Playing for Keeps (Heartbreaker Bay #7)(16)

Willa rubbed her baby belly and met Caleb’s gaze. “The reluctant ones are always the best, trust me.” Then she was gone, off to help another customer.

Sadie stared at Caleb.

Caleb raised his hands. “Hey, don’t look at me.”

“She was matchmaking.”

“That’s what Willa does.”

“Not for me. I’m not . . . matchable.”

“Noted,” Caleb said. “But for the record, I disagree. You’re 100 percent matchable.”

Because that made her feel both flattered and incredibly wary, and because she never knew what to do with either of those emotions, she turned to dog backpacks and pulled out a shiny neon pink one.

“No way,” he said.

With a shrug, she went for a leopard print next.

“Seriously?” he asked.

With a small smile, she picked up the one she’d had her eyes on the whole time. A black patent leather one with a large white cat face sticking its tongue out at the world. Underneath in bold print it said Hello Kitty .

Caleb just looked at her.

“What?”

“It says Hello Kitty .”

“It’s an ego thing, right?” Sadie asked. “You’re afraid to risk your masculinity, even if it means this poor neglected sweetheart has to walk past her comfort level—”

Caleb snatched the backpack from her hands and added it to the pile that was getting worrisomely large. She laughed and pulled out her wallet, hoping her credit card wasn’t going to be rejected, but Caleb smoothly beat her to it like some sort of Knight In Shining Credit Card Armor.

Her rescue dog now officially had more possessions than she did.

When they finally got to Caleb’s car, Sadie stopped short. It looked sleek and fast and supremely spotless. “Maybe we should Uber,” she said.

“Not necessary.”

“Look, one of us isn’t exactly potty trained.”

“She’ll be fine. Get in.”

“Alright, it’s your dime.” She sank in the front passenger seat and nearly moaned. Soft supple leather cradled her, more comfortable than her own bed.

Caleb put Lollipop in the back in the crate they’d just purchased. Correction. Caleb had just purchased. He’d purchased a hell of a lot more than just a crate too. Bowls, food, leash, halter—both in matching Hello Kitty black patent leather—doggy toothbrush, toys, bed . . .

She waited until he slid behind the wheel to voice the question that had been on the tip of her tongue since he’d dropped his black AmEx card back at Willa’s pet shop. “Why are you investing so much on this dog that isn’t yours?”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he pulled out his phone, which was vibrating. “Excuse me a minute,” he said and got out to take the call. He stepped away from the car for a few minutes, completely out of sight, but before she could figure out where he’d gone, he was back and handing her a bag that smelled suspiciously like muffins. And not any muffins either, but Tina’s muffins from the coffee shop, which means they were made by Tina, the shop’s owner. Tina made the best muffins on the planet and Sadie’s mouth began to water. “What’s this?”

“Breakfast. To tame the beast,” he said, starting his car. “The rumbling’s driving me mad.”

She pressed her hands to her belly, horrified and embarrassed because it was true, it’d been rumbling since he’d woken her up, but she’d hoped he hadn’t noticed. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“My stomach.” He pulled out into the street and flashed her a wry smile. “I was at the gym before this and I’m running on empty. Hand me one?”

The muffins were bite-size, meaning they were perfect. She pulled out what looked like a blueberry one and handed it to him.

Keeping his eyes on the road, he shook his head. “I don’t like blueberry. You eat that one.”

Happily , she thought and popped it into her mouth, letting out a low moan of pleasure before she could stop herself. She reached into the bag and pulled out a poppy seed muffin next and held it out, ignoring the fact that his eyes had something new in them now.

Heat.

“I don’t like poppy seed either,” he said softly and watched her as she shrugged and popped that one in her mouth as well. When she tried to hand him a lemon muffin and he again shook his head, she finally caught on.

He was feeding her.

On purpose.

Dammit.

Before Sadie could blast him for that high-handed manipulation, Lollipop began to whine. Sadie craned her neck to see the dog, who was ears and tail down, looking sad. “Think she’s jealous of the muffins?”

“No. She’s scared.” Caleb pulled over and turned to face the back, reaching in to unhinge the crate. Lollipop immediately leapt at him. Once in his lap, she set her front paws on his chest and licked his face from chin to forehead in thanks.

He stroked her, and a bunch of fur rose off the dog’s body to float around in the air, inevitably landing on the spotless leather upholstery. With an easy laugh, Caleb plopped her into Sadie’s lap. “For the way home, we’ll figure out how to use the harness seatbelt we bought, but for now do your best to hold on to her good.”

“Not we. You bought everything.” But Sadie wrapped her arms around Lollipop and tried to cuddle her in, but the dog’s eyes were on Caleb, as if maybe the sun rose and set on his broad shoulders.