parents. I don’t really want to call either one of them right this second and tell them I’m at the house of some guy I just met.”
He laughed. “Well…maybe not the best idea. But you should call someone. I could be a maniac, you know.”
Sophie looked up at him. Her heart was doing flip-flops. He was a stranger, and he could be a maniac. But then she shook her head. “I know maniacs. I don’t think you are one. And if you are, you won’t be the first maniac I’ve tangled with.” She opened the car door, got out, and slammed it behind her.
“I’m not a maniac. And your friend Tara saw me go after you when you left the dungeon. So I suppose we’ll call you safe enough this time.”
He wanted her to be safe. It was a novel experience. Had Barry twisted her view of men so much? Of course Dave wanted her to be safe. Most men didn’t mean women harm. Safe, safe, safe , her mind repeated. Relax. You’re safe. He held out his hand and she took it. It was warm and rough. He led her up the walk to the covered porch of his small bungalow.
“I suppose I should have asked you this sooner, but how do you feel about dogs? Large, smelly, affectionate ones?”
Sophie could hear deep barking from inside the house. “How large?”
“Massive. But he’s a good dog.” He started to laugh as the scrabbling of claws on the door intensified. “He’s mostly a good dog. Here, let me go first.”
Sophie watched as he turned the key and inched in, pushing back what appeared to be a black bear.
“Down, Cerby. Come on, I’ve got a visitor. Don’t embarrass me.”
She grinned listening to him cajole his dog. Cerby— Cerby? —was barking and straining to get to her. She held out a hand gingerly. The huge black dog sniffed it and then licked it with a warm tongue full of drool.
“He likes to give kisses.” Dave sighed. “I’m so sorry. I’ll hold him. Come in please. He’ll settle down in a minute. He really is somewhat trained when he’s not excited.”
Sophie wasn’t that comfortable around dogs, especially dogs of this size, but she trusted Dave and so she decided to trust his dog. She smiled at the huge black beast and he stared back with big, dark eyes.
“His name is…Cerby?”
“Yeah. Short for Cerberus, the three-headed watchdog of—”
“Of the Underworld. Yes.” She laughed. “He looks like he could be quite the watchdog.”
“Aw, he’s a big pushover.” He finally released his dog’s collar with a strict warning. “Be good.”
Dave went ahead of her and Cerby followed. He put his camera bag on the table and switched on the lights to reveal a lovely floor plan of brightly painted rooms and colorful furnishings. The kitchen and dining room were one large space painted bright red. The walls and countertops were covered in tastefully arranged pottery and artwork of every color and type, from staid toile etchings to riotous South American pottery to flowery Nordic prints. She stared at the explosion of color as he crossed to turn on the lights in the adjoining living room. The walls there were a light green and deep blue. Instead of pottery and glassware, the walls were decorated with photos and hand-drawn artwork. Sophie stood and took it all in as Cerberus again began to lick her hand. She patted his head, noting that his height was nearly to her waist level. Dave turned to her and smiled.
“He likes you.”
“He likes everyone, doesn’t he?”
“No, not really. I mean, look at his stance. He wants to protect you.”
Protect me from what? Dave walked past her to the kitchen.
“Should I put on some coffee? Would you like a drink? Water? Beer? How about a glass of wine?”
“Sure. Whatever you like.”
“Go on into the living room. Sit down.”
Sophie was already moving before the tone he’d used registered with her. She lifted her gaze to him. He looked back, aware, but not apologetic.
“If you want to. Don’t let me boss you around.”
She sat on the edge of the couch
He laughed. “Well…maybe not the best idea. But you should call someone. I could be a maniac, you know.”
Sophie looked up at him. Her heart was doing flip-flops. He was a stranger, and he could be a maniac. But then she shook her head. “I know maniacs. I don’t think you are one. And if you are, you won’t be the first maniac I’ve tangled with.” She opened the car door, got out, and slammed it behind her.
“I’m not a maniac. And your friend Tara saw me go after you when you left the dungeon. So I suppose we’ll call you safe enough this time.”
He wanted her to be safe. It was a novel experience. Had Barry twisted her view of men so much? Of course Dave wanted her to be safe. Most men didn’t mean women harm. Safe, safe, safe , her mind repeated. Relax. You’re safe. He held out his hand and she took it. It was warm and rough. He led her up the walk to the covered porch of his small bungalow.
“I suppose I should have asked you this sooner, but how do you feel about dogs? Large, smelly, affectionate ones?”
Sophie could hear deep barking from inside the house. “How large?”
“Massive. But he’s a good dog.” He started to laugh as the scrabbling of claws on the door intensified. “He’s mostly a good dog. Here, let me go first.”
Sophie watched as he turned the key and inched in, pushing back what appeared to be a black bear.
“Down, Cerby. Come on, I’ve got a visitor. Don’t embarrass me.”
She grinned listening to him cajole his dog. Cerby— Cerby? —was barking and straining to get to her. She held out a hand gingerly. The huge black dog sniffed it and then licked it with a warm tongue full of drool.
“He likes to give kisses.” Dave sighed. “I’m so sorry. I’ll hold him. Come in please. He’ll settle down in a minute. He really is somewhat trained when he’s not excited.”
Sophie wasn’t that comfortable around dogs, especially dogs of this size, but she trusted Dave and so she decided to trust his dog. She smiled at the huge black beast and he stared back with big, dark eyes.
“His name is…Cerby?”
“Yeah. Short for Cerberus, the three-headed watchdog of—”
“Of the Underworld. Yes.” She laughed. “He looks like he could be quite the watchdog.”
“Aw, he’s a big pushover.” He finally released his dog’s collar with a strict warning. “Be good.”
Dave went ahead of her and Cerby followed. He put his camera bag on the table and switched on the lights to reveal a lovely floor plan of brightly painted rooms and colorful furnishings. The kitchen and dining room were one large space painted bright red. The walls and countertops were covered in tastefully arranged pottery and artwork of every color and type, from staid toile etchings to riotous South American pottery to flowery Nordic prints. She stared at the explosion of color as he crossed to turn on the lights in the adjoining living room. The walls there were a light green and deep blue. Instead of pottery and glassware, the walls were decorated with photos and hand-drawn artwork. Sophie stood and took it all in as Cerberus again began to lick her hand. She patted his head, noting that his height was nearly to her waist level. Dave turned to her and smiled.
“He likes you.”
“He likes everyone, doesn’t he?”
“No, not really. I mean, look at his stance. He wants to protect you.”
Protect me from what? Dave walked past her to the kitchen.
“Should I put on some coffee? Would you like a drink? Water? Beer? How about a glass of wine?”
“Sure. Whatever you like.”
“Go on into the living room. Sit down.”
Sophie was already moving before the tone he’d used registered with her. She lifted her gaze to him. He looked back, aware, but not apologetic.
“If you want to. Don’t let me boss you around.”
She sat on the edge of the couch
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