“Your choice, bud. Not mine,” I whispered knowing he’d hear me over Rachel’s puttering as she heated the steak for him.
I grabbed my plate and cup and made my way to the kitchen to quickly wash and dry them.
“Thanks for the shopping and movie, Rachel. And the leftovers. You’ve made this feel like home in less than a day.” I quirked a half-smile at her. “But I’m beat and going to bed. See you in the morning.”
Before I left the kitchen, I looked back to make sure Clay didn’t follow. He sat near Rachel, watching me. Hastily looking away, I escaped to my room. The last thing I needed was for him to think that backward glance had been an invitation to join me.
Odd as it sounded, having Clay in the house made it easier for me to fall asleep. Although still a stranger to me, I knew his world and his rules. He’d keep me safe. Yet, regardless of Sam’s assurance that I needn’t worry about him, he remained a concern.
The next morning I woke feeling great. Sleeping on a full-size bed definitely beat sleeping on a twin. I didn’t think I would ever be able to go back. The new comforter had done a better job keeping in the heat than my old one. My feet were nice and toasty.
I stretched my legs from their curled position and hit something warm and solid through the covers. No...he wouldn’t. I sat up and glared at Clay, who was already awake and contentedly stretched out at the end of my bed. His eyes met mine.
“No,” I whispered. “No dogs allowed on my bed.”
He snorted out a sigh and laid his head down, closing his eyes.
“Seriously, Clay. Don’t you think this is just a little inappropriate?”
He didn’t move.
“Fine.” I used my feet to try to push him off the bed, but he didn’t budge. Leaning back, I braced my hands on the wall and pushed harder, straining to move his stubborn, irritating fur from my new comforter.
He still didn’t move but did open one eye to look at me.
I gave up and glared back. “If you shed all over my comforter, I’m locking my door at night.” I tossed back the covers and got out of bed. “With an eyehook,” I added for good measure.
He wisely didn’t follow me as I made my way to the bathroom. Rachel already moved around in the kitchen.
“Are you a coffee drinker?” she called to me.
With a mouthful of toothpaste, I had to spit before I could answer.
“No. More of a milk or orange juice person.” I finished up in the bathroom, joined her in the kitchen, and noticed her scrubs.
“Going to work?” I asked as I sat on a kitchen chair and pulled my feet up from the cool floor.
“Yep. Sorry to leave you on your own so soon. I’ll be back around five. If you need anything, just call my cell. If I don’t answer, leave a message, and I’ll get back to you.” She filled a travel mug with the coffee she had made and rinsed out the pot. “Oh, when I went to bed, Clay whined at your door, so I let him in. Hope that was okay...”
“Yeah, that’s fine.” What else was I supposed to say without sounding weird or bitchy? Inspiration to pay him back for his sneaky method struck.
“Have you thought of taking him to a vet?”
Rachel paused mid-rinse. “I hadn’t, but you’re right. He should probably go if we’re going to have him in the house with us. I’ll call around and make an appointment. I need to check into licensing him, too. Ugh. Shots are probably going to cost a fortune.” She looked at me pleadingly.
Darn idea to get back at him would cost me money. “Yeah, I’ll go in halves.” I got up and started back toward my room.
“Great. Talk to you tonight,” she called as she went out the back door.
Clay still sprawled on my bed. He took up the full width with his back paws folded in toward his stomach so they wouldn’t fall off. I stood in the doorway and studied him while he, in turn, watched me. We were finally alone, and I was determined to set some rules.
“First, I’d like to clarify that this does not qualify as getting to know each other. Second, you smell like wet dog. If you want to continue to sleep in my room, on my bed, you’ll let Rachel give you a bath when she gets home.” He snorted at that but didn’t get off the bed. “Third, once I’m awake, you get out. I know what you are, and I am not changing in front of you.”
He outright harrumphed at that one, and I swore I saw a canine smile. But, he did hop down from the bed. He left the room with quiet dignity.
I closed the door behind him, remade the bed—thankfully, he didn’t appear to shed—and grabbed some clothes. I had two goals for the day. First, I needed to figure out how long it would take me to walk to the campus from here. Then, I needed to learn the bus schedule for the days I ran late or the weather prevented walking. If worst came to worst, I’d buy a beater car to drive.
Opening the door, I was startled to see Clay sitting there patiently waiting for me.
“What are you doing?” I asked when he didn’t move. Of course, he didn’t answer.
I eyed him warily and walked past him. In the kitchen, I grabbed the house key from the counter then moved to the back door. Clay’s nails clicked on the floor as he followed me.
“I’m going for a walk, and you’re staying here,” I said when he made to follow me outside.
Clay growled slightly in response.
His deep growl gave me pause. He sounded scary.
“Please don’t do that. Unless you really are trying to scare me.”
His fur continued to bristle, but his growl stopped. Our relationship wouldn’t go anywhere if he thought he could bully and maneuver me to his way of thinking.
“And don’t crab at me. I’m not the unlicensed dog without a leash. Do you want me to talk Rachel into buying a pink collar for you?”
He coughed out a strangled bark then turned and walked back to the living room.
“See you later,” I said, feeling a little smug.
The walk to campus took about forty minutes. I didn’t mind the time, but the distance and the number of catcalls I’d received made walking impractical and unsafe. After checking the bus schedule and stops, I knew I’d need to buy a car. A necessity that would put a significant dent in my savings.
On the way home, I stopped at a small grocery store to pick up some essentials. Browsing, I found a new bar of soap, an extra toothbrush, dog food, and groceries for the week.
Loaded down with the bags, it seemed to take forever to reach the house. When I finally got there, my arms ached. I would need to remember to bring one of my messenger bags if I ever walked there again. It made carrying things so much easier. I made my way to the back of the house and saw Clay sunning on the deck.
“Nice to know you can let yourself out,” I said as I walked past him. I nudged open the door and kicked it closed behind me. With a sigh, I put the bags on the table and began to unpack.
After a sharp bark from outside, I grudgingly turned to let Clay in.
“What? Can’t let yourself back in?” He didn’t respond, except to sit by the sink. I went back to the table and reached into one of the bags.
“Look what I got you.” I pulled out a small bag of dog food.
Clay growled again, but it lacked any menace.
“You want to look like a normal dog don’t you? Well... as normal as a dog your size can look, anyway.” I set the bag on the floor next to the bowl of water Rachel had set out for him and continued to unpack, saving the soap and toothbrush for last.
“These are for you. You have two choices. You can use them when Rachel’s gone, or you can wait until she’s back, and I’m sure she’d be happy to help you.”
He studied me for a moment then walked out of the kitchen, turning toward the bathroom. I followed a few steps behind.
A startled yelp escaped me when I rounded the corner and caught sight of a naked backside. Without much thought, I tossed the soap and toothbrush in and slammed the door shut.