Dogs, Bats & Monkeys Series: EXTRAS

A Day Just for Us (One-Shot)

"Honestly, if that man comes to the Milk & Cream one more time, I'm going to... I'm going to... spit in his coffee!"

Rhys laughed at me and undid his seatbelt.

"I will, I really will," I insisted, imitating his movements. "He's horrible to everyone - the staff, the other patrons; it's a miracle Mr. Philips hasn't banned him from the café."

"We both know you are far too nice to spit into anyone's coffee, Riley."

I raised an eyebrow at my boyfriends; he was usually more sympathetic to my troubles at work. He kept smiling as he got out of the car and walked around it to open the door for me.

"What's gotten into you today?" I asked as I stepped out. The door produced a low thud when he closed it. "You didn't have to come pick me from work. Aren't you tired from the extra shifts at the training grounds and the pack Council meetings?"

"A bit." Rhys encircled my waist with his arms. "Which is why I told Keri that she might be my favorite Alpha, but she's on her own today."

"On her own?" I repeated, distracted by how his green and grey eyes narrowed seductively as he gazed down upon me.

"I'm taking the day off, Riley, and I'm spending it with you."

I took a step closer and placed my palms on his chest. The strong and steady beating of his heart was so soothing.

"Only the day and not the night?" I teased and he smirked.

I was still getting used to him doing that. Ever since we officially got together and I got over my initial... let's call it surprise that my love interest could grow a pair of prominent fangs and large quantities of fur in less than a minute, Rhys had changed.

Once he found out I was not going to run off to a third world country just to hide from him, that I returned his feeling and wanted to be with him, he'd become more confident around me. Sure, there were times that he still blushed and moments when he found it awkward to speak on more private, adult topics - sexting was out of the question - but he'd definitely come a long way from the first time we went out. Back then, when he drove me to my apartment, he shook my hand. I realized that it wasn't really a date and that his younger brother was with us, but he could've at least hugged me.

"We'll see." He winked, letting go of me.

I shook my head to clear my mind; what had we been talking about?

Oh, yes, spending the day and night together.

"It's not like you can run away from me now that we live in the same house," I pointed out as we walked towards our home. The third step to the porch no longer screeched and I wondered how had Rhys fixed it.

"Riley Rivers, I will not run away from you for all the money in the world." He didn't give me a chance to reply to that corny, yet touching statement and instructed: "Dining room."

I swirled into that direction and gasped at the sight before me: a table covered with pristine white cloth was laden with food.

"You made me dinner," I exclaimed and got on my tiptoes to kiss him.

"It's not that big of a deal," he murmured.

It was true that Rhys often cooked for me, but this time he'd outdone himself. Large roasted chicken and fancy salads apart, he'd served the food in our best china and he'd decorated the table with candlesticks and a large vase with freshly picked flowers, surely taken from his mother's garden.

"What's the occasion?" I asked as I walked into the room and inspected the table from a closer range. Rhys had placed wineglasses on it, but there was no whine; instead, there was a large bottle of our favorite tart cherry juice.