he had to glance at her curvy hips and small waist. He had to keep his eyes moving, before his body got any crazy ideas, so his gaze drifted right up to her breasts, and all of a sudden he couldn't stop looking.
If he didn't know better, he'd swear her white tank top had been designed with his libido in mind. It sure wasn't difficult to imagine his lips on her sun-kissed skin, or brushing the honey-colored hair aside so he could nibble on her neck.
Luke shook his head to clear his brain. He had to quit thinking about her like that. She was just dog sitting for a couple weeks. He knew the neighbors were on their honeymoon, so there was no point in thinking about. . .
Wait .
It was the perfect setup. Like a fling, only better. And like a one-night stand, only not so seedy. Kind of like a summer staycation. He had thought being off work for two weeks was going to drive him nuts, but now the workaholic in him was willing to step aside for some short-term fun.
The puppy sat back on its haunches and grinned, as if he'd read Luke's mind and approved of his plan.
Luke couldn't help himself. He had to grin, too.
***
Mia sat up so fast her head started to spin. She had dozed off, never a good idea, but even worse since it was her first time out in the sun that summer. If she wasn't careful, she'd end up tougher than beef jerky before this new adventure even got started.
And speaking of adventures. