Cooper: A Clean Billionaire Romance

Christina Benjamin

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Epilogue

Also by Christina Benjamin

About the Author

Donovan: A Clean Billionaire Romance

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher.

Copyright © 2019 by Christina Benjamin

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by Crown Atlantic Publishing

Version 1.1

April 2019

Chapter 1

Cooper

“How about here, sir?” Suzette holds the frame against the white painted wall in a spot where the fading summer sun shines in through the open window behind my desk. “Look at how handsome you are in this magazine cover. I can’t get over it!”

The thirty-year-old mother of two giggles and winks at me when I roll my eyes. She’s talking to me like she would one of her little boys, despite the fact that I’m only younger than her by two years.

I dismiss her enthusiasm with a wave of the hand. “You know how much they touch those things up. The picture barely looks like me. My tie wasn’t even red when I did that photoshoot, it was black.”

Suzette just shakes her head, ignoring me as she inches the frame a little to the right. “Maybe here would be better? In the evening light like this, you look quite scholarly. Like a professor or something.”

“I’m not a professor, Suzette, I’m a CEO,” I grumble. “Leave it there and I’ll hang it later.” I wave my hand, dismissing her constant fussing.

She’s been trying to find the perfect spot for the frame for a good forty-five minutes. There’s no need to spend so much time on office décor, despite the fact that it’s office décor with my face on it. We had more important matters to focus our energy on.

Suzette nods, hiding a smirk. With a pencil, my assistant lightly marks the wall where the corners of the heavy wooden frame should be placed then sets it down on the floor with a quiet thud. Stepping back, her eyes trail over the walls of my office, perched high up on the thirtieth floor of my very own skyscraper. An abundance of certificates, magazine covers and awards are already hung proudly, as well as quite a few framed photos of Rosco, my silver-furred Husky.

Suzette smiles when she focuses on a photo of him, tongue lolling from the corner of his mouth and large snout tilted happily toward the sky. “Your dog is so cute. My boys have been begging for one but we just don’t have the time. I think I would go insane if I had to walk a dog and keep the kids alive. Parenting is hard enough.” She turns toward me, grinning in a tired but gratified way. “I just keep telling myself if I work hard enough, they’ll end up like you, successful and smart.”

“That’s nice of you to say,” I offer uncomfortably, unsure how to react to being a role model to children I’ve never met. Especially when I didn’t have very good role models myself as a child.

Unfortunately, my parents aren’t where I got my famous drive and ambition. If anything, the only thing I inherited from them was a fear of commitment. Their toxic marriage ended in divorce when I was sixteen, but it seems I still haven’t healed from being used as a bargaining tool to inflict pain against each other. It led to my early emancipation and continued aversion to personal relationships—something Suzette endlessly tries to remedy by setting me up with hordes of her just-so-happens-to-be-single friends.

The woman can’t take a hint. If she wasn’t the best damn assistant I’d ever had I wouldn’t put up with her pushy personality. Currently, she’s laughing at my expense, taking in my stiffness with delight, before gesturing back to the framed magazine cover.

“It really is a remarkable photo,” Suzette purrs. “You should let me show it to some of my girlfriends.”

I roll my eyes and stare at the massive frame now leaning against my wall.

‘30 Billionaires Under 30!’ the headline reads, my face proudly smirking out from the glossy cover. I inspect my photographed tie, trying to pick out any fine black stitches that might’ve been missed in photo-shopping it red, but it’s flawlessly edited. It’s perfect enough to make me almost doubt that I’d been wearing a black one tie, despite the fact that I’d never owned a red tie in my life.

“I read your interview yesterday, Cooper. I can’t believe I’ve been working here for two years and I never knew the whole story. I knew you built Townsend Tech from the ground up but I didn’t know your family had nothing to do with it. I always assumed . . .” She trails off abruptly, clearing her throat. “Well, you know,” she settles on saying uncertainly.

I appraise her, noting the anxious twitch of her lips. “That I had a trust fund to fall back on if I failed?” I reply, suppressing a smile of my own as I complete her thought.

She sheepishly nods and offers an apologetic shrug. “I had no idea that you started this tech firm with nothing more than your own grit and determination. It’s so impressive, especially with how young you are.”

“Thanks,” I offer with a smile.

She sidles toward the door, her face clouding. I can tell when she has something to say—something I’m probably not going to like. She clears her throat, hands finding her hips before she slowly winds her way back toward me.

“Yes, Suzette?”

“It’s just, well I had lunch with an old college girlfriend last week. She’s sweet as can be. Went to Yale to get her master’s. She’s a lawyer and super successful. She’s sought after by every divorcee looking to stick it to their cheating husbands.”

“And why does this concern me?” I ask without emotion, trying not to let it strike a nerve.

Suzette may have read the article, but she doesn’t know how nasty my parents’ divorce was and that dating a divorce lawyer is the absolute last thing I’d ever want. So I do what I always do—pretend not to know where my personal assistant is headed with her calculated banter. It’s the same tedious direction every non-business conversation goes—my personal life.

Or lack there of . . .

Suzette clears her throat. “Well, I was just thinking . . . it confuses the heck out of me that she’s single—a clever, ambitious lady like her. And as she was telling me that she just hasn’t been able to find the right guy, you popped up in the back of my head. Like fate. Like it was meant to be—”

“I’m sorry, Suzette, but you know I’m not dating right now. I have too much on my plate. I haven’t had a weekend off in . . . I don’t even know how long. I haven’t celebrated my birthday or even Christmas in just as long. This company needs my constant attention, and the little bits of leftover time that I have go straight to Rosco.”

“Yes, but you’ve been saying that for the past two years. You don’t have to work so hard, Cooper. Not anymore. Don’t you see that? You’ve made a hugely successful tech firm that doesn’t need your constant supervision. You have the best managers and accountants and personal assistant,” she pauses to wink and point a thumb at herself before continuing, “that money can buy to help you carry the load now. You need to take some time for yourself.”

Again I shake my head, folding my hands firmly on the desk in front of me. When my mouth forms a hard line, she holds up her palms in surrender.

“I know, I know! Mind my own business. But I had to try,” she mutters quietly. “I don’t want you to end up alone. My husband and kids, I don’t know what I’d do without them. They’re my whole world and my reason for living. I love working here with you but the second I get home, I know that’s where I’m meant to be.”

“You and I are different people, Suzette. You enjoy your family life and I enjoy my business one. Thank you for your concern, but I’m perfectly content.”

I don’t mean to speak with a clipped tone, but I can tell I am by the way her hopeful smile purses into a taut frown.

Still, I’m only speaking the truth.

Between my dog, my colleagues, and my business, I don’t need anyone else. That’s how I’ve always lived and that’s how I plan to continue. I see no reason to change. Not when anyone I date would most likely only be interested in me for my money. And God knows that would end terribly. I’d be right back where I came from, stuck in a loveless marriage, probably with kids who suffered for it.

No, being single is best for me.

Now if only I could get everyone to understand that.

Suzette heaves a sigh that seems to come all the way from the tips of her toes. “Whatever you say.”

“Now,” I begin, glancing down at my watch and then climbing to my feet. I smooth my hands over my suit, making sure the expensive fabric has not a single crease, “I’ve got just enough time to go home and visit Rosco before I return to start the weekend research. You can go on home, Suzette. Enjoy your family.”

“Yes, sir,” she says, watching me with sympathetic eyes as I grab my things and head from the office.

Though I know the staff loves their time off, I’d always appreciated my weekend shifts here in the office. From Monday to Friday the skyscraper is bustling with activity, but on the weekends it becomes much more quiet and peaceful. Sometimes I think I get my best work done on the endless Saturday and Sunday shifts I spend here. The only thing that I truly dislike about being here so often is that my boy Rosco can’t come with me. I’d brought him in once only to have the spunky gray beast chew up one of the business reports I’d spent at least twelve hours working on. I didn’t blame him, Rosco was only bored and acting out at the time, but it did make me realize that he just wasn’t a cubicle puppy.

It’s been almost five years now since I rescued him and he still has so much energy that it feels wrong keeping him cooped up in the office with me when he could be romping around my neighbor’s apartment and being taken for countless walks. I’m lucky to have that sweet old woman just a few stories down from me in my building who happily watches Rosco daily. I don’t know what I’d do without her.

As I make my way down the hallways of my office, my staff greets me eagerly, every single one watching me. They gaze on, awed just by my presence. I’ll never get tired of that. I know most of them have their own dreams of starting a company just like I did and making a ton of money, but the truth of the matter is that hardly any of them will go on to find even a sliver of the success that I have. It takes too much dedication. Too much blood, sweat and tears.

The ones who do make it may even turn out to be my competitors someday. That doesn’t stop me from basking in their admiration and my position as their business idol though. The more inspired my employees are, the harder they’ll work and the more they’ll add to the growth of our shared achievements.

* * *

By the time I walk out onto the bustling streets of New York City, the sun has drifted below the line of skyscrapers towering around me. The sidewalks buzz with people heading home at the end of their own long days, eager for Saturday to welcome them. I walk along with them, hands in my pockets, knowing my reprieve will be much shorter. I’m only returning to my penthouse apartment for a few minutes to see Roscoe. Then I’ll be making the familiar trek back to my office.

Suzette’s words linger in my mind as I march along, making me wonder just how long this chaotic life of mine might be sustainable.

My tech firm is all I’ve ever wanted, isn’t it?

I huff a laugh. Of course it is.

But why then do I keep hearing Suzette’s motherly tone ringing between my ears?

“Hello, sir!” the uniformed doorman greets me as I approach my apartment.

He grabs hold of the gold-plated door handle and draws it open, gesturing me inside with a slight bow. I smile at him, skin prickling as the cool breeze of the AC lovingly brushes away the lingering heat of summer.

I make my way to the elevator, stifling a yawn as I shoot upwards in the gold-plated lift. I’ll have to get a coffee on my way back to work. I can already tell my eyelids are going to be feeling heavy by the time midnight comes around and I have enough work to keep me going until at least the early hours tomorrow.

The elevator comes to an easy halt at the middle story of the building, the floor where my dog-watching neighbor lives. Mrs. Donnell and I met shortly after I first moved in. I’d been walking Rosco outside the front of the building when she sauntered right up to him and stroked his head before I had a chance to warn her that he didn’t like strangers. Fortunately, he’d been more than happy to allow her to stroke his ears. The rest just fell into place. We started talking and when she heard how much I worked, she’d offered to look after Rosco.

I think she was lonely, her family living across the country. She told me she’d had a poodle that recently passed and she was eager to hear the sound of four paws scurrying around her home again. At that point, I’d tried a few dog sitting services but they never worked out.

My Rosco is not a dog who trusts often.

He was a year old when I adopted him and had lived a difficult life. He was born into a puppy mill, neglected and downtrodden. He hid under my bed for a week after I brought him home. He’s come a long way since then, but he still remains cautious of strangers. Mrs. Donnell is the first person he let come near him in a long time, and I’d had little choice but to share him with her while I went to work.

When I knock on her door, I hear Rosco’s powerful bark and then a sharp whine when he recognizes my scent beyond the sturdy wood. His feet patter anxiously from side to side as Mrs. Donnell undoes the lock and swings open the door. Rosco launches into the hallway, jumping into my arms.

“Hey, boy!” I laugh, letting him lick my cheeks before calming him down. “Thanks so much, Mrs. Donnell. I’m going to take him up and feed him and then I’ll be back down in like half an hour to—”

“I’m so sorry about this, Cooper,” she interrupts.

For the first time I realize her weathered face is pale. Her eyes are teary and her mouth is pinched. I’ve never seen the jubilant woman look at me in such a way. “I’m not going to be able to watch him tonight, or tomorrow, or possibly for a very long time.”

“What happened?” I ask hurriedly, standing up.

Rosco seems to notice the change in mood, his tail tucking between his legs. He’s quick to pick up emotions. He gives a faint whine, nudging my hand with his powerful snout until I distractedly scratch him.

“It’s my sister. She’s taken ill and I need to fly out to see her. I know this is a huge inconvenience to you. I’m so sorry.”

I think of Suzette and the last time one of her boys had the flu. The woman had come in with bloodshot eyes and worry painted on every line of her face. Though I may not have close family of my own, I know just how I would feel if Rosco was sick.

“Don’t worry about that,” I answer hastily, despite the fact that my mind is reeling in an attempt to figure out what I’m going to do with Rosco while I’m supposed to be working this weekend.

I certainly can’t take him to the office, but I can’t keep him trapped in my apartment alone the entire time either. It takes an hour to get back to my apartment from the office. If I have to travel back and forth multiple times a day, then it’s hardly worth going in.

Rosco again thrusts his snout into my hand as though he can tell that we’re speaking about him. I crouch down, letting him press his body against my chest. I know that he’ll get fur all over my suit, but that hardly matters at the moment. When Mrs. Donnell sniffles, dabbing at her eyes again, I climb back to my feet and pull her into a hug.

She clings to me, then clears her throat and withdraws a business card from her pocket. “Here, this is the very best dog walker I know. I believe she also pet sits on occasion but I know she gets booked up very quickly. I’ve been calling her all day but I haven’t heard back. She’s probably with another client. Give her a ring and she’ll get back to you, I’m sure.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Donnell. You take care of yourself and your sister, all right? Let me know if there’s anything I can do for you.”

“Thank you, Cooper,” she sighs, wearily waving goodbye before stepping back.

Mrs. Donnell takes one more look at Rosco, tears filling her eyes before the door swings shut and she leaves my dog and me out in the hall alone.

I look at the business card, whipping out my phone and dialing quickly. When there’s no answer, I hang up and inspect the card again for an address.

“Well buddy, looks like we’ll just have to go plead our case.”

Chapter 2

Summer

“Summer, I can’t thank you enough for giving so much attention to Curly for me today,” sighs the woman as she snuggles the poodle up against her chest and presses a big kiss into his white fur. “He was so sick yesterday but I’d already signed up to chaperone my kid’s field trip. I didn’t have a choice. If I couldn’t go they might’ve had to cancel the whole trip.”

“It’s no problem at all. I never took my eyes off him and I kept the vet on call. Curly was a little lethargic, but now he doesn’t seem sick at all. Maybe he got into something in your house. Want me to come look around when I have some free time?”

“No, it’s all right, I’ve already cleaned top to bottom to make sure there’s nothing laying around. I did figure out my kids were hoarding Halloween candy under their beds. Maybe that was it.”

“Either way, if he starts looking ill again, you should take him to the vet.”

“I will,” the woman promises, reaching over to squeeze me tight. “You’re the best dog sitter ever, Summer. You care for my dog like he’s your own.”

“Oh, it’s nothing. It’s just how I would want Sadie and Lola treated if they were in someone else’s hands.”

My client nods and sets Curly down, watching as he wags his tail back and forth, happily panting. “We’ll get going. You enjoy your weekend, okay? I bet a pretty young thing like you has so many plans and parties to attend.” She sighs wistfully. “I remember those days. I hope you’re living it up while your hips still let you!”

I give a shallow laugh, walking the woman to the door. “I’m doing my best.”

After she leaves, I shake my head and turn back to where my two pups lounge on an oversized dog bed in my living room. “Yep,” I smirk to my dogs, “we’ve got big plans, don’t we?”

Lola and Sadie, two mutt sisters I’d adopted when they were the size of my palms cupped together, are now close to thirty pounds each. Their brindled fur is thick but smooth, their eyes wise and clear. They’ve become more like sisters, friends, and daughters to me than pets. They’re my whole world.

Though, I guess, dogs in general are my whole world.

There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for them.

Since I was a kid I’ve always had a bond with canine-kind. I was always finding lost pups and guiding them back to their homes, refusing a reward because the joyous reunion was reward enough. I volunteered at a dog shelter all through high school, and finally started my own dog walking business after graduation. I dabbled at college for a bit, getting an associate’s degree in business just so I’d be able to understand and run my company better, but at the end of the day, all that matters to me is being able to spend time with the dogs.

I know being a dog walker isn’t exactly considered an inspiring career choice, but I also know that it’s my reason for being on this planet. Clients love me, my list of customers is endless, and the dog kisses are the best reward.

It’s the perfect life if you ask me.

Okay, life would be more perfect if I had a good man to share it with . . . but maybe there’s no such thing as perfection.

My last relationship ended horribly, so I’m afraid to go down that road again just yet. For now, it’s just me and my dogs—as close to perfect as can be.

Sadie, the bigger of my two girls, gives a bark like she agrees. I waltz over and sit beside my dogs, letting them eagerly snuggle up close and lay their heads in my lap. Sadie rolls over, exposing her soft stomach so I can give her a belly rub.

This weekend, our big plans include a pizza for me, dog treats for them, and a binge-watching session of trashy reality TV . . . when I have time, anyway.

During the summer, my Central Bark Dog Walking service always explodes with appointments and last-minute calls as the wealthy uptowners head to the Hamptons or wherever rich people go for vacation.

I certainly wouldn’t know.

The farthest I ever go for a getaway is the nail salon down the street when I got a coupon in the mail.

I lift up my hand, inspecting the neatly filed nails. I kept them short. There wasn’t much of a point in painting them, it wasn’t like I had anyone but my dogs to impress.

Scratching the dogs’ bellies for a long moment, I finally climb to my feet and hunt around for my phone. I’d misplaced it earlier in the day and had been so distracted with Curly’s health that I’d never found it again. When I do finally track it down, knocked under the couch, most likely by playing dogs, I find a handful of missed calls listed, the most recent being twenty minutes ago.

“I’ll call them back after I shower,” I muse aloud, heading down the hall of my small apartment toward the bathroom.

While I walk, I pop open my emails and thumb through the messages from my clients, making a mental list of who needs what. I also notice an email from a dating app I’d tried last year. My heart stops in surprise. I could’ve sworn I’d disabled that account, though maybe I’m not tech savvy enough to have done it correctly.

Apparently, I have a few new matches.

For a second, I feel the electric flutter of excitement at the idea of meeting a tall, dark and handsome stranger. But that’s the last thing I need. Thanks to Colin, I don’t think I’ll be ready to date anytime soon—if ever.

I don’t even bother opening the email, rolling my eyes instead. “Like I have time for that.”

Not when my taste in men is abysmal and my business is booming. Besides, dogs are the only beings that I truly trust. Their top three traits are sweetness, loyalty, and not playing mind games, which is certainly something I can’t say about the last guy I dated.

As much as I try to stop them, images of Colin begin to swim in my mind and my stomach churns with betrayal. This is always what happens when I think of him—which is why I rarely allow myself to.

My penchant for bringing home strays brought Colin into my life. I’d thought he was just down on his luck and needed someone to give him a chance. It turned out he needed someone to abuse. My chest tightens as the fear he left me with coils around my throat. I swear sometimes I can still feel his fingers there. The dogs begin to whine, pulling me from my phantom fear.

“I know,” I say, petting them as much to soothe myself as to comfort them.

I hate that I let one person destroy my faith in humanity, but I hate it even more that I let that person terrify my dogs. They deserve better.

We all do.

I sigh, wondering if maybe I’m just not destined to find love beyond my dogs.

I push the thought away almost as quickly as it forms. I’m too busy to worry about that right now. I turn on some music, crank up the volume, set my phone down and tug my shirt over my head. When it falls to the ground, a cloud of dog fur rises from it. Vacuuming is a daily chore for me. The battle against the fur is endless.

Facing myself in a mirror that needs to be cleaned, I run my fingers down tired, lean muscles. My body is toned and tanned from hours spent parading dogs up and down the busy streets of the city. I wash my face, removing the remnants of sunblock from earlier, hips swaying slightly to the pop song playing. Behind me, steam begins to roll up from the basin of the shower, fogging up the mirror.

Leaving the door open, I strip the rest of my clothes off and hop in.

The water surges around me, rinsing off the remaining grime of the day. I tip my head back, welcoming the flow of the water as I belt out the lyrics along with the song. My athletic legs ache just slightly from all the activity of the day and my arms are tired from the constant strain of the leashes but I can’t help but groove to the beat of the lively music. It’s my favorite way to destress.

From beyond the trill of the upbeat song and the thrum of the water hitting the shower floor, I hear Lola and Sadie bark. I stop singing and dancing, though I still lazily scrub at my body with my pink fluffy loofah, straining my ears to hear whether someone is knocking on the door.

The only person who would be knocking this late is my landlord, though I’d dropped my rent check off at his place this morning on my way out for my earliest dog walking appointment.

He never seemed to mind if I left it under his doormat before . . . Maybe he’d missed it? Oh hell, what if someone stole it?

Even though business was doing well, it wasn’t like I had a ton of money lying around to cover a missing rent check.

I strain my ears, listening. A feeling of unease begins to twist my insides as my mind jumps back to thoughts of Colin.

Calm down, I tell myself. Colin is in jail.

I’d pressed charges after the second time he’d hit me. My bruises and his prior record were enough to send him away, but that still didn’t stop my fear from running away with me.

After a few more minutes of barking, Lola and Sadie go quiet and I hurry to finish washing up. I’d only just lathered up my tea tree shampoo on my head when I heard the creak of the bathroom door followed by a voice—a man’s voice.

“Hello? Hello?”

The voice is deep and intimidating. My landlord, though a man, has a voice more high pitched than mine. I have no idea who this voice belongs to.

Panic cracks through me like a whip making me turn so quickly I lose my balance. My feet go sliding out from under me, sending me flying through my shower curtain. I grab at the wet curtain as I fall but that does nothing but cause the metal shower rod to crash down with me. Blinding by my shampoo, I army crawl over the floor and snag a nearby towel, wrapping it around me. Suds stings my eyes, making it hard to see but I don’t stop. I can’t. Not if it’s really him, coming back to finish what he started.

I try reasoning with myself. He’s in jail, Summer. You put him there. But the pounding of my heart makes it hard to hear my own thoughts. I use the towel to wipe the soap from my eyes as I scramble for any sort of weapon in my tiny bathroom. That’s when I notice the pair of polished black loafers standing just outside the doorway of the bathroom.

