I shouldn’t do it again, but I couldn’t wait for his reaction. He’d surprised me in so many ways today, from the fact that he’d thought about gifting Isabelle a dog to taking the puppy home with him.
I relaxed in my armchair, looking out at the sky. It was dark, but I’d lit a lot of citronella-scented candles around me. I sent him a picture of my glass of wine and a grinning emoji. He replied in less than a minute.
Dylan: I was waiting for your text.
Mel: Were you now? Why?
Dylan: Last time was unexpected.
Mel: How is the puppy behaving? Did you name him?
Dylan: I want Isabelle to do it. Don’t want him to get used to a name. He’s asleep. How is your dad?
Mel: Great. We watched a talent show together. He loves them.
Dylan: I’ve said it before, but you really are amazing.
Mel: I haven’t had enough wine to be flirty.
Dylan: I can wait. I’m patient.
I laughed, pondering what to text him back. My pulse was insanely fast because every instinct told me not to do this, yet I couldn’t help myself. Isabelle had practically warned me that Dylan wasn’t looking for anything serious, but somehow things didn’t add up. He was so caring with his family and even that puppy! He asked how Dad was doing. But then again, I wasn’t an expert on guys or I wouldn’t have fallen for Elliot, my shitty ex. And the few guys I dated before him were equally as disappointing in one way or another.
Mel: Hmm. I think tonight I’ll turn in early. Wine flirtiness only happens under specific circumstances.
Dylan: Such as? I have to know so I can replicate them.
I laughed again, pondering his question. He made me laugh so easily. It was surreal. I yawned, getting up from my chair, and headed inside. I poured the rest of my wine down the drain before replying.
Mel: I’m not sure, honestly.
Dylan: Come shopping with me tomorrow. The list reads like hieroglyphics.
Holy shit, he was creative, and I wanted to give him all the points for this, but first I needed to tease him a little.
Mel: Your case isn’t compelling. I think any pet shop sales assistant will know what to give you.
He didn’t text back but called me instead.
“You thought your case would be more convincing if we talk?”
“Much more.”
I grinned just because I heard his voice.
“Let’s hear it.”
“You don’t want me to buy the wrong things, do you? The puppy’s going to be the one suffering if I do.” His voice was taunting and lighthearted, but it lit my whole body on fire. Holy shit.
“Hey, no emotional blackmail. It doesn’t count if you’re stealing my technique.”
“But is it effective?” I could hear the smile in his voice.
“Yes, yes it is,” I admitted. Leaning against the counter, I pondered what to do. It was only shopping; what harm could it do? Besides, what if he stumbled upon a good salesman who’d try to make him buy more things than necessary? I didn’t want anyone to take advantage of him.
Oh wow. The things I tell myself to justify giving in.
“Okay. There’s a pet shop not too far away from the gym. I’ll text you the address.”
“Thanks. See you tomorrow, Mel.” His tone was different. He sounded almost smug.
“Why do you sound so triumphant?”
He laughed throatily, and I swear the sound woke every cell in my body. I was hyperaware of my breath and the tingling sensation in my belly.
“I’ve yet to talk you into something outrageous, remember? And I do my best work in person.”
***
The next day, I met Dylan at the pet shop in the morning, right before our session. I arrived early, so I texted to let him know I was already inside. I handed the sales associate the list. Since I was already here, I could get on with it.
The starter kit, as I like to call it, was quite sizable and expensive, but it was better to be prepared from the beginning rather than keep coming to the store as you discovered that you still needed things. I honestly still couldn’t believe Dylan had taken the puppy with him. He was all swagger and suits, but underneath that rugged exterior was a man full of surprises.
“Okay, this is everything,” the sales associate said.
“Thanks. I'm waiting for my friend to come and pick this up. He'll be right here.” I texted Dylan to ask him where he was, but he walked in the next second. Oh God, is he sexy or what? He wasn't wearing a suit today, just jeans and a polo shirt. He looked mouthwatering. The shirt showed his perfectly formed biceps, and I had to make a great effort to look him straight in the eyes.
One corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. He flashed me a knowing look before his gaze traveled slowly down my body. Oh, heavens. He couldn’t make me blush this early in the morning. Wasn’t there a rule against that?
Clearing my throat, I pointed at the counter.
“Okay, so I took the liberty of ordering everything. If you want to kick anything off the list, you can. You don't need all these toys, but he'll have to keep himself occupied with something when you're not at home. Where is he anyway?”
“In my apartment with a dog sitter. You said it wasn’t good for a puppy to be alone, and I found an app specifically pairing people with pet sitters.”
“No, a dog sitter is good. Trust me. Otherwise, you can go home and find the legs of your furniture chewed on. I've seen it happen. By the way, I have a session with Isabelle tonight. Did you tell her about the puppy?”
“No. It’s a surprise.”
“Good to know. I won’t tell her anything, then.”
He glanced at the counter, cocking a brow at the mountain of supplies waiting for him. “That list looked long, but somehow this seems like even more than I expected.”
“It looks a lot because it's all piled up on top of each other.”
“Okay, let's get this over with so we can head to the gym.” He took out his wallet, then pulled his card out.
“Are you taking all this with you to the gym?” I asked while he paid. “Because then we can ask him to keep it here until you're done. That's possible, right?" I asked the sales associate, who nodded.
“It’s fine. My driver is here, and he’ll take everything to my apartment. He can also take us to the gym.”
“I won’t say no to that,” I declared. Even though it was still early June, the humidity this morning was insane.
The sales associate frowned after he packed everything but one bowl. “Wait, this food bowl is chipped on one end. I’ll bring you another one.”
“Okay. I’ll get these to the car in the meantime,” Dylan said. He took four bags by himself. I carried the dog bed. We put everything in the trunk before slipping into the back seat.
“Wait, we forgot the bowl,” I said.
The driver looked at us. “I can go inside. It's only going to take a second.”
“Okay, thanks,” Dylan said.
The second we were alone, the air in the car crackled with tension. I licked my lips, looking away. A few moments of total silence passed, but the driver didn’t return. I couldn’t believe I was up in knots just because I was alone with him.
“Thanks for coming with me, Mel,” Dylan said.
“You’re welcome. I honestly still can’t believe you took that puppy home.”