Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

On the drive home with Rosario, memories of the evening replayed in my mind like a montage. The warmth of our shared dinner, the intimate stories we exchanged, and the lingering sensation of our first kiss on my lips. A blend of anticipation and nervousness filled me as we pulled up to my house. I wasn’t ready to call it a night. “Do you want to come inside for a nightcap?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady, despite the butterflies swarming in my belly; I felt like a teenage girl with a crush.

Rosario's eyes lit up with his smile. “I'd love to.”

We walked up to the door, and after fumbling with the keys, the dogs immediately greeted us with excited barks and wagging tails. I introduced Rosario to each of them—Milo, the wise old soul; Luna, the playful spirit; and Buster, the gentle giant who usually took time to warm up to strangers.

“And this is Mushu,” I said, pointing to my bearded dragon lounging under his heat lamp. “He's our grumpy boy, that head bobs at everything.”

Rosario laughed. “You do have a mini zoo here.”

I laughed, feeling a sense of pride in my eclectic family. “They keep life interesting, that's for sure.”

We settled into the living room, chatting and sipping our bourbon. Buster, who was usually hesitant around men, surprised me by lazily walking over to rest his massive head on Rosario's knee.

“Looks like Buster likes you. He's not the only one.” I said, winking as the warmth of the bourbon started to take over me.

Rosario gently scratched behind Buster's floppy ears. “Well, good. I was starting to worry.”

Just as I was about to tease him, Buster's ears perked up, and he let out a deafening bark. The other dogs quickly followed suit, their barks echoing through the house.

“What's got them so riled up?” Rosario asked, standing up.

I moved to the window, peering out into the darkness. “I don't know. They usually don't react like this.”

Without hesitation, Rosario headed for the back door. “I'll go check it out.”

“Please be careful,” I called after him, my heart pounding so fast as if it were going to jump into my throat.

Rosario disappeared into the night, his silhouette barely visible against the backdrop of the woods. I watched, biting my fingernails as he moved toward the tree line, the dogs' barking growing more frantic. Then, just as he reached the edge of the trees, he stopped dead in his tracks.

A moment later, he returned, his eyebrows furrowed. “I saw someone lurking out there. They disappeared into the woods before I could get a good look at them.”

A chill ran down my spine. “Who do you think it could be?”

Rosario shook his head. “I'm not sure. But we should stay alert.”

Whoever it was, I hoped they were long gone and had no intention of coming back.