Colin never owned anything that expensive.

“Don’t come any closer!” I shout, wondering just where the hell my two guard dogs have disappeared to. My brain scrambles, trying to remember what I’m supposed to do in the event of a break-in. I have pepper spray but it’s in my purse. “I’ve already called the police, they’ll be here any second!”

“Somehow I doubt that,” the person answers in a husky voice. “But you do look like you could use some assistance.”

“What I need is for you to get the hell out of my house!” I squawk still trying to wipe my eyes while containing some level of modesty with my too-small towel.

“Listen, I’m sorry I startled you. I mean you no harm. A friend gave me your business card and I tried calling but you didn’t answer and I really need to talk to you.”

I glare at him now, though I can barely see through my soap-stung eyes, “I didn’t answer my phone so you decided to just show up and walk right into my house?”

“It’s an emergency. I need your help. My dog needs your help.”

The word dog catches my attention but does little to calm my temper. I point a single finger away from me. “Go out there. Sit down and put your hands where I can see them.”

He nods and through my blurry eyes I swear I can see him smirking before he easily strides back to the living room. I can hear Sadie and Lola sniffling and trotting around, inspecting the intruder. Some guard dogs they are! I guess I’m going to have to keep that in mind if I ever do have someone try to break into my place someday. My dogs are just too friendly for their own good.

Slamming the bathroom door shut, I climb slowly to my feet and jump back in the shower just long enough to rinse off the remaining soap. I run my palms over my sore knees hoping they won’t bruise. Then I climb back out of the shower, dry myself off and dart from the bathroom to my bedroom to pull on clean clothes.

A few minutes later, I’m standing impatiently in my living room, pepper spray in hand as I furiously glare at one of the most handsome men I’ve ever seen in my life. He leans back against the couch, one ankle crossed over his knee. He’s wearing a suit that fits him perfectly and shoes so polished that I can see my own reflection in them. One of his hands rests atop the beast beside him. The Husky is still as a statue, large and gray and quiet. The dog’s ears are pinned against the back of his head.

“Now explain why I shouldn’t call the police,” I demand furiously.

Chapter 3

Cooper

I climb to my feet, earning a wary glance from Rosco as I walk over to the woman and stick out my hand.

“You’re Summer Young, right?” I ask holding up the business card matching this address. “My name is Cooper Townsend, and this is Rosco. I was hoping you’d be willing to watch him for the weekend.”

She blinks once, then twice, her jaw dropping. Her long hair, still slick from the shower, clings to her cheeks and drips water down the front of her oversized blue t-shirt. The shirt hangs down to the middle of her thighs, just barely concealing the hem of a pair of very stretchy, very tiny shorts that give way to tan legs.

“Excuse me?” she asks, sounding as though she’s either trying not to hysterically laugh, scream, or punch me. “You break into my house and want me to watch your dog?”

“I didn’t break in. I knocked and the door swung right open. You shouldn’t leave your door unlocked like that. It’s dangerous.”

It’s not like I don’t see her point about me strolling inside her house, but her living space is so tiny that I didn't realize I’d even left the living room until I almost fell into her bathroom. It’s not like I’m trying to be nosy on purpose. I couldn’t even hear the shower running over the loud sound of her music.

She actually does burst into laughter this time, her slender arms folding over her chest. The thin cotton of her oversized shirt clings to curves. My eyes wander down her body before returning to her face. She’s gorgeous despite her fury.

“It’s dangerous?” she hisses, eyes blazing. “You, the one who just walked into my house like it belongs to you, are telling me that it’s dangerous?”

Even though she’s furious with me, I can’t help but smile. Inner flames churn in her eyes, fanning me with their warmth. Most people know my status and position and wouldn’t dream of speaking to me in such a way, but this woman right here doesn’t care about that at all. And I kind of like it. It doesn’t hurt that she’s beautiful.

“I wouldn’t have walked in if the door was locked or even closed all the way. I would’ve just stood there banging on the door for an hour. But it did open and I did step in. I’m sorry for walking in on you. It was an accident.”

An accident that I certainly wouldn’t be regretting any time soon.

Her caramel hued body, gleaming with water would remain on the backs of my eyelids every time I blinked for a very long time.

She rolls her eyes, glancing toward the door. I’d shut it after I walked in, not wanting Rosco or her dogs to escape. Though her wariness has faded and been replaced with ire, she still seems uncomfortable with having a stranger in her home unexpectedly. I should probably take my leave sooner rather than later.

“Fine. But don’t go walking into people’s houses. It’s not cool. Got it?”

I nod quickly, again apologizing. This time she sighs and shrugs, which I think is a gesture of forgiveness. “Now, I have to get back to work. Can you watch him for me, Summer?”

The name fits her sun-kissed hair and bronzed skin, probably earned from long hours spent outside. Even her dark brown eyes have golden flecks in them that remind me of warm beach sand. It’s been a time since I was able to stand with my feet in the bay, cold water licking at my toes.

When would I ever have time to do that again?

Rosco had loved the beach the one time I took him, darting up and down the dunes and barking as loudly as he could. I’d never seen him happier.

“How did you get my card?” she asks, arms still folded hard against her chest.

“My neighbor gave it to me. It has all your info on it. I find it almost hard to believe that I’m the first one to show up here.”

“Most people call first,” she retorts, eyes narrowed. “In fact, all people do. Except for those without manners or tact I suppose.”

“Actually, if you ever bothered to check your phone, you’ll see that I did call, about a dozen times.” I grin at her, shrugging. “Anyway, Mrs. Donnell is the woman who watched Rosco for me before. She recommended you highly, and her endorsement is one that I value when it comes to my dog.”

The woman’s face immediately softens, her lower lip sucked under her white front teeth. “Mrs. Donnell is your neighbor?”

“Yes.

“So, you live in that big apartment building on 5th?”

Chin bobbing, I fish out the card and hold it up. Mrs. Donnell’s handwriting is scrawled on the side of the card, noting the number where I could reach her out of town. “She’s having a family emergency and has to go out of state for a while. She doesn’t know when, or if, she’ll be back. I don’t trust Rosco with just anyone, but she said you’re the best and I really do have to return to my office.”

Summer sighs and snatches the card, inspecting the swirling handwriting before handing it back. “Mrs. Donnell was a high school teacher of mine. That feels like forever ago. I didn’t know she still thought of me.”

“I guess she does.”

Summer frowns thoughtfully up at me and then at Rosco. The Husky has been sitting perfectly still, his eyes alert and his tail low. The two other dogs have sniffed him a few times, but now sit across the living room quietly observing the strange new beast in their home.

“Listen, Cooper, I hear you and I can tell that you need a sitter for your pal here but I have a certain way of operating my business and this is not it.”

“What do you mean?” I ask, resisting the urge to check my watch.

Precious minutes are passing by and with each one, I can feel my work pile growing larger and larger. At this rate, I probably won’t be out of the office until four in the morning only to return by seven. Maybe I should just sleep in the building if I can. The city streets aren’t the safest to be milling about in the twilight hours.

“Well, first of all, I never would’ve allowed you to just waltz your dog right into my house! What if he and Sadie and Lola hadn’t gotten along? What would you’ve done then?”

Again I see her point, but shrug anyway. “All right. Fair enough. That was an oversight on my part but look at them, they’re fine.”

Summer glances over her shoulder, lifting her brows just slightly at the ample distance between the dogs and the uncertain way they’re all regarding one another. She shakes her head and lets her arms fall so her hands rest stubbornly on her hips. My chest puffs reactively, meeting her defensive stance and readying myself for an argument. I don’t have a choice but to stand my ground for Rosco’s sake.

“Second of all,” Summer continues in her melodic but deliberate tone, “I don’t know anything about Rosco. I never offer to watch a dog in my own home until I have detailed reports of his health, last vet visit, and I’ve done an interview with both him and the owner.”

“Rosco goes to the vet on First Street. You can call for the records—”

“It’s almost eight o’clock at night, they’re not open! They won’t be open tomorrow either. I won’t be able to contact them until Monday.”

“I promise you he has zero health issues or allergies. Rosco is as healthy as a horse. I even brought some of his food if you want it. And why would you need to interview him? What the hell does that even mean? You know dogs can’t talk, right? Do you think you’re some kind of dog whisperer?”

“It’s not a real interview,” she explains with a roll of her eyes. “It’s just to make sure that he isn’t aggressive toward me. I would just pet him, get to know him a little, walk him around and see how he connects with me. And for the interview with you, it would just be about his habits and fears and background.”

“Rosco is afraid of most things, but he’s a good boy. He went through a lot before I adopted him, but he’s never so much as bared his teeth at anyone.” I glance at my watch, flinching at the hour. She’s right, it’s almost eight.

She appraises me silently, gnawing so hard on her plump lower lip that a red mark lingers for a moment before disappearing.

“Hear me out, Summer. I have to go to my office and Rosco is going to be stuck in my apartment all night and most of the day tomorrow. That’s not fair to him. I’m desperate here.”

In truth, I’d never leave Rosco alone that whole time. I’d stay with him and try to do what work I could from home, but there’s no way that I could maintain my same level of productivity in that case and I have an important meeting to prepare for.

She groans, head falling backwards to expose the length of her tan neck. She glares at the ceiling before shaking her head and running a hand through her damp hair. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but all right. I’ll make an exception just this once. Do you hear me? It’s only the one time. I’ll watch him until tomorrow, but after that you do things my way. Got it?”

My feet lurch, carrying me toward her. She’s smaller than I am, her head staying tilted back to meet my eyes. The scent of her shampoo is thick and fragrant in the air.

“You have no idea how grateful I am for this. You’ve saved my hide, Summer.”

“Don’t thank me yet, buddy,” she responds, though her voice cracks just slightly. She swallows hard, eyes following the line of my strong jaw. Something flickers in her gaze, the same thing that swells in my own core at just the sight of her curved, lithe body. “If Rosco doesn’t behave himself, I’m taking him right back to you and you’re on your own, got it?”

“Got it. But he’ll be fine. Mrs. Donnell said Rosco never gave her an ounce of trouble and she walked him all up and down the city. The only thing I should warn you about is that he’s a bit of a bed hog, and he does snore. Sometimes he has bad dreams, too.”

“Tonight he’ll have to sleep in a kennel. I keep an extra in case of emergencies. I don’t know him and neither do my dogs so I can’t risk having him wandering around my home alone all night. It’s mostly dog proofed, but you never know what they can find.”

“Sure, of course. I understand. He’ll do fine in a kennel. Back home, I keep one out for him to retreat to when he needs a little break.”

She nods jerkily, taking half a step back. Her spine bumps against her wall, making her stumble toward me again.

“Tonight will be fine,” she reiterates, “but you should check around for other arrangements in case things don’t work out here. Has Rosco ever really been around other dogs?”

“Not really,” I answer honestly. “But I’ve taken him to the dog park a few times and he’s enjoyed it. He has a lot of energy, though I guess you wouldn’t know it right now.”

I look back toward my dog, taking note of his rigid stature. He looks visibly uncomfortable, panting with nervousness.

“It’s because he doesn’t know me or this place and he can tell you’re going to leave him,” Summer says. “To a dog in this situation, every time you leave he’s going to wonder if you’re coming back to get him.”

She frowns at Rosco and I can all but see her heart melting in her chest. Good thing he’s so cute, or I might not have been able to convince her to do this favor for me.

“Thank you again for watching him tonight. Here’s all my info. I’ll be at the office all night and tomorrow. Give me a call if you have any questions about Rosco.”

With a nod, she takes my business card and gives it a once over, an eyebrow lifting. “Oh. CEO? This is that big new skyscraper, isn’t it?”

“Sure is,” I respond, swelling with pride. I worked relentlessly to build a company deserving of such a building. “From the very top floor, everyone looks like ants.”

Instead of the usual admiration that lights people’s eyes when I talk about how successful my ventures have been, Summer regards me with uncertain condescension. Again, she proves how different she is. Again it catches me off guard. I feel my pride wither even before she speaks.

“You must work a lot,” she acknowledges simply.

“That’s right.”

She doesn’t say anything, but she looks at Rosco as though she’s trying to make a point. Irritation pulses though my veins, but I don’t argue with her. I do work a lot, but I also provide Rosco with a life filled with endless treats, toys, and food. When I have time, I lavish him with attention as well.

When I don’t react, she clears her throat. Without a word, she slides the business card into the pocket of her tiny shorts and gestures toward the door. It’s time to leave.

I turn around and bend down to Rosco’s level, welcoming him against me. He presses his forehead to my chest, his tail still stuck deep between his legs. He doesn’t whine, though his fearful silence might be even worse than a pleading sound. I know he doesn’t understand why I’m leaving, but I don’t have a choice.

“I’m coming back, boy,” I whisper in his ear, hoping that on some level he understands me. “You don’t have to worry about that. I’ll always come back. You’re my buddy. Summer is going to treat you right.”

His fur is smooth and soft under my hands as I rub his sides and then scratch his favorite place under his left ear. He lifts his head to gaze deeply into my eyes, as though he’s begging me not to leave.

“Who’s going to buy you that fancy food you like so much if I’m not making the big bucks?” I tease him gently.

I feel Summer’s eyes on me, suddenly remembering that I’m not alone with my best friend. I clear my throat and stand, noticing the previous condescension in her eyes is gone and replaced instead by faint understanding.

“I’ll be going then,” I mutter stiffly.

She nods and walks me to the door, opening it. When I step out into the hall, I turn back around to face her. Rosco remains frozen on the other side of the living room, staring at me with slightly lifted ears.

“You lock the door this time, got it?” I tease tiredly, suddenly more worn down than I’ve ever been in my life.

Summer’s face hardens again, my attempt at a playful snipe backfiring. She glares at me, not speaking but slamming the door shut. A second later I thankfully hear the bolt slide into place.

Chapter 4

Summer

The moment the door swings shut and Cooper is gone, Rosco suddenly remembers that his large paws aren’t frozen to the soft carpet. He bolts up, pacing and sniffing every corner of my small home. In his flurry of movement, I can almost see how Cooper was able to walk into my bathroom without meaning to, not that I was about to admit that. I’m just thankful my surprise intruder turned out to be harmless.

Rosco makes his way to the front door, pressing his whole body against it and whining sharply. It’s a call that rips through his furry throat, one that comes from his heart. Again and again he thrusts himself into the door, trying to force it open so that he can chase down his master. I can already tell that for Cooper, Rosco would run any length and jump any hurdle.

Though heartbreaking, it’s not the first time I’ve seen a dog react that way to their owner leaving. Usually, I’ve prepared ahead of time to soften the blow and ease the transition. Distraction is key, whether that’s giving the dog something to chew or play with or just snuggling them close. This time, I was so blindsided that I didn't have time to brainstorm on how to help Rosco adjust.

In a lot of ways, dogs are like little children. They are inquisitive, sweet, and needy. They need stability, they need love, and they need time to adapt when life throws them big changes that are hard for them to comprehend. To young children and to dogs, every time a cherished person leaves their sight, they have no idea when that person will return. You can’t explain it to them, you can’t reason with them, you just have to comfort them and make them feel as safe and secure as they can be.

That’s why it’s so important to me that the dogs become acclimated to me before I take them under my care. I would never normally allow a dog to be dropped off in this hurried situation. I don’t know exactly why I agreed. Maybe it was the thought of the poor dog being alone all day or the fact that the cologne Cooper was wearing was more intoxicating than any booze I’d ever sipped. The musky scent went straight to my head, making the room feel like it was swaying. I could barely think straight the entire time he was here.

Had I really just let a man stroll right into my apartment and then agreed to watch his dog?

“What is wrong with you, Summer?” I mutter aloud.

I kneel down, lightly clapping my hands together as I call Rosco’s name. He turns, watching me with suspicious blue eyes. Sadie and Lola trot eagerly to me, nuzzling against me and licking my hands. I stroke them, hoping to show Rosco that I’m not a danger. After a few minutes of watching me with dread, gazing at the door with hope, and regarding my own dogs with lukewarm curiosity, he finally ambles over.

Rosco takes the long way, circling the living room like a shark so that he can carefully gauge my body language. I would’ve offered him a treat, but without talking to his vet, I didn’t want to risk any allergies. For tonight, he would have only the food that Cooper left for him.

“Hi, Rosco,” I whisper, voice low and level as the large Husky finally approaches.

He sits at my side, keeping an eye on me. I lift a palm toward him, keeping it carefully within his sight. He sniffs my hand before allowing me to pet him. He doesn’t press against my hand, he doesn’t close his eyes with pleasure. The dog simply allows me the honor of petting him, as though telling me that he will never like me the way he likes Cooper.

“I know you’re not too happy about being left behind, but it’ll be all right. Tomorrow we’ll go for a walk. How does that sound?”

I always found myself talking to the dogs as though they can understand me. And while I know that they can’t comprehend every word I say, I also know that my tone goes a long way. It was so sweet to see that Cooper speaks to Rosco like a friend rather than an animal. It almost made me like the smug CEO. Almost.

Rosco’s stiff posture softens as he slowly inches closer and closer until he leans heavily against my side, his snout resting against my shoulder. He’s searching for comfort and has realized he will only find it with me. I rub his back, sighing softly. The poor boy is confused and afraid, but fortunately I see no signs of aggression in his turmoil. Though I wish I could let him sleep in bed with me and my dogs tonight, the best thing for him is the security of the kennel.

I glance at my watch. So much for my relaxing night. I might as well just get the dogs fed and ready to sleep.

Despite standing up with careful slowness, Rosco still darts away at the movement. Giving him as much space as he needs, I fill the dogs’ bowls. I have plenty of spare bowls and pick a blue one for Rosco that matches his eyes. Knowing that some larger breeds can be possessive of their food while eating, I separate Lola and Sadie from Rosco before setting the bowls down. After letting Rosco sit with his dish for thirty minutes, the big dog still hasn't so much as sniffed the food. This doesn’t surprise me with how sad he’s been acting since Cooper left. Many dogs manifest their sadness in different ways, from not eating to eating too much, being lethargic or destructive. You never know how they’ll react to stress. Rosco probably wouldn’t even eat if starving and there’s little I can do to convince him. At least it’s only for one night. He’ll be fine until Cooper came to get him tomorrow.

I pick up his bowl and set it aside, so I can try again later. I stroke his soft ears as he stares into my eyes, begging me to bring his master back to him.

“You’ll see him tomorrow,” I promise him. “Let’s get you in the kennel.”

His ears prick just slightly at the familiar word and I gesture him toward the roomy metal cage. He sniffs it, tail going between his legs, but eventually walks in. I kneel down and lock the cage, reaching my fingers in to pet him one more time before letting Sadie and Lola out of my room.

They’d scarfed down their food and were now curiously checking on Rosco. The three dogs sniffed one another between the metal separation of the kennel.

Leaving my bedroom door open, I climb into bed and stretch out, my arms and legs wearily flopping against my soft mattress. During the summer it’s too hot for a comforter, especially with my two furry radiators joining me, so I just have a simple cotton sheet instead. I listen for the sound of Lola and Sadie trotting over, expecting them to leap up into bed, but I only hear them roaming the living room before settling beside Rosco’s kennel, as if they know he’s lonely and they want to keep him company.

Dogs truly are the gentlest beings in the universe, and I’m proud to know that I’m the owner of two such sweethearts. I’m glad now that I took Rosco in instead of turning him away. If I hadn't, he’d be laying on his own master’s bed, sad and alone. At least here he can have some company. Maybe he and my dogs will even become friends.

At some point while I’m planning which route will be easiest for Rosco to walk in the morning, I drift asleep. It’s a restless sleep, from which I half rouse with every small sound or movement in the living room. It’s always like this with a new dog that I’m watching. I can’t help but be nervous about how they’re doing. Still, I fully wake only when Lola and Sadie jump onto my bed in the early morning, licking my face and begging for breakfast.

Sleepily, I trudge into the living room and let Rosco out. He stretches and greets Lola and Sadie with a sniff, his usually low-lying tail lifting to half-mast and wagging slowly. Apparently, Rosco is a morning dog.

This time, when I separate the dogs and feed Rosco, he is more willing to eat. He scarfs down a few handfuls before pushing away his bowl with his snout. It’s not perfect, but it’s progress and it delights me.

After waiting for Sadie and Lola to finish up as well, I gather all the dogs for our morning walk.

“We’re going to take the route down through the park,” I explain, laughing when Rosco joins in as Sadie and Lola jump and dance around at the sight of their leashes. As it is with many dogs including my own, walks appear to be his favorite thing.

Despite Rosco’s cautious cheeriness, I know that Cooper must not be far from his mind and I don’t want to overwhelm him.

“I think that will be the least intimidating route for you, Rosco. There’s not a lot of cars or people this early.”

He barks happily as if he agrees.

Once all three dogs are leashed and ready, I head out the door and make a swift right. The morning sun glints off the windows of the buildings surrounding me, the summer sky cloudless and blue. It’s going to be a beautiful day. Maybe, if the weather stays this flawless, I’ll take the dogs to the dog park. Rosco would probably appreciate some time off-leash to wander and stretch his long legs. Though Cooper said his Husky is energetic, he’s been quiet and still for much of the time with me. Now, he trots enthusiastically, his ears up and tongue lolling. The sun must feel nice on his thick fur.

When we reach the park, however, the gates are still locked. I read the posted sigh and sigh. “Maintenance,” I grumble, rolling my eyes and looking around. “Well guys, looks like we’ll just have to take the long way down the—”

Before I can finish speaking, a car blazes by, the horn blaring loudly. In a flash, a startled Rosco rips away from me, tearing the leash from my hand. He barrels down the road, his tail once again tucked and the long blue rope slithering after him like a snake. He moves like a sleek gray missile, so fast that I can hardly see him by the time I start charging after him with Sadie and Lola.

