Crazy Hot Love (Dirty Dicks 2)

I clap my brother on the shoulder. It’s on the tip of my tongue to give him shit about growing a vagina and going soft on me since he’s hooked up with Mo, but I decide against it. “Water under the bridge. Now, let’s go make things awkward.”

“Oh boy.”

Rhett falls in step beside me as we walk across the room. I stop a few times along the way to say hello to some of the regulars, and when I finally make it to the table, Claire is watching me. She looks nervous, which I find cute as hell, and I can practically hear her eyes screaming at me.

I swear to God I didn’t sit next to this guy!

Please, don’t be mad.

I’m not attracted to him; it’s you I want.

Why are you sitting next to him? Why aren’t you making him move so you can sit next to me?

What the hell are you up to, Trevor Allen?

She narrows her eyes when I sit down next to the doctor, who has taken it upon himself to scoot as close to Claire as he can.

“Who are you?” I ask.

The guy turns to me, holds his hand out, and smiles. “Everett Smith.”

I shake the dude’s hand, giving it a nice firm squeeze. “Trevor Allen.”

When he lets go, he rubs his fingers. “You help out at Animal Haven. Mo has told me a lot about you.”

“And how do you know Mo?”

“Oh…” He smiles and looks at Mo. “I’m new to town. I’ve been here for about three months, took a job at the hospital.”

“You’re a doctor.”

“I am, emergency medicine. Mo tells me you’re a full-time firefighter.”

“That’s right.”

“She also tells me you work with Rhett on your father’s ranch and help her out at Animal Haven. That’s actually how we met—I’ve started volunteering for her.”

“He’s fostering a couple of strays,” Mo interjects.

Rhett leans back in his chair, one arm draped around Mo’s shoulders as he watches the interaction.

“That’s great. And your wife, she doesn’t mind animals, I take it?”

Rhett rolls his eyes.

“I’m not married,” Everett says, glancing around the table. His eyes linger on Claire a little longer than I’d like, but he doesn’t try to touch her. She is the most beautiful woman in the room, so I’ll give him a pass.

“Well, Everett, welcome to Heaven. It’s a great place to live, and I’m sure you’ll love it.”

“Thank you.” He smiles. “I have a feeling I’m going to love it too.”

“You know, Claire just adopted her first dog.”

Claire glares at me. Mo beams.

“You did?” he asks, angling himself toward her. “Tell me about him.” Her eyes meet mine over his shoulder, promising retribution as she answers.

“Well, um, he is actually a she. Her name is Milo, and she’s a blind Pomeranian.”