Chapter 1
"So, Bootsie, why do you think hunky neighbor guy is washing that car all day long?"
Mia turned the puppy around to face her, and he tilted his head, as if he was seriously considering her question. Or admiring his reflection in her oversized sunglasses. The Bichon was tiny, a cotton ball's worth of white fur, but he had the most expressive dark eyes. Not to mention a big personality.
Bootsie barked, twice.
"You know, you might be right. Maybe he's a chauffeur."
Mia resettled the pup in her arms, stretching her bare legs out on the lawn chair. There was a lot to be said for the leisurely life of a dog-sitter.
Such as the neighbor with dark flowing hair and enviably tanned skin. He wore cargo shorts and flip flops, and a faded blue T-shirt that stretched across his broad chest. When he bent over to scrub the hubcaps on the sporty BMW, Mia bit her lip.
She didn't know whether to admire his well-developed calves or the nice curve of his backside.
After the past few years stuck in a windowless office, running her brothers' business, she had decided it was time to do something else with her life. Dog-sitting for the next two weeks while her friends were on their honeymoon was the perfect opportunity to figure it out.
The delicious view next door was an unexpected bonus.
Mia sipped her iced tea, holding it away from the puppy's curious paw so she could set it on the plastic table next to her. "I wouldn't have expected chauffeurs to be so muscular, but he is getting a pretty good workout with that wax on, wax off routine." She lifted the puppy. "See how his arms flex each time he washes the hood of the car? Hey, I know! Maybe he's a music video stud."
The car washer/chauffeur paused for a moment, the sponge gripped in his hand.
Oh, no . Had he heard her? Mia buried her face into the puppy's furry neck and giggled.
To her relief, the hunk bent down to pick up the hose and started spraying the suds off the car.
"Talk about a close call, Boots." The dog wriggled in her arms. Mia tried to settle him down, but he'd clearly lost interest in being her wingman. "Okay, fine. Go play then."
She set him on the grass and watched as he scampered off, chasing a butterfly or some noise that only he could hear. The fence was four times his height, so she wasn't worried about him trying to escape. She adjusted her sunglasses and then leaned her head back, indulging in some afternoon sunbathing for the first time in years.
She wasn't exactly a dog person, but she could definitely get into the freedom of this lifestyle.
For one thing, dogs couldn't call twenty-four hours a day to ask where she'd filed a missing invoice. It required some guesswork to figure out which doggy sound meant "I need to go outside" and which meant "I'm starving". But since she and Bootsie were such a great team, they'd get that all squared away in no time.
Mia sighed and closed her eyes, unable to keep her lips curving into a satisfied smile. Two whole weeks with nothing to do but keep a puppy happy and ogle the hunky neighbor.
What a great start to her new life.
***
Luke heard a bark. He glanced over his shoulder, grinning as he shut off the spray nozzle. The puppy was fluffy and perky and looked more like a dust bunny with legs than a dog. Luke's job didn't leave him many hours at home, so it didn't make sense to have a dog. But if he ever did get one, it would be something manlier, like a Great Dane or German shepherd.
The puppy yapped again, its tongue hanging out to the side, its mouth wide as if it was smiling. He had to admit the critter was cute.
And the woman was pretty darn cute, too. He'd pretended he wasn't checking her out earlier, washing the car over and over so he'd have an excuse to stay outside. He'd made such a good show of scrubbing the car, he wouldn't be surprised if primer started to show through on the fenders.
Luke tried not to linger on her lusciously long bare legs in the short shorts, but that meant
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