"You know it's eighty degrees out, right?" I jerked at Mister Fluffers' leash when the littler fucker tried to take off after another dog three times his size.
"So?"
I frowned at Mister Fluffers as he tried once more to attack the larger dog. "I'm just saying, you can wear something other than a suit. It's not like you're waiting on anyone now. You might think about getting a pair of shorts."
Darren arched a brow at me.
"Okay. Fine. Jeans. A pair of jeans wouldn't kill you. It would definitely draw less attention to - Mister Fluffers!" I stopped and glared at the ball of fluff. "That dog's poop is bigger than you. Do you want to die?" I huffed as Mister Fluffers barked at me, throwing my hands up in the air. "I give up. This job ain't worth it."
Darren smirked but said nothing.
I was determined to get a laugh out of the uptight butler. We'd only been in Seabrick for a few weeks, and he had the same stick up his ass as before. One would think that he'd have fewer responsibilities without Antoine around to bark orders. Still, while I was busy twiddling my thumbs, Darren was Antione's liaison for all of their businesses. Apparently, Antoine couldn't run from vampire hunters and do business at the same time. Who knew?
"I'm starving," I said, at last, a bit more skip in my step now that I was dumping the dog walking job. "What do you feel like eating?"
"We could go order Frankie's-"
"No," I groaned, and grabbed my stomach. "No more Frankie's. I can't handle another corn dog." Who knew someone as classy as Darren was so obsessed with corn dogs? The guy could put back half a dozen corn dogs with no problem and still go back the next day.
"Very well, then where would you like to eat?"
I stared at the man curiously. His lower lip was pushed out, and his voice had a small, dejected sound to it. If I wasn't mistaken, Darren was pouting. I couldn't believe this man, who had several decades on me, was pouting about not getting to eat corn dogs for the third time this week.
Sighing in defeat, I hung my head. "Fine. If you really want Frankie's, we can go, but you have to explain to the others why I have an extra ten pounds on my ass next time they show up." I pointed at him with a stern look.
Darren's brows quirked as his eyes swept over my shorts and T-shirt clad form. "I don't know what you're referring to. You're always lovely."
I snorted. "Yeah, and you're a ray of fucking sunshine before you have your coffee. You forget we've been stuck living in the same room for several days now. I have no illusions of what kind of maniac I am, and neither should you."
Pursing his lips, Darren seemed to be trying to fight a smile. "Believe me. I have no such illusions, Piper Billings. I know exactly what kind of woman I am living with."
I didn't know if his words annoyed me or made me proud. Proud. Definitely proud.
"It's Durand now, remember?" I pointed out as Mister Fluffers barked in agreement.
"Of course. How could I forget?"