mind us traveling alone together?” She asked the question so softly, she was unsure he could hear her question over the clatter of dishes in the kitchen.
He applied pressure to her hand causing her to look up. “I don't have a girlfriend.” As if anticipating her next question he replied, “I'm not married either."
Sam tried to mask the relief she felt over his response.
“Oh, that's good. I mean that I wouldn't want to cause a problem in your relationship.”
Ian stopped caressing her hand. His gaze moved to the window. He didn't say anything, but the intensity in his eyes unsettled her. Compressing his lips into a tight line, his body tensed, muscles bunched.
“Ian what is it? What's wrong?” A thread of panic wove its way through her heart. She searched out the window, but only saw a young couple getting into their car.
Ian blinked and looked at Sam, his features relaxing. “Nothing, I'm just going to check on Gin and make sure she's okay. I think I might crack another window for her.”
“I can do it,” Sam said as she started to slide out of the booth.
Ian stood up before she could swing her leg out. “I got it Sam. I need to stretch my legs after being cooped up in the car for so long. I'll be back in a sec.”
Sam kept her eye on Ian, watching him through the window. For someone who'd been nothing but sweet since he'd shone up, his behavior just turned odd. It was a mild day and Ginger didn't look like she was panting at all. Guess none of this was easy on him either.
Ian stood , hands fisted at his side, head tilted back. She could have sworn he sniffed the air.
A chill crept down her spine as he approached the Rover. Buzzing started in her ears again. Sam waved her hand, realizing it was just a fly. Not something you want to see before you eat.
“Hi!” Sam nearly jumped out of her skin. She spun around in the booth to see a boy of eight leaning over the back of her seat.
“I'm Connor and this is my brother Evan.”
Sam looked to her left to see a boy of about six giving her the most adorable smile.
“Hi. My name is Sam.”
“We saw your boyfriend go out to your car. Is that a wolf?” Evan said, his voice filled with awe.
Boyfriend. Sam liked the sound of that, but wasn't about to explain to the boy that Ian wasn't her boyfriend.
“No honey. That's my dog, Ginger. She does look kinda like a wolf though, doesn't she?” One of the reasons people gave Ginger her distance.
“I told you it couldn't be a wolf silly. People can't keep wolves as pets.” Connor informed his brother.
Evan slunk down in his seat and crossed his arms. “I still say it's a wolf. I've seen lots of movies and that looks just like a wolf.”
Sam bit back a smile. The siblings reminded her of when she and Jason were kids.
“Can we go out and pet her?” Connor asked , excitement evident in his voice.
“Well if it's okay with your mom and dad, I don't see why not. Ginger loves kids, but I have to warn you,” she said , leaning forward with a conspiratorial whisper, “She may just lick your whole face.”
Evan giggled. “That's okay! I love slurpy dog kisses.”
Connor turned back to his parents. Eagerness left him bouncing in his seat. “Can we go out and pet the cool dog? Please…please…please?”
The parents looked to Sam before answering. “Well if it's okay with her, I don't see why not."
Before the boys could escape their father held up his hand, halting them. "We can only stay out there for a few minutes. Our food will be here soon and I don't want any arguments when it's time to go in."
“Yes!” the boys shouted as they bounded out of the booth. Sam watched as they raced to the car. The frown on Ian's face quickly changed to a smile when he saw the boys approach, but his posture remained guarded. He extended his hand, clasping the father's before he opened the door to let Ginger jump out. Connor held his hand toward her, letting Ginger learn his scent. Evan clung to his brother's arm,
He applied pressure to her hand causing her to look up. “I don't have a girlfriend.” As if anticipating her next question he replied, “I'm not married either."
Sam tried to mask the relief she felt over his response.
“Oh, that's good. I mean that I wouldn't want to cause a problem in your relationship.”
Ian stopped caressing her hand. His gaze moved to the window. He didn't say anything, but the intensity in his eyes unsettled her. Compressing his lips into a tight line, his body tensed, muscles bunched.
“Ian what is it? What's wrong?” A thread of panic wove its way through her heart. She searched out the window, but only saw a young couple getting into their car.
Ian blinked and looked at Sam, his features relaxing. “Nothing, I'm just going to check on Gin and make sure she's okay. I think I might crack another window for her.”
“I can do it,” Sam said as she started to slide out of the booth.
Ian stood up before she could swing her leg out. “I got it Sam. I need to stretch my legs after being cooped up in the car for so long. I'll be back in a sec.”
Sam kept her eye on Ian, watching him through the window. For someone who'd been nothing but sweet since he'd shone up, his behavior just turned odd. It was a mild day and Ginger didn't look like she was panting at all. Guess none of this was easy on him either.
Ian stood , hands fisted at his side, head tilted back. She could have sworn he sniffed the air.
A chill crept down her spine as he approached the Rover. Buzzing started in her ears again. Sam waved her hand, realizing it was just a fly. Not something you want to see before you eat.
“Hi!” Sam nearly jumped out of her skin. She spun around in the booth to see a boy of eight leaning over the back of her seat.
“I'm Connor and this is my brother Evan.”
Sam looked to her left to see a boy of about six giving her the most adorable smile.
“Hi. My name is Sam.”
“We saw your boyfriend go out to your car. Is that a wolf?” Evan said, his voice filled with awe.
Boyfriend. Sam liked the sound of that, but wasn't about to explain to the boy that Ian wasn't her boyfriend.
“No honey. That's my dog, Ginger. She does look kinda like a wolf though, doesn't she?” One of the reasons people gave Ginger her distance.
“I told you it couldn't be a wolf silly. People can't keep wolves as pets.” Connor informed his brother.
Evan slunk down in his seat and crossed his arms. “I still say it's a wolf. I've seen lots of movies and that looks just like a wolf.”
Sam bit back a smile. The siblings reminded her of when she and Jason were kids.
“Can we go out and pet her?” Connor asked , excitement evident in his voice.
“Well if it's okay with your mom and dad, I don't see why not. Ginger loves kids, but I have to warn you,” she said , leaning forward with a conspiratorial whisper, “She may just lick your whole face.”
Evan giggled. “That's okay! I love slurpy dog kisses.”
Connor turned back to his parents. Eagerness left him bouncing in his seat. “Can we go out and pet the cool dog? Please…please…please?”
The parents looked to Sam before answering. “Well if it's okay with her, I don't see why not."
Before the boys could escape their father held up his hand, halting them. "We can only stay out there for a few minutes. Our food will be here soon and I don't want any arguments when it's time to go in."
“Yes!” the boys shouted as they bounded out of the booth. Sam watched as they raced to the car. The frown on Ian's face quickly changed to a smile when he saw the boys approach, but his posture remained guarded. He extended his hand, clasping the father's before he opened the door to let Ginger jump out. Connor held his hand toward her, letting Ginger learn his scent. Evan clung to his brother's arm,
Similar Books
