Page 9 of Paws Off

Sweet baby Jesus. The man is a god. He looks like one of those statues famous sculptors create. The man is a work of art.

I put my hands on my hips, reprimanding my wild dog. I'm pissed off at her for getting me out here to lust after Stone—the one man I can't have. If my brother has his way, I'll end up with a man handpicked by him.

"Oh, she's okay," Stone chuckles as he looks over at me

"No, she's not. I swear she's a whore for you."

If possible, his grin only widens. "A whore for me, you say?"

My face turns a furious shade of red. Okay, that was a horrible word choice. Now it sounds like I'm thinking of him and sex in the same thought, which Iam, but I don't need to let him know that.

Stone looks down at Trixie affectionately before he bends and picks her up in his big arms. She nuzzles her head into his chest, and I'm envious of my dog when Stone strokes his hand from the top of her head to the tip of her tail in the way she loves. She might as well be a cat because I can practically hear her purring and shamelessly drooling all over him.

"She just knows I'll stroke her right," Stone tells me with a huge grin. He looks directly into my eyes, his dark gaze heated with innuendo.

Heat infuses my body. Oh, my god, is he flirting with me? Does he want me after all? Even knowing that I'm his best friend's little sister?

But then I remember how he went clubbing with my brother last night. "Oh, I'm sure you know how to stroke all the girls."

Stone’s eyebrows shoot into his hairline as I walk over to him and primly take my pup from him. I'm being rude, but I don't know how to take him when he's flirting with me one minute, and the next, he's out with my brother picking up babes.It shouldn't piss me off, but it does.

"Did you have fun at the club last night?" I ask casually, petting Trixie as she kicks in my arms, trying to get back to Stone. The little traitor.

He looks at me for a long moment before he answers. "No, I left way before your brother."

I blink in shock. "I thought you guys were best friends?"

Stone chuckles. "We are, but that doesn't mean we're glued at the hip or that I'm going to hang around while he picks out random babes when I'm not interested."

"Not interested," I repeat like a parrot.

"Yeah, that's right."

"Oh?" I say, feigning nonchalance as I absently stroke Trixie. She keeps casting longing glances at Stone. I’m starting to believe my dog would leave me for him. I'd be hurt if I didn't understand her sentiment.

My eyes widen as I as a thought occurs to me. "Wait, are you gay?"

Stone scowls. "What? Jesus, no." He shakes his head and closes the distance between us. He's so close I can smell his cologne and his natural masculine scent. It's a heady concoction that makes me dizzy.

I look up at him, and his eyes lock on mine. "I have everything I need right here at home."

My breath hitches. Is he implying what I think he's implying? He could just be saying that he doesn't want the complication of a woman and he can take care of his needs by himself.

God, I'm overthinking everything.

My eyes widen when his face moves closer to mine. Is he going to kiss me?

I never find out because his phone rings, pulling us from our trance.

I take a step back as he glances at his phone and frowns. "It's your brother."

"You should take it." I give him my brightest smile. "And I'm sorry about Trixie. I'll try to keep a better leash on her."

Before Stone can say anything, I turn and march back to my yard. I remind myself that Stone is off-limits, which sucks because not only is he ridiculously hot, but my puppy is in love with him.She whimpers, looking back at him like I'm breaking her heart.

"Oh, get over it," I snap at her.I immediately regret my harsh tone when she turns those big puppy dog eyes on me. "I'm sorry, girl."I pet her behind her ears and place a kiss on her head."I know you can't help how you feel," I tell her, glancing across the yard to where Stone is standing shirtless, talking on the phone to my brother.

I can't either.


Tags: Emma Bray Romance