I shout his name, desperately willing him to stop, but he refuses. He whips down alleys and back corridors until I have almost no idea where we are. He only stops when he hurtles headlong into a chain link fence.

He tilts his head back, howling. His blue eyes are wide with panic, his chest heaving with exertion and terror. I tie Lola and Sadie’s leashes to a nearby lamp post, crouching down and extending my arms toward Rosco slowly.

“Hey, Rosco, I know that was scary . . . but you’re okay.”

Gentle, with as soothing a tone as I can manage, I speak to him and try to coax him to me. He refuses to acknowledge me, barking and howling for Cooper to come rescue him from the woman he doesn’t know and the car that honked at him.

My heart is torn in two, uncertain what the best choice might be. If I wait too long, he might figure out a way by me and escape again, but I also don’t want to corner him and make him even more scared.

With every second I hesitate, I can feel my grasp on the situation slipping. I have to get Rosco’s leash. I can’t let him break free again and run into traffic. The thought makes me wince and clench my teeth hard. It wouldn’t even matter how that would impact my business, all that would matter is that I let it happen and I would have to be the one to tell Cooper.

Cooper trusted Rosco to me, and I’m going to keep this fearful dog in one piece until I can hand him back over to his master.

“Rosco, come here, buddy. Come here.”

He panics and flattens himself against the fence, beginning to dig at the earth. Sand and soil go flying under his powerful body. If I don’t act quickly, he’s going to manage to dig a hole and get away. There would be no quick method for me to get Sadie and Lola over the fence after him, and I don’t know the streets here well enough to be sure where this alley leads.

If Rosco leaves my sight, it may very well be for the last time.

Though it goes against my intuition, I creep closer to Rosco, reaching for the edge of his leash. Swallowing hard, my fingers just barely brush the fabric when Rosco yelps and snarls, startled by my approach after being consumed in his digging. The moment he snarls, Sadie turns into a total bulldozer. She rips free of her own leash and collar and charges forward at Rosco, wedging herself between us. Rosco, even more terrified now, snaps at her leg, his jaws closing around her paw. The second his jaws hit her fur, she gives a doggish scream, collapsing to her side. Rosco instantly jerks backwards, cowering in a corner of the fence and whining in fear.

I grab Sadie against me, hurriedly inspecting her paw. Though it’s covered in slobber, there isn’t a mark on her. Despite his panic, Rosco hasn't broken the skin. Relieved, but furious, I set Sadie down. My fury isn’t directed at Rosco, however, but at myself and at Cooper.

How had I let myself be talked into this arrangement?

This is exactly why I don’t take in dogs that I don’t know. You never know what they might do, what triggers may set them off. This could have gone so very wrong, and I didn’t prevent it.

Sadie eases her paw onto the ground, testing it. When she realizes it doesn’t hurt, she sticks close to my side. I hold up a hand, quietly telling her to stay behind me. This time when I inch toward Rosco, he allows me to pick up his leash.

He turns from me, trying to hide, and I inch over and carefully pet his head. When he realizes I’m not angry, he presses against me, his whole body trembling. Lola, who’s been straining against her own leash this whole time, whines with worry. Sadie, having already forgotten the bite, sniffs Rosco before bounding back to Lola.

“I’m sorry, pal,” I sigh to Rosco with a heavy heart, “but I need to get you back to Cooper. This just isn’t going to work.”

Chapter 5

Cooper

“As you can see, gentleman, your company would benefit immensely by partnering with my tech firm. If you still need convincing, I’d be happy to pull up some estimates that my accountants have been working nonstop to formulate just for you.”

The board of investors before me exchange glances as they look over the portfolios I spent all night putting together for them after my accountants finished their part of the task. I of course had people that could’ve done it for me, but I liked being thorough. This way I knew exactly what each investor would be looking at.

I’ll admit I had a hard time focusing on the preparations for this meeting. All night my mind constantly wandering back to Rosco and the beautiful woman I’d left him with.

I’ve never met anyone like Summer before. Anyone except for me, I suppose. She has such fire in her eyes. I like that she treats her job like I treat mine—with passion.

The men around my boardroom table lean closer, quietly talking. I just smile, arms folding across my chest. I can already tell that they’re going to agree to the merger. I can always tell, sometimes even before the meeting starts, whether I’ll be successful or not. Nine times out of ten, I am. That tenth time, I just have to butter them up a little more. I take them out golfing or to the most expensive restaurant in town. Get a little Scotch in them, and they sign the papers over in no time.

Failure is not an option.

Despite me telling Suzette that she didn’t need to come in this morning and to enjoy her weekend at home, my personal assistant insisted on coming in for the meeting. She swore up and down that having someone else greet the businessmen instead of me waiting around for them would give a better air of my superiority and importance. By the time they arrived, I was glad she’d suggested it. Most of the other staff was gone and the building was empty, but as far as the investors knew, we were all hard at work here even on a beautiful Saturday morning.

“We just have a few more questions for you, Cooper,” the head of the board announces, closing his portfolio. “What kind of returns are we to expect in the first quarter, and what guarantee will you give us if that’s not met?”

“Excellent question, sir.”

I start to answer, trailing off when I hear a faint noise from beyond the closed office door. It’s a rustle, a door slamming, then someone raising their voice. Shaking my head, I block out the noise and focus on the people before me, trusting Suzette to handle whatever intrusion is transpiring. “I assure you that all expectations . . . ” again I trail off as the noise becomes louder.

Suzette’s voice, muffled by the door, shrieks something.

“Cooper?” the head of the board asks, arching an incredulous eyebrow, “What’s going on?”

I clear my throat. “If you’ll just excuse me—”

Before I can even take one step toward the door, it suddenly flies open. Summer stands there, chest heaving, eyes churning with fury. Beside her, Rosco is on his leash looking equally disturbed. His eyes widen when he spots me but he doesn’t move.

“I asked you to wait a moment!” Suzette cries angrily at the blonde dog walker. “Cooper is in a very important meeting.”

Forgetting the board members, I rush over to Rosco and bend down. He thrusts himself against me, barking and whining and wagging his tail, slobbering all over my face. I can tell by his throaty cries that he’s upset.

“It’s all right, boy, you’re all right. What the hell happened?” I hiss up at Summer.

She scowls, dropping Rosco’s leash so that it falls beside me. “He bit my dog!”

My blood suddenly goes cold, my arms tightening around Rosco. It’s my worst nightmare to hear such a thing. Instantly, every single news story I’ve ever heard about dogs attacking other dogs and what happens to them afterward rushes up in the back of my mind. I scramble for the leash, holding it so hard in my fist that the fabric digs into my palm.

“Is she okay?” I choke out.

Summer seems to only just notice the crowd of people looking on, glancing nervously at them and clearing her throat. “Yes, she’s fine, but obviously I don’t think Rosco is a good fit for my services.”

“Maybe you two would like to take this to a private room,” Suzette offers loudly. “It’s a good time for a brunch break anyway. Gentlemen, can I order something for you? We have a direct line to Chez Flores downtown. They’re usually booked up for a month . . .”

As Suzette speaks, she ushers both me and Summer out of the office, closing the door behind us.

“What happened?” I ask again, leading Rosco and the pretty blonde to a nearby meeting room and gesturing her in.

She paces slightly, reminding me of Rosco when he’s ready to go for a walk. Her expression is like a storm cloud, her brow creased heavily over her small nose.

“He got scared and lashed out. You didn’t tell me that he’s afraid of cars. All it took was one honk and he took off down the road.”

“You didn’t hold on to him?” I snap back, checking Rosco over for any injuries though there are none.

“Of course I did! But it took me by surprise and Rosco is stronger than I am. I chased after him and that’s when he bit Sadie.”

Defensive arguments bubble up my throat but I swallow them back down. I can tell by the way Summer is acting that she’s not mad at my dog, and thankfully she doesn’t seem to blame him. There’s been no threats of calling the police and she’s not rushing to take her dog to the vet, so hopefully this will all blow over. The last thing I want is for harm to come to any of the dogs, and Rosco has never once bitten another person or animal.

“I can assure you that I would’ve told you if he was aggressive. I’ve never witnessed any behavior like that, and I’ve never seen him run from a car.”

She shakes her head so hard her ponytail slaps her cheeks. “This is why I don’t take in random dogs. This is why I require all those steps before I offer to dog sit. Don’t you understand how badly this could have turned out?” she whispers, her voice thick. When I look at her, tears are welling in her eyes. “I don’t know what I would have done if he had gotten hurt or if the bite had been worse.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know about the car horn thing, but he’s always been jumpy. When I told you that he’d been through a lot, I didn’t go into much detail, but he’s from a puppy mill. He was treated horribly for the first year of his life. It’s been over five years now and he’s come so far. He’s always been guarded but gentle.”

“But he doesn’t know me, and he doesn’t know Sadie or Lola. That’s why he reacted so badly. As well as you think he’s doing, he still has a long way to go. You can’t just drop him off with random people.”

“I know, but you weren’t random. I trust Mrs. Donnell with Rosco as much as I trust myself, and when she recommended you, I knew that you were my only choice. That’s why I was so desperate to have you take him in . . .”

Rosco finally stopped trembling in my arms. Despite the heated tone between Summer and myself, he seems to have recognized that he’s not in trouble and that we aren’t going to lash out at him. He snuffles his snout to my cheek once then turns, retreating to Summer. He approaches her much more slowly than he rushed to me, staring at her with those big, imploring eyes as though he’s seeking forgiveness for running away and misbehaving.

She sighs and strokes under his left ear, his favorite spot, his eyes slowly closing. He keeps his head tilted just slightly toward me so that he’ll know if I make a move to leave, but he is visibly content.

“I know you were desperate,” Summer says. She bites her lip, blame rising in her eyes. “I should have been more careful, too. I shouldn’t have tried to walk him to the park. I should’ve just kept him close to my apartment. But you said he usually has energy and I just wanted to make sure he got the chance to work some of it out.”

“Summer, he’s never once acted this way with someone,” I say, gesturing at the way Rosco is leaning against her. “Not even Mrs. Donnell. He likes her but it took him weeks to let her scratch him like that. All it’s taken you is one night. Please, I’m in the middle of a huge meeting. I’ll pay any amount and I’ll do anything if you agree to keep watching him for the weekend. Hell, I’ll triple what I’m paying you now and I know you’re charging me extra.”

“I’m charging you premium pricing because you broke into my house while I was in the shower!” she shoots back.

I smirk. “I wasn’t complaining, just saying that I think every penny is worth it.”

She stares down at Rosco, still petting him. Though she shakes her head, a familiar confidence begins to well up in me, assuring me that I’ve already sealed the deal even though the beautiful woman I’m trying to negotiate with doesn’t think she’s made up her mind yet.

“This wasn’t your fault, Rosco,” she says to him gently. “I know you were just scared. It’s okay.” She glances at me from the corner of her eye. “Even with the bite he was careful. He didn't hurt Sadie at all.”

“Like I said, Rosco might be skittish, but he is not violent. Not to anyone.”

Rosco licks Summer’s nose, pressing his cheek to hers. The small gesture of affection means a lot coming from Rosco, and just the sight of him being so friendly with Summer is enough to warm my whole heart. I know that Rosco deserves to trust and he deserves to love, and every time I see him welcome another person into his gentle dog heart, it makes me so happy—like I’m doing something right.

I can tell the effect is similar on Summer.

Great job, pal! I think. Keep working your magic on her and I’ll seal the deal . . .

“I know that I was wrong to thrust Rosco onto you the way I did, Summer. I know that he has a lot of anxiety. If you just watch him, even for the rest of the day, Rosco and I will be so grateful, and I’ll pay you triple the amount. I’ll even give it to you upfront if you want. You could buy a whole new wardrobe with it.”

“Wardrobe? Please! I work with dogs all day. I obviously don’t give a crap about my wardrobe.” She sighs, ruffling Rosco’s ears. He gives a content huff. “Wait,” her eyes flash back to mine, “are you saying you don’t like my clothes?”

There’s fire in her eyes, but I still can’t help looking her over, taking in the fitted tank top and tight jeans she’s wearing. Casual and flirty, the clothes hug her every curve to perfection.

“I’m definitely not saying that,” I reply quickly.

Her cheeks flush just slightly, eyes blinking in surprise. “Oh. Well, good. Clothes aren’t important to me. If anything, I’d donate the extra money to the local shelter. They just emailed me the other day saying how badly they needed donations for food and toys for the dogs . . .”

“Exactly. You could make such a difference for them and all you have to do is keep Rosco for the rest of the day. He’s not a danger, Summer, he’s just nervous, and you’re the only one besides me in this city who he trusts. Think about him in my apartment, all alone and sad.”

“Ugh! Fine,” she groans, closing her eyes tight and shaking her head. “I’ll take Rosco back to my house. But you better be there by seven o’clock tonight, on the dot. Got it? And bring your checkbook.”

I grin. “Done.” I reach over, shaking her hand and then give Rosco a healthy pat. “You be good for Summer, okay?” I say to him, smiling when he licks my palm.

She takes the leash from me, lingering for just a moment before stiffly saying goodbye. As she walks away, I again take in her perfect choice of clothing. Her jeans hug her hips tight, emphasizing every inch of her toned body. Rosco sways along beside her, sparing her a warm glance that makes my soul feel like it’s soaring.

He follows Summer as she leads him back toward the elevator, his tail wagging. Both of them pause after she presses the button. Rosco finally looks back and gives a woof as though saying goodbye. The doors glide open and Summer carefully moves Rosco inside, turning to face me. As the doors begin to slow, she points a threatening finger my way. “Don’t make me regret this!” she calls back. “I know where you work!”

I just laugh and wave, watching the elevator descend toward the lobby. Even after they’re gone, the smile on my face remains. There’s a light in Rosco’s eyes when he looks at Summer, one that I’ve only ever seen directed at me.

Summer must be a special woman indeed.

Chapter 6

Summer

“What is it about that guy, Rosco?” I sigh, guiding the large Husky down the road. “The second he starts asking me to do something, I lose all my resolve. I never would’ve taken in another dog in the same situation as you.”

When Rosco seems to give me an indignant look, I quickly shake my head.

“No offense or anything.”

This time, I keep to side streets, holding the leash in a death grip. There’s no way I’m letting this dog take off on me again. The last thing I want is a repeat of earlier.

Rosco trots merrily along, his head and tail both held high. Instead of panicking about his separation from Cooper as he had on that first night, Rosco seems much more relaxed and content. This time, I think he knows that his master will return and there is nothing to fear. I don’t know if he trusts me yet, but he certainly isn’t scared of me. I suppose I’m no longer a stranger in his eyes.

“You’re a good boy, Rosco,” I say aloud.

I’m sure Cooper tells him that all the time, but I’ve found that when it comes to people and animals, the more positive affirmations the better. We all need a little praise every now and then.

Rosco swivels his head when he hears his name, his tongue lolling in such a silly way out of his mouth that I burst into laughter. “You goof! No wonder Cooper loves you so much.”

Big, shy, fluffy Rosco has so much personality hidden under the timid guard of his heart. It makes my whole soul ache to think of what the dog might’ve gone through in his early days. Puppy mills are the bane of my existence. When I volunteered at the local animal shelter, I saw countless weak and abandoned dogs who’d gone through hell just for being born in the wrong place.

I’ve done a lot of work rescuing dogs from the mills, but there’s always more to be done. It doesn’t help that in many states, despite the cruel way the dogs are housed in kennels no bigger than shoe boxes, puppy mills are still perfectly legal as long as they follow the most barebones of guidelines that do little to improve the canines’ lives. Dogs like Rosco suffer every day because of it and it breaks my heart.

Rosco pauses, nose in the air. He comes to such an abrupt halt that I stumble against the strain of his leash, almost toppling over. He sniffs loudly, big blue eyes scanning the distance before locking on a nearby pet supply shop. It’s a quaint little store where I buy my dog food and supplies, but also the occasional treat. Rosco snorts again, suddenly whipping his head pleadingly back to gaze at me. He sits on the sidewalk with a throaty whine, tail lowering.

“What, buddy?” I ask with another laugh. “You smell something tasty over there?”

He whines again, tugging the leash just slightly in that direction. When I don’t move, he sits back down again stubbornly. I can tell we’re going nowhere fast if I don’t give in. Though I normally wouldn’t agree to such a demand, I think Rosco and my dogs have been through quite a lot today and they could all benefit from something special.

“Well . . .” I say slowly, “I guess I could pick up some treats then. We’ll just add it to Cooper’s bill. How does that sound?”

A few people glance at me as they walk by on the sidewalk, watching me have a fully one-sided conversation with the beast on my leash. I couldn’t care less what they might think. They don’t matter. All that does is Rosco and the fact that his tail is wagging a mile a minute right now.

With a shake of my head, I relent and walk Rosco across the street to the store though I keep a very strong hold on his leash. We step in, the bell chiming overhead as the man behind the counter looks curiously over. “Hey, Summer!”

“Hi, Sam! How are you doing?”

“Great! Actually, I’ve been hoping you’d come in. There’s an adoption fair in Central Park I was hoping I could sign you up for . . .” The shop owner suddenly pauses and arches an eyebrow. “What are you doing with Rosco?”

“You know Rosco?”

As if on cue, Rosco trots to the counter, hauling me behind him, and presses the end of his snout against the glass barrier protecting the dog treats lovingly iced by Sam’s wife every morning.

“Yeah,” Sam says lightly. “Cooper brings Rosco in every other week or so. Gets a dozen of the pizza-flavored treats for the big guy here. They’re his favorite. No one else likes them, but I get the wife to make them special for Rosco. Come to think of it, Cooper hasn’t made his trip in this week. Must be busy.”

“Are you saying there’s some extra laying around?” I grin, trying not to laugh at the thought of the smug CEO buying pizza-flavored anything.

Sam returns my smirk with a nod.

One look down at Rosco’s expectant face and I have no choice but to agree. “I guess we’ll need to get some to-go. Put it on Cooper’s tab, won’t you?”

With a chuckle and a nod, Sam scoops some of the treats coated with red yogurt icing and carob pepperonis into a to-go box. I glance around as he works, eyes skimming over the leashes and collars and toys they’ve got in stock. The air is laced with the smell of kibble and rawhide treats, but there’s something comforting about it. It reminds me of my high school days spent volunteering at the dog shelter and my own sweet dogs at home.

“What were you saying about an adoption fair, Sam?”

“I’m glad you reminded me, I would’ve forgotten to tell you. It’s tomorrow and they’re finding themselves a bit short-staffed. I was hoping I could count on you to join in?”

“You know I’m always willing to lend a hand when I can.”

“That’s exactly what I was hoping you’d say.” Sam beams, winking as he hands over the box of treats. “Here you go. Cooper says he has to keep them on top of the fridge because Rosco is a daredevil when it comes to sniffing them out. Just something to keep in mind.”

I laugh and nod, stroking Rosco’s head. He nuzzles up against my fingers, a content huff rumbling in his throat. I can’t tell if he’s being sweet or trying to convince me to give him a treat.

Sam watches thoughtfully, leaning his elbows against the counter. “You know, I met Rosco when Cooper first adopted him. The only time I’ve ever seen him look at a person the way he’s looking at you is when he’s looking at Cooper. I think you two have a special bond.”

“He puts up with me,” I say grinning back. “Probably better than I’ve been putting up with Cooper.”

Sam chuckles and nods sagely. “Cooper can be a handful, too. He’s a good guy though. He treats that dog of his like a king. I think Cooper would do just about anything for his pup. In fact, I see that same love in your own eyes, Summer. I think you both may have more in common than you realize.”

“Agree to disagree, Sam,” I announce with a sigh.

However, his words struck me enough that I decide not to add the treats to Cooper’s bill. Instead, I slide some cash over the counter. When Sam hands over my change, I drop it in the animal shelter collection plate to the right of the cash register.

“I’ll see you around, Sam.”

He waves, returning to work as the bell again chimes behind me.

When Rosco and I step back onto the sidewalk, the afternoon sun has peaked and begun to fall once more. Lazy heat still pulses in the air, seething up from the sidewalk. I’d already checked to make sure it wasn’t too hot for Rosco’s sturdy paws.

As we approach my apartment, I begin to gnaw on my lip, wondering just how I was going to go about reintroducing Sadie and Lola to Rosco. The morning had been a stressful and frightening one. I’m fairly certain neither of my dogs will hold a grudge, just as I’m fairly certain Rosco isn’t going to react aggressively, but at their core, dogs are still animals and you can never be one-hundred percent certain what will happen.

“Now, I understand what happened earlier today, Rosco. But it isn’t safe to just let you roam. I want to keep you safe just as much as I want to keep my own dogs safe.”

Keeping his ice blue eyes on the box held in my hand, Rosco doesn’t seem to listen to what I’m saying. He remains cheerful, waiting patiently for me to open my door.

I tighten my hold on his leash, unlocking my front door to the sound of Lola and Sadie scrabbling at it from the other side. Their barks sound against the thin wood, Rosco’s tail slowly lowering and tucking between his legs.

When I push open the door, I quickly step between Lola, Sadie, and Rosco, and gently command my dogs to return to their beds. They obey quickly but unhappily, curling up on the pink plush pillows, whining. Rosco trails after them but I tug his leash and direct him to his kennel. He pauses before going in, giving me a long look that feels more like an apology than a plea to be allowed to rove free with Sadie and Lola.

I stroke his chin softly then look on as he lays on the floor of his kennel. Before I close the door, I take one of his odd pizza-flavored treats and pass it to him. He sniffs it, huffs, and closes his eyes without eating it.

“I’m sorry, Rosco,” I murmur, closing the door, “but this really is just to make sure that you dogs will get along and we won’t have a more disastrous repeat of this morning.”

After sliding the lock of the kennel into place, I allow Sadie and Lola to get up from their beds and grab two more treats from the box, passing them to both dogs. Then I climb to my feet and walk into the kitchen, perching the box up on the very top of the fridge. It’s almost laughable to imagine big and burly Rosco climbing up the kitchen counters trying to get to his treats.

