Winning His War

26

Andrew's POV

I watched from my place in a pool chair as Patrick ran around the back yard, all three dogs following him as he went. All of their tails wagged as they chased after the stick Patrick flung as hard as he could.

Charlie didn't even have a chance to grab it before the other two all but ran over him before fighting each other for the stick even though there were plenty scattered around in the tree line surrounding us.

I tried not to wince at their snarls and growls but as got more aggressive it was hard to drown them out. Patrick ran between them with no fear in his form, putting his hands right on the stick the dogs fought over as if he had no doubt he wouldn't be bit, even on accident. A smile stretched across his face as he pulled the stick harshly until the dogs were forced to let it go.

As they continued to play harshly, Charlie's ears dropped and his tail laid still for the first time since I had been introduced to him as he watched the other two hold Patrick's attention with ease.

He looked absolutely pitiful as he turned away from them and went to go back in the house until his eyes landed on me.

He limped ever so slightly but his tail began wagging again as he continued his slow pace until his chin was resting on the arm of the chair. He peaked up at me with the saddest eyes I had ever seen, clearly silently asking for something but I couldn't tell what.

"I'm not a dog person," I told him when he began to whine a bit while I tried to not make it obvious I was shying away from him.

No sudden movements. I reminded myself; still feeling the pain of the bites I had received when I was younger.  

Charlie whined louder as his foot on the chair, narrowly missing my knee.

My breath hitched as I stiffened more but Charlie didn't stop coming closer until he laid down on the edge of the chair, his tail barely touching me as it wagged back and forth quickly. His eyes were already back on the others but this time his ears didn't drop when he saw them playing.

I held my breath as I tried to push myself out of the chair but I didn't get fait before Charlie began whining again, his tail stilling in a second.

"You're spoiled rotten aren't you," I sighed as I stared down at him. My body was still stiff but I forced myself to lean back in the chair and just accept it to keep the dog still.

"I think all three of them are, actually," Patrick said as he walked up the small hill.

Sweat soaked through the shirt he was wearing and his hair was wild and flowing in every direction.

"At least we know Jem would treat us right if he treated us even half as well as he treats these dogs," I teased but the words fall deaf to his ears as he pulls the shirt that was soaked over his head.

My eyes were glued to his chest and stomach. His abs stood out boldly while his arms bulged from the work out with the dogs. I forced myself to look away from his form before he had a chance to notice I had been staring.

Patrick laughed at my words as he put the shirt on the back of his neck to wipe the sweat off from there.

"So Jem said he was working late tonight and he took Devon and Barrett with them," Patrick said as stared at the lake in front of us. A few fish jumped from the water while birds sang from just beyond the tree line. "What do you want to do while they're gone?"

Despite the view in front of me, my eyes had trouble straying from Patrick's back now. His shirt hid the muscles so well before but now that it was gone, you could see how much work he had gone through to earn them.