Read By the Numbers for Free Online

started up. "Shh, you guys. Pete's going to toss out us out if you don't get a grip."
    "Nah, Pete'll just move for the duration."
    Deuce jumped and then waved as Pete came out of the kitchen, laughing at him. "I'm not going to kick you out, man. Really."
    "But you're not going to stay, huh?"
    "Nope. But look at it this way -- Rebecca and I are learning we can live together, and the other option is me staying here and you taking the dogs over to her place. Not going to happen."
    Deuce nodded. He couldn't really fight with that. "Sorry," he said for the millionth time.
    "Don't worry about it. I'll talk to you in a couple of days -- need to get back to work now. Lunch is never long enough." Pete grabbed his car keys and left, calling out a good bye to Q as he went.
    "This is so not right," Deuce said to himself as he went into his room. "And that's gross, little puppy. Outside is good for that. I guess I'll take care of you lot before I shower. Baths for everyone, what do you say?"
    The dogs approved, rolling and tumbling all over the place to get to him.
    In the backyard while the dogs romped, Deuce didn't realize he'd been waiting for the chime of his cell phone until it came. A text message yielded the information he'd been hoping for.
    "are u home? want to see the dogs."
    Deuce smiled and carefully shook a puppy off his foot while he sent one back. "in backyard w/them. come save me." He put his phone back in his pocket, located a chew toy that was in danger of being buried in Pete's garden, and hoped Trey would get there soon. The puppies were being especially adorable, after all, and what better way to snare a pet owner?
    Twenty minutes passed before Trey finally showed up, in uniform, an apology on his lips. "Sorry. We got a call right before my shift ended. Then it got canceled as we pulled out of the driveway, and I got held over for a few hours, waiting for my relief. Hey, pretty girl." He knelt and gave Q a pat, flopping her ears around and making her collar jingle. Then he looked up at Deuce. "Can I use the bathroom to change?"
    Deuce would have been delighted if Trey had stayed just as he was, but he had to concede that he himself would probably have wanted to change after work as well. "Yeah, sure. Of course." Deuce gestured to the door. "You can use my room if you want, since it's roomier."
    "Thanks." Trey rose and disappeared inside. Q whined and snuffled at the door for a while until he reappeared in workout shorts and a soft-looking T. "Whew, that's better. You have no idea how much underwear I go through in one shift." Trey dropped down again to play with the dog, who looked delighted with the attention.
    "Um. What?" Try as he might, Deuce wasn't sure what underwear had to do with uniforms. Plus, the idea of Trey in his boxers, briefs, or boxer-briefs was distracting.
    "Yeah." Trey chuckled and sat on the ground. He was immediately overrun with puppies, but he didn't seem to mind. "Go to the gym, change my shorts. Get a call, change my shorts. Get another call, change my shorts. Wake up in the morning, change my shorts. I bring at least three T-shirts and four pairs of boxers in my gear bag every shift."
    "Huh. The secret life of firefighters." Deuce grinned and pulled a puppy off Trey's arm, where it was trying to get a stranglehold on his sleeve. "No biting, you. So, aside from Q, do you have a preference for one of the dogs yet?" He sat down and kept the puppy he had, getting his wrist licked for his trouble.
    Trey looked thoughtful as he gazed over the mass of wriggling pups. He reached out and plucked one from the pile and held it up to his face. The puppy was a male, mostly white except for a few gray splotches on its back, and it gazed back at him solemnly. Its wagging tail was the only moving part.
    "This one's always so calm. Is that normal for puppies? Maybe it's got brain damage." Trey moved his face closer to the puppy and got a lick on his nose in return.
    "It doesn't have brain damage." Deuce