around.”
“Oh, says the woman needing a date to keep her friends from gossiping about her.”
“That’s not nice,” she crooned to the dog. “I don’t know how you can stand living with such a heartless man.”
“He loves me,” Eric said, thumping his chest.
“Is that why he escaped today? He’s so in love with you?”
“He’s a bad boy for leaving the yard. Maybe he should skip dinner tonight.”
Pooch barked a complaint.
“Oh, he doesn’t like that.”
“If an army lives on its stomach, Pooch is a General.” The dog sniffed the air. “He practically eats his way through the whole house.”
She continued to pet the soft fur. “He’s a good boy.”
“Sometimes.” He took a drink of his iced tea. “Hates thunder.”
“I do too,” she replied with a shiver. “Something about it scares the bejesus out of me.”
“He hides under the bed and whines.”
“I feel that way sometimes.” She leaned down and put her nose to his. “I feel your pain, Pooch.”
6
Eric enjoyed having dinner with Jennifer more than he first thought possible. All they’d ever done before was argue about where Pooch took a crap. It wasn’t his fault the dog preferred her yard to his.
But tonight, he’d seen another side of her and he liked what he saw. She was obviously a great cook and he liked the warmth and comfort she’d created in her home. Compared to hers, his house felt like a temporary dwelling.
A different opinion of her formulated in his mind. She was pretty, no disputing that. And at home in her own environment. He couldn’t help but wonder why she cared about a silly Valentine’s party.
She was all grown up and other people’s opinions shouldn’t matter. Apparently, to her, they did. He’d go to the party, not because of her chili or that she rescued Pooch. He flat out wanted to spend time with her. Get to know who she was, and maybe more.
“So, what time is this party on Tuesday?”
She turned to look at him. “Around seven, I guess.”
“Okay, I’ll be here; but if I get called out on a case, you’re out of luck.”
The smile melted off her face. “What do you mean? You said you’d go.”
“And I plan to, unless something comes up.”
She gave him a troubled glance out of the corner of her eye. “Really? I save your dog from certain death, feed you my award-winning chili, and this is your way of backing out?”
He held up his hands. “No, but things have been a little crazy at work lately. I’m sure you’ve noticed that I leave at all times during the night.”
“I have, but this is important, Eric.”
“I will do everything I can to be there. I promise.”
He took his dog and left, arriving at his own sparsely furnished house. After Jennifer’s place, his felt cold and uninviting. Now he regretted moving out of his apartment downtown. Were he there, a block away and he’d be sitting in a nice warm bar, sipping a cold one.
What he’d rather do is be at Jennifer’s, stretched out on the couch watching television. Or did he want her in his arms, in her bed, with her lips against his?
Whoa! Where did that come from?
While he wasn’t the settling down type, he’d always enjoyed women. Not just any woman, but the fairer sex did hold a certain appeal to him. His job didn’t make him the ideal settling down type or a marriage kind of guy.
Eric threw his keys on the table by the door and made a beeline for the kitchen, knowing Pooch was probably starving. His dog beat him and stood in front of his dish, with his tail wagging. The minute he stepped into the pantry, Pooch barked.
“Hold on, dinner will soon be served.”
Grabbing a can of food and pulling the top off, he dumped the can into the bowl and then added a cup of dry food. Pooch would nose that aside to get to the good stuff first. The dry food would be consumed later and the dish would be back to sparkling silver soon.
Pooch had no manners.
The food w
as gone in seconds. After a few laps of water, the dog burped loudly then slipped out the doggie door. Eric followed close behind. He turned on the porch light and made sure he didn’t get out of the fence again.
Soon they were back in the house. Eric had showered and slipped into a pair of sweat pants and a tee shirt when a knocked sounded at the door. For a split second he wondered if perhaps Jennifer stood on the other side.
He checked his phone and the ugly mug of his best friend, Slim, stood there smiling. Rarely did Slim make his way to this part of town. He lived in the suburbs with his wife and two kids.
Eric opened the door and extended his hand. “Hey, what brings you here?”
“I had to drop by and tell you there’s a thing going down Tuesday night.”
“No, not then. I have a date.”
Slim’s brows rose. “You’re going on a real date?”
Eric put his hands on his hips. “What’s so fucking strange about that?”
Slim slipped into the house and passed him on the way to the fridge. “You don’t date.”
“Sure, I do.”
“No, you pick women up, spend the night with them and then forget about them.”
“That’s bullshit.”
Slim took out a beer, twisted off the cap and smiled before taking a swig.
“I have been in a serious relationship before.”
“No, you haven’t.”
Eric thought back and sadly nothing came to mind. Maybe he hadn’t had a relationship that Slim would consider serious, but he was sure he had. He really liked that girl in Charleston. The one who worked with the airline company. Suddenly he couldn’t remember her name. Was it Connie, or maybe Carla?
“Maybe I’d like to.”
“With who?”
He nodded toward Jennifer’s house. “Her.”
“The bitchy one?”
“Well, she only bitches about Pooch shitting in her yard. Otherwise, she’s kind of nice.”
“And you’re going to date your neighbor?”
“I just told her I’d go to a Valentine’s Day party with her.”
“Really, right next door?”
