26. Mural Ideas
Chapter twenty-six
Mural Ideas
Sawyer
I could have just emailed him the sketch ideas I’d made for the mural, but no way could I wait until Thursday to see Neil again. So, after getting all my client work done on Wednesday afternoon, I grabbed my sketchbook and drove to the shelter.
Shane sat at the front desk when I strolled in. I gave him a salute as I headed for the back. Then I froze as Neil came out the door that led to the dog kennels, Princess Bubblegum on a leash trotting next to him.
Neil froze at the same time I did, his eyes going wide as his eyes darted between me and his dog. “Sorry, sorry,” he babbled, backing toward the swinging doors. “Sawyer, I didn’t know you were coming.”
I took a step toward him, but my eyes snagged on Neil’s fluffy dog. She strained at the end of her leash, sniffing my way, tail wagging. I was struck again by how much she looked like my new cat. “I know, I should have texted. But I wanted to surprise you.”
“I’m very surprised, for sure. Uh, wait here, I’ll be right back.” Neil disappeared through the swinging doors to the back.
I slumped over the front desk. “Crap.”
“What’s up?” Shane asked.
I shoved my sketchbook his way without lifting my head.
Pages shuffled. “Demon Chihuahuas? Hah, this is great.”
My face flamed, and I shot up, grabbing the book back from him. “No, that’s personal. Here are the mural sketches.” I flipped to the back, where I’d sketched a few ideas, and then flipped the book around so he could see it again.
“This one is cute,” Shane said, tapping the one that was mostly cats. Figured, since he had a cat on his shirt with “Shed Happens” written underneath it.
“Text me a picture of your cat, and I’ll add it to the mural,” I promised him. I gave him my phone number, and my phone dinged a moment later with a picture of a short-haired white and orange cat I’d seen him carrying around the shelter.
Shane picked up the book, squinting at the page. “Is that a demon Chihuahua in the background?”
“What?” I laughed and pulled the book out of his hands, clutching it to my chest.
The back door banged open, and Neil hurried through—without his dog.
“Where’s Bubblegum?” I asked.
Neil paused, blinking. “Upstairs? Did you want to see her?”
A dog barked in the back, and I cringed without thinking, then held up the sketchbook like a shield. “Ah, no. I came to see you.”
“Hey, are those the ideas for the mural?” Neil snatched the book and grinned at the pages. “These are great.”
I snatched the book back before he could turn the pages. “Here. You pick which you want. Take a picture to show donors. I can get started next week.”
Neil got out his phone and snapped a photo of the one with a bunch of grinning dogs and cats gathered at a center spot like they were taking a selfie. “This one,” he said, tapping it with a finger.
“Good choice,” I said. “That one fits the most animals in it.”
“I like how happy they look, too.” Neil blushed and fiddled with his phone.
“Me too.” I stashed the book under my arm.
Shane smirked as he glanced back and forth between Neil and me. “Look at the time. I need to… uh, yeah.” He turned and scurried away, vanishing into the back room.
“You could have just sent me a photo,” Neil said, not looking at me.
“But then I wouldn’t get to see your smiling face.” I stepped closer to him and touched his chin, gently raising his head.
“We have a date tomorrow.” He gave an awkward laugh. “You wouldn’t have to wait that much longer.”
“Well, I actually had a question I wanted to ask in person. I should have asked you Monday, but…” My words stammered out to nothing. My turn to blush, and I fingered my drawing pad.
“I know how difficult it can be to say certain things,” Neil said. He tucked his phone in a pocket and took my hands around the sketchbook.
“Yes, well. I appreciate you telling me about yourself. I wanted to know though, uh, do you, I mean, would you be willing to stay the night on Thursday after the show?”
“Are you sure?” Neil bit his lip, but a smile tugged at the edges of his mouth.
“Yes,” I whispered and leaned toward him. “And it would be really hot if you topped me.”
Neil’s eyes went wide, and he sucked in a breath. I so wanted to grab his ass and other places, but I was mindful that we were in the lobby of his place of work. Maybe I should have saved this conversation for tomorrow night. But I also didn’t want to catch him by surprise again.
“I don’t know if you’ve had bottom surgery, but I have a strap-on you can use if you don’t have one,” I said, mouth just millimeters from his ear.
A full-body shiver went over Neil. “I have one,” he choked out. “But… are you sure?”
“Positive.” I pecked Neil on the cheek and then strolled away, unable to stop the grin. When I glanced back, Neil touched his cheek where I’d kissed him, a blush all the way up his ears and a smile on his face.