by Avery Ford
Dmitri shook his head, a little too flustered to manage much more. He hadn’t consciously been smiling at Arthur. There were a few times when Arthur had said something charming that he might have warmed to, but to smile at him?
And to smile at him so obviously that Rachel saw?
No.
“I’m fine,” he managed when he found words. “I’m not sure that we’re right for each other.”
“Aww, c’mon, Dmitri.” Rachel pouted. “He’s cute, right? And you need a little bit of excitement in your life — someone young and naive to keep you on your toes. I think he needs someone mature to help ground him, too. Someone who’s able to take care of him. He’s gone through a lot, and I think a little stability would help. You’re a match made in heaven.”
“Don’t force him,” Harry said. “If he wants to pursue Arthur, he can. If he doesn’t, he won’t. He knows how to get in touch.”
“Right.” Dmitri worried his thumb, a lot on his mind. Was he softening to the annoying kid who’d brought chaos to the shelter in the short time he’d been there? “I wasn’t kidding about the kennel, though. I’ve really got to take care of the dogs and get them ready for the night.”
“You’re just like Rachel,” Harry said with a wave of his hand.
“Except she’s got a farm she can raise them on,” Dmitri said in good humor. “My kennel’s not as luxurious. I make sure none of the dogs stay locked up for long. They’re not meant for kennels. Caring for an animal is a full-time job.”
“Let’s settle the bill and call it a night then,” Rachel said. “I’m sure Harry and I can think up some ways to get into trouble.”
“Oh, definitely.”
Dmitri snickered. “You guys are something else. I’m glad you found each other.”
“We’re going to find you someone, too,” Rachel promised. “Even if you’re not feeling Arthur, we’ll try again. There’s got to be someone out there for you, Dmitri.”
Dmitri hoped that she was right.
Dmitri flicked on the lights at O’Hannahan Kennels. Each of his dogs rose up and stretched. Poindexter’s tail was already wagging erratically, and he nosed at the chain link fence that separated his spacious kennel from the rest of the room.
“Hey guys,” Dmitri said as he stepped forward. The front door was already locked, so he opened the kennel doors one by one. Each of his dogs joined him, except for Annie, who he would keep separated from the rest until her pregnancy was over. He’d bring her out on her own. “You ready to get out some energy before bed?”
Four tails wagged in unison. Four sets of eyes looked up at him imploringly. Dmitri led the way to the back door and opened it, and four excited dogs sprinted into the enclosure and started to play.
As they did, Dmitri went back into the kennel to check on Annie. She was a little lethargic, but otherwise in good spirits.
“How are we feeling today?” Dmitri asked. “Is everything going well?”
Annie’s tail wagged.
He opened the door and let himself into her kennel.
“I think you and Chance got along well, didn’t you?” Dmitri settled by the door of the kennel, and Annie curled up beside him. He patted his thigh, and she lifted her head and rested it there. He stroked behind her ears, and she closed her eyes.
“You’re going to be an outstanding mama,” Dmitri promised. “It won’t be too much longer now. It’ll be nice, won’t it? To have some new dogs around?”
Annie didn’t open her eyes, but her tail beat contentedly against the floor. Dmitri had a feeling she wasn’t too interested in going out for a run tonight. Pregnancy tended to make his bitches drowsy.
“You guys’ll get to have some new company.” Dmitri frowned. “Everyone will get to see the puppies before they’re given to new homes and settled in.”
Annie thumped her tail. He kept stroking behind her ear.
Melancholy set in and refused to let go. It ached.
Dmitri realized that he really was lonely.
Going out tonight had shown him just how much he’d given up in life. It hadn’t always been his choice. His mother’s illness had kept him at home, and when she passed, the dogs had become his sole responsibility. He loved them, but they were so much work to take care of on his own.
Annie sighed. Her tail stopped thumping, and for a while, Dmitri watched the way her ribs expanded and contracted as she breathed.
Dogs would move in and out of his life. He never had the same pack for long.
But someone to love?
If he found someone to love, he’d find that stability Rachel had been talking about. Arthur wasn’t the only one who needed someone to hold on to.
“Let’s get you guys set up for bed,” Dmitri murmured. “I’ve got to go home and have a long think.”
The next time Dmitri was at the shelter, Arthur was there, too. He was in one of the kennels, much like Celeste had been the day of the argument. Dmitri latched onto the links, peering through at Arthur while Arthur cleaned.
“You really should stop staring, you know,” Arthur said flatly. He was on his knees in the kennel, his ass lifted as he scrubbed at a stubborn spot on the floor. “If you keep standing there looking at me, I’m going to think you’re checking me out.”
Arthur was still distant, but there was flirtation in his voice that hadn’t been there before. Dmitri’s body responded to it. His heart beat a little faster, and he felt a surge of arousal.
“You think I could flirt with someone like you?” Dmitri asked. “I’m more interested in that spot you’re scrubbing than the ass that’s blocking its way. What is it?”
“My ass?” Arthur asked. “It’s tight, and it’s off limits.”
“No.” Dmitri rolled his eyes, but his heart skipped a beat. “Whatever you’re scrubbing. Is one of the dogs sick?”
