4 Big Easy Hunter Read Online Free PDF Page B

and carried me to the bedroom. The room was only in slight disarray from Dick’s search. Mick gently deposited me on the bed and said softly, “There’s nothing to be sorry about, Susan.” His look turned from one of tenderness to one of amusement as he said, “Now, show me those sexy muscles you were flexing earlier.”
     

Chapter Five
     
    “John McNutt said you wanted to be a giraffe, so I assumed you liked giraffes,” said Ron grinning from ear to ear.
    Ron was attractive with dark, Italian, good looks, and although intelligent, he sometimes talked and behaved as though he were a goof. He could be counted on to be the life of the party, he would do anything for you, and he dated as many girls as he possibly could at one time. Why he sometimes went goof on us was a mystery.
    “What are you talking about?” I asked him as I scrutinized the strange object.
    “John McNutt said he interviewed you right out of high school for a sales job. He asked you what kind of animal you wanted to be, and you told him a giraffe. He said something about being elegant, with a long neck, and long legs. I guess you did kind of grow up to be a giraffe, didn’t you?” A big grin spread across his face.
    Everyone laughed, and I was starting to feel like I wanted to throw the heavy object at him. I could definitely feel a blush creeping into my face. I remembered the encounter with John McNutt. He had been a couple of years ahead of me in high school and was an arrogant jock. When I graduated, I applied for a summer job at a local insurance agency. He was the person interviewing me, and he asked the stupid question about the animal. I knew he wanted me to respond with a lion, or a tiger, or a bear, or some other aggressive animal because a salesperson should have an aggressive personality. It irritated me so much, and so did John McNutt during the interview, that I told him I wanted to be a giraffe.
    “How did you find out about that stupid interview anyway?” I asked Ron shaking my head and laughing. “It was years ago.”
    “John’s working at the gift shop at the mall. No one wants to go over there right now, so all of the stores have everything on sale trying to keep some customers coming in. When I told him I was shopping for a gift for you, he remembered you wanted to be a giraffe and said this would be the perfect gift.” He smiled proudly.
    “Look, Joe,” I said brightly as I held the gift out to him for a sniff. He checked out the heavy wooden object which only slightly resembled a giraffe, threw his head back, and let out a painful howl. Everyone laughed again. “I agree, Joe,” I told him as I placed the strange object on the coffee table.
    Mick had asked Nate to bring the hound and his bed over to our apartment for the house-warming party. The dog bed was situated on the floor at the end of the sofa, and Joe was restricted to the area by his leash which was looped around the sofa’s leg. He could lie in his bed or walk around in a three-foot area. I was sitting beside him and showing each gift to him as it was unwrapped.
    I looked down at the dog, patted him on the head, and said, “You’ve had enough attention. Now you lie here and be good. I’ll get a treat for you in a little bit.”
    The dog obediently flopped down on his bed, and looked up to me for confirmation. “Good boy,” I told him. I stood and addressed our guests, “Thank you so much for the gifts. They were unnecessary but appreciated. And everything is absolutely perfect – even the giraffe.” Everyone laughed again. “Before we eat, Mick will take you on the tour. He can tell you about all of the changes they made better than I can.”
    Mick led the group of guests back to the master bedroom with its large bathroom to start the tour. Across the hallway were his small office, so he could work at home more often, and my little library. I loved the library. The bookcases were a deep, rich walnut. There were two comfy chairs with ottomans and