"Carly Marie Ellis, you stop right this minute!"
Jess stood and stepped in front of Thor before the child could plow headlong into him.
The little girl managed to skid to a halt before running into Jess. She looked up at Jess with a big gap-toothed smile. Jess figured she must be all of six years old.
The woman arrived hot on her heels. "I'm so sorry." She took hold of the little girl's hand. "Carly, you know better than that. We've talked about this before. You can't rush up to strange dogs."
"Sorry, Mommy." Carly said, sparing her mother barely a glance before turning her attention back to Jess. "Hi. Can I pet your doggie? Please."
Jess couldn't help smiling. The little girl was adorable. Her blond hair fell to her shoulders in a riot of curls. Bright blue eyes shone with a child's innocent exuberance. Jess glanced over at Kim.
Turning her attention to the mother, Jess said, "He is friendly. She's more than welcome to pet him if it's okay with you."
The woman eyed Thor sitting quietly behind Jess. "All right. You can pet him."
Carly let out an excited squeal.
"But only if you stay calm and be gentle with him," her mother said.
Jess shot Kim a quick apologetic glance as she stepped out of the way. This was not how I planned on spending our time together. Her concern eased when Kim smiled. She kept a close watch on both Thor and the little girl as they interacted.
When the little girl and her mother finally departed, Jess decided to see if she could find a more secluded table. While she didn't mind people petting Thor, they had not even purchased their coffee yet. And it was beginning to look as if they were not going to get their coffee anytime soon unless they got out of the main traffic area of the patio.
She spotted a secluded table in the back corner of the patio near the retaining wall. "What do you say we change tables?" Jess asked. "Thor could use a break from the crowds."
"Would you rather just leave?" Kim asked.
"No!" Jess's face flushed at her abrupt denial. "I mean not unless you do?"
Kim smiled and shook her head. "That looks like a good table back there," she said, pointing to the same table Jess had seen.
"Come on, Thor." Jess snagged the blanket off the chair. She had brought it for Thor and never gotten to lay it down. Taking his leash firmly in hand, she headed for the table before anyone else could claim it.
* * *
"Hang on to him for a minute, please," Jess said.
"Sure." It wasn't until the leash was in Kim's hand and Jess had turned away that realization stuck. God, what do I do if he decides to take off or something? Her hands clutched tightly around the leash. You're being ridiculous. He's been nothing but well behaved all morning. She looked down at Thor, and he calmly returned her gaze. Kim relaxed and turned her attention to what Jess was doing.
Jess moved the small cabaret-style table and chairs away from the retaining wall to make room for Thor's blanket. Once they were positioned, she bent over to spread out the blanket.
Kim's gaze was drawn like a magnet to Jess's backside. She bit her lip to stifle a groan as she watched the flex of Jess's superbly muscled gluts beneath her skin-tight shorts.
Pulling her gaze away with difficulty, Kim focused her attention on Thor until Jess stood up. Friends don't ogle friends, Kim berated herself.
The last thing she wanted was for Jess to realize just how attracted she was to her. Kim was sure it would end any chance of a friendship between them. She had not missed the brief look of panic on Jess's face when she had inadvertently given her the impression she thought this was a date. Kim was determined not to let her attraction get the best of her. I could use a friend. I can enjoy her company and not expect anything else to come of it.
"All set," Jess said as she reached for Thor's leash. She guided Thor around the barrier provided by the table and chairs. "Down. Stay," she said in a firm tone. She tied his leash around the arm of one of the chairs.
Thor obediently lay down.
Jess turned back toward Kim with a smile. "What kind of coffee would you like?"
"I'm a plain coffee with cream kind of girl. Never really got into drinking some of the more complicated concoctions. I know that's almost sacrilege considering where we are," Kim added with a laugh. "I planned on having the house blend."
"Plain coffee... at Del Java? Oh, the horror!" Jess tried to hold an outraged expression but couldn't manage it. She grinned. "I prefer a strong cup of fresh brewed coffee without all that extra stuff added too."
"I won't tell if you don't," Kim said. She thoroughly enjoyed seeing this more lighthearted side of Jess's personality.
"What size do you want?"
That's when Kim realized Jess was offering to go get their coffee. "I can get it."
Jess shook her head. "Have a seat and get comfortable. I'll get the coffee."
"Okay. I'll have a grande. House blend with cream. Please." Kim unzipped the small pouch around her waist that held her money and pulled out a ten. "Here you go," she said, offering the money to Jess.
Waving off the money with a smile, Jess asked, "Would you like anything else?"
Kim hesitated. She was hungry but didn't want Jess to feel obliged to pay for anything else. "No. That's okay. Just the coffee is fine. Thanks." Kim flushed when her stomach chose that moment to growl, loudly.
Jess's eyebrow arched, but she didn't comment. She moved over next to Thor. "Thor. Stay. Watch!"
Kim's gaze darted nervously over to the big dog. Please be a good boy.
"He'll be fine. No one will bother you." Without a backward glance, Jess headed for the coffee shop's entrance.
* * *
Trying not to tense as she knew Thor would pick up on it, Kim kept a close eye on him waiting for his reaction to Jess walking away. Kim couldn't help being a little worried about being left in charge of the big dog. She was both honored and scared by the responsibility Jess was entrusting her with.
Thor peered past the table legs and watched his master enter the coffee shop. As soon as Jess was out of sight he laid his big head down on the blanket. He made no attempt to get up or move from the spot Jess had left him.
Kim quickly realized how well trained he was and relaxed. Now she understood why Jess had positioned the table and chairs in front of Thor's blanket. He was laying down with the retaining wall at his back, and the table and chairs in front of him. Despite the myriad of people coming and going in and around the busy coffee shop, Thor was not visible to the causal passerby.
The door to the coffee shop opened and Jess stepped out carrying a tray.
"Were you a good boy?" Jess asked Thor as she set the tray down on the table.
Thor's tail thumped a muffled beat against the blanket-covered concrete.
"He was the perfect gentleman," Kim said with a smile.
"Here you go," Jess said as she set a steaming cup of coffee and a small bag in front of Kim.
Kim took a moment to take an appreciative sip of the fragrant coffee. Mm... Turning her attention to the bag, she peeked inside. "Oh, a chocolate croissant. One of my favorites. You didn't have to do that. Thanks."
Jess smiled, looking a little bashful. "Well, when you brought me a muffin, you mentioned you liked anything chocolate so…"
A delighted smile spread across Kim's face. A treat and she remembered what I like.
"You can never go wrong with me and chocolate," Kim said. She took the warm croissant from the bag and took a big bite. Her eyes fluttered shut and a moan slipped out as the flaky pastry and rich chocolate melted on her tongue.
Feeling eyes on her, Kim glanced over to find Jess staring at her with an intensity that immediately brought a flush to her body.
Jess quickly looked away but not before Kim saw a vivid blush suffuse her face.