“Yeti got into something she shouldn’t have,” Arthur said. “The mess was sitting there for a while, so it left some staining on the floor I’m trying to work out.”
“Ah. I wouldn’t worry so much if I were you.” Dmitri’s eyes were drawn to the shape of Arthur’s ass. It did look tight. He remembered the fantasy he’d made up at the beginning of the week when he’d been most frustrated with Arthur. He shuddered. “The floors here aren’t spotless, if you can’t tell. Making sure it’s sanitized is enough.”
“I don’t know.” Arthur looked over his shoulder. Dmitri saw something naughty sparkle in his eyes. He leaned over again, and Dmitri swore that he perked his ass up as if to put it on display. “I like to do a thorough job. The last thing I want is for this place to look bad, you know? So I’m going to keep on scrubbing…”
As he worked, his ass moved. It was slight, but Dmitri’s gaze was laser focused on it. He bit down on his lip and tried to think of unsexy things, but when Arthur put himself on display like that, it was hard.
Literally.
If Arthur was trying to taunt him with a young, hot body Dmitri could never have, it was backfiring. Dmitri wasn’t frustrated — he was turned on as all hell.
“You going to go do something?” Arthur asked after a while. “Or is it your job to watch me scrub floors now?”
Dmitri snapped back to reality. “I think you’re doing a fine job. I’ll report back to Celeste, make sure she knows you aren’t slacking off.”
Arthur snorted. “Thanks. I guess that means I won’t report you for doing the opposite.”
The fire between them was still there, but it was different now. Arthur knew he was gay, and now Dmitri knew the same thing.
Arthur, in his bed, his arms giving out as Dmitri fucked him into the mattress…
Dmitri left before he could get any further worked up.
He was at Locust Hill for dog training, not doggy style.
15
Arthur
“All right team,” Celeste declared. She drummed her hands on the office desk, facing the group of volunteers who’d been able to make it in. All of the regulars Arthur had come t
o know were there, as well as some of the part-timers he hadn’t yet met. But it was Dmitri his eye was drawn to again and again. “So, as most of you know, the shelter’s been facing some financial difficulty. We’re trying to find ways to raise money and donations. That means that today, we’re going to be doing something a little different.”
Arthur hadn’t heard about any plans, and by the look on Dmitri’s face, he hadn’t either. Celeste was springing this on them out of the blue.
“I know that we’re all here for the animals, so keep that in mind when I hand out responsibilities. Everything we’re going to do today is for the dogs and cats here who need us.”
That doesn’t sound promising…
Arthur pursed his lips and tore his gaze away from Dmitri. He focused his attention on Celeste instead.
“So, part-timers, you guys have all been here for a while, and all of you know pretty well how the shelter’s run. I’m going to be staying here to supervise you, but ultimately, you’re in charge of the shelter today. We’ve got a ton of work to do, so we’re going to have to bust our asses to get it done. Are you ready for the challenge?”
There was a semi-enthusiastic reply that made Arthur snicker under his breath.
“What about the rest of us?” Dmitri asked. The low notes of his voice rolled from his lips and right down Arthur’s spine. He shivered.
“Aha. Here’s where it gets tricky.” Celeste cracked her knuckles. “What I need is for all the rest of you to head out. We’ve got some fundraisers set up across Rollins, and we’re going to need you stationed there at our donation booth.”
“Oh no,” Arthur said before he could stop himself.
“Oh yes.” Celeste grinned. “We’re going to be rockin’ this out, drumming up donations, and seeing if we can’t make ends meet by the end of the month.”
“This isn’t going to be a permanent thing, is it?” Dmitri asked, just as enthused about the decision as Arthur was.
“Depends on how successful it is.” Celeste shrugged. “But we’ve got to try something.”
“I think there are other, more effective ways to make money if we’re tight on funds,” Arthur said softly. “Can we maybe sit down and—”
“Later. Right now, we’ve got donation stations to set up in.” Celeste produced a clipboard from the office desk. “I’ve got different people set up at different places. The full list is here, so make sure you consult it before you head out.”
Arthur frowned. “I actually walk here from the 211 bus stop, so if it’s not that big a problem, can I swap out with one of the part-timers who has a car? I’m not going to be able to make it to wherever you want me to go without a few bus transfers, probably, and that’s going to take time.”
“Already thought of that!” Celeste declared brightly. “Dmitri can drop you off. His destination is on the way to yours. When you guys are done, he can pick you up, too.”
Dread wasn’t the right word to describe the feeling in Arthur’s stomach, but it came close. He shifted his weight from one leg to the other, hoping his discomfort was subtle.
He realized that he was nervous.
Arthur hadn’t seen much of Dmitri since their impromptu date with Rachel and Harry. The glimpses they’d seen of each other at the shelter were fleeting at best.
But what bothered Arthur the most about hitching a ride with Dmitri was that he didn’t know where they stood. There was tension between them that hadn’t been there before, a kind of excitement behind their mutual dislike for each other that made Arthur perk up when Dmitri was near.
Things had been getting kind of flirty, and Arthur wasn’t sure if he was stepping over any boundaries. The fact was, he still thought Dmitri wasn’t a good person. Not really.
But he was starting to see Dmitri as more than a bastion of all that was wrong in the world, too. When Dmitri flirted back at him, it felt kind of good.
“Where are you headed?” Nikki asked. She took the clipboard from Celeste and looked down the list. “Oh, Grower’s Mart? That’s really close to my location, too. I’ll take you, Arthur. I’m pretty sure Dmitri’s car is covered in dog hair, and I wouldn’t want you getting all dirty when you’ve got to try to sell people on giving you their money.”
Arthur looked to Nikki with a thankful expression on his face, and Nikki flashed him a winning smile.
“That’s fine. As long as you can get to where you need to go, it doesn’t matter who drives who. Now—” Celeste set her hands on her hips. “Does everyone going out have each other’s cell phone numbers? If we had more people I’d put you two to a table, but we’re low on hands. That means if anyone needs help, if anything happens, if you’ve got questions, you’re going to need to call each other. All of you should swap numbers before you head out the door.”
It was getting worse, wasn’t it? Arthur cringed.
Dmitri’s number. In his phone. A constant reminder that things were weird between them.
If it wasn’t for the dogs, Arthur wouldn’t have been able to do it.
But he did.
And before he was out the door with Nikki, he had Dmitri’s phone number saved in his contacts list.
Grower’s Mart parking lot was crowded. Arthur occupied a small folding table on the sidewalk near the sliding doors, a donation bucket and some pamphlets about the shelter his only company. To his surprise, people were paying him interest. He’d always believed that people who sat outside of grocery stores didn’t see a lot of foot traffic, but close to a fourth of the people who headed into the store stopped by to say hello.
Arthur wasn’t convinced that their donations would be enough to make a significant impact on the shelter, but he was grateful for every person who made his job feel a little less bleak.
The company was helpful, too, because the weather had changed. Winter sometimes stretched well into April in Rollins, and while the day had started off warm enough, a cold breeze had come in that chilled Arthur. He had only thought to wear a t-shirt, thinking he’d be inside working at Locust Hill all day.
Working up a sweat scrubbing floors and taking care of the dogs was way different than standing behind a table, making small talk and hoping he raised enough money to make his time out worth it.
An hour after Arthur first set up at the table, his phone vibrated with a message. It wasn’t unusual for Quip to text him out of the blue, so Arthur thought nothing of it as he took his phone from his pocket.
It wasn’t Quip. It was Dmitri.
Am I crazy or did I see you just wearing a t-shirt today?
The question was a little strange, and Arthur frowned at his phone. He looked up to make sure no one was around before he replied.
I’m wearing pants, too.
No, I mean you don’t have anything warmer?
Arthur hesitated. As far as he knew, everyone on the field had exchanged phone numbers for emergencies. He was pretty sure the goosebumps down his arms and the uncomfortable temperature didn’t make for an emergency.
Not on me. Why?
I’m going to bring you a hoodie.
Arthur opened his mouth. For a second he considered calling Dmitri directly in order to sort things out, but right as he was about to dial, he remembered how hard it was to speak to a man like him. Arthur got tongue tied at the best of times, but with Dmitri? It was a blessing he was able to speak at all.
He sent a text instead, wishing he could pick up on if Dmitri was serious, or if he was just kidding.
You really don’t need to.
No, it’s not right to have you standing out there without warmth. No one knew we were going out today. I’m not going to have anyone volunteering get sick because Celeste was too scatterbrained to let us know in advance to bring something warm.
Arthur didn’t think he could argue with that. He wanted to — accepting kindness from Dmitri felt like a defeat — but the only excuses he could come up with to rebuff Dmitri’s kindness were shallow.
Arthur sighed.
You can
abandon your post? You’re the only one there, right?
I’ll just pack up the donation bucket and make sure to have it with me. You’re literally down the street from me. It’ll be a few minutes, max.
That was it. There was nothing else Arthur could do.
Dmitri was being kind to him.
What dream world had he fallen into?
See you soon then.
Be there in a sec.
Dmitri was true to his word. No more than a few minutes later, he pulled up to the curb and left the car idling. Arthur looked the car over suspiciously. It wasn’t a new car by any means, but it was well cared for. Nikki had bashed the interior, but Arthur got the feeling that it was actually clean on the inside.
Dmitri emerged from the car. He popped the trunk, and Arthur watched as he rummaged around, then came back with a simple black pullover hoodie. Dmitri closed the trunk and jogged to Arthur’s table. The hoodie was folded, and he held it out to Arthur as Arthur looked at it just as suspiciously as he’d looked over the car.
The hoodie was thick and lined with fleece on the inside. Arthur didn’t see any fur, or dirt, or anything to suggest that it had been poorly taken care of or previously worn. When he accepted it, the outside was soft to the touch.
He looked up at Dmitri and frowned. “I don’t know why you’re going out of your way to do this, but thank you.”
“It’s the right thing to do,” Dmitri said. “The rest of us came a little better prepared. Not fair to have you freeze your ass off just because you expected to be inside today.”
