Misadventures of a Rookie (Misadventures #11)(27)

“I’ll let him know you said that.”

I didn’t say anything as I watched him for a moment. I wondered if he would care what I had to say. I hadn’t been around for much of his life. I was busy being a teenager and then an adult before moving out to Malibu to try to actually pick up the pieces and do something with my life. Instead of wallowing in self-pity. Although, by the way I was dressed and the way I was feeling, I was pretty sure I was heading right back to that pity party if I didn’t get control.

Feelings… They were hard.

Doing things I didn’t authorize.

When Davis got knocked over, I hissed out a breath. “Poor guy.”

“He’s a tough one.”

“Didn’t expect anything less from two great parents. He’s a lucky kid.”

“He is,” she agreed, but I could hear the annoyance in her voice. “Well, I’ll let you go. I’m sure you’re busy.”

As she came back on the screen, I shrugged. “I guess so.”

“Yeah,” she said, and then the line went dead.

Well, if I wasn’t feeling like shit before, I sure was now. If I forgot for just a second what a guy like Gus Persson could do, that call reminded me. I didn’t want to become the girl I used to be, and I was starting to forget that. Gus was cracking me. He was adorable and nice, which weren’t words I thought I’d ever use for Gus Persson, but it was true. He was really sweet, and that scared me. I liked that about him. I needed him to go back to being obnoxious so I would get over this little crush that was developing.

“Just get through tonight,” I told myself. “After this, you don’t have to see him anymore. Get some great ass and walk away. Bo, you got this. No need to worry.”

I was completely right. It wasn’t like I would see him again. Maybe at the games, but he wouldn’t talk to me. One and done. That was his mantra, so surely he would stick by it. He’d blow me off before I could even have any second thoughts about it.

“You’re totally good, St. James. No biggie. Go enjoy that sexy ass and then walk away like the big girl you are.”

Looking back at the mirror, I shot myself two thumbs up. “You sexy bitch, you.”

Turning from the mirror, I found Lizzy on the couch, her legs over the arm rest and her head slightly hanging off. Looking over at me, she scoffed. “You know I can hear you, right?”

I blushed deep red, and before I could say anything, she laughed.

“And you’re totally gonna get caught up once you get a look at that cock. I heard it is pretty damn legendary.”

It was.

But since I still hadn’t told her I had seen it or felt that legendary cock inside me, I rolled my eyes. But it was hard to ignore the flutter in my stomach. Stupid stomach. Stupid Gus. Stupid legendary cock. Swallowing hard, I waved her off before tucking my clutch under my arm. “I’ll be fine. One and done, right?”

She laughed once more, shaking her head, her brown mane falling off the couch some. “I don’t know, Bo. He seems to be digging you.”

I was worried she was gonna say that.

But before I could come up with some kind of excuse why that would never happen, that she was delusional, there was a frantic knock at the door.

Lizzy giggled. “He’s really ready to pound ya.”

Glancing back at her, I made a pfft sound as I reached for the door. When I opened it, I cried out in shock.

Because standing on my doorstep was Gus.

Blood dripped like mad from his hand, and there was a pitiful-looking dog under his arm.

“Gus!”

He shook his head, panic in his eyes. “I had to save her!”





Chapter Sixteen





Gus





Right back to where I was used to being.

On a gurney.

But unlike where my mom or dad would sit, Bo was beside me and a doctor stood at the end of the bed. I moved my good hand as I spoke. “The poor girl dog was being attacked by three other big dogs. I thought if I went up, made a few loud noises, I’d scare them and they’d run away, but obviously, I was wrong.”

I held my hand up for the example that I probably didn’t have to give but did anyway. The doctor did not appear to find me amusing. I felt Bo’s gaze on me. When I glanced over at her, she was looking at me like I was insane.

Maybe I was.

But that sweet girl dog was gorgeous, and I couldn’t let her be treated like that.

Clearing his throat, the doctor asked, “So you tried to separate them?”

I threw my good hand up. “Yeah. I mean, they were big! She was all hollering and crying. I couldn’t just ignore it. I had to save her.”

The doctor blinked once more, total disbelief on his face. “So you risked getting rabies to save a homeless dog from being attacked?”

“We don’t know she was a homeless dog,” I corrected. “She is so sweet, and I couldn’t tell if she had a collar. It wasn’t a fair fight! I couldn’t stand by and let her get torn to shreds by three big old dogs. It was truly sad, and I had no choice—”

“You could have let dogs be dogs.”

I shook my head. Why was I being scrutinized here? “I couldn’t. I felt awful, and I didn’t think twice. I had to save her. Anyone would have stopped them.”