I look over again, hoping to see him nibbling on his treat, but he hasn’t even licked it once. His eyes are closed but his expression is unmistakably sad. My dogs seem to have taken his lead, neither one eating their treats either.

Sadie holds the treat in her mouth, her eyes filled with restraint as she carries it over to Rosco’s kennel, drops it beside the cage, and lays down. She stares into the cage at him, her chin on her front paws. Lola, who’s never once taken more than a single bite to chomp down a treat, slowly follows suit.

I hold my breath, watching with keen interest.

Rosco’s eyes open at the sound of the two dogs joining him. He lifts his own head, ears pricking upwards. He gives a throaty but curious whine. Lola nudges her treat with her nose before sticking her snout against his cage. My body tenses, ready to jump in between them even though the kennel will protect the pair, but Rosco leans closer as well and gives her nose a small lick.

As though they’d communicated something entirely between themselves, all three dogs immediately begin munching on their treats. The sadness has cleared from Rosco’s eyes and he contentedly licks his chops as he finishes his snack.

Still shocked at their little canine picnic, I make my way to the couch to curl up with a book. As usual, I expect Lola and Sadie to join me as they always do—one curling at my side, the other warming my feet. However, this time they choose instead to rest with Rosco. They lay on either side of his cage with him sprawled sleepily across the floor of it, the sound of their combined snoring rumbling throughout my living room.

As dinnertime approaches, I finally decide that perhaps it’s time to give Rosco another chance. I can tell by the way Sadie and Lola stick close to him that they have more than forgiven him for the earlier incident, and he hasn’t shown a lick of aggression since then.

When I open the kennel door, Rosco climbs uncertainly to his feet. He looks at me, then Lola, then Sadie as though he’s asking if it’s okay for him to join us. I sit back on my heels, allowing them to dictate what happens next though I am ready to act if necessary.

Sadie wags her tail and barks, falling into a playful bow. Lola mimics her, bouncing around behind her, and before I can even blink I have three crazed fluff balls chasing one another happily around the living room.

I sink back on the couch and watch them play, keeping a close eye on their behavior as well as the sounds that they make to be sure that their play doesn’t devolve into a canine brawl. Rosco, despite being bigger than both Lola and Sadie combined, allows them to roll him over and leap all over him. Their roughhousing never gets too aggressive though, and by the time another hour passes, all three dogs have curled up for a pre-dinner nap. Rosco seems to keep one eye open, simultaneously watching protectively over his new friends as well as the front door for any sign of Cooper.

When I gather their freshly filled food bowls, neither of the four-pawed trio move. Instead they observe me quietly. I call Sadie and Lola over in an attempt to separate them again for feeding, but when I place the bowls on the floor of my bedroom they sit down and refuse to touch them.

Rosco trots over, curiously peering around my legs, and squeezes past me to one of the food bowls. Again he looks at Sadie and Lola for guidance. Then, as if the three of them came to some silent agreement, they dive together into one of the bowls, sharing the food with comfortable ease. With a roll of my eyes I retrieve the other bowls and direct Rosco back to his own food though I don’t separate them.

This time, he finishes his meal.

When they’re all done, they again return to the pink plush beds and curl up together. It’s comical watching big Rosco try to fit on the small pink cushions, but my dogs don’t seem to mind sharing. If I’d had any worries about their interactions, they’ve all evaporated now.

I’ve only just rinsed out their food bowls and begun contemplating my own dinner when I hear a sudden knock at the door.

Chapter 7

Cooper

The two bags of food are heavy and warm in my hands as I lift them, grinning at the woman standing in her doorway. Summer’s hair is now loose around her shoulders, freed from her high ponytail of earlier and curling in effortless beauty around her face. I don’t think she’s got a single ounce of makeup on, but she’s gorgeous all the same. Though when I think of her, which has been frequently throughout the day, I can’t stop picturing her in her skimpy towel. And now, staring at her, I have trouble controlling my pulse.

Every time I see her it’s like I’ve forgotten just how truly breathtaking she is in person. She’s so lovely that I’m caught off guard, forgetting what I’m doing here. I’m lucky I don’t drop the food.

She greets me with an uncertain smile after opening the door, gesturing at the bags. “What’s that?” she asks curiously.

I lift them again, scents of dumplings and fried rice wafting upwards and making my mouth water. “Our dinner.”

“In that case, come on in,” she teases, stepping aside to allow me entrance to her home.

The mood is much lighter than it was the last time I saw her, which I’m thankful for. That means that the rest of the day must’ve gone well for both her and Rosco.

After setting the food down on her table, I greet Rosco. He leaps up at me, his paws on my chest. I scratch his ears and his belly as he licks my chin. After getting his necessary love, Rosco settles down beside my feet. His tail swishes occasionally, his wise eyes watching us closely. I know he’s hoping a few crumbs of food manage to find their way to the floor.

“Is that pizza breath I smell?” I ask Summer, glancing at her and wiping slobber from my cheek with the back of my hand.

“Sure is. I stopped by Sam’s shop after I left your office.” She abruptly grimaces, setting down the plates she’d just retrieved from her kitchen. “By the way, I hope I didn’t mess anything up too badly. I shouldn’t have barged in like that, but I was so upset . . .”

I shake my head, delving into the bags of food and setting it out for us. “No, I understand. The meeting worked out fine. One of the men has a Husky back home who he misses a lot while traveling, so I think if anything you actually helped my case.”

Summer sidles over, curiously watching me lay out the boxes. “Do you travel much?”

“I did in the beginning when I was starting my tech firm. I had to prove how dedicated I am. Thankfully, by the time I found Rosco, I’d pretty much settled here. I know my hours keep me busy, but at least I can go home to him every night.”

Summer nods in quiet agreement, reaching over to steal a spring roll. She takes a bite before closing her eyes in pleasure. “I love this place,” she sighs happily. “They have the best takeout in town. I’m surprised you like it though. It seems a little . . . plain for someone like you.”

“Plain?” I ask with a chuckle. “What’s that supposed to mean? A man in a suit can’t like takeout?”

“I just mean that this smorgasbord probably cost you like twenty bucks tops. I feel like you wouldn’t go anywhere that didn’t cost that much just for a glass of fancy water.”

“I come off that pretentious?”

She shrugs. “Your secretary mentioned Chez Flores earlier. I just figured that’s the kind of stuff you eat every day.”

“She’s not my secretary. She’d probably have a stroke if she heard you say that. She’s my assistant. And Chez Flores is good, but their prices are a little ridiculous, don’t you think?”

Summer smirks. “I wouldn’t know. I’ve never eaten there.”

I fight my immediate impulse to invite her there for dinner tomorrow night. “You’re not missing anything. Besides, I might have a fat wallet, but I still enjoy good takeout just like anyone else.”

She blinks, surprised by my candor, and then nods. “You’re right. I guess it’s just the impression I got.”

“Well, it’s the wrong one,” I tease.

“You don’t like fancy things?”

“I love fancy things. But I also love simple things, and I love that I got us enough food to last the rest of the week for just twenty bucks.”

“Please, I could eat all this tonight,” Summer shoots back, eyes gleaming playfully. “You’ve never seen anyone take down a pint of this fried rice like I can.”

Laughing, we sit down together and take turns passing the food. She steals another spring roll and moans softly the moment it passes between her full lips, making something tighten in my chest. The sound of her pleasure seems to strike just the right tune in my core, my blood simmering. I clear my throat, taking a hefty bite of rice and trying to distract myself from the beauty sitting at my side. My eyes wander back continually, following every move of her legs and every shift of her body.

“Rosco did okay then?” I ask eventually when the silence has dragged on just a little too long. “No more freak-outs or incidents?”

“He did wonderfully, actually. I had to put him in the kennel when I got back just in case, but Lola and Sadie wouldn’t leave his side. I finally had to let him out just because it was making me feel guilty. They even ate together. I’ve never seen anything like it. Lola and Sadie are usually perfectly friendly with our visitors, but I think they might actually like Rosco a lot.”

As she speaks, her eyes shift over to where the dogs are trotting around the living room and sniffing out abandoned toys. Her face is soft, eyes warm. Though she gazes at the dogs, I can’t stop gazing at her. It’s not just her physical looks that strike me, it’s the passion and fierce kindness that I can see in her eyes. Just looking at her makes it hard for me to breathe.

Feeling Summer watching him, Rosco turns around and carries over a toy he’s discovered. He drops it into Summer’s lap, tail wagging happily. She laughs and ruffles his furry head, tossing it across the room. He chases it, bringing it to me this time. We go back and forth like this for a while until Rosco loses interest and brings his toy to Sadie and Lola. They tug at it playfully, chasing one another around in circles.

I’ve never once seen Rosco so utterly content in a place that isn’t my home. Even at Mrs. Donnell’s he was ready to go the instant I returned. Sometimes I stayed to have a cup of tea and chat with Mrs. Donnell, but Rosco would still sit by the door to make sure I didn’t leave without him. My sweet neighbor was always kind to him, giving him endless scratches and walks throughout the day, but Rosco was just never able to fully put down his guard even with that friendly woman. Here, however, I feel like I could almost sneak back out the door and Rosco would barely notice. Maybe it’s because he has friends here or maybe it’s Summer. Whatever it might be it delights me to know that Rosco is so comfortable.

Rosco comes back over again, resting his chin on my thigh. His blue eyes gaze up at me, sleepy and pleased. He’s had an exhausting day, but despite its rough start, it’s clear he’s happy.

“You worked wonders with him today,” I muse quietly, scratching the side of Rosco’s face. “I’ve never seen him like this.”

Summer smiles and reaches over, running her palm down his strong back. Lola and Sadie, not to be ignored, join us at the table. They leap up onto my legs with their small front paws, begging for affection that I’m all too happy to give. I’m of the persuasion that any dog in need of attention should get it.

Summer smiles as she watches, her chin resting on the steeple of her fingers. “Well, when you find your new dog walker, you should be more upfront with them about Rosco’s troubles. He needs special attention, maybe even someone full time just to work with him. I think he lacks a bit of stability, which doesn’t help his anxiousness. It was probably the fact that I took him on an unknown street with unknown dogs that caused him to panic when he heard the horn.”

A new dog walker?

The words sting unexpectedly, though it doesn't surprise me that she’d say something like that. Summer made it clear when she came by the office that our arrangement was only temporary. I guess I’d been hoping that she’d change her mind, especially when I see how well the dogs are getting along. I can still understand her hesitation, however. Her relationship with Rosco had a dramatic start.

“Is there really nothing more that I can do to convince you to keep caring for Rosco for me? I’ve never seen him so happy. He seems to really enjoy his time around you and your dogs. Like you said, he needs stability when I'm not around and clearly he’s found that here.”

Summer clears her throat. “Like I said, he needs someone full-time. I have other clients and responsibilities that demand my attention.”

She looks at Rosco as though she’s regretting the words even as they come from her mouth. Reaching over with a gentle hand, she pets his soft side.

“You’re special, Summer. I may never find anyone who Rosco likes as much as you. Of all the times I’ve socialized him and taken him to the dog park or allowed him to meet my neighbors and friends, he’s always been instantly distrusting. You're the first person who he trusts. I’ll never find anyone better to look after him.”

“Cooper,” she sighs, shaking her head again.

I wait for that feeling of confidence that comes when I know I’m going to win a deal, but my whole chest feels numb instead. Though I try to tell myself I’m only looking out for Rosco here, my brain keeps charging off in a different direction. All I can think is that if I leave with Rosco tonight without any plan for Summer to keep watching him, I’ll never see her again.

I can’t bear the idea that this is the last time that I talk to this amazing woman. Though I’ve only just met her, the idea of not seeing her again is near painful. “I’m willing to pay any price or do anything, Summer.”

It would be worth any amount of my fortune to have a dog sitter like Summer for Rosco. I’d know without a shadow of a doubt that he was always well taken care of. And selfishly I know there’s still a lot more I want to learn about the woman before me.

“Wow. You never take no for an answer, do you?” She sighs, biting her lip.

Sadie lightly tugs at Rosco’s tail, distracting him. Rosco turns and playfully leaps at Sadie, and in seconds all three dogs are a yapping storm of fur, playfully growling and throwing toys. Summer laughs and then groans. I can tell her attempt to deny me just got even harder. She can tell just how badly Rosco needs this.

I smirk. “That’s how I got so far in the business world. I have to know when I can get what I want and just how much it might cost me. And I can tell that hiring you as my personal dog sitter will cost me a very pretty penny, but it’ll be worth it. You’re the best in this city and I can’t let Rosco have anything but the best.”

“I wouldn’t be your personal dog sitter, I’d be Rosco’s,” she corrects. “And I’m hardly the best in the city. There’s so many dog walkers here who can bond with animals just as well as I can.”

Her voice isn’t modest but laced with sincerity. Still, I disagree, though I don’t say as much. The empathy, respect and compassion that Summer displays for the canine kind makes her beyond special. She’s one in a million, one in billions even, and somehow she wound up right in front of me and Rosco. I’m a lucky man.

“Please, Summer? At least consider it.”

“I’d have to drop all of my other clients,” she murmurs, half explaining this to me and half trying to organize her own thoughts. “That’s all of my income.”

“How much do you make in a year? I’ll double it. Triple it even. You name the price and I’ll gladly make it your salary.”

“Cooper, I’ve only been working with Rosco for a little while. How do you know I’d be worth that much?”

My eyes shift toward Rosco as he plays with Sadie and Lola, occasionally stealing glances over at us. He isn’t just watching to make sure that I haven’t left, but he’s also making sure that Summer is still there as well.

“I just do,” I answer simply. “I can tell. Call it businessman’s intuition. I know a good investment when I see it. You’re not doing it just for me, Summer. You’re doing it for Rosco. He needs this.”

Her mouth screws to one side of her face and then the other before she finally gives a faint nod. “All right, all right. I’ll do it. It’ll take some time to find replacements for my other clients. I’m not going to just drop them without notice, but by the end of the month, I should be all yours.”

Something about the words she says stirs me again, my blood warming more and more. I have to remind myself to breathe. “Great. I’ll take Rosco home then. Can I bring him back over tomorrow? I just have a half day shift to tie up some loose ends.”

“I’m volunteering at an adoption fair in the afternoon, but that should be fine.”

The conversation lulls, leaving us gazing at one another. Though the last thing I want is to leave, I know that I can’t sit at her table forever. Besides, the quicker I get home and to sleep, the quicker I can get to the office, and the quicker I can see her again. “Come on, Rosco!” I call, reluctantly standing up. “Let’s go home.”

He instantly darts over, tail wagging and tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth. His ears are lifted high to the ceiling. Summer hands me the leash, my fingers brushing the back of her hand as I take it. Sparks seem to crackle instantly between us, the cool air of her home blazing hot. She freezes, her face draining of color before her cheeks bloom red. My throat goes tight, our eyes locked on one another.

Suddenly, Rosco gives a tug at his leash, barking and prancing toward the door. As much fun as he had, he’s still ready to head back home. I’m pulled away from Summer, though I can still feel her touch on my skin.

Numbly, mind buzzing I follow Rosco toward the door and begin to step outside. The tips of my fingers where I’d brushed Summer’s hand still burns, making it hard to remember why I’m leaving.

Summer follows me, Sadie and Lola lingering behind. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she murmurs softly.

“Tomorrow,” I answer, savoring the promise.

Chapter 8

Summer

When the door closes, I turn and sink back against it. My spine slides along the painted wood, my heart thrumming against my ribs. I have to close my eyes and inhale deeply, holding the breath in my lungs until my chest screams. Only then do I let out the breath of air, shaking my head slowly back and forth.

What’s gotten into me?

I never react so strongly to men. Not since Colin—and look how that turned out.

I’m not read to let another man into my life yet so I’m not sure what’s brought on this reaction, but it’s undeniable.

When Cooper’s hand touched mine, it was like a lightning bolt—it was like fire. It was like my heart suddenly turned into a piñata inside me, hitting so hard against my ribs that it burst into a cloud of joyful confetti. I still can’t stop blinking because fireworks are sparkling in front of my eyes as I remember the touch.

I rub my eyes trying to clear my head. While Cooper’s fingers grazed my skin I could hardly focus on him or hear what he’d been saying. God only knew how frazzled I probably looked. Even now, I have to press my palm against my chest to make sure that my heart isn’t going to tear free and take off down the street after him.

Great, Summer, he probably thinks you’re crazy now.

But what does it matter?

Cooper, at his core, is just another workaholic who thinks too highly of himself.

Right?

I can’t possibly have a crush on him.

No way.

It’s not even a crush, it’s just . . . when he looks at me with those deep blue eyes, all of a sudden I want to sink in them.

And I let him talk me into being my only client!

What the hell am I thinking?

I’m clearly not ready to trust another man at this point in my life if I’m making such rash decisions.

A cool, wet nose presses abruptly into my hand. I jump in surprise, dragged from my thoughts, only to find Sadie gazing up at me. Lola is right beside her sister, both of their tails wagging and thudding on the floor.

I squat down, wrapping my arms tight around both my dogs and snuggling them close. They lick at my cheeks and give quiet whines. I can tell that they already miss their newest friend, and I suddenly realize why I’d caved and allowed Cooper to convince me to take Rosco on as my sole canine client.

While Cooper might be self-assured and confident, I’m a stubborn girl. With everything else in my life, once I make a decision and put my mind to it, that’s it for me. I’ve always been one to stick to my word, but with Cooper and Rosco, I’ve found myself again and again changing my usual patterns and behaviors.

It’s not just because Cooper is a handsome man who gazes into my eyes when he talks and has a single dimple in his left cheek that only comes out when he truly smiles, it’s also because I know Rosco has been through so much in his short life. He deserves happiness now, as well as compassion and tenderness. If I were to turn him away, he might never bond with another dog walker the way that we did. He might never have as much fun with other dogs as he did with mine.

It’s just too much of a risk. Not to mention that Sadie and Lola both love him. They all had so much fun together. Sure there were hiccups, as I’m sure there will be more, but at the end of the day I made a decision that I felt was best for not only Rosco, but for my own dogs as well.

With only Cooper and Rosco paying for my services, Sadie and Lola won’t have the constant cycling of new dogs coming and going in their lives. Instead, they’ll have a constant playmate and companion now, one that they can count on seeing all the time.

Eventually, I climb back to my feet and begin slowly making my way through the house, cleaning up toys strewn about and putting away the leftovers of the meal that Cooper had brought with him. True to my claim, I’d eaten almost half of it by myself. It doesn’t help that I eat when I’m nervous, and boy does that gorgeous man make me nervous.

Maybe tomorrow he and I could finish it off for lunch after the adoption fair—

I catch myself abruptly and give my head a hard shake back and forth. I can’t go planning things like that with Cooper. He’s my new employer. Fantasizing about us having picnic lunch dates is not a good idea. Plus, it’s not like he’d be interested in me like that. With his looks and huge bank account he could have any woman in the world. He certainly wouldn’t want a dog walker. Besides, he probably already has a girlfriend.

Though he never mentioned one . . .

I shake my head again. Stop it, Summer!

No, this crush that I have on Cooper is one-sided and it’s better for all of us if I do my best to forget these growing and unreciprocated fantasies.

Tossing the leftovers into the fridge, I head to the bathroom and clean myself up, hoping that a cold shower will clear my head. Once I’m dressed in an oversized sleeping tee and my hair is up in a messy bun, I call Sadie and Lola over. Together we all curl up in bed.

The two dogs lay on either side of me, pressing into my legs. Lola falls asleep almost instantly, her body twitching and paws bobbing as she runs through the field of her dreams. Sadie stays awake, her head resting on my lap. She gazes at me as I flip through the channels, my fingers absently following the trail of her snout on my leg. Occasionally, she nuzzles her head against my hand for an extra petting.

“Holy hell!” I gasp suddenly, shooting upwards in bed. My abrupt movement makes Lola crack a sleepy eye and Sadie jump onto her four paws on the sheets. “It’s him! It’s Cooper, he’s on TV!”

I’d never seen anyone I knew on television, except for once when my best friend growing up almost got hit by a car. The local news had interviewed her and relayed it on the eight o’clock broadcast. While her parents were furious and weepy about the reason she finally hit the small screen, we’d been exhilarated. But that was when I was a teen. This is different. This is a man that had been in my home making me feel things I shouldn’t.

Cooper grins at me from my television screen, dressed as flawlessly as ever. Though he looks dashing as hell on camera, I know he looks even better in person. With his hair perfectly slicked back from his forehead and his suit perfectly pressed and his smile perfectly charming, my whole stomach starts doing flip-flops inside me.

The smile on his face as he turns toward the interviewer is cordial and warm, but it doesn’t meet his eyes. Not the way it does when he’s watching Rosco roam around my living room, anyway. A small banner runs across the bottom of the screen, explaining that this is a rerun of an interview that Cooper had done earlier in the week.

I grow quiet and watch with intense interest as both dogs finally settle and rest back against the bed. Sadie watches me disapprovingly, wishing I would turn off the television and scratch her instead. Lola groans reproachfully.

“Oh hush,” I say to their judging looks.

Hurriedly, I hit unmute on my remote and turn up the volume. I refuse to admit that I’m eager to hear his voice.

“—can’t believe a man like you is single, Cooper! Do you have a lucky lady in your life who you’re hiding away from the limelight?”

He laughs, the sound making the hair on the back of my neck slowly lift on electric edge. A shiver rolls through me from head-to-toe.

“No, nothing like that. Between my long hours at work and the very few hours I have at home, I’m just not able to keep up with a relationship.”

“You have time for a dog, don’t you?” the woman asks, a photo of Cooper and Rosco appearing in the corner of the screen. Even Rosco seems to grin out from the picture, his doggy smile so sweet and big that my heart twists.

It’s odd how much I miss him . . . and his master.

The interviewer pauses a moment to allow the live audience to appreciate the picture. “I think if you have time for a pet, you probably have time for a girlfriend!”

