Pawliday Love

Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

CAL

S o, I shouldn’t have broken into my boy’s house, especially when I knew he had a dog. But I mean, I’d been stalking Pierce for months, trying to figure out a way to get close to him—which had never happened. But in all the time I’d been stalking Pierce, Millie had never shown she had a mean bone in her body. But she’d proven when push came to shove, she was willing to do whatever it took to protect her owner.

Couldn’t fault her for that. At least I knew when Pierce had Millie around, he was truly safe, even if most of the time she just acted like a big, sweet, loving couch potato.

I knew I could’ve just gone back into that coffee shop Pierce worked at one day and properly introduced myself. The first and only time we’d been face to face, Pierce had been bubbling over with pure goodness and happiness, and all I’d managed were unintelligible grunts because I didn’t know what the fuck to do with the sudden surge of emotions I’d been dealing with.

He was a sweet soul full of sunshine, and he always saw the good in people. I was a grumpy asshole who barely tolerated humanity and preferred to be alone. And apparently, when I became infatuated and obsessed with someone, I didn’t know how to fucking speak.

Except when his adorable dog attacked me, that was.

Pierce stepped outside, making sure to not only keep his distance from me but also make sure that Millie stayed between us. I didn’t like it. I’d waited months to be this close to him. But I understood his hesitation. I had broken into his home, even if I was just leaving him gifts—little things I’d noticed over time that he liked but never wanted to buy for himself.

A camera he’d been eyeballing because he loved taking pictures of everything around him. The latest model phone to replace that awful one he owned now. A new laptop that wouldn’t freeze up on him so he could do his homework for school without his computer constantly giving out on him. New toys for Millie because I knew he adored the fuck out of the little masked monster.

And a bracelet—a gold bracelet with a little coffee charm and the letter C for my name. That felt like the most important gift of all, in my opinion. Because in a way—which was really fucked up—it branded Pierce as mine.

Okay… so maybe the things I got him weren’t little things. But they were still things I knew he wanted and needed. And I wanted to be the one to provide him with anything his heart desired.

The moment Pierce sat down in the lawn chair furthest from me, Millie completely abandoned him to come over and sniff at my boots and red pants. I bit back a sigh. She and I would need to have some proper training sessions so she could do a better job of protecting Pierce. She should be with him .

“Why were you in my house?” Pierce demanded, crossing his arms over his chest and tilting his chin up. I was pretty sure he was trying to appear dominating, but he just looked… cute. Pierce was definitely submissive. There wasn’t a dominant bone in his twinkish little body.

“I was leaving you gifts.” I waved my hand over my ridiculous Santa outfit, arching a brow at him. “You think I dressed as Santa for shits and fucking giggles, sweetheart?”

He scowled at me, and fuck, that agitated look on his face just made me want to kiss it right off. My obsession with him knew no bounds, and now that I was this close to him again, my need to touch him thrummed through my veins like a hot wire of electricity.

It was burning me up inside.

“Don’t be a dick when you’re in the wrong,” he snarked. My lips twisted with a smirk. My boy had fire.

I liked it.

“You want the honest fucking truth?” I asked, leaning forward to put my cigarette out on my boot because I didn’t want to be disrespectful and put it out on the concrete of his patio. And he didn’t have an ashtray. If I was sticking around, I’d have to rectify that. “You served me coffee seven months ago when I was working a construction job over in that area. You were nice to me, and you smiled at me with all the warmth of the goddamn sun, even when all I could manage were stupid fucking grunts as you asked me about my morning, how work was, and if I might get to relax that evening.”

I looked at him, and our eyes clashed. His blue eyes were filled with a mix of trepidation and… hope? Wasn’t expecting that emotion.

“I latched on to you with a single-minded focus, and I haven’t been able to let go since. So, I’ve been stalking you. Most nights, I camp out in front of your house in my truck because I can’t bear being away from you another second after being at work all fucking day.”

I jerked my thumb in the general direction of the Christmas tree inside. “I was literally leaving you gifts, sweetheart. Things I noticed you need and want. I even left stuff for Millie. I never meant you harm. I, uh… I don’t know. I want you to be happy. I just…” I shrugged one shoulder. “I’m fucking weird, okay?”

“You’re bleeding.”

I blinked at the very random subject change and followed Pierce’s gaze down to the arm Millie had sunk her teeth into. The dog in question was currently lying at my feet like I wasn’t a stranger she should be wary of, her tongue lolling out of her mouth as she slept.

I bit back a snort. Some protector she was, alright.

“If you had any sense about you, you’d be calling the cops,” I told Pierce honestly, turning my head to frown at him. “Not worrying that I’m bleeding.” I shrugged the stupid Santa jacket off. Pierce sucked in a sharp breath, and I looked up at him, a slow, wicked grin tilting my lips when I saw him drinking in my barrel chest covered in dark hair, the wide breadth of my shoulders, and my flat stomach. I wasn’t a small man. I did a lot of manual labor, and I had the body of a man used to hard work.

Pierce shook his head a little before focusing back on my arm, his eyes widening. “Oh, my God, that’s a lot of blood,” Pierce rushed out, quickly lurching from his chair when his gaze snagged back on my arm. His face paled considerably, and for a moment, I worried he might pass out. “Do you need a hospital? Why is it still bleeding? Cal, why isn’t it clotting or whatever yet?”

God, he was so fucking adorable.

“Is Millie up to date on her rabies?” I asked Pierce. I knew she was, but I needed to calm him down before he had a panic attack over Millie doing what she should have done. When he nodded, I shrugged. “Then a hospital isn’t needed.” I could probably do with stitches, but I wouldn’t tell him that. I’d just wrap my arm up and let it go. No big deal.

No reason to freak him out more than he already was.

“Can you find me some bandages?” I asked him. “Rubbing alcohol as well. And a beer if you have one.” I sighed and leaned back in the chair, shutting my eyes. “Tonight has been a shit show,” I muttered. Millie huffed in agreement, and that time, I did snort in amusement.

Pierce scrambled inside to get me what I needed… and maybe call the cops. Who knew. I guessed if he did call the police on me… well, I certainly deserved it.

And if he didn’t… we’d have a discussion some other time about safety protocols because not every asshole out there was as safe a bet as I was.

Millie grunted and rolled onto her back. I huffed and lifted my booted foot to gently rub her belly.

“What a mutt,” I whispered.

She just made a sort of snort-chuff sound in response.