Renita Pizzitola Quotes

With my gaze on anything but Cade, I moved around the room but when Scout spotted me he trotted over. I knelt down and rubbed his ears. The silky fur between my fingers stirred memories.

Scout's tongue flicked under my chin. I leaned my head back and smiled.

"He kissed you," a little boy said. "That means he likes you."

"You think so?" I scrubbed my hands over Scout's neck.

"Yeah. Right, Cade? Dog kisses mean they like you."

I kept my eyes on Scout to avoid looking at Cade.

"Yep, means he likes her." He sat a few feet away and his words wrapped around me, his voice comforting.

Scout lifted his paw and placed it on my knee.

"What's that mean, Cade?" The little boy pointed to my leg.

"Hmm, maybe he doesn't want her to leave." I peeked over, and Cade met my gaze. "He likes her too much."

I looked away.

"Maybe he loves her," the little boy said in a singsong voice.

Without missing a beat Cade said, "Maybe he does."

The little boy broke into a fit of belly laughs, and Cade scooted closer. He poked him playfully in the side. "Hey, what's funny about that?"

"He's a dog. She's a girl."

"That's true," Cade whispered. "But a pretty one, so can you really blame him?"

The little boy giggled more. "That's silly."

Scout nudged me with his wet nose and I cupped his face. "It's okay, boy, the feeling is mutu

Though I will tell you, you ruined me. I've held a lot of girls I kissed to your standard and I've been sorely disappointed.

There she is," he said.

I scanned the room for Mason's current love interest. "Where?"

"Pink top, brown ponytail."

"She's cute. But a little too innocent for your taste."

"Looks can be deceiving." He grinned.

"How did a girl like me end up with a man-whore like you for a best friend?"

"I'm the one who should be asking how a guy like me ended up with a prude like you."

"Hey, I'm not a prude. Well, at least I don't think I am. Who knows?"

"I already volunteered my services. Telling you, once you're devirginized you're gonna go wild. Might as well get it out of the way."

I hushed him and looked around. "Someone will hear you."

"A guy who likes sex and a girl who's a virgin. Yeah, that's something no one's ever seen before." He shrugged. "I'm just trying to do you a favor."

I laughed. "Your thoughtfulness amazes me."

"No-strings-attached sex is very generous. You laugh now but one day you'll come around."

"No thanks. I know where you've been."

"Good point." He glanced back at the girl. "And you know where I'm going."

I rolled my eyes. "Go. It's fine."

"That's okay. I'll find her later. I promised not to abandon you."

"Go. Seriously. I'm fine. I'll practice blending in with the walls."

"Now I really can't leave you." He shifted his weight and stared at me.

"It was a joke. Any

he ran his fingers up and down my arm and occasionally planted light kisses on my neck.

I wandered into the kitchen with my beer cup still in hand. There was nothing worse than being alone at a party. Well, not true. Being alone and sober.

"Hey."

I turned and was actually happy to see Noah. At least I wouldn't be the lonely loser. "Hi."

He glanced at my still mostly full beer.

"I really hardly ever drink. My friend assumes if he puts a beer in my hand I'll drink it; if I don't, he does. I'm more or less his cupholder.

He's so fucking hot," Isla whispered under her breath.

"Mm-hmm."

She turned to me.

I blinked then looked at her. When I noticed her expression, I clarified. "Oh, the other one.

So to clarify, I like you. More than like you. You're my happy.

You came back. Guess I didn't totally wreck your day." He smiled. As if that face could ruin anything. "You didn't look like you wanted to kill me or anything when you walked in, so I'm hoping we're all good?"

Okay, so technically he was thinking about how he possibly screwed up my life, not so much me, but, whatever, I'd take it.

"It's all good. I was on time and considering the dress code here is apparently anything five times your normal size" - I gestured to my scrubs - "no one seemed to notice or care I had on your shirt.

As we got into his car he tossed a glance my way. "So how much of that did you really hear?"

Shit.

I stared out the window. "Enough to know his heart's in the right place" - I turned to Ryder - "and that he's wrong."

He was quiet for a moment, and I couldn't tell if he was angry or thoughtful but then he reached over and slipped his fingers through mine. He raised my hand and pressed a kiss on my knuckles. "Well, he was definitely wrong about one thing." He kept his eyes on the road, but a small smile finally ghosted across his lips. "For the record, I was interested in high school. But your burning hatred for me seemed a good reason to keep my distance."

Fighting back a grin, I shook my head. "It wasn't burning."

With a sideways glance, he curved his mouth into the sexiest smile ever. "Yeah, I saw the way you looked at me, it kind of was."

I peeked over at him. "Maybe that wasn't hatred you saw."

He raised an eyebrow.

I shrugged.

"Wow." He puffed out air. "Now you tell me.

I hate this dress," I grumbled, and slogged upstairs. Each step was a challenge due to the restrictive fabric.

"I don't."

I glanced back at a grinning Ryder. The door creaked as I pulled it open on the third floor. Ryder reached past me and held it.

"It's my roommate's, so if you want to borrow it, you have to take it up with her." I slipped past him.

"You're quite the feisty drunk

You know, it kind of empowers people when you hate them. It's a very strong emotion, and if you hate someone, you are allowing them to elicit that from you. I think some people don't deserve my feelings. I'd rather save them for the people who do. And, really, anyone who would warrant my hate isn't worth my time.

He studied me, and I hoped to God I had my game face on.

His phone dinged again. "This crazy-ass voicemail. It's all jacked - Wait, when did you call me?"

"Please don't listen to that," I blurted.

He grinned. "Okay, now I have to hear it. Was this last night? Were you drunk? Did you drunk-dial me?" he teased. But it was too late, he'd already lifted the phone.

Bile rose in my throat and the room became a thousand degrees hotter. "Please. Don't."

"Why? What's wrong?" He grew quiet and listened. "I don't hear anything. Wait. You didn't mean to call, did you? Is that another guy?"

I put my face in my hands. Cade was quiet as he listened. And I prayed for a giant black hole to open and swallow me.

His phone made a soft thump as he tossed it onto the coffee table. The couch moved with him as he settled back.

"You can uncover your face now." His tone didn't sound angry but I still couldn't face him. His hands slid around my wrists and gently tugged, forcing me to lower them.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, annoyed that I didn't even have my own car to leave.

"Was that your roommate?" he asked.

I nodded, my face still tucked down.

"And…her boyfriend?"

"No, her best friend."

"So you told your roommate about me?"

I could hear the smile in his voice and looked up.

"I mean, I assume you don't know a bunch of 'therapy dog' guys named Cade, but I could be wrong."

"You

I love you."

He planted a kiss on my collarbone. "I love you most."

"You skipped more."

"It wasn't enough.

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