Cooper responds with a dry laugh. “I’m not so sure about that. Rosco takes up so much room in my heart. I’m just not sure a woman could compare right now. I would want to be with someone who understands the bond I have with him, but I’m not sure such a lady exists. For now, I’m content with the way things are going.”

“You heard it here first ladies, the woman who wins this billionaire’s heart has to win over his dog first.”

Billionaire? Holy hell!

I knew Cooper was the CEO of his own company and his office had been really nice, but billionaire? I couldn’t even fathom that kind of wealth.

The reporter’s voice drew my attention back to the television. “Now, going back to this tech firm that you’ve opened. What’s been the biggest hurdle you’ve had to overcome?” the interviewer continues, changing the subject without grace once she realizes she’s not going to dig up any dirt on the billionaire’s love life.

Cooper talks for a few minutes, his eyes locked on the woman. Occasionally, he glances at the camera as though it makes him uncomfortable. He fiddles with his cufflinks and his tie, clearly wishing the interview would finish. There’s something endearing about the way he isn’t used to having all eyes on him even with the great amount of success that he’s found in life.

It’s a chink in his smug armor that I haven’t seen before, and I adore it.

As another commercial starts, Cooper’s face fades from the screen. I yawn deeply and turn off the TV, deciding it’s time to call it a night. Even after the screen goes black, shadows overtaking my room, I can still see Cooper’s handsome face when I close my eyes.

What I see, however, isn’t his stiff smile during the interview. It’s him with a forkful of cheap fried rice in his hand. It’s him laughing at Rosco’s antics. It’s him leaning toward me to take the leash. It’s his eyes widening just slightly when his fingers brush my hand.

My heart begins to thunder again at the memory of that moment.

Had he felt it too?

The electric charge still bubbles in my belly, warmth surging through me, my toes curling against the bed. It rises like a tide, making me throw aside the sheets. Cooper might be single but I know that he would never truly be interested in me. We live in two very different worlds. And currently, his world only revolves around Rosco and his tech firm. To Cooper, I’m just some dog walker who gets along well with his anxious dog.

So why can’t I seem to stop thinking about him?

I need to put Cooper out of my mind and get some sleep. The last thing I need is to get involved in another relationship that will just end in heartbreak.

I close my eyes wondering how Cooper managed to cast this spell over me and what I can do to break it.

Chapter 9

Cooper

The warm summer air sweeps over my face blowing my hair back from my forehead. It leaves sweat gathering at the nape of my neck as I walk Rosco toward Summer’s apartment. He trots ahead of me, tugging at the end of his leash, trying to hurry me along. I think he knows where we’re headed, though he was never this excited to go to Mrs. Donnell’s apartment when I would drop him off in the morning. He would be content enough, as he trusted Mrs. Donnell completely, but he didn’t seem particularly excited to go there.

I’d called the elderly woman this morning to see how her sister was doing, but so far there was little news. She was grateful that I’d checked in on her, and she even asked to speak to Rosco on speakerphone. Rosco had cocked his head back and forth, trying to figure out where Mrs. Donnell was hiding. It was sweet.

Again the trees rustle with the breeze, making Rosco’s ears prick. He glances over his shoulder at me as though to tell me to walk even faster. With a laugh, I hurry my pace. The sun has only recently risen, leaving the grass dotted with dew and flowers slowly blooming to greet the day. Though it’s early, I’m not tired. My pace is brisk and light, much more so than it typically is when I know I have a day of meetings ahead of me.

Usually when I’m heading to work, I march along with a purposeful stride, planning what to say to clients or investors and deciding what projects I’ll focus on. Today I haven’t even had coffee yet, but still there’s a certain spring in my step that carries me toward Summer’s home. I can’t quite put my finger on the feeling that’s rooted in me since meeting her, but it’s yet to dissipate. I can’t help but think she was named aptly, because I’ve been taken over by a warmth, like the season itself when I think of Summer. Colors seem brighter, the flowers smell sweeter, the breeze feels gentler. Maybe it’s just because I feel so glad to have found a new dog sitter who Rosco likes so much, or maybe it’s something else that I’m afraid to admit.

I’ve purposefully kept my life relationship free. Lord knows I don’t have time for that kind of drama. But I can’t stop thinking about Summer, and honestly, despite our rocky start, which was entirely my fault, she seems pretty drama-free.

Or is that what everyone thinks right before they leap into the pitfalls of relationships?

I have a hard time believing I’d been blinded, despite Summer’s effortless beauty. Years of dealing with my parents’ turbulent marriage has left me jaded and quite good at spotting trouble. But after a decade without a serious relationship, maybe I don’t know my heart as well as I should.

Either way, I’m glad Summer has become a part of our lives.

Last night as Rosco and I lay in bed, I stared up at the ceiling and tried to convince myself to sleep. It didn’t come easy, my mind drifting in one direction then the other. No matter how much I tried to plan my work day or think about what meetings I had coming up later in the week, my brain always somehow seemed to point the mast of its ship of thought back toward the beautiful, brown-eyed woman I’d stumbled upon.

When Rosco and I turn at the next block and Summer’s front door looms into view, my heart suddenly leaps into my throat. The unexpected thrum within my chest makes me choke in surprise, earning a confused look from Rosco, who pulls even harder at his leash now. He knows that door and is ready to get there.

What is this feeling? It can’t be nerves, can it?

It floors me that I’m this anxious to see Summer again. Like Rosco, I find myself eager to arrive. Hauled along by my beastly best friend, I move quicker. By the time we get to Summer’s, my chest is rising and falling rapidly as I pull in shallow breaths. As I step up to her apartment, adjusting my tie and running a hand through my hair, the door suddenly flies open. Summer stands there, eyes sleepy but bright, dressed in a pair of tiny denim shorts with a frayed hem and a blue shirt with the logo of a dog on it. Her long windswept hair is contained in a messy braid slung over her shoulder.

“Morning!” she says cheerily, holding Sadie and Lola back as the two dogs excitedly bark and whine behind her. “Sorry if I surprised you, the dogs were going crazy so I could tell you were here. Come on in!”

She turns, my eyes following the supple curves of her body as she saunters across the living room. Sadie and Lola greet Rosco. He waits patiently until I unclip his collar before taking off to chase the other dogs around the small apartment. They bark and play and romp, acting as though they hadn't seen each other in years instead of hours.

Inside, the apartment smells of maple syrup and coffee and the sound of frying eggs hisses from the stove. My stomach abruptly growls, reminding me that I had yet to eat breakfast.

“Can I get you some coffee?” Summer offers from the kitchen, returning with a mug before I can say anything. “I don’t have any milk but I put some creamer in it. It’s the real sweet stuff. I can’t help myself—I almost added whipped cream to mine. I only put in a splash for you so let me know if you need more.”

I chuckle and sip at the coffee, eyes closing in delight. It’s way better than anything I would’ve gotten in a coffee shop. Truth be told, I typically take my coffee black, but maybe I need to try some of this sugary stuff once in a while. It’s delicious!

“What are you making?” I ask, leaning against the counter as she returns to her work in the kitchen.

She marches back and forth, flipping pancakes and eggs and pouring herself more coffee. She turns back to me, shifting from foot-to-foot, anxiously gulping down another sip of coffee.

Is she blushing or is it just the heat of the stove reddening her cheeks?

“Well, I figured since you brought dinner last night, I should repay you. Though, I should warn you, I’m not much of a cook. But I think this turned out okay.” She smiles at me uncertainly, clinging to her spatula. “I know you have to get to work so I can just wrap it to go.”

Though I had planned to be at the office by the start of the hour, I make the rules—a perk of owning the company—so perhaps I have a few minutes to spare. “Actually, I have time. I’ll sit down and enjoy it here if that’s okay,” I reply. “Maybe you could join me?”

“That’d be great!” she says, eyes lighting up. “Go sit, I’ll bring it over.”

Instead of obeying, I join her in the kitchen. The space is small and warm, both of our bodies nearly taking up the entire room.

“Cooper,” she laughs, glancing up at me shyly from the corner of her eye. “What are you doing?”

“I’m not going to let you carry all this by yourself, let me help.”

With a laugh, she loads up the plates with all the fixings then hands them to me. While I take them back to the table, she grabs our coffee mugs and joins me. Together, we sit down at the table just like we did last night. It feels natural and is quickly becoming my favorite place to eat.

Normally, I just end up in front of my television with some leftovers or takeout that I grabbed on my weary march home after work. There’s something nice about eating at this table with Summer. Even a simple meal of fried rice or scrambled eggs seems special when we share it together.

“I don’t remember the last time someone cooked for me,” I muse, shoveling a bite of blueberry pancake between my lips. “This tastes amazing.”

“Well, I can assure you that you only think so because you haven’t had anything homemade in so long.” She grins back. “Believe me, I’m way better at hanging out with dogs than being in the kitchen. There’s a whole stack of pancakes I had to throw out because I burned them so badly the dogs wouldn’t even eat them.”

I laugh. “I still think it’s perfect.”

I lower my head closer to the plate so that I can eat more quickly. I’m not hurrying because I want to get to work, but because it’s all so delicious and I can’t get enough. Even as I start getting full, I can’t seem to stop.

When I feel Summer watching me, I look up, noticing that she’s blushing again. I force myself to stop eating like a caveman. Dabbing my mouth with a napkin I sit back from my plate.

“I’m glad you like it,” she murmurs. “I usually only cook for myself so it’s really simple stuff like canned soup or sandwiches. It’s been so long since I got to make a real meal for someone else. It was kind of fun.”

“I’d let you cook for me every day.”

The pink of her cheeks glows brighter. She nibbles at her pancakes then gulps down some more coffee. A drop of it clings to her lower lip and suddenly I can’t help but imagine what the sweetness of her coffee would taste like on my lips.

Heat wells up in my core, crackling around us. Her mouth opens, brow creasing with whatever thought has come to her mind, but she shakes it away.

Summer clears her throat. “So, like I told you, I’m headed to that adoption fair today. Unfortunately, I’ll have to put Rosco in his kennel again while I’m gone. He’s doing so much better but I don’t want to set him up for failure. In a week or so we can start leaving him out just for short trips once I know for sure that there’s no tension between the dogs.”

Both of us glance over to where Rosco is laying on his back, paws in the air, while Sadie and Lola playfully bounce all over him.

Summer laughs and shakes her head. “I doubt that there will be any tension, but I want to be safe.”

“You’re the pro,” I answer with a nod. “I know you’ll do what’s best for Rosco.”

Her grin softens, her chin dipping in a nod. “I won’t be gone long today, and if it ends up being more than a few hours I’ll run on home just to make sure everything’s going okay.”

The way she speaks about the dogs is as though she’s speaking about humans who need constant attention and care. To her, I can tell that there’s no difference between her own needs and those that the dogs might have. They are equally important in her heart.

I’ve never once met anyone who feels that way beside myself. I know some people might not understand just how much Rosco means to me and how important he is in my life. Though I feel for the first time that Summer would have no issue grasping that. In fact, I can tell that Rosco and her dogs are the lights of her life.

“Call me when you’re ready to pick up Rosco and I’ll come back here to meet you,” she continues, taking a sip of coffee.

“Or, I could meet you at the fair?” I offer, noticing her eyes widen just slightly.

“Really?” she murmurs. “Are you sure? It’ll be busy and there’ll be a lot of dogs.”

“I want to. It’ll be fun. The last time I went to one of those events I met Rosco. I feel like I should pay it forward and maybe help some other dog find a new home.”

Summer sits back in her chair, her hands folding in her lap. Her head tilts slightly to the side, her eyes remaining on me. “You know what, Cooper? I think I might’ve misjudged you,” she muses. “I thought you were just kind of conceited, but there’s so much more to you, isn’t there?” She winks at me teasingly, bowing her head over her cup.

And I thought you were just beautiful, I start to say, though I bite my tongue.

I smile back, already counting down the minutes until I can see her again.

Chapter 10

Summer

Central Park is bustling with barking dogs ready to meet their new families and excited people just as ready to take them home. This adoption fair is easily one with the highest turnout rate that I’ve seen in a while, which I think must have to do with how gorgeous the summer has been so far. In their flip flops and shorts, parents herd their kids from kennel to kennel to inspect the little fluff balls waiting eagerly within.

I can’t help but to think back to when I met Sadie and Lola during one of these fairs. It’d been a rainy Sunday, the air chilled from the approach of an early winter, and Sadie and Lola were two tiny pups sharing a cage. I’d been assigned to their cluster of cages on the far side of the park where most people didn’t get to after being spellbound by the kennels closer to the entrance.

All day I’d watched them shiver and cuddle together, and when people did happen by, the two puppies did little to garner attention. While other dogs pressed their snouts through their cages and yapped at passersby in a plea to be taken home, Sadie and Lola didn’t so much as move a whisker. It was like they knew if they did, they might be separated. There are very few visitors to these fairs who are looking for more than one four-pawed addition to their family.

By the time our lunch break rolled around and hot cocoa was passed to every volunteer, my heart was aching for them. They looked so sad and lonely, I could hardly stand it.

When I walked back to their cage, I bent closer and stuck a few of my fingers inside, softly calling for them to come to me. They opened their glassy eyes, watching me uncertainly. It was Sadie, who was slightly pudgier and larger than little Lola, who protectively stood first. Keeping between my hand and her smaller sister, Sadie sniffed me. As if suddenly making up her mind about a decision I wasn’t privy to, she licked my fingers deliberately, gazing into my eyes. Lola joined her, the message slowly growing clear.

That day, I left the adoption fair with two new best friends.

It wasn’t me who truly picked them, they’d picked me. The papers were signed immediately. That day is still one of the highlights of my life. It’s impossible now to imagine who I might be without their constant company. It’s only been a few years since that fateful day, but it feels like forever. My dogs inspire me to be gentler and kinder in the way that I approach the world. They see only the best in people, and I try to live that way as well.

It’s the same way with Cooper. It’s been days and years all at once since he wandered into my home and caught me in the shower. Funny how in the moment I’d been terrified and furious, but now I think back at it and want to laugh.

“Summer, how’s it going?” Sam asks, yanking me from my reverie.

I clear my throat and beam at him. “It’s going well.”

I grin back at Sam, trying to focus on the adoption fair and not the handsome billionaire who’s captivated so much of my thoughts lately.

“I’m so pleased with the turn out,” Sam muses, looking around at the busy fair.

“Me too. Actually, I think this year might be a clean sweep,” I reply. “We’ve got so many people coming and going, and almost every single one I’ve talked to has taken a dog home. I’m hopeful that most of these dogs will find their forever homes today.”

“Fantastic! I knew recruiting you was a good choice. I’ve got to get back to my tent but I’ll swing by later to check on you again. Let me know if you need anything.”

I nod, waving goodbye as he trots back to his store’s tent near the front gates of the park. A few other local shops, as well as some veterinary offices, have small stands set up to help the new owners get settled with their pets. I’d even managed to find Rosco’s vet over there, verifying that the Husky had no known allergies.

Tonight, because I’m been so busy helping out here, I intend on making the dogs a nice feast. They’ll have some eggs and leftover steak from my freezer to top their kibble. It’s a rare treat since I watch my dogs’ health and diets carefully, but I know they’ll appreciate the reward.

I’ve been going back and forth to the apartment all morning, but so far the dogs have been perfectly behaved. I took them for a short stroll and made sure they had time to stretch their legs. It’s getting harder and harder to leave Rosco in that kennel every time I leave because I know Sadie and Lola want him free to play with.

Soon enough, we’ll be able to do just that.

I shield the sun off my face, watching a little girl nearby gently stroke her newly adopted pup—a tiny Chihuahua that made the child look like a giant. I could tell that they were going to be friends for life. There’s something magical about these pet adoptions. You find an animal that speaks to your soul, look into one another’s eyes and it’s just . . . love at first sight.

I’d never really believed in such a thing, but here’s honest proof of it right before me.

“Hey.”

The deep tenor of Cooper’s voice drifts over my shoulder, his breath warm on my ear. I jump, heart leaping into my throat as I spin around. He towers over me, his suit still perfectly pressed, his eyes as blue as a cloudless sky. My soul feels like it’s bottoming out, dropping to my toes and freezing me in place. His eyes have become my favorite shade of blue—deep and endless and enchanting.

You just look into each other’s eyes and . . .

I cut my rebellious thoughts off, swallowing hard. “You’re here,” I squeak out, voice strained.

A grin crosses his impossibly handsome face as his arms fold over his chest. “I told you I would be.”

“I just, um, I guess I expected you to change first.” I gesture at his suit and tie then at the dogs behind me. “I need help walking some of them and your suit might get dirty.”

He nods, smoothing his hands over his tailored suit jacket then deftly unbuttoning it. In a matter of seconds, he takes the fine fabric and folds it, tossing it into to the chair where my own purse sits as though the jacket is a dirty rag and not something I’m sure cost a small fortune to purchase and alter to his rugged frame.

“Are you sure you don’t want to change first? I might be able to find a volunteer shirt for you . . .”

“I’m sure, Summer.”

My name coming from his lips is almost too much for me to bear. I nod again, stiffly pointing toward where the leashes are stored in a large bin next to the kennels. “I need to take these Corgis out for a short loop around the park past Turtle Pond. It usually drums up a little interest in the pups. Plus, I’m sure these little guys would love some exercise. It’s tough on them to be stuck in a cage while all this excitement is going on.”

Cooper nods sagely, listening as he rolls up his sleeves and retrieves the leashes. I demonstrate how to carefully open the kennel and leash the dog before letting them free. In a few minutes, we have a small herd trotting in circles around our feet as we march toward the pond. The grass is lush and green under our feet, the faint smell of freshwater babbling from the pond.

“I love taking my dogs out here for a walk,” I say, jerking my chin toward the water. “Isn’t it gorgeous?”

Cooper’s eyes are caught on me and not the water, warming my face like a spotlight. “Gorgeous is one word that comes to mind,” he muses.

Even though I’m sure he’s talking about the pond, I blush. I quickly duck my head to hide how much is gaze affects me, focusing on the spunky Corgis trotting round us. The pups go every which way as we walk side-by-side, moving like a furry, frenzied cloud around our ankles.

“I can see why you needed help,” he laughs, watching them tangle the leashes around us like kids on a maypole.

We try to circle one another and get free of the winding leashes, but it’s useless. Watching the spirited dogs trip up the billionaire as he tries to organize them leaves me laughing so hard that tears well in my eyes. I can barely focus on the darting Corgis. Their leashes wrap around us even as we try to untangle them, and before I can comprehend what’s happening, Cooper and I are suddenly thrust together.

The wind blows off Turtle Pond, cool even in the heat of summer. Cooper’s chest presses to mine, one of his arms wrapping around my waist. His body is more marbled with hard muscle than I expected. It makes my breath catch. His cologne tingles my nose, adding to my feeling of dizziness.

At first we both try to pull away and free ourselves of the yapping creatures twining us together, but our struggle soon falls short as the rest of the world melts away. The sun, the dogs, the pond, it’s all gone when I look up into Cooper’s eyes. He laughs uncertainly, but his eyes churn with emotion. All I can think is that there is so much to this man before me that I never could’ve guessed . . . and his lips look so utterly kissable.

“Are you enjoying yourself?” I manage to stammer out, my tone oddly breathless.

“If I wasn’t before, I am now,” he whispers back.

I’ve never felt this nervous around a man before. I’ve never felt as though I’m walking on air in their presence either. My entire body is hot and cold and tingly and numb all at the same time. My heart races in my chest, a battering ram against my ribs.

Cooper’s arm around my waist tightens, though not because of the dogs’ leashes, but because he’s pulling me against him. I give a faint gasp, a tremor rolling up me. We’re so close that I can’t tell where my body ends and where he begins. The inches between our faces begin to melt away and I’m not sure which one of us is moving, or if it’s both, all I know is that I can feel the heat of his breath on my lips and then . . . then his lips capture mine.

Electricity bursts in my core, blazing heat surging through my veins. My eyes close, my body straining to press even closer to him though not even a wisp of air would fit between us. We cling to one another, lips moving in perfect time, hearts beating together. I have no idea what this means, but I never want it to end.

In a whirl of summer heat and barking dogs I have the most marvelous kiss I’ve ever imagined. The kiss deepens, Cooper’s fingers running through my hair and the world pauses just for us.

Chapter 11

Cooper

There’s never been a more perfect fit in my arms than Summer. Even with the dogs playfully struggling to pull us every which way, I could tell how flawlessly she would rest in my embrace. In fact, I eagerly awaited it, not trying nearly as hard as I could have to untangle us from the leashes. I wonder if she noticed or if, possibly, she allowed herself to be led to me as well.

Either way, standing here with Summer in my arms, gazing down into her gorgeous eyes, I know that I never want to let her go.

It was easy to kiss her, to be drawn in by the allure of her pink, plump lips. The way she’d been looking at me, her eyes venturing down my nose to my mouth—it was irresistible. Her lips had pursed just slightly as though she was imagining what it might be like to drink a kiss from my tongue. And I was all too happy to oblige.

Like I could have resisted for a second longer . . .

* * *

It’s been at least an hour since our kiss, if not a year, and I’m already dying to kiss Summer one more time, and then at least ten times more after that for good measure. It’s the single most exhilarating, delicious, captivating kiss that I’ve ever experienced. It’s one I could savor forever, if she’d let me.

But it’s not like I got a chance to tell her any of this.

The moment the kiss was over Summer dashed away, pretending to have other work to do at the fair. She left me dazed at Turtle Pond with the herd of fluffy Corgis who were cute and funny but no substitute for her.

I made sure the dogs got plenty of exercise before helping them back into their cages. One of them, the tiniest of the bunch, was the only one to put up a fuss when it was time to return to his kennel. He seemed to cling to my hand, wanting to be petted and played with. I even let him romp in the sun for a while longer, watching his tiny legs carry him around until he was tuckered out and I could sneak him back into his cage without him noticing.

