Valentine Vote Read Online Free PDF Page B

serve others, not to be served.” Courtney laughed. “Of course, being the oldest child with two younger, very messy, brothers prepared me for a life of service. I started picking up after them when I was five.”
    “And may I say how very much we younger brothers appreciate our older sisters? Although there was a method to my sister’s selflessness—when Jennifer was picking up after me, she made sure Mom knew what a mess I’d made.”
    Courtney’s eyes crinkled as she smiled. “Reporting is part of the job.”
    “I suppose. My sister kept a list of my infractions.”
    They took the elevator from the garage to the sixth floor where the doors opened to a central hallway that accessed four apartment doors. Eric opened his door and motioned for Courtney to go in ahead of him. His housekeeper had been there just that morning, so he felt confident that his usual detritus of
Wall St. Journals
and
Washington Posts
were in the recycling bin. She would also have run and emptied his dishwasher, which, with his busy schedule, only filled up once a week.
    They were interrupted by a squeaky whine.
    “What’s that?” Courtney asked.
    “It’s kind of a dog.” Eric backed away from her and into the kitchen. He motioned for her to follow. “She’s in a kennel in the laundry room. I’m house training her, and it’s been a nightmare. The only saving grace is that her puddles are so small, the mess is minimal.”
    He opened the door to reveal his stacked washer and dryer, a washtub, and a large kennel that housed a tiny dog.
    “Chihuahua?” Courtney asked, squatting in front of the cage and pressing her fingers to the wire bars. She looked back at Eric. “It takes a real man to have a Chihuahua. You must eat quiche, too.”
    “My sexuality has never been in question.” He nodded to the little dog. “Her name’s Pinky.”
    Pinky stuck her tongue through the wires to lick Courtney.
    “Can I let her out?” Courtney didn’t wait for Eric’s reply. She opened the cage door and scooped up the dog. “Oh, she’s adorable.” Courtney lifted the dog to her face, at which point Pinky plastered her ears against her head and tried desperately to lick up Courtney’s nose.
    “Be careful. She’d adept at maneuvering that little tongue up a nostril. So far, my little friend Travis is the only willing subject.” Eric tickled the dog’s rump. “I grew up with Chihuahuas, beagles, and mutts. Sometimes we’d get a very interesting combination if we didn’t get them neutered soon enough. You don’t see many Chihuahuas who bay at the moon like a hound, but we had one.” Eric checked his watch. “I need to oversee things in the kitchen. Want a glass of wine?”
    “Sure,” Courtney said. She took Pinky into the living room and sat down on the floor with her.
    Eric watched them from the kitchen while he poured two glasses of Pinot noir and stuck the pork tenderloin and asparagus in the preheated oven to warm. God, Courtney was beautiful, and she seemed comfortable around him. His heart thumped.
    During dinner, they shared LSAT scores (Courtney’s were slightly higher), favorite movies (
Shakespeare in Love
and
Love Actually
for Courtney,
Saving Private Ryan
and
Clear and Present Danger
for Eric), best childhood memories (Sea World for Courtney, Civil War battlefields for Eric), and they polished off a bottle of wine.
    “Would you like some Courvoisier or Drambuie?” Eric asked after they’d cleared the table.
    “Drambuie would be great,” Courtney replied. “I’ll just use the ladies’ room first.”
    “First door on the right off the hall,” Eric said. He poured the liqueur in brandy snifters and took the drinks to the coffee table.
    • • •
    Courtney started to re-apply her lipstick in the bathroom mirror and then stopped her hand midstream. What if he wanted to kiss her? She switched to a pale pink gloss and applied it sparingly. Her head throbbed. The wine had contributed, but mostly her nerves had seized