Page 5 of Collars & Kittens
“That’s actually why I called. I applied this morning.”
“No shit?” He sounds skeptical. “You, Mr. Hermit Vet, entered a dating contest?”
“Hey, I’m not a hermit. But yes, I figured it was a chance to promote animal welfare. I’ll use the spotlight for some public outreach.”
Travis doesn’t sound convinced. “Uh huh. That’s the only reason, I’m sure.”
“It is. I can’t think of any women in town I want to date.”
Well, except for Olivia, a traitorous part of my mind reminds me, but she’s too young, despite my attraction to her.
“Maybe not long term, but you could have a little fun,” Travis suggests slyly. “Like that curvy cupcake baker, she’s sexy.”
I nearly choke. He doesn’t know I’ve considered asking Maddie out before. “Nah, she’s too sweet for a guy like me.”
“Like she knows how kinky you really are. I bet she imagines cuddling all night with the softie vet with the dreamy voice.”
I laugh more loudly. He doesn’t know how close that is to the truth. I was much kinkier in my twenties, but I’m getting softer as I age.
Travis and I joke around a bit more about how I don’t need the pet owners wondering about my sex life while I’m saving the lives of their pets before we hang up.
As unlikely as it seems I’ll meet anyone I click with, the thought of a woman seeing the real me, not the professional vet side, ignites a spark of hope inside me. I married too young and divorced before I was 30, and I’ve learned a lot about myself since then—enough to know that any future relationship I have needs better communication than my marriage.
My ex-wife, Misty, wanted a total power exchange relationship where I was always the dom, and I tried to be her everything. It took me way too long to admit it wasn’t working for me, that isn’t who I am. By the time we finally talked about it, too many resentments had built up, and she wasn’t willing to compromise.
Since my divorce, I’ve tried online dating, but I’m afraid of falling back into old habits of being a dom too often. I’m happy to spank a woman’s ass red in the bedroom, but that’s not the sum of who I am. I need someone who enjoys quiet nights of snuggling on the couch and watching movies just as much as she likes my hard dom side.
The real issue is that I’m set in my ways, and I don’t need to date. The local kink community might be small, but within the neighboring towns, I’m able to find play partners if I need to blow off steam. I’d have to love someone to disrupt my comfortable life. The chances of finding that special person on a radio show dating contest are slim to none, so it’s good I’m only planning on using the opportunity to talk aboutpets if I’m chosen.
Well, nothing to do but wait and see what happens. I push away thoughts of Olivia’s blushing face, how she called me sir...
No use dwelling on impossibilities. I turn my focus back to my furbaby patients, determined not to get ahead of myself.
Chapter 4
OLIVIA
I curl up on the couch with my laptop, a steaming mug of tea, and a purring Agnes, who’s feeling much better after her trip to the vet a few weeks ago. It’s an enormous relief that nothing was seriously wrong with her.
When Dalton called with the blood test results, he was annoyingly professional, sticking to the facts about her health. He suggested I switch her to a senior formula cat food and watch her closely to make sure she’s drinking enough. I bought her a fountain that’s supposed to entice kitties to drink more water. I was worried Anges wouldn’t like it, but she took to it right away, and from how often I have to refill it, I can tell she’s drinking more.
I lean into the soft cushions and take a sip of my tea before calling Sierra to video chat. It’s weird living so far away from her now, but we’re staying in close contact weekly to gossip and catch up.
Sierra answers, her face filling my screen. “Livvy! Oh my God, I feel like I haven’t talked to you in forever!”
Seeing her excitement makes me grin. “I know, it’s been a whole six days! How are you? How’s life in Seattle?”
Sierra launches into a detailed account of her latest date, a new job prospect, and the ins and outs of her book club drama. I laugh at her stories, feeling like I’m right there with her.
After forty minutes of nonstop chatter, she finally slows down. “Okay, enough about me. What’s new with you? Any hot yoga students I need to know about?” She wiggles her eyebrows suggestively.
“Oh yes, so many hot yoga students. I’m swimming in male attention.” My tone is sarcastic. Sierra knows that most of my yoga students are women who are middle aged or older.
She sticks out her tongue. “You know what I mean. When are you going to start dating again?”
I shrug, sobering a bit. “I don’t know. After everything with Ben, I’m not sure I’m ready.”
“I get that, I do.” Sierra gives me a sympathetic look through the screen. “But you deserve to find someone who treats you right. Someone who makes you happy.”