In the time since Summer’s disappearance most of the herd has been adopted. It’s amazing to see people’s faces light up when they meet their perfect dog partner. I’m happier than ever that Summer invited me to come and help out. She brings out the best in me.

Now if only she’ll give me a chance to tell her that . . .

The tiniest Corgi gives an excited yap and I glance up noticing Summer shyly approaching. In her arms she’s carrying a small box. She smiles at me, her lips still slightly swollen from our kiss, the sight of which makes my core go taut. It’s hard to be this close to her and not pull her into my arms. I’ll give anything to feel her body pressing against mine, her soft lips crashing into my own. Her tongue is sweet velvet, the taste of which lingers on my own, deliciously.

Summer holds up the box, the logo of Sam’s shop is embossed on the lid in red and blue. She pops open the lid just slightly, showing me an assortment of pizza-shaped treats inside.

“I got these for Rosco, Sadie, and Lola,” Summer explains, not fully meeting my eyes.

“They’ll certainly be excited to see that,” I answer lightly, making sure that my tone is smooth and cool.

I don’t want to give away the tornado of emotion that’s churning in my chest. I don’t want to lay my heart out on the line when I’m not sure that it will be reciprocated.

I wish I knew what she was feeling. Hell, I wish I knew what I was feeling . . .

Do I have time for something like this?

Do I even want it?

A resounding YES bursts from my chest.

Summer is everything I never knew I wanted.

Confusion hits me just as quickly as the answer to my unvoiced questions.

What is it about this woman that makes me want to change everything?

Suddenly, when I look into Summer’s eyes, my tech firm seems to move down my list of priorities. And for the first time in my life, I think I’m truly terrified.

Summer sets the box down atop her purse after carefully moving my suit jacket out of the way. When she straightens, her eyes meet mine before dropping to her feet again. Her cheeks are flaming red, the crimson stain of which creeps down her neck.

Even though I don’t want to put myself out there, I can’t just stand here when she looks so visibly uneasy.

I inch closer, running my fingers under her chin and tipping her face toward mine. As my hand brushes the sensitive flesh of her neck, she sucks in a tiny gasp, her eyes closing then slitting open to gaze up into mine.

Now’s my chance.

“Summer, if what happened made you uncomfortable in any way—”

“No! It’s just . . .” she pauses, biting her lower lip. She sinks slightly closer to me, the warmth of her body enveloping my own. My other hand twitches, yearning to touch her. “Cooper, It’s just . . .”

“Is this the last one?” Sam suddenly asks from behind us, cutting Summer off.

She pulls away, whirling to look at the shop owner who’s staring into one of the kennels.

“Is this really the last pup we have left?” Sam asks. “He’s so cute. I wonder how he got overlooked?”

“He’s small,” Summer manages to say looking at the tiny Corgi. She tugs at her shirt, straightening it, her blush ever deepening. “Runts don’t get as much attention.”

Sam sighs. “Poor fella. I guess that means I’ve got to take him back to the pet shelter. Hopefully he’ll get adopted soon.” He shakes his head. “Well, we still did great today. Almost a hundred dogs found new homes. The rescue shelter is ecstatic.”

Sam opens the kennel door, leaning in to scoop out the Corgi. I see it’s the feisty one I’d been playing with. He’s yapping and squirming in Sam’s hands. Finally leashed, Sam sets the dog down. The instant the Corgi’s paws hit the grass, he bolts toward Summer and I, leaping up against my leg and leaving little muddy footprints on the black fabric of my pants.

“Sorry about that!” Sam apologizes, trying to gently guide the puppy away. “I think he knows I’m going to take him back to the shelter. Guess he’s trying to make a friend first.”

Summer bites her lip again, leaning down to pet the small dog. He licks her hands eagerly, eyes closing when she scratches his ears, which are too big for his tiny face.

“Sorry, buddy,” she whispers. “I would take you if I could, but I just don’t have the room for another pup right now. You’re a sweet little thing. I’m sure you’ll find your home soon. I’ll come visit you—”

“Could I take him?” I ask abruptly, before my mouth can catch up with my mind. “Maybe foster him so he doesn’t have to go back to the shelter?”

Summer goes silent, staring at me in surprise.

Sam’s eyes widen just slightly, but he gives an eager nod. “Of course, Cooper. I’m sure this little guy would love to have a break from the shelter. They do what they can, but it’s still hard on the dogs there to stay in good spirits.”

Sam passes the leash to me. As he does, the energetic dog slowly sits and stares up at me. His tiny tail wags, a doggish smile lighting his face. The moment he looks at me, I know that this isn’t just a foster situation. This pup belongs with me. It’s the same exact feeling I got when I saw Rosco for the first time. That instant connection reminds me of something else . . . something that I felt the first time I saw Summer sprawled out on her bathroom floor in a towel.

It’s the feeling of my life changing.

“We’ll need to get you some supplies,” Summer says gently, her palm resting on my arm.

Warmth centers on the place where she touches me, my heart’s pace growing faster and faster. “Okay,” I manage to say, pushing past the tension in my chest.

“Prepping for a new puppy is so much fun. I’d love to help. If you have time to swing by my place and get the dogs then all of us can head over to your place together and get you set up. Sound good?”

I nod, loving the sound of her voice and how easily she uses words like us and together. I want to convey that, but her hand is still on my arm and I’m unable to trust the words I might say.

“Yes,” I finally manage.

As if I could ever tell her no.

As if I would ever want to.

I’m finding that every second with Summer is the best spent second of my life.

Chapter 12

Summer

Toting bags of new toys, special puppy chow and other dog products to help the new puppy transition into his life with Cooper and Rosco, we march towards Cooper’s apartment, four dogs trotting happily along in front of us.

We decided it was better for the new puppy to get settled there instead of at my home. Cooper had yet to pick a name for him so we were currently calling our new friend ‘Pup.’ Until Cooper could settle on something more fitting, the simple name would have to do.

The initial meeting between the four dogs had gone exceedingly well. Sadie and Lola had accepted the puppy instantly, taking turns licking his tiny head until he was covered in slobber. Rosco had been slower, sniffing Pup and inspecting him carefully. After a few minutes, Rosco seemed to have decided that he would be the new dog’s protector. He kept one eye on the Corgi at all times, guiding Pup around gently.

Now, scurrying beside Sadie, Lola, and Rosco, the new puppy looks tiny and delicate though he can easily run circles around them with his endless energy. Still, it’s comical to watch. For every single stride they take, Pup seems to take ten.

My own steps were unhurried. I don’t want to rush our arrival to Cooper’s. We’ve yet to discuss our moment of passion in the park beside Turtle Pond and I’m not sure what that means.

Does he regret it?

I know I don’t.

Just the thought of it now is enough to make me blush. I glance up at the night sky hoping it hides my glowing cheeks. The moon is high in the sky, lighting our way, the breeze warm as the stars endlessly twinkle. What a strange day. I never imagined it would end with me walking four dogs on the arm of a billionaire.

I just can’t seem to wrap my head around the idea that Cooper is actually interested in me. He’s so successful and ambitious and I’m . . . I’m just me—average in every way.

Am I just imagining the sizzling sparks between us during that kiss?

The hair on the back of my neck lifts, one of my hands moving absently to follow the curve of my lower lip. I can still feel Cooper there. Every warm gust of air reminding me of the way his tongue felt against mine.

No, the passion of that kiss certainly wasn’t imagined.

“New dogs, sir?” the doorman asks, interrupting my musing, as we approach the tall building that Cooper calls home.

I’ve seen the building in passing a handful of times when I’m in the area for a client, but I’ve never imagined going inside. I can see the ornate décor on the walls from out here. I almost feel as though I’m trespassing, like I don’t belong here.

Cooper just laughs and nods at the man, pausing when he notices my hesitation. From within the doorway, he reaches out a hand toward me. Timidly, I take it, his fingers warm and smooth against my own. My heart almost bursts out of my chest.

Once inside, Cooper slowly drops my hand to fish out his key as he guides me to the elevator. We soar up higher and higher, my stomach dropping to my feet. I’ve never been a fan of heights. When we step out of the elevator at the penthouse suite, tall glass windows line the hall. I can see everything from up here, the other buildings looking more like toys than actual structures made of stone and steel.

“Here we are . . .” Cooper announces, swinging open the door and letting me in.

His home is as gorgeous as I expected. It’s been professionally decorated with a sleek black leather furniture, beautiful paintings strung along the ivory painted walls accented with décor in shades of crimson and gold. It’s beautiful. If I were him, I don’t think I’d ever be able to leave.

The only real personal touches I notice are photos of Rosco hanging proudly on the walls as well as a few expensive dog beds and toys strewn about. Every earthly pleasure a dog could want has been bought by the billionaire. He clearly doesn’t skimp when it came to his best friend.

It warms my heart knowing that Pup will be treated so well. Though I know that dogs place no value on material things it’s sweet to see Cooper does his best for his four-legged companions.

As I look around the palatial home, I wonder if Cooper knows he could purchase his dogs their own island to romp around on and at the end of the day they only care about the time spent with their treasured owner and the attention they receive.

“You have a lovely home,” I murmur, running my fingers delicately along the accent table by the entrance.

“Thanks,” Cooper replies as he unhooks the dogs, letting them roam free.

Sadie and Lola instantly jump on the couch as they normally do at my own house. I rush at them, trying to get them back down to the floor and off the expensive leather, but Cooper’s fingers brush my elbow, stopping me.

“It’s just a couch, Summer,” he chuckles warmly. “And Rosco has been all over it. There’s no damage they can do that he hasn’t.”

Relaxing, I nod and glance at the dogs. They roam together, exploring every inch of the sprawling home with Rosco leading the way as though he’s giving them a tour. The amount of comfort that they’ve already found with one another is astounding. It’s as though all four dogs have known each other for years instead of just a short time. Even Pup has taken right to them, chasing their tails and leaping on them playfully. Sadie and Lola treat him as gently as Rosco does while they play. They all seem to take turns letting Pup win his playful games.

Together, Cooper and I feed the dogs and then pour some wine for ourselves once the tired canines have collapsed together on one of Rosco’s huge beds. The hours have passed quickly, twilight approaching as Cooper and I recline on opposite ends of his couch. Our legs brush as we face one another, sipping our wine in peaceful tranquility.

For a long moment, we bask in the silence. It’s not a heavy quiet, but a relaxed and content one following a long and pleasant day.

“Today has been the best day of my life,” Cooper says unexpectedly from behind the rim of his wine glass.

His deep voice rouses Rosco, who opens one eye to check everything over and then sleepily dozes off once more.

“Mine too,” I answer honestly.

The wine settles in my stomach, warming me through like a softly flickering fire.

“I never expected when I woke up today that so much would happen,” Cooper continues, eyes going distant. “The dog fair, the new puppy . . .” he starts to say something else then quiets.

The kiss, I want to finish his statement for him, dying to know his thoughts on it.

I’m too shy to bring it up, not wanting to face the swift rejection that I’m sure will follow.

But why had he kissed me?

Why had he held me like that?

Why couldn’t I be brave enough to ask?

We gaze at each other again, the lights of Cooper’s apartment low and the snores of the dogs softly filling the space. It’s odd, how I can easily imagine every night being like this. Playing with the dogs and then unwinding together . . .

What a lovely dream this will make when I close my eyes tonight. I glance at my watch, almost wincing at the hour. Morning will come soon.

Cooper finishes his wine, setting the empty glass on the coffee table.

I follow suit, straightening just slightly. “It’s late,” I murmur reluctantly as the seconds of the grandfather clock tick on. “I don’t know how safe I feel walking all the way home. Do you mind if I sleep here tonight? On the couch, I mean—”

“There’s no way I’d ever let you sleep on the couch,” he interrupts with a shake of his head.

I climb to my feet, picking up a soft pillow and fluffing it in spite of his chivalry. “These are so comfy. I’ll be fine out here, and I won’t even need a blanket with how warm it is this time of year.”

With a laugh Cooper springs up as well, snatching the pillow and lifting it over my head. His sudden closeness makes my throat tighten, goose bumps prickling my skin.

“No way in hell am I letting you sleep out here while I’m in that bed alone.”

Alone. Alone?

As in, he’d rather me be in it? With him?

The question rises up my throat but I swallow it down and try to steal the pillow back.

Cooper holds the pillow higher over his head, laughing while I jump and try to get it. I crash into his chest, biting back a moan at the feeling of our bodies’ contact. I lurch backwards, but his arm suddenly loops around my waist, stilling my movement. The summer heat seems to collect in this one spot, growing hotter and hotter by the second. My breath catches in my lungs, my arms softly coiling around his neck as he drops the pillow so that his other arm can wrap around me.

He pulls me against him, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows. “This is just another reason why today has been the best day ever,” he whispers huskily, his forehead lowering to mine.

I wait on bated breath, unable to breathe or speak or move. I am captivated by him, completely. “Why?” I whisper, shuddering in his arms.

“Because I got to kiss you for the first time . . .”

His face lowers to mine as I lift my chin, eagerly accepting his kiss. Time seems to screech to a halt, every pore on my body expanding to release steam as his lips press against mine.

In a flurry of movement we collapse back on the couch, my legs twining around his hips, my fingers raking through his hair. His mouth is everywhere, burning a trail down my jaw and throat. He kisses my neck, nipping gently. When his teeth graze my collarbone I gasp, tilting my head back to expose more sensitive flesh to him.

His lips return to mine, greedily drinking in another kiss that continues until our lungs scream for air.

Breaking away, chest rising and falling, Cooper drags off his shirt, exposing his muscled chest. Even in the dim light, I can see the lines of his strong body. My palms glide over his smooth skin, memorizing how he feels against me.

When I grab the hem of my shirt, eager to rip it over my head, he grabs my wrists and stops me. With a faint smirk, Cooper presses a long kiss to my mouth. “That’s my job,” he says, voice dripping with passion. “And I’m not in any rush.”

I nod, wanting to be agreeable, but I’ve never felt this intense attraction before, this intense desire to truly make love. Nothing matters but this moment, but this kiss, but him and the unbelievable way he makes me feel. I don’t know how to express this to him.

Luckily, I don’t have to. Cooper seems to know exactly what I want.

He hooks his arms under my knees and sweeps me off my feet. As he carries me toward his bedroom he whispers against my lips. “Summer . . . you’re so incredible.”

And for once, I don’t want to argue—not when I know where this is heading.

So, I don’t.

Instead, I tell myself to let go of my fears and hold onto this man with all my heart. It’s already his, after all . . .

Chapter 13

Cooper

The moment I wake I feel the warmth and weight of her sleeping body in the bed beside me. Morning light spills across the bedroom carpet, illuminating her sun-kissed hair like a halo. My breath catches in my throat, my heart melting in a way I never thought possible.

Never in my life have I woken to a woman like this—one who has a command of my heart in the effortless way that Summer does. She hasn’t even had to try to lure me in with flamboyant sex appeal or lewd flirtations . . . she’s just been her natural, feisty, beautiful self and that has attracted me ceaselessly.

I think I knew even during that first conversation we had that I wanted her. Not just physically, but emotionally as well. I certainly wasn’t ready to admit it then, but she’s left me no room for argument now. I can only hope that this isn’t just a one-night stand to her. There’ll be plenty of time yet for that conversation, I suppose, but it’s a conversation that I’ve never wanted with anyone but her.

In such a short time she’s implanted herself so deeply in my heart. I can’t imagine my life without her now.

Around us, the dogs sleep soundly. Pup, still officially nameless, is curled up between Summer and me in the small space parting our bodies. He’s already opened his big eyes, watching me with interest, his tiny tail thumping up and down. I reach over and stroke his little head, the movement rousing the other dogs. They all lift their heads, eyes sleepy.

Though I want nothing more than to curl against Summer, feeling her soft skin press against every inch of my body, I carefully climb out of bed and herd the dogs out into the living room, pulling the door closed so Summer can sleep a little longer. I know that once Rosco is awake he’s not going to simply wait in bed until I move. He’s going to want to eat his breakfast right away. Hopefully the other dogs are ready to eat as well.

I make my way over to the kitchen, filling up the food bowls and setting them down. Eagerly, the four dogs each attack their own dish. Absently, I keep an eye on them while my mind drifts away. It takes me back to last night—the sounds of our pleasure echoing against the walls, Summer’s fingers raking down my back, my name on her tongue.

I’ve never known pleasure like that could exist. Not just pleasure in the mind-blowing sex, but pleasure in her company, in holding her afterward, in the sleepy giggles and pillow talk we’d shared. It’s all so simply beautiful, and it’s that way because of her.

On autopilot, my brain still in bed with Summer, my body walks me to the kitchen and I begin to make breakfast. After the delicious pancake spread she made me the other day, I want to show my appreciation and make her something tasty. It’s not like I’m a five star chef, but I know my way around the kitchen. I grew up cooking with my mother and have an arsenal of recipes under my belt as proof. I start cracking eggs for sausage and spinach omelets, glancing up as the dogs begin to play.

Though Pup is content to romp about, Sadie, Lola, and Rosco soon tire of his energetic puppy antics. When they do, he decides he wants to find someone new to play with and trots over to the closed bedroom door. When he scratches at it, I scoop him up with a laugh bringing him back to the kitchen.

“Let Summer sleep!” I tease, feeding him a small scrap of cooked egg and smiling at the warmth of his tongue on my fingertip.

He gazes up at me with those big ears pointed toward the sky, his eyes large and dark. Happiness swells in my chest at the sight of him. He’s going to make such a great addition to Rosco and myself . . . and hopefully Summer and her dogs as well.

A second later the bedroom door glides open. Footsteps wander up the hall as a sleepy-eyed Summer emerges. Wearing nothing more than my shirt, which hangs around her thighs, she looks radiant. She smiles at me coyly and pushes her blonde locks away from her eyes. If anything, her slightly ruffled bedroom hair makes her even more beautiful.

The dogs all rush forward, leaping around her feet. She greets each one happily before making her way toward me. My fingers glide over her hips, pulling her against me with one hand while cradling a squirming Pup with the other.

“Morning,” she says shyly.

“Good morning” I whisper, fighting the urge to lift her onto the counter and pick up where we left off last night.

I can still perfectly recall what it felt like to be with her so completely. My body is tense with the effort to behave at least until we have coffee, so I settle for stealing a long morning kiss.

Summer gives a faint moan of bliss, melting against my chest. I pull her closer, fingers sliding down her spine. When my hands reach the edge of my shirt she’s wearing, I can barely resist slipping them beneath the fabric to feel the perfection that’s waiting for me.

“I thought last night was a dream when I first woke up,” she murmurs softly. “Was it just my imagination or was that totally amazing?”

“It was amazing,” I promise her, again stealing a kiss as though my life depended on it.

Waking up with Summer in a bed filled with our dogs, that was heaven. It was better than heaven, it was heaven on earth.

If I can wake up like that every day, I know I’ll be happy forever.

Chapter 14

Summer

Warning: when the first thing you see in the morning is a gorgeous man at the stove, cooking you a breakfast that smells absolutely amazing while lovingly holding a puppy to his bare chest, your heart may very well burst.

This must be a dream because it never crossed my mind that I would be lucky enough to wake to such a sight. Yet, here Cooper stands, in all his half-naked, puppy-holding-glory. It’s all I can do to remember how to breathe.

Though I hadn't left the room at first, I’d woken the moment he got out of bed and watched with one eye cracked as he got the dogs and led them out. Once he was gone and the door was securely shut, I rolled over onto my back on the luxurious sheets of his plush bed and stared up at the ceiling.

This wasn’t my life . . . waking up with a billionaire.

Everything about Cooper was too good to be true. Last night, the way he’d held me and kissed me and touched me—it’d been magical. My body had never experienced such ecstasy or pleasure. And I’d never felt so magnetized by a single kiss.

Laying there, the smell of him still on the sheets, my mind wandered every which way. I wondered why I was still there, what I should expect, how to prepare myself for the inevitable heartbreak that I would be facing the moment I walked out of the bedroom . . .

Surely last night was nothing more than a one-night stand to him.

I expected to tiptoe out of the bedroom and find Cooper readying my dogs for me to take home. But then I’d heard eggs cracking. I’d heard laughter and dogs playing . . . and I’d had to come out and see what was going on.

But no mental pep talk could have prepared me for this . . . the fact that Cooper wasn’t shooing me away, but inviting me to stay for breakfast instead. The possibility of such a preposterous scenario had never crossed my mind.

These kinds of things don’t happen to me. Colin is the kind of thing that happens to me, but not this—not a billionaire cooking me breakfast with amusing questions dancing in his eyes as he kisses me telling me he wants more.

It was a lot to wrap my mind around, especially before a cup of coffee. I try not to let my thoughts run away with me as I remind myself not to drool over the gorgeous man before me. Instead, I pull the squirming Corgi from Cooper’s arms. “What are you making?” I ask, cuddling Pup as Rosco, Sadie and Lola nudge me for extra loving, which I happily give.

I set Pup down to let him join in the fun. The dogs seem just as content as I am. I’ve never seen Sadie and Lola look as happy as they do now. I’ve always known that they love to play with other dogs, but I hadn't realized just how much spirit it gave them to have that option on a daily basis like they do with Pup and Rosco. They’re becoming quite the little canine family.

“Omelets,” Cooper announces proudly, my mouth already watering. “I rarely get a chance to cook but when I do I like to go all out. Next time, I’ll make you French toast. It’s my mom’s old recipe.”

Next time.

The way he just casually throws that out there makes my whole body simmer with warmth. I sidle closer, stealing a bite of the omelet he’s just put on the plate. I close my eyes, head thrown back. It’s as delicious as it smells. When I open my eyes again he smiles at me, passing me a mug of coffee. I take a sip then set it down on the local paper, gasping when I see the day.

“Monday!” I cry out. With Cooper, the days seem to all blur together into a haze of fun and pleasure. “Don’t you have to be at work?”

“I’m the boss,” he says simply. “Besides, I want to enjoy breakfast with you first.”

I don’t know what to say, my tongue heavy behind my teeth. My emotions run high as I try to make sense of this.

Why would a man like Cooper be interested in me?

Why would he be making me breakfast?

Why can’t I stop worrying?

“Hey . . .” he says abruptly, laying down his spatula and turning me toward him. His fingers run up and down my arms, coming to a rest on my shoulders. He brushes my mussed hair back from my face, his hands warm and gentle. “What’s going on? Talk to me, Summer.”

I bite my lip, considering lying. I don’t want to put pressure on this, whatever this might be. But I also can’t help but worry about whether this might be anything at all.

There are so many questions flooding my head that I can’t help but let one rush out.

“I don’t understand what you want from me,” I finally sputter, though the comment makes even less sense spoken aloud than it does in my head.

“What I want?” he echoes, blinking in bewilderment.

My chin moves on its own, nodding as words tumble out of me. “You're a billionaire, you’re basically a tech genius. You live in this luxurious apartment and you work in a huge skyscraper, that you own! I just don’t get what you would ever find attractive in a woman like me. I’m just a dog walker, just an average girl who lives paycheck to paycheck. There isn’t anything special about me that could keep a guy like you satisfied, Cooper, and I just . . . I just don’t want either of us to get hurt thinking this is something it’s not.”

“Nothing special?” he repeats before abruptly shaking his head. His fingers curl tighter around my shoulders, his body angling down just slightly so he can gaze into my eyes with his own fiery baby-blues. Emotion etches across his face. “Do you not know what kind of woman you are, Summer? Do you not see how amazing you are?”

“Cooper . . .”

He shakes his head fervently. “You are everything, Summer. I’ve never known I could feel like this. I’ve been waiting for you for a very long time. You’re sexy as hell, smart as a whip, you don’t cater to me, and you’re just as devoted to your dogs and your business as I am to mine. I have never once met someone like you and I never expect to be lucky enough to meet anyone like you again.”

“So what does this mean?” I ask, voice and knees shaking.

“It means that I want to see where this goes. It means I want to wake up next to you, surrounded by our dogs, for as long as you’ll let me.”

Tears well in my eyes and I nod, leaning in to embrace him tightly. I have to let go of my insecurities. I have to manage to open my guarded heart. I’ve never truly trusted a man like I’ve trusted my dogs, but I know that with Cooper I have to try. The happiness he pulls from me is too precious not to take a risk.

“I should go home after breakfast,” I mumble into his chest, clinging to him tightly. “That way you can get to work.”

“Or not,” he answers abruptly, his fingers closing around my own.

I look up at him questioningly, forehead crinkling.

He clears his throat, swallows hard, and embraces me a little tighter. “What I mean is . . . why don’t you stay? For good, Summer. With me.”

Chapter 15

Cooper

Summer doesn’t answer right away, her jaw going slack. Her arms, which were still around my neck, curl slightly tighter as though she’s expecting me to take my offer back.

“I’m not saying you have to move in all the way right now, but Summer . . . I think this thing that we have growing between us, with you and me and the dogs, I think it’s one in a million. I think you’re one in a million. I don’t want to have to watch you walk out that door not knowing when you’ll be back. Waking up next to you was more amazing than any dream I’ve had.”

“So you want me to be your live in dog sitter?” she asks, half playful, half serious, her eyes narrowing on mine, searching for my intentions.

“You know, for my entire life I’ve worked toward building this tech firm of mine. I never thought anything would ever compare to the dedication and love I have for it. Now, I’m seeing that I don’t want to make my life about work. Since meeting you, I’ve wondered how much of Rosco’s life I’ve willingly missed just to get extra things done in the office. I’ve wondered what other things I’ve missed and the fact is, I don’t want to miss any more.”

“What are you saying?” she whispers haltingly.

“Somewhere deep in my heart, I’ve known that I can’t continue to work as hard and long as I do now. My assistant has been telling me that since she started working for me, but I’ve never wanted to listen. I think now it’s time I do. I’m going to call her and tell her I want to step back a bit and let the people I pay to help me run my business actually do just that.”

Summer leans against my chest, her fingers trembling in mine. I pull her against me, resting my chin atop her head. I can feel her heart beating like crazy in her chest, though mine is doing the exact same thing. I’m terrified of what comes next, but I’m even more terrified of losing her.

“I’ve always been afraid of relationships, Summer,” I say softly, “I didn’t have very good examples growing up. It’s made me afraid of putting my heart on the line. But with you, for the first time, I want to be brave. I want to stand by your side. I want to kiss you every day.”

“That’s what I want too,” she whispers.

I can’t help the smile spreading across my face. Every gentle word she says seems to set off firecrackers in my soul.

“Summer, you make me happier than anything ever has. I want to focus on this journey with you. I want to focus on our dogs. I don’t want to push you into anything you’re not ready for, but you’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever met and I don’t intend on ever letting you go as long as you’ll have me.”

When Summer tips her head back, joyous tears sparkle in the corner of her eyes. “I feel the same about you. I have for a while, but I’ve been afraid to say so.”

“There’s something else I’ve been thinking about . . .” I add, my fingers smoothing over her soft cheek. “I figured out Pup’s real name.”

She smiles, swiping her eyes with the back of her hand. “Oh?”

“I want to name him Turtle.”

“Turtle?” she repeats, head thrown back with laughter. “Are you serious? You want to name your dog Turtle?”

The dogs start to gather around us at the commotion, barking and jumping and wagging their tails. Little Turtle puts his paws on my calf and I scoop him up with a nod.

“I want to name our dog Turtle,” I correct, kissing Summer when she smiles again. “Turtle as in Turtle Pond. The place where I first met him . . . and the place where I realized I was falling in love with you.”

Summer instantly quiets, her hands flying to her crimson cheeks in surprise. She moves closer, again searching my eyes. “Say it again,” she whispers abruptly. “I want to hear you say it again.”

I set Turtle down, wrapping my arms around Summer tightly. “Summer, I am falling in love with you. I’m falling hard. Every minute I tumble further and further head over heels but I don’t care, I’m enjoying it every inch of the way.”

“I’m falling in love with you too, Cooper!” she cries, leaning up onto her tiptoes.

My heart swells even more with happiness. Never once did I imagine I would feel such joy. We embrace, lips crashing joyously together. The dogs circle us, barking just as happily, and I’m more certain than ever that every kiss following this one will be sweeter than the last.

Epilogue

Summer

“Suzette is walking the dogs with her kids and Mrs. Donnell, so we’ve got the whole apartment to ourselves for a while,” Cooper grins, pulling me against him on the couch.

I curl up to his broad chest, running my fingers over the cotton fabric of his shirt that hides his strong body from me.

Turtle, now six months old and even more energetic today than he was when Cooper first adopted him, demands near constant attention not only from both Cooper and I, but from the other dogs as well. We were all happy to oblige—he’s too cute and sweet not to want to pamper.

Rosco adores Turtle, as do Sadie and Lola. The young Corgi brings a cheerful, playful energy to the older dogs and he certainly brightens our lives as well. Always chasing after his newest friend, Rosco’s anxiety and nerves have been immensely curbed. Rosco might as well be a new Husky. He’s so much more social and friendly, even with strangers on the street.

I still tend to our dogs, keeping the herd well fed and well played with, which is nearly a full-time job. In fact it’s because of Mrs. Donnell that I’m able to take on any new clients at all, as she and I have partnered together for Central Bark Dog Services. She dog sits and I dog walk and together we’re doing well for ourselves. I know she appreciates the time spent with the pups, her eyes always gleaming with joy when I bring her a new one. She might have been lonely before, but she certainly isn’t anymore. Her sister chose to move in with her after her health scare subsided, which has made Mrs. Donnell all the more pleased.

Suzette also finally let her sons adopt a new dog at one of the latest adoption fairs that Cooper and I volunteered at together. All in all, the last six months have been the best of my life and things are only looking up from here.

Cooper reclines against the cushions, pulling me closer. Time alone together is rare, and though we make sure to enjoy every second, we’re always glad when the dogs return. The home we share together is oddly quiet without the sounds of our fur balls filling every corner.

I began moving in almost immediately after Cooper asked me, though we took our time with the process. It was a whole month before I was completely moved in, and I didn't give up the lease to my apartment until recently just in case we needed space to grow. Fortunately, that was completely unnecessary. Cooper and I can’t get enough of each other.

“I love you, Summer,” he murmurs, the words used as freely as a breath of air.

Despite the frequency at which we say those three little words, they still make my heart race every time I hear them.

Cooper wraps his strong arms around me as he speaks, lowering his lips so his breath is on my ear. I shiver, goose bumps prickling up my arms. Heat pulses in my core as his teeth softly graze the skin of my neck. I tilt my head, allowing him access. He presses a warm kiss in the hollow of my neck, fingers sliding under the hem of my shirt.

“I love you, too,” I whisper throatily back, tone husky with desire.

He tilts my head toward him with his large palm, fingertips brushing my hair as his mouth descends on mine. He greedily steals kisses that I’m all too happy to surrender. I sigh against his lips, fueling the fire crackling between us. Our kiss, heated with love, slows and deepens.

If I thought our passion would fade with time, I was wrong. If anything, it’s only gotten stronger. Our hands constantly wander toward one another, heady glances exchanged even in the company of others. The feeling of being loved by him is perfection, as is waking up next to him every morning and falling asleep to the sound of his soft breathing every night.

Now, Cooper’s breath is filled with tenderness as he whisper’s my name. One of his arms snakes gently around me and we collapse back against the couch cushions. I lay against his chest while he caresses my cheek. When my lips part to kiss him again, he smiles and it takes my breath away.

“Life with you is more beautiful than I ever imagined,” Cooper whispers, voice deep with emotion, his breathing still shallow. “Summer, you’re the love of my life. I never thought I would find the woman to help me become the man I want to be. With you at my side, I feel like I can do anything. I feel like I’ve found the other half of my soul.”

Tears well in my eyes. I cup his face, his strong jaw resting in my palm. “That’s how I feel about you too, Cooper. I’ve never been able to truly trust a man, not in the same way I trust my dogs . . . but with you, I feel completely safe and completely cherished.”

His lips again descend upon mine. This time the kiss is slow and gentle. We curl up together, drawing a blanket over us, still pressed chest-to-chest. When I close my eyes, I can feel his heart beating in time with my own.

I’d always thought I was happy before, and I believe I was. But little did I know just how much more joy I would find. The day that Cooper walked into my life, everything changed.

Every day that passes I find myself grateful that I left my door unlocked allowing Cooper to wander in. I didn’t think I was ready to trust again, but that only proves that sometimes we stand in our own way. We’re stronger than we know and we can heal and move on to much better things.

I certainly have.

All I know is my life has completely changed for the better. I am so eager to follow this path together—me and Cooper and the four-legged heartbeats at our feet.

— E — N — D —

Do you want to know what happens between Cooper and Summer behind closed doors?

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Also by Christina Benjamin

THE BILLIONAIRE BOYFRIEND SERIES

Sebastian: A Clean Billionaire Romance (Book 1)

Cooper: A Clean Billionaire Romance (Book 2)

Donovan: A Clean Billionaire Romance (Book 3)

Eric: A Clean Billionaire Romance (Book 4)

Jacob: A Clean Billionaire Romance (Book 5)

YOUNG ADULT CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

(All Boyfriend Books are Stand-Alone Novels and can be read in Any Order)

The Practice Boyfriend (Book 1)

The Almost Boyfriend (Book 2)

The Goodbye Boyfriend (Book 3)

The Holiday Boyfriend (Book 4)

The Stand-In Boyfriend (Book 5)

The Maybe Boyfriend (Book 6)

The Accidental Boyfriend (Book 7)

The Summer Boyfriend (Book 8)

The Wedding Boyfriend (Book 9)

The Winter Boyfriend (Book 10)

Coming Soon: The Lost Boyfriend (Book 11)

About the Author

Author, Christina Benjamin, lives in Florida with her husband, and character inspiring pets, where she spends her free time working on her books, eating chocolate and drinking wine.

Christina is best known for her bestselling Young Adult romance novels, The Boyfriend Series, which proves that book boyfriends are like chocolate... you can never have enough. Check out the Boyfriend Series for fast, fun, YA romance reads. These destination novels let you fall in love in a new city with new characters, every time. 

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Donovan: A Clean Billionaire Romance

Chapter 1

Donovan

“To you, Donovan!” Eric announces with a boyish grin, lifting a shot glass off the polished surface of the table between us.

The leather of the bench behind me sticks to my tailored suit as I shift in place, smirking at my oldest friend through the hazy dark of the impossibly crowded bar. There’s a red velvet rope looped carefully around us, keeping me and my friends separated from the sweaty bodies of the dancing crowd. Usually there’s an endless line to get into Club Thorn, but one phone call from my office was enough to book us a VIP table and bottle service for the night.

Perks of being a guy with a bank account bigger than this place’s entire revenue, I guess.

Lights swirl overhead, making Eric’s tan face and brown eyes glow alternately purple and neon green. The bass of the music playing thuds along with the rhythm of my heart, making it hard to hear my friend speak.

Eric slurs just slightly, having already made ample use of the booze available. The rest of our friends chuckle and scoop up their own shots of dangerous amber-colored liquor, joining in the toast as the overhead lights cascade through the glasses and onto the table. Just looking at the liquor makes my throat clench.

“To Donovan!” the group echoes.

When I knock the shot back I can feel the fire of the alcohol searing my tongue. It’s a delicious burn, but a burn nonetheless.

Eric arches an impatient eyebrow, chin jerking toward the second shot still waiting for me on the table. I’m not eager to take it. A night out is rare for me, as is this amount of alcohol.

“What’s the rush?” I ask with playful condescension.

“Down the hatch, Donovan,” Eric chides. “Tonight, we celebrate.”

“What are we celebrating?”

Eric grins. “I heard through the grapevine that your nonprofit was just offered a pretty solid merger. That’s cause for celebration, man!”

My stomach abruptly knots like it’s twisting in on itself, my intestines replaced by the gleaming flesh of a slithering serpent, but my smirk stays solidly in place. I can’t help the corners of my mouth from turning down, however.

Eric seems to notice, his glazed eyes curiously monitoring the change in my expression. “Unless it’s not a reason to celebrate?” he asks tepidly, the shot bobbing slightly in his hand as he speaks. “The nonprofit can’t be easy to manage when you also have your corporation to juggle.”

I clear my throat. “No, I’m just surprised that you heard anything. I figured it’d be a while before that news got out.”

Eric laughs loudly, having to set down the shot glass for a second to keep from spilling it. “Donovan, you are anything but coy. Don’t tell me you’re growing a sense of modesty all of a sudden.”

“Hardly. I’m just not one to brag before the ink on a contract is dry.”

Rolling his eyes, Eric again lifts the shot glass toward me. “Well, it leaked fast. You have to remember you’re a big name now. People are watching your every move, wondering what you’ll do next. It’s your own fault for being so damn successful.”

“Careful, Eric. Your jealousy is showing.”

We stare at one another from across the table, jaunty smugness etched into both of our faces before we burst into laughter. Eric can give as well as he can get. He’s hardly one to have his feelings hurt. Growing up around him and his snide sarcasm is probably what’s given me such thick skin as I have—not that I would ever allow him the satisfaction of knowing such a thing. Neither of our egos could stand to swell further or our heads wouldn’t fit inside this bar.

“Come on now,” Eric continues, “I’m hardly jealous. I want you to do well so you continue sinking riches into footing the bill for tonight.”

“I foot the bill every night since you’re not exactly a rock star yet.”

Eric laughs again in spite of himself, the sound thunderous and easy. “To Donovan!”

I nod with an eagerness that my friends don’t notice is forced. But to be honest, the last thing I want to do right now is celebrate. I’d been wondering why Eric called me after lunch today to demand that I meet up with him and our other college buddies at the exclusive and expensive Club Thorn. I thought he was going to tell us that he finally managed to sign with a music label or something.

The last thing I expected was for him to have gotten wind of my merger offer. It’s a rumor that I’m going to have to get on top of before it can spread too quickly. Though, if it’s already at a point where Eric, who has no ties to my industry, has heard it . . .

I try massaging the stress from my temples.

Eric is right to assume that balancing my nonprofit charity and my CEO position at my company is difficult. I severely underestimated the challenges that awaited me with taking on such a task.

Gritting my jaw, I grab another shot glass with decisive fingers and lift it up toward my friends. They cheer as I down another shot, liquor splashing over the rim of the small cup and coating my fingers as the strong scent stings my nose.

What am I doing?

I agreed to come out just for a drink, not to pound shots until I can’t hear myself think.

Even though we graduated college over six years ago, sometimes it seems as if my friends are still caught up in our old frat life. It doesn’t help that Eric is still living his high school dream of playing in a band. He seems confident enough he’ll find a label but we’re almost thirty.

If he was going to strike it big wouldn’t it have happened by now?

Eric refills our glasses and we clink roughly, more liquor splashing down on the table. In synchronous time we tip our heads back, eyes lifting toward the glowing beams overhead. The shot burns like fire down my throat. I feel it the entire way until it dissolves like a plume of lava in my gut. When I finally lower my chin, Eric’s face is all twisted up and he takes a generous gulp of water as a chaser.

“Can’t handle your tequila?” I tease, smacking my lips despite the lingering sear of alcohol on my tongue.

Haughty stoicism is part of my image, my reputation, my brand. It always has been. I can’t show a single weakness or chink in my armor. It doesn’t matter whether I’m in a business meeting or simply hanging out with friends, I have to be confident and resolute all the time. I never know who’s watching and my business depends on me . . . people depend on me.

Eric sucks a lime, grimacing despite the top shelf label of the booze. “Maybe I’m getting old,” he chuckles, dragging the back of his hand across his lips. “I turn the big three-oh in six months. Where’d the time go?”

For a second, Eric looks almost mature as he laments his upcoming birthday, his eyes wistful. It lasts only until the waitress comes sidling back in her tight shorts and low-cut shirt, turning Eric is a horny teen again.

She giggles as she approaches, seductively weaving around the crimson ropes to our special table, carrying another tray of shots. She swivels her hips to the music in the hopes that her exposed cleavage will convince us to part with more cash. If I wasn’t the one footing the bill then it surely would’ve worked. The guys can hardly manage to pick their jaws up off the floor as it is.

“Yep, you’ve got one foot in the grave already, Eric,” I mutter, making his dark eyes glint.

If I’d been hoping to distract him from gawking at the waitress, I failed. Then again, I think he’s just trying to keep himself from thinking about turning thirty.

A whole two years separates his age from my own. From the first day we met on the elementary school bus, he lorded the fact that he was my elder over me. Recently he seems to regret being the one to forge into our third decade of life first. I think he’s reluctant to accept that he has to grow up.

That’s a stark difference from myself, who accepted it early on.

After all, there are certain things that you go through in life that force you to grow up quicker than you’d like.

A shudder curls up my spine but I grit my teeth, forcing the memory away. I haven't thought of that in so long . . .

I can’t afford to let the pain rise again now.

Eric twists back toward the waitress before she can saunter away. “You heard the man, we’re all about to crumble into dust. I think we need some more liquor at this table to feel alive again!

I suppress a groan, rolling my eyes. This time I can’t blame the booze on Eric. This is my fault for hounding him about getting older. The piece of eye candy lays the tray she’s carrying on the table, taking her time in bending over as far as possible.

“What poison have you got this time, sweetheart?” Eric asks as she passes out the shots.

He can’t keep his eyes off of her, his fingers wandering toward her as though he’s fighting with every inch of his body not to touch her.

She grins widely, rotating her body toward Eric as she passes out the shots. I don’t miss the way the curve of her full breast brushes his shoulder. She bats her eyes, her makeup thick and brightly visible even through the dark and smoky air of the club.

“Whiskey,” she purrs, eyeing him seductively.

It’s probably top shelf, the expensive stuff in crystal bottles that only gets purchased by high-rollers once or twice a year. Even though I’ve already paid for bottle service, I have no doubt this was going to be an extra ludicrous charge. Too bad the poor girl is going to be disappointed when she finds out Eric isn’t as generous with his purse strings as he is with the sinful looks. She’s hitting on the wrong guy, not that her bedroom eyes would affect me the same way it does him.

The woman is beautiful, there’s no doubt about that. I’m sure most of the guys who come here have noticed her and pined for her, just like Eric.

He’s so into her that it’s almost embarrassing. He wets his lips, greedy eyes following the curves of her body. I’m surprised he hasn’t tried to get her to sit down on his lap, though I guess even Eric knows his limits.

Even as lustful as he is, he surely knows she’s just flirting to get a better tip.

Unfortunately for her, some side boob and false lashes just won’t do it for me. I slaved my way through my expensive college tuition working multiple jobs. Freshman year I was a waiter so I know the struggle of doing whatever you can to get more tips firsthand.

The cocktail waitress has been attentive and friendly enough to get a good tip, but she’s not going to get the massive one she normally gets by flirting with the customer.

It’s not her. It’s just that I’m not the type of guy who goes for the flashiest woman in a room. I much prefer women who are confident enough in themselves not to wear bright red lipstick, tiny shorts, and pounds of makeup. I don’t want to see every inch right off the bat.

It’s not like I don’t see the appeal. I certainly get why Eric is drooling right now, it’s just not what I prefer.

I want to peel back the layers of clothes, revealing everything beneath with tantric slowness. Time is precious and I like to savor the moment when it’s right.

“Donovan, whiskey’s your favorite!” Eric says firmly, lifting his brows. “It’s like in your blood or something.”

I get it. He’s trying to make sure I’m going to pay for these ridiculously expensive shots. He just doesn’t want to say so in front of the pretty lady.

I have to resist rolling my eyes. Even though I’m running a fledgling nonprofit on the side, I’m still the most well-off guy here. Eric is the only one still living a teenage pipe dream. The rest of our friends are accountants or lawyers or the like, but I’m still the one making it big.

“For the last time, Eric. I’m not Irish. I’m Italian.” I gaze levelly over at my friend, daring him to argue.

Naturally, he does just that. “Italian, Irish, they both start with I, but don’t revolve your whole life around it.” Eric chuckles, though it’s more of a snort. He gets prophetic when he’s drunk. When one of our friends groans, Eric leans over toward him. “Get it? I? Don’t revolve your whole life around yourself? Donovan’s good at that, isn’t he?”

“Eric, if you have to explain a joke, that means it isn’t funny,” I grumble, wishing I could go back in time and take back his words for him.

Maybe I could get the waitress to whack me over the head hard enough to where I forget the last twenty minutes. She’s beginning to lose interest in us, figuring out that I’m the one who’s supposed to be paying and I’m also the one who’s been immune to her cunning wiles. She stiffens up, lips pursed. She knows she’s wasted enough of her time flirting with us when she could’ve been giving someone more generous her attention.

“Let’s do these shots, gentlemen,” I say finally, making her edge closer to me much to Eric’s discontent. “And I’ll take the bill please.”

“Of course!” she answers quickly. “I’ll go get your check for you.”

Without a second glance at Eric, she briskly sashays away, though he doesn’t seem to notice, too wrapped up in me now.

“Are you leaving already?” Eric scoffs, abruptly slamming his shot back down in protest. “We just got here like an hour ago.”

“Some of us have more important things to do with our time than get wasted, Eric. Besides, I have work tomorrow.”

He glowers at me, though it’s more of a playful glare than anything. Our entire friendship is based on a firm foundation of bantering back and forth. It’s what makes us so darn charming—or so we like to believe.

Besides, if I didn't have respect for the guy, I wouldn’t still hang out with him.

Sure, he’s immature and irresponsible, but there’s a kind guy underneath all that. Eric is one of the best friends I’ve ever had. He knows me better than anyone, so he knows when to choose his battles.

Eric finally sighs in defeat. “Alright, alright. But first we do these. Drink up, boys!”

Eric picks up his whiskey and gives an invigorated whoop before knocking back the booze. The rest of us follow suit, chugging the glass of liquor. The first few shots have already dulled my taste buds, though I can still feel the familiar heat of the whiskey as it sears down my throat.

I set the glass down, savoring the slightly smoky taste still lingering behind my lips.

Maybe I do have a bit of Irish in me.

Whiskey always seems to hit the spot. Often, when I close a major deal, I’ll have a glass of Scotch and just relish it for a while all by myself in the peace and quiet of my darkened office.

Work is where I feel most alive, though a break is always nice once in a while. I guess that’s why I’d decided to come out tonight, even though I'd already had a long day in the office.

My eyes wander the bar, skimming over the faces of the people here. It’s hard to see through the smoke and the dark. Bodies wind and dance together to the brassy thump of the music, glasses clinking over the buzzing sound of chatter and laughter.

Then, in one single moment, everything seems to instantly stop.

It’s like time has frozen. The bodies, the music, the lone bead of sweat trickling down the nape of my neck . . . Everything screams to a halt when the front door swings open and a woman with the longest legs I’ve ever seen takes one step inside. Stars from outside shimmer down on her head, her ebony hair tumbling over her shoulders as her eyes shift up and down the bar.

Though she’s alone, her chin is lifted, eyes piercing through the hazy shadows. I can’t see what color they are from here but I can tell they’re piercing. They’re the kind of eyes that can see right through you. She strides forward like she owns the place, each long step making her hips sway. One of her hands glides effortlessly into the back pocket of her tight jeans. Dark hair, sleek as a raven’s wing, coils past her shoulders.

Now that is a gorgeous woman.

Eric’s elbow finds my ribs, making me jump. I shoot him a glare, concentration broken.

“You like what you’re seeing?” he teases, bleary-eyed from the alcohol and the fact that the waitress keeps circling us like a shark.

She’s clinging to the check, hoping if the whiskey hits us hard enough I’ll buy another round. I applaud her effort. She’d probably do well as a saleswoman in my company. But if Eric wants more top-shelf liquor, he’s going to have to buy it for himself. I’ve found something else to occupy my evening.

“Actually, I do like what I see,” I answer shortly, eyes narrowing back on the woman who’d just entered the room. “She’s the sexiest woman in this bar.”

Eric clicks his tongue in disagreement though he doesn’t say anything. He’s way more into women like the waitress, with her pouty glossed lips and cleavage-baring shirt. He wants to know exactly what he’s putting his hands on before he does. I love the mystery more.

In dark-wash jeans, this woman isn’t dressed skimpily by any means, though that doesn’t stop her from being stunning as hell. It doesn’t hurt that I can all but feel her confidence from here. She doesn’t shy into the shadows of the bar, coyly avoiding the open stares of not only myself but just about every other man here tonight. Instead, she seems to just soak up the attention while simultaneously managing to ignore it completely.

The dark-haired beauty leans over the bar counter, her elbows resting on the wood. She smiles faintly as she speaks, brushing her hair from her bare shoulders. Like her jeans, her off the shoulder shirt is so form fitting it could be painted on to her flawless body. I want to run my hands over the soft fabric, dipping my fingertips under the hem to feel the warmth of her skin below.

A man approaches her, running a hand through his hair. I can tell from across the room that he’s so nervous his knees are probably knocking together. If I was anything like the rest of the men here tonight, I might be unnerved by the sight of her, too. But I’m nothing like any of them. I’m successful, handsome and obscenely wealthy.

I’m not being arrogant; I’m just stating honest facts.

Not only have I been glorified for my commercial successes, but I’ve also been featured in numerous sexiest bachelor campaigns—always for charity of course—as well as those irritating fundraisers where dates with me are auctioned off. I’m always one of the most sought-after men of the night.

I could have any woman I choose, so why would I need to be apprehensive about approaching one? It’s not like anyone’s ever told me no. Anyone can tell with one look at me just how lucky they are to have my attention.

I turn my coveted attention back to the mystery woman at the bar. She turns slightly away as the man approaches her, pointedly ignoring him. When his fingers brush over her toned arm, she whips toward him and narrows her eyes. Her mouth moves though I can’t make out the short sentence she says. Whatever it is, it sends the poor guy backpedaling. His face glows red and it’s not from any of the overhead lights. Her rebuff of his advances is swift and undoubtedly ice cold.

It makes me like her even more.

Dejected, the poor guy shoves his hands in his pockets and retreats.

Eric bursts into laughter beside me, shaking his head. “Did you guys see that? She shot him down hard. You don’t have a chance in hell, Donovan. I’m calling it now. You’re going to wind up back here with your tail between your legs.”

“You really think a girl can resist this?” I smirk, gesturing at myself and only half kidding. “Please, she’ll melt into a puddle of lust before I can even finish offering to buy her a drink.”

“Alright, big shot, let’s see it.”

I return Eric’s challenging smirk. “And I was just thinking that this night would be a boring one. But it looks like I’ve got some entertainment.”

Eric laughs. “Man, how did you manage to fit that over-confident ego through the door?”

“Having money helps,” I reply sarcastically.

I smirk at him, running my fingers over my black tie and adjusting it so it lays flat against my chest. I’m still in my expensive suit, custom made and tailored just for my body. It hugs my muscled figure perfectly, accentuating broad shoulders and thick legs.

I start to climb to my feet, casting one more look at my friends. “I guess I’ll see you later, boys. You can think of me while you’re back at home doing whatever dull things you do. I’ll be doing some fun things of my own . . .”

The guys chuckle, making Eric pointedly rolls his eyes. “So when I make a lame joke, you all groan like I’ve just insulted the queen of England or something, but when he makes a lame joke you remember how to laugh?”

Money helps, I want to say again, but I’m too absorbed in my mission.

As if she can feel me watching her, the mystery woman straightens and turns just slightly so she can peer over her shoulder, her eyes finding me across the dark room.

Her gaze is electrifying, making my lungs freeze like blocks of concrete in my chest. Fire, more intense than any sip of liquor I’ve ever tasted, surges through my veins. I don’t know anything about this woman. I don’t know her name, her job, her eye color. Hell, I don’t even know if she speaks English. What I do know, however, is that I want her. I want her bad.

Bad enough to do anything to get her.

Chapter 2

Chloe

“Ouch,” the bartender chuckles, glancing at the defeated-faced stranger slinking down the bar before handing over my margarita. “You don’t mess around, do you?”

“Nope,” I shrug, passing him a few bucks for the drink and then heading toward the table where my friends are waiting.

Stacy and Morgan both grin at me, scooting over to let me squeeze up against the edge of the small table. It’s packed in Club Thorn tonight, but my roommates just love going to the trendiest bars in town. If there’s a crowd, they have to go find out why. I’m pretty sure Morgan was able to score us access through her modeling buddies. Clubs are always eager to get those gorgeous girls inside their doors.

Unlike my friends, I’m much more low-key. Haunting the most happening spots in Manhattan isn’t my norm, but sometimes a girl just needs a night out with the ladies—especially when my stomach is practically in my throat with nerves over the prospects of my new job.

Tomorrow is the day. I finally get to start working for Dunn Advertising. I’ve only wished to be a member of their staff for, oh I don’t know—ever!

I still can’t believe I managed to swing the job offer. I’ve been walking on cloud nine since I got the call from the company’s HR department. Sure, I’m only a temp and it may only be as a secretary, but sometimes you have to take what you can get! A foot in the door is a foot in the door all the same.

“Two minutes here and you’re already getting hit on,” Stacy says, rolling her eyes so her mascara painted lashes lift toward the ceiling.

“Oh please! Like you two haven’t had guys all over you since you got here?”

I can feel the eyes of men all around the club sizing us up, trying to figure out which of us they can cajole into taking them home for the night. I hate the whole bar-hookup scene.

Can’t a girl just get some romance once in a while instead of a tacky pickup line about ‘Netflix and Chill’? What happened to going out to nice restaurants or afternoon picnics or even to a real cinema for a movie?

Is that really too much to ask for these days?

Then again, I’ve never really been too interested in the dating scene to begin with. I have better things to spend my time on, including getting a permanent position at Dunn Advertising.

Morgan pouts. “I guess we’ve had a few guys come by the table, but it’s been like a whole ten minutes since anyone offered to buy me a drink.”

“Oh heavens no, you’ve had to actually purchase something yourself?” I tease back, making the gorgeous girls roll their eyes and giggle.

I love both my roommates, but they are definitely two sides of the same boy-obsessed coin.

“That dude at the bar would’ve definitely bought your margarita if you let him. I don’t know why you’re so obtuse about it,” Morgan continues. “What’s the harm in letting someone buy you a drink or two?”

I raise my eyebrows. “Obtuse?”

Morgan grins. “What? I know big words.”

Stacy laughs. “That word-of-the-day toilet paper is the best thing you ever bought, Chloe.”

This makes us all laugh. After we settle down, I pinch the thin straw of my margarita between my lips and take a slow drink. It’s the perfect blend of tangy lime and bitter tequila. Say what you will about how elite Club Thorn is, but they had some banging drinks. I take another sip before answering.

“The harm in being obtuse, Morgan, is that men expect something from you when they buy you things, and I don’t want to owe anyone anything.”

“That’s our Miss Independent,” Stacy says with a sigh.

“You’re damn right I’m independent,” I answer firmly, smirking despite the fact that I don’t believe either of my friends were trying to compliment me.

Independence is something I value more than anything. I’ve never had anyone else to rely on, even while I was growing up. My parents were in and out of my life, only offering me the bare minimum they had to until I turned eighteen.

I was practically living on my own by the time I started high school. I couch hopped a lot, staying over at friends’ houses as long as I could before wearing out their fridges and my welcome. I was lying about my age on job applications by the time I turned fifteen, claiming to be a few years older just so I wasn’t automatically turned away. I’ve always been mature for my age so I was never questioned too much.

I worked anywhere I could—grocery stores, coffee shops and restaurants. Even despite all that, I never let my grades slip. I always wanted to be the best, both at school and at my various jobs. It’s an aspiration I cling to today.

If there was anything that I needed, I learned to work for it.

It was that gritty determination that got me through college. There was only one goal that kept me going during that time of endless odd jobs and piles of college homework—Dunn Advertising.

It’s the holy grail of advertising jobs in New York City, and I knew that I wanted to be there.

And now I finally am!

I may only be a secretary for now, but I know somehow, I’ll find a way to show my skills and make my own mark on the company. They’ll offer me a permanent job once they see how talented I am in the advertising and marketing industry.

It’s not wishful thinking; I won’t let it be.

Stacy reaches over and squeezes my hand with a gentle smile. “I’m glad you came out tonight. I thought for sure you’d cancel so you could stay home and neurotically organize your shoes.”

“I don’t organize my shoes.”

Morgan laughs and arches an eyebrow. “You’re a stress cleaner, Chloe. If we’d let you skip out tonight you would’ve reorganized our entire apartment. We probably wouldn’t even recognize it when we got home.”

I playfully roll my eyes though they speak the truth. I’d already begun making a list of things around our place I needed to clean when Stacy and Morgan called begging me to come out.

“To tell the truth, I definitely considered it,” I answer honestly, though neither of my friends look shocked by the declaration.

As much as I hadn't wanted to come to Club Thorn tonight, I’m glad I did. If I stayed home, once I was done cleaning, I would’ve just sat staring into my closet trying to figure out which outfit to wear for my first day at work. I didn't exactly have enough cash to go on a wild shopping spree, but Stacy and Morgan offered up some of their own clothes for me to borrow and I’d hit up some of the thrift shops around the city in search of some decent to professional wear.

If there’s anything that New York City has in abundance, it’s fashion.

I rarely have time to get away like this, usually stuck at one of my multiple jobs. Fortunately, now that I’ve landed this secretary gig, I can finally focus all my time and energy on one job instead of a dozen. It’s about time I celebrate that.

When I’d gotten word that I’d been the one selected for the temp position at Dunn, I’d danced around my living room, arms waving over my head. Morgan, who was getting ready for a shower, had peeked out of the bathroom and stared at me, probably thinking I was losing my mind. But I wasn’t. I was rejoicing.

This was it. I could finally afford to eat more than ramen noodles for dinner every night. And it was such a relief to know I’d have enough to cover rent, even if one of my roommates had a bad month. All I could think about in that moment was how even a temporary job at Dunn Advertising could change my life. Not to mention it’s something impressive to put on my resumé.

With that first paycheck, I planned to get an extra large pizza and wine delivered to my apartment—and I’d even tip the delivery guy, too.

Stacy and Morgan giggle again and exchange knowing looks, sipping from their drinks. Stacy is drinking some hot pink hangover in a glass that’ll give her a headache before midnight, while Morgan is drinking straight up vodka on the rocks. It’s better for her figure, apparently, but just looking at her glass of pure alcohol makes my nose wrinkle.

“Oh my God!” Stacy abruptly hisses, grabbing at Morgan’s hand and squeezing.

Morgan chokes on her drink and stares behind me, her jaw dropping so fast that I almost reach over to catch it before it can crash into the table. “Is that—” She sputters, still coughing as she chugs another gulp of her vodka. “Is that really him?”

“Who?” I start to ask, only mildly curious but still not interested enough to look behind me.

With Stacy and Morgan, it could be some random social media star-of-the-moment and they would still act like it was the president passing by.

Then, a light hand brushes over my shoulder. The fingers are warm and soft, the touch gentle enough that goose bumps prickle instantly over the nape of my neck. I turn slowly, half expecting it to be the bartender bringing me another margarita. Instead, it’s a man. A handsome man. No, he’s more than handsome. The word beautiful flicks on and off in my mind like a neon sign.

His blue eyes gleam, irises endless and dark and the whites of his eyes so pearly that I’m almost dazed by the glow. His jaw is square and strongly set, nose firm and shoulders broad. I almost rub my eyes, expecting that I’ve hallucinated some immaculate Adonis of a man, but no matter how much I blink he stays perfectly in view.

“Hello there,” he says simply. Even the way he speaks is flawless—his voice deep and smooth as wine and dark chocolate mixed in one.

“Hi,” I squeak back, startled by the uncertainty in my own voice.

I am not a girl who is swept off her feet easily, but this guy has managed to catch me strangely off guard. I’d noticed him when I’d first walked into the bar, cordoned off in the VIP section, but I hadn't looked at him long enough to register just how breathtakingly good-looking he is.

What in the world is a guy like this talking to me for?

He clears his throat, hands gliding down into his pockets. His suit fits him to perfection, accentuating strong muscles that he probably spends hours every day toning. My mouth is so dry it feels like I’ve been planted headfirst into the Sahara Desert. I take a large gulp of my margarita—probably not a wise choice in the presence of such hotness.

“Let’s face it,” the man continues coolly, those blue eyes piercing right through me.

“Face it?” I whisper back, voice huskily straining through my taut throat.

My heart thuds against my ribs, making tiny black dots swirl in front of my eyes. Is it him or the margarita affecting me so?

“You and I are the most attractive people in this place. Let’s ditch it and head to mine.”

I blink once, then twice, as if seeing the stranger for the very first time. Just like that, his mysterious hold over my composure is gone.

“Seriously?” I mutter, arching an eyebrow. “I actually bothered paying attention to something a guy here says and that’s the best you can come up with?”

His smug smile tightens over his white teeth. “Let me buy you a drink—”

I whirl around, tossing my hair over my shoulder so he’s left facing my back. Stacy and Morgan stare at me, still clinging to one another’s hands, their eyes so wide they might just pop out of their faces. I don’t think either one has taken a breath since the guy approached our table. But I’m not falling for such a terrible line.

“Not a chance,” I shoot back toward him when I feel him still standing behind me. “Scurry along now. Go find someone more desperate than I am to keep you company. I am so not interested.”

For a long moment I think I’m going to have to remind him how to walk. He seems utterly frozen in place after my swift refusal to go home with him. Devilishly handsome as he is, I’m not willing to go home with anyone. I’m not about to go off with some guy I don’t even know, especially when his game was so weak. Sure, I was momentarily dazed by his beautiful face, but that’s over now. I can see clearly again. He’s just another lame guy, albeit well-dressed, hoping for a quickie in the bathroom or something.

I keep stoically facing forward toward my frozen friends until I feel the heat of his body dissipate. Coldness creeps over my shoulders, making goose bumps prickle along my skin again. A second later I glance back, watching him return to his own crew. The other guys at his table, who I now realize had been watching the entire time, are hysterically laughing.

Even though the music is way too loud for me to hear it, I know their mockery must be devastating to him. It’s not like I enjoy humiliating guys when they hit on me, but I don’t have time to waste on corny one-liners.

“VIP booth?” I murmur curiously. “Must think he’s special.”

“Are you serious right now, Clo?” Stacy yelps, lurching forward across the table.

Morgan mirrors her movement. They’re both looking at me like I’ve committed some crime against humanity.

“You really don’t know who that guy is?” Stacy asks.

I shake my head, sucking up air through my empty straw and watching them tepidly. “What? Is he like a senator or something? Oh God, don’t tell me he’s one of those social media ‘influencers’ you’re obsessed with?”

I guess I wouldn’t be too surprised by that. The guy was handsome enough to make billions with smoldering selfies; I’d give him that much.

“No!” Morgan groans, “He’s Donovan Dunn.”

“Dunn?” My blood runs abruptly cold with surprise.

Stacy nods. “As in Dunn Advertising. The place that just hired you! He’s the CEO and the most eligible bachelor in New York. That’s the guy you’ve been dreaming about working for since college.”

My head twists back toward where Donovan is sitting, taking in his chiseled jaw and strong nose. I’d only seen his pictures in magazines, and I’d been more interested in the articles than the photos. Though I knew he was good looking, his face in person is different—so much more stunning. No wonder I didn't recognize him, especially in the hazy lights of Club Thorn.

“Chloe!” Stacy gasps. “You really have nothing to say?”

“Nope.” I shrug, tilting my margarita glass to the side and sucking watery lime juice up the straw. The ice, almost completely melted, clinks against the rim.

When I notice the girls glowering at me, not exactly entertained by my lack of reaction, I just give another shrug. “I mean it’s a good thing I turned him down, isn’t it? I’ve wanted to work for Dunn Advertising forever. If I’d gone home with him then I’d just be the girl who slept with the boss. That’s no way to make it to the top.”

“That’s exactly how to make it to the top,” Morgan teases.

I sigh. “I’m just a temp right now so I’ve got to do everything I can to keep my reputation intact.”

“Girl, Morgan’s right,” Stacy whispers. “You just lost your chance to get some and secure your dream job.”

“Okay, you guys can’t possibly be serious. I am not sleeping with the CEO to get a better job. I studied as hard as I could through high school and college. I graduated almost top of my class both times. I don’t need to sleep my way up the corporate ladder!”

The girls shrug in unison, then take a sip of their respective drinks.

Morgan’s red lipstick stains her straw. “I’m just saying, it’s one way to get what you want. God gave you that body, don’t you think it’s a shame not to use it once in a while?”

I take a deep breath, hoping to calm the rapid beating of my heart. “You know me better than that. I’m honestly a little offended you think I would have sex with someone just to get what I want.”

“Chloe, we were just making a joke,” Stacy says gently, though her eyes are a little guilty. “It was a bad joke, I admit it.”

Morgan eagerly nods in agreement, finishing her own drink.

“Good, because I’m going to get a permanent job at Dunn Advertising—and not as a secretary, but as an actual part of the marketing staff. They are the best advertising company in the state and I want to earn a spot there, the right way.”

“Well, Clo,” Stacy says. “If there’s anyone who can do it, it’s definitely you.”

“Damn straight,” I say, more to myself than to either of my friends.

I slam my empty glass down, giving a firm nod and pushing all thoughts of how unexpectedly handsome Donovan Dunn truly is into the darkest depths of my mind.

I will not pine for that man, I will not obsess over how perfect his bone structure is. I will focus only on this new stepping-stone toward my dreams.