Puppy Love

Chapter 3

Amelia

I never give my number out. That was definitely something I wasn't lying to Owen about. Normally, I take numbers, so despite his need to be the one special person, or rather man, to get my number first, he ended up giving me his. I assume it's because he couldn't afford to lose contact with me, but I don't want to sound full of myself. I waited some days to message him, mostly because I was still unpacking my things and getting acquainted with my schedule and expectations from the hospital, but today when I saw his name in my recent contacts, I decided to message him a simple, two-word sentence.

Drinks tonight?

A reply comes almost instantly, his response making it clear that he knows exactly who he's talking to.

Am I paying? What time?

I smile at the message and remember our deal from last week before knocking on the door in front of me.

8PM. Meet at my place?

"Coming!" someone says from the other side. I hear a number of random noises of things being knocked over before the door opens, revealing the handsome stranger chef whose number I took yesterday. His hair is wet and slicked back and he's half naked, showing the extent of his muscular build. I forsake the temptation to check him out and instead try to keep eye contact with him. His dark blue eyes look surprised yet relieved to see me. Maybe he thought I'd blow him off.

"Oh, hi," he says, combing a hand through his hair, "I know I told you twenty minutes, but Siva is in a tantrum mood today and...can you give me five more minutes to get ready?"

"Sure," I say, finding his charm incredibly attractive. He reminds me of myself.

He steps to the side and lets me in. "There's water in the fridge and fruits on the kitchen table. Help yourself." He quickly runs back upstairs as Riley, and I, help ourselves to his hand of bananas.

I check my phone and see that Owen has already replied to my message.

I don't know where you live.

I'll send you a location when I get home, I say. I'm about to put away my phone when it vibrates again with another message.

So you're not home? It says. Another message follows right after. Are you mixing body fluids with the chef from Pisa's?

I roll my eyes and sigh as I bite half the banana and give the rest to Riley.

Not yet.

He ignores my response, much to my dissatisfaction, and instead says, I patiently await your house location so I can set up my plot to kidnap you.

"Okay, I'm ready," he says as he comes downstairs, a tan husky trailing behind him, "Amelia, this is Siva. Siva, Amelia. And Riley."

"Hi Siva," I say, stooping down to the dog's level to become acquainted with her.

---

I hear a knock at the door and, opening it, I see Owen on the other side with a minute bottle of vodka held out to me.

"You look like you should be part of a biker gang," he says. I'm wearing a navy-blue top, black leather jacket and boots and, although I mildly agree with him, I won't ever let him know it.

"Didn't I tell you I was?" I tease, taking the bottle from him and stepping to the side so he can come in. "No flowers?"

His eyes widen a little and it looks like there's a tinge of fear on his face. "D-Did you want flowers?"

I smile and crack open the bottle, pouring a small amount out on the floor before drinking half and handing it to him. "Isn't this our fourth date?"

"The third one wasn't a date," he says, taking the bottle from me and downing the rest.