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look after I’d bragged about my date tonight?
    “No worries.” Henry smiled, seeming unaware of his affect on me. “This should be good for his size.”
    When I took the treat from him, our fingers brushed and my skin sizzled where we’d touched. Was that static electricity or . . . what?
    I realized I was still holding my hand in the air and, uh, gaping at him. Not exactly sly there, Ellen. My cheeks went up in flames. See, I never had these problems using Detailed Dating . It was all behind the computer and . . . safe. Quickly, I turned back to Chester who was stomping his foot and staring at my hand with a starved expression. So impatient! “Here, boy.”
    I tossed the treat at him. Instead of catching it in his mouth like I’d expected, the cookie hit his nose and then bounced toward the black lab sitting next to him. When the bone landed by Kenzie’s foot, growling ensued.
    “Kenzie, heel.” Henry used a firm voice but instead of listening, as man’s best friend should, she opened jaws twice the size of Chester’s and engulfed the cookie.
    Grrrr. Grrrr. Chester crouched—not a happy camper.
    “Sorry.” I pulled Chester away from the treat-stealing dog since, let’s face it, if Kenzie grew a backbone she could easily pummel Rachel’s pup.
    “I’m the one who should be sorry. My girl has no manners when it comes to dog biscuits.” He pulled out another treat and handed it to me. “I guess that’s why we’re here, right?”
    Uh, no. I was here because I couldn’t stand the thought of leaving All Things Furry and never seeing this beautiful man again. When our fingers brushed, I had the urge to curl my hand into his. So not a good idea. “Thanks.”
    This time I held the treat close to Chester’s mouth. He took it quickly and crunched it with a smug expression as his nemesis licked her lips and whined.
    To avoid further embarrassment, I tried to pay attention the rest of class. My belly danced every time Henry made a joke or came close to me, and I found myself being playful back. I’d never felt comfortable enough to be silly in front of guys before, so why with Henry? Why did having fun with him feel so natural?
    I had to keep reminding myself that I had a date tonight that I was supposed to be excited about.
    ****
    When I dropped Chester off at Rachel’s apartment, she asked how class had gone. Even though I had the urge to tell my best friend everything, I stuck with, “Fine.”
    What can I say? My unprompted feelings for Henry Holbrook III, who I still knew almost nothing about, were totally embarrassing. And my obsession over Henry’s unknown nocturnal activities? Pathetic. I couldn’t admit them to Rachel.
    I received a raised eyebrow, but was grateful she left it at that.
    So, I drove to Old Sacramento and parked on the third floor of the brick encased parking garage. As I walked into Wok N’ Roll at half-past seven o’clock, I was determined to remember that compatibility (not uncertainty) was the key to a lasting relationship.
    I immediately spotted Craig in the waiting area. He had a nice smile, looked as handsome as his online photo, and seemed genuinely happy to see me. All things to check off my list.
    Standing, he greeted me with a handshake. “So good to finally meet you in person, Ellen.”
    “Thanks. You, too.”
    “Should we have the waiter seat us?” he said, politely.
    “That sounds great.” I smiled, then watched appreciatively as he went up to the podium and had us escorted to a corner booth.
    Craig was pleasant, polite, and a solid choice. Exactly what I was looking for. I breathed a sigh of relief. It felt good to be back in my comfort zone.
    After browsing the menu, we ordered several dishes to split, and then I sat back in my seat. “I can’t wait to hear what you think of Chinese food. It’s hard to believe you’ve never tried it.”
    He set his hands on the table, laced his fingers together, then met my gaze with a considerate expression. “I’m not as