“Again?” I asked sweetly.
“I don’t remember you being so snarky,” he said when he got to his feet.
“That’s because you knew me before some asshole very unceremoniously dumped me and told me I smelled like dog shit.” I said it with a smile on my face and my lashes fluttering.
He cringed. “Yeah, I can see that’s not going to be forgotten anytime soon.”
“Probably about the time hell freezes over.”
“Order another glass of wine,” he said. “It might make you a little nicer.”
“Or meaner,” I replied. “Is that a risk you’re willing to take?”
He leaned down with his lips brushing over my ear. “Yes.” To anyone watching, it looked like he was whispering sweet nothings in my ear. For me, the breath sweeping over my exposed neck sent shivers running up and down my spine.
He stood and walked away while I tried to calm my libido. We had always had sexual chemistry. He never failed to turn me on when we were together. Back then if he would have done that to me, I would have been dragging him into the ladies’ room for a quickie.
We had been so in love. I had been absolutely crazy about him. We had sex all the time. It never got old. It never got boring. It was always like the first time. Back then when I had been young and dumb, I let myself believe we would be the old couple in the nursing home getting caught banging in a closet.
And then he dumped me. Falling back into old habits would only lead to more heartbreak. I did not want to go through that again. This little flirting thing we had going was fun, but it was too dangerous. I could already feel myself softening toward him. I was actually imagining taking him into the bathroom or an alleyway for a quick make-out session. That could not happen. Once I fell into that trap, it would be like a mouse on the sticky traps we used at the shelter in the food room. I wouldn’t ever free myself. He would peel me off and toss me in the trash like last time. And just like last time, I would leave behind a chunk of my heart once again.
“Rein it in,” I told myself. The deal was to attend the party with him. I didn’t have to flirt with him. I didn’t even really need to talk to him. I just needed to smile and look infatuated with him.
I did order another glass of the wine being offered. It had to be one of those really expensive bottles. It was so damn good and went down way too easily. Getting wasted wasn’t a good idea, but I could hold my liquor. One more glass wouldn’t knock me on my ass.
Reese returned and sat down with a huge grin on his face. “Guess what I just did?”
“That’s not a question I think you want me to answer.”
He laughed and pulled out a check from his pocket. “Here.”
“What’s that?”
“Look at it,” he said.
I took it and unfolded the check that was written out to my shelter for ten grand. “What is this?”
“I was talking to that gentleman and he asked who my date was. As usual, I told him who you were and what you did. He just lost his golden retriever mix. Said he got it from a shelter ten years ago. The dude is pretty sentimental. He said the dog changed his life and he wanted to make sure other dogs got a chance to change someone’s life. So, he wrote a check.”
“For ten grand?” I breathed.
“Ten grand to him is like buying a drink at the gas station. It makes him happy. Look at the memo. I told him you would put up one of those plaque things I saw at the shelter.”
“Hell, I’ll erect a damn statue for this much,” I said.
“Just make sure it has his dog’s name on it,” he joked.
I put the check in my purse. It was a weird night. I was sitting across from a man I loathed but I was having a good time. And I was making money for the shelter. Maybe this was a good example of keeping one’s enemies close. It was certainly working out well for me.