Saving Sunni by Reggie Alexander, Kasi Alexander Read Free Book Online Page B

of,” I said. “I don’t think he’ll come back in the store. And she’s going to personally walk me to my car every night.”
    “I think I need to come in there and meet Geri,” he said. I wasn’t sure why, but I felt a definite sense of foreboding.
    He came in over lunch the next day. It was a good twenty-minute drive for him to come from work, so I knew he was serious about checking out the situation. I was cleaning the front window (which I was convinced hadn’t been done in several decades) while Debi had one foot planted on the counter as she painted her toenails black. I saw his car pull up and had a crazy urge to run through the store yelling, “He’s here! Everybody look busy!” but I forced myself to stay where I was and wait for him to walk up the sidewalk and come in.
    There were no customers, so I met him at the door. After glancing around, he pulled me to him and we kissed for what felt like a long time. As we started walking through the store, a rush of pleasure and pride went through me. He really was a good-looking man. I snuck sideways looks at Debi to see her reaction.
    She stared, foot still on the counter, nail polish brush poised frozen above it. Sir caught the scent of the polish and turned to look at her, eyebrows raised. I could tell he was thinking, “If you worked for me…” and I think Debi felt it too. Her foot vanished, and she hastily started tidying up the register area. I thought I even saw her face start to get red, but she was carefully looking in the other direction.
    I gave Sir a quick tour of the store, then we headed over to Geri’s office. She met us at her door, nearly running to Sir and throwing her arms around his chest (which was as high as she could reach) in a hug. I’d never seen Sir look so surprised. He stared down at the top of her head as if he wasn’t sure what species she was and why she was attacking him.
    Geri was talking, but most of it was muffled by Sir’s chest. When she pulled away from him, she was saying, “—good to finally meet you. You must be Sir Rune? I’ve heard so much about you.” She took his hand and pulled him into her office. He looked at me incredulously as they went, Geri calling over her shoulder, “Debi! Could you bring a pot of hot water in here, please?”
    The three of us crowded into her small office and sat down. Geri went out and returned in a minute with mugs, tea bags, and sugar. Debi came in behind her, one bare foot with black nails and one plain, and set a steaming kettle on Geri’s desk. She gave Sir a quick glance and then, looking back at the floor, scooted out and closed the door quietly behind her. I watched her, confused. Her normally sullen adolescent look had been replaced, but I couldn’t quite read the new expression.
    Sir shook his head a little, probably at the thought of allowing employees to paint their toenails on company time. He took the cup of tea that Geri handed him, refusing the offer of sugar.
    “So,” Geri said, setting back in her chair and pulling her feet up into the lotus position. “You are sunni’s master? I’m very glad for the chance to chat with you, Sir. I haven’t been actively involved with the leather community in Denver for some time, and I think sunni is going to be really helpful to me in finding new products to appeal to them. She tells me you helped her compile this list last night?” She waved the stack of papers with possible puppy supplies and looked admiringly at Sir as if he’d singlehandedly cured cancer.
    His face was stiff as he sipped his tea and nodded. “I did,” he admitted, but he didn’t sound happy about it.
    She sighed rapturously, flipping through the pages before putting them back on the table. “I can’t wait to get sunni doing puppy and kink displays. I can tell she’s going to be a wonderful addition to our family. But—” she suddenly looked serious and leaned over her crossed legs toward him “—we are going to have to be very