“Why’s it closed?” he asked as soon as she got out of the car.
“The owner had a death in the family,” Grace answered, standing in the drizzling rain.
“Get back in your car; you’re getting wet,” Ice ordered, despite enjoying the sight of her thin blouse becoming damp and clinging to her breasts. Ice could see the imprints of her nipples through her bra.
Grace nodded yet didn’t get back in the car. “We could go to my house, and I could fix us something to eat.”
Ice didn’t want to let her see how much he liked that idea, not wanting to put her on guard.
“Sounds good. I’ll follow you.”
Grace got back in her car, and Ice followed her to her house, not that he needed to; he knew exactly where she lived. It was a ten-minute drive to her house in a quiet cul-de-sac.
They ran through the rain, which had begun to fall heavier. Then he waited patiently as she unlocked her front door and keyed in her security code. A small, brown dot of a dog came barreling around a corner, slamming into the wall by the door.
“Are you ever going to learn, Bear?” Grace scolded the tiny dog that was shaking his tail until he spotted Ice. Then his whole attitude changed, snarling and emitting a low growl. “Behave,” Grace ordered, picking the little shit up.
Ice saw a large, black shadow with eyes coming from the same direction the dog she was now gripping firmly had come from. If Ice had his gun on him, he would have shot the thing as it walked lazily into the room. Grace saw where he was looking.
“That’s Daisy.”
“What is it?” Ice asked.
“It’s a giant schnauzer.”
“It’s a dog?” Ice had to make sure. He didn’t know they made dogs that fucking big. If it stood on its hind legs, it would be taller than Max.
“Yes, it’s a dog. Let me grab you a towel.” She disappeared, still holding the smaller dog, returning after a brief second with a large towel. “Get dried off. I’ll be right back.” Grace disappeared again.
The larger dog sat down on its ass, watching him balefully. Ignoring the thing, he surveyed her home.
It was spotlessly clean with flowers everywhere, from the print on the couch to the pillows on her side chair. She even had fresh-cut ones in a delicate vase, which sat on the large coffee table. She had brought a garden inside her home.
Ice wasn’t crazy about all the flowery stuff, but as long as he didn’t live surrounded by it, it didn’t matter to him how she liked to decorate.
Grace came back into the room, wearing jeans and a sweater large enough for two women to wear. Her feet were covered in bright-pink socks that matched the colors of her fucking flowers. She sat the smaller dog on its feet, ordering him again to behave when he rushed at Ice’s feet, growling.#p#分页标题#e#
“Sorry. He’s very protective.”
Ice stared down at the dot now gripping one booted foot between his sharp little teeth. “I can see that.”
The other dog just watched, not moving.
“The kitchen’s over here.” She went through a doorway, and Ice followed with the dog hanging onto his boot. He was tempted to hurl the little monster across the room, but behaved himself, convinced it would destroy any chance he had with Grace if he killed her dog.
He liked the kitchen even less than the living room. The bright yellow almost hurt his eyes.
“What would you like to eat? I can make us some sandwiches and soup, or I have a frozen pizza I can heat up?”
“The pizza is fine.”
She nodded, opening the freezer and taking out the pizza.
“I always keep one for CeCe when she comes over. Sometimes we watch movies together and she’ll sleep over.”
“Sounds good to me.”
She stopped tearing open the pizza, her mouth hanging open.
“I was just joking, Grace. Put the pizza in the oven.”
Ice wandered back into the living room, turning on the television set. Flipping the channel, he found a football game and settled down onto the couch. It might be ugly to him, but he had to admit to himself it was extremely comfortable.
Grace came to the doorway. “What would you like to drink?”
“I don’t suppose you have a beer?”
“You’re in luck. I have some my brother and father weren’t able to finish off before they left.”
She left, and Ice watched the game until she brought him a beer and set one down for herself on the coffee table.
“We can eat in the kitchen.” Ice started to stand up.
“Sit back down. We can eat in here.”
Ice didn’t argue, relaxing back against the soft cushions. The couch was growing on him.
The little shit jumped up onto the couch after several tries, sitting down on its hind legs and staring at him. The bigger one came to investigate and saw where it was sitting then fell across his feet, laying its massive head down on its front paws. Ice determinedly ignored Grace’s pets, losing himself in the game.