Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 1

likely hit the internet like most new dog owners. But Jordan knew all about the process of moving in a new pet. His own home housed a dog, a cat, and his son's pet ferret, and that was only when they weren't taking in overflow from the local shelters.
    You have two choices. 1. grit your teeth and deal with it until he's trained .
    OR?
    Cal was obviously not impressed with door number one. Jordan could practically feel the man's anxiety without even hearing his voice. He pictured the lean body pacing, naked from the waist up, light pajama pants hanging low on narrow hips. Of course he had no idea what the man slept in, but it was safer imagining him at least partially covered.
    Or, 2, let him sleep with you, which is where he wants to be, and accept the fact that your dog wins and will probably get whatever he wants from you forever .
    3?
    3. I can call you and we can discuss.
    Jordan grinned, waiting patiently for the decision, wondering if he'd even be told what it was. Moments later he knew.
    Gah. Puppy breath. Gross .
    Jordan's laugh warmed his entire body. Ignoring the fact that Cal was blatantly avoiding actual conversation with him, he was none-the-less charmed by this man, so rough on the outside, but—he was starting to suspect—not quite so tough on the inside.
    He could have let the conversation end there. He didn't, of course.
    Better?
    Yeah. Guess I didn't need to wake you.
    Jordan suspected that was paramount to a heartfelt apology for Cal. He hesitated only a second before diving in head first. He knew what he wanted.
    I'm glad you did. It was entirely my pleasure.
    He was about to concede the battle and attempt to go back to sleep when his phone beeped.
    Oh.
    Why that simple word said so much, Jordan couldn't be sure, but it settled somewhere deep inside him, and when he finally slept, his dreams were filled with images of one hot-headed Calvin Sherbrook.
    ****
    Despite the late night call, Jordan felt decidedly chipper the next day. He'd been trying to decide if he should give it a few days before he pursued anything more with Cal. The thought of waiting at all chafed, but Cal was reticent and downright skittish. Doing this right was more important than satisfying his inner hedonist. But that didn't mean he wasn't learning more about him. Lizzy and Andrea scattered constant updates around him throughout the day. The two were entirely too eager for his comfort, even if he did suck up every drop of information they spilled.
    "He's remodeling the old Sherbrook mansion."
    "He just up and left everything he'd had in Philadelphia to come home to help his gran. Isn't he sweet?"
    "Well, I heard he had to come here because he'd lost everything in some shady business deal."
    "I heard he's some kind of genius. Went to Penn State on a full scholarship."
    "No way."
    "Yeah way. Graduated top of his class just a few years ago."
    "Then why would he come back here to work construction on some old house?"
    "He loves his gran."
    "Oh." Sigh. "So sweet."
    "Yeah." Sigh.
    Jordan didn't know whether to tell the two gossips to shut the hell up or grab a coffee and hunker down in the break room with them like a wide-eyed teenage girl hearing all about the cute new kid in school. He did neither, instead stealing a short reprieve in his office between patients.
    It was then that it occurred to him that he now had Cal's cell number in his phone and he'd be a damn fool not to use it. He masterminded his method of attack while he stored Cal's number in his contacts.
    What he came up with was downright brilliant.
    Hey.
    For the first time in years he carried his personal phone in his pocket during working hours. He waited anxiously for the responding vibration. It was with an embarrassing amount of relief that he finally read the reply he figured was grudgingly returned. He couldn't be sure why that thought made him smile all the more.
    Hey back.
    You didn't crush your dog in your sleep, did you? Yeah. He was good at this.
    No.
    It came almost an hour later, and it made Jordan laugh out loud, surprising the girls who watched him constantly between scattering their crumbs of information around him. It gave him that much more pleasure to let them wonder about it.
    Can I call you later?
    No .
    Why not?
    I told you to call me Cal .
    Smartass. I'll call you at 10:00 .
    No .
    Jordan hesitated, sure the wisest thing to do would be to leave the man alone. That, however, was out of the question.
    Don't want to talk to me?
    It took another