It was cute that he was concerned, but my safety was none of his business. “I have Kona with me. Kona is my German Shepherd. She’s fierce enough to keep the bad guys at bay.”
“You bring your dog to a shelter?” he questioned. “You can’t pick a few of the dogs from the back?”
“I could, but Kona is mine and she’s going to protect me,” I said. “I can’t say the same for the dogs back there. They don’t rely on me for their dinner. They don’t sleep with me at night. Kona has a vested interest in keeping me alive.”
“You let it sleep in your bed?” he asked with a curled lip. “Gross.”
“I let them all sleep in my bed,” I said.
“I’m sure that’s fun for sleepovers,” he said.
“Any man that doesn’t like my dogs doesn’t have to sleep in my bed. The dogs were there first. Besides, I like them better than most people I meet.”
He shook his head. “We never would have made it. I cannot deal with that.”
“Maybe because you’ve never tried,” I said. “Sleeping with a dog is very satisfying.”
“I doubt that.” He snorted.
“Dogs don’t break up with you,” I shot back. “Dogs love to snuggle and they will listen to you talk all day.”
“Maybe, but it’s nice to sit on furniture without getting up and looking like you’ve been sleeping with a dog,” he replied.
“I suppose we have different ideas of what’s nice.”
“So, can you?” he asked. “Will you?”
“Will I what?” I asked.
“Go to the opening with me,” he said. “Please.”
“As long as you don’t send me a dress,” I told him. “I can buy my own dresses. I don’t like you treating me like I’m too poor or too trashy to get my own dress.”
“I didn’t mean to imply that,” he said. “I was just trying to make it easier for you to attend with me.”
“Fine.”
“I’ll pick you up,” he said. “What’s your address?”
“Are you sure you want to get that close to my dog-filled house?” I teased. “The dog hair might come at you.”
“I’ll just honk from the curb,” he said, laughing.
“Get out of here before you sue me for ruining your five-thousand-dollar suit,” I said with a smile.
“As if I’d wear a five-thousand-dollar suit,” he said haughtily. “This is Italian.”
I rolled my eyes as he walked out. Ally was standing at the edge of the desk with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face. “What?” I asked.
“What the hell was that?”
“What was what?”
“You were flirting with him,” she accused.
“Not really,” I replied. “We tease each other. That’s it. You heard him, there is no chance we would ever be together. He’s a snob. I couldn’t be with anyone that doesn’t like dogs. Going out with him is why we’re adopting out so many animals. It’s business. Nothing more.”
“I don’t know,” she said with a sigh. “I think you’re treading on dangerous ground.”
“Reese is an asshole. He has been and always will be. There is nothing there.”
“Remind yourself of that when he’s looking at you with those fuck-me eyes,” she said before walking away.