“Come on...please?” she said, sitting on the bed next to me. “I really like this one.”
“That’s the problem. Remember what I said? It’s always a guy that ruins a friendship. I don’t want to go out tonight.” I looked at Clay from the corner of my eye. He glared at Rachel. Not good. Too human. I nudged him with my foot while keeping my focus on Rachel.
“I like having a friend,” I said.
She smiled at me. “If he hits on you, then it wasn’t meant to be. Don’t worry so much.” She pulled me off the bed, and I reluctantly followed her out the door. Clay was close behind.
Peter, a pleasant looking man with light blonde hair and blue eyes, stood when we walked into the living room. He was an inch shorter than Rachel and, with his coloring, seemed her polar opposite. He immediately smiled at Rachel, and I could tell he had eyes only for her. I sagged with relief. His kind were rare.
“Peter, this is Gabby. Gabby, this is Peter. He’s going to med school. I bumped into him at the library last week. Peter, why don’t you tell her about Scott while I go get dressed?”
Rachel left the room in a rush, probably so I couldn’t retreat. I smothered a grin as I watched Peter’s gaze follow her. It took him a moment to collect himself.
“Nice to meet you, Gabby.”
“You too. Want to sit?” I motioned him back to the couch and took the chair for myself. Clay settled on the floor between us. “This is Clay.”
“He’s huge,” Peter said, appearing to notice Clay for the first time.
A huge pain in the butt, I thought without any malice.
“Yeah,” I said instead. “So, who’s Scott?”
“Oh, a friend of mine,” he said looking up from Clay. “He’s also in med school. We had plans to go to O’Donell’s tonight for dinner and a drink or two. Then, I ran into Rachel and invited her to join us. We thought it’d be more fun if you could come, too.”
Rachel waltzed back into the room at that moment. Amazingly, she had already changed into a skirt and complementing silky top. She’d heard Peter’s last comment.
“Of course you will, won’t you, Gabby?”
Two love-struck fools, who wouldn’t even consider my presence if it weren’t for Scott, had me cornered. Rachel really didn’t know what she was asking of me. A public restaurant wouldn’t be enjoyable. Yet, as she watched me hopefully, I knew my answer.
“Okay...but I need to be home early enough to let Clay out.” A lame excuse, but I needed to prep the idea now so I would have an out later.
“I’m sure he’ll be fine for that little while.” Rachel waved her hand dismissively at Clay. Clay huffed, but she didn’t notice. Instead, she shooed me toward my room.
“Go get dressed.”
I stood to go to my room, but Clay leapt to his feet in front of me. I stepped to the right to go around him but he mirrored my move, blocking me.
Rachel laughed. “Come here, Clay. Come here and let Gabby get ready.” She squatted down and patted her leg.
I’d seen her do this a few times before. Usually, Clay grudgingly responded. Not this time though. He kept his gaze focused on me and copied my feinted attempts to get around him.
“I’ve never seen him act like this,” Rachel said to Peter.
I kept my narrowed gaze on Clay.
“I’m surprised you have such a wild looking dog. It seems too big compared to the house...and the two of you.” Peter eyed Clay, too.
Giving up, I dropped to my knees and wrapped my arms around his thick neck, pretending to hug him so I could whisper in his ear.
“I’m not crazy about the idea either, but you have to let me go and stop acting weird.” I pulled back. “Ready to be good, Clay?” I said as I stood and scratched him behind the ear just as a pet owner would do.
He turned and trotted into my room. Nope, not ready to be good.
Rachel laughed again. She knew I usually kicked him out when I wanted to change and had already teased me about it. I’d pointed out she wouldn’t know how awkward it felt because he never tried to watch her change.
Resolutely, I followed Clay into my room and closed the door. I could just barely hear Peter and Rachel talking as they waited for me. Clay sat on my bed, watching me.
I folded my arms and kept my voice low. “I am not changing in front of you.”
My words evoked an eerie canine smile from him, and he settled down onto my comforter and continued to watch me.
“Fine. I’ll change in the bathroom.”
I went to my closet and started looking at my clothes already knowing very few things in there compared to the style Rachel wore. The skirt I’d bought a few weeks ago would look nice but added to my pull, it would scream “hit on me.” Biting my lip, I reached for the skirt. Clay began to growl fiercely.
“Zip it,” I mumbled and grabbed one of the dressier tops I owned, a fitted cowl neck top with three-quarter sleeves.
Clay started barking, a deep menacing sound that raised the little hairs on the back of my neck. I spun toward him.
“What the hell, Clay? Cut it out.” I knew he didn’t like that because he got louder.
Rachel burst in without knocking, and Peter followed right behind her. Clay, who had been sitting at the end of my bed, sprang to his feet as soon as they entered.
“What’s wrong?” Rachel looked at Clay, who continued to bark at me.
If possible, his volume increased, and I had to yell over him.
“Nothing. Just give me a few minutes to calm him down, okay?” I walked to Clay with the clothes still under one arm, and he growled at me. I faltered and eyed him with a hint of fear.
“Uh, I’m not so sure you should do that right now,” Peter said.
Clay turned and started barking at Peter.
“Enough.” My voice echoed in the small room. It apparently took Clay by surprise because the noise stopped. However, his attitude hadn’t changed. Teeth still exposed in a fierce snarl, he glared at all of us. At least he’d finished barking and growling. For the moment. I turned toward Peter and Rachel.
“I’m fine. Thank you. Just give me a few minutes to change.”
They shared a glance then left the room and shut the door behind them.
Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath. Without trying, I could “see” Clay in a painful burst of light. A first. My other vision usually required an amount of focus.
With a sigh, I opened my eyes and turned to him. He looked seriously pissed. My stomach churned. Sam had promised he could control himself.
“Will you bite me if I sit next to you, Clay?”
He snorted, and I watched the silent snarl ease from his muzzle. His hackles slowly laid flat. When he settled onto his haunches, I knew he’d calmed down and sat next to him.
“You know I don’t understand dog, right? It’d be so much easier if you just told me what was wrong.”
I turned my head to meet his gaze. Our faces were close together. Because of his height, he was looking down at me. He let out a gusty sigh and bent his head to nudge the clothes I still held.
“You don’t like the clothes or that I’m going out?” I watched his face, trying to figure out what he was getting at. He actually bobbed his head yes.
“You don’t like both?”
He lowered himself down onto the mattress and watched me with his sad puppy eyes, not trying to communicate further.
“You’re really frustrating me, Clay.” I moved to get up, and he growled again.
“Now, hold on...” I did get up, but spun with my hands on my hips to look him in the eye. Aware that only a door separated us from the suspiciously silent couple in the living room, I kept quiet despite my anger.
“I’m trying here, Clay, and you’re not. So stop growling at me. Got it? And so what if I go out? Do you trust me so little? Have you not been paying attention? I’m not comfortable around guys. It’s not as if I’m going to go out tonight and come back with a boyfriend or something. So, just chill out about your Claim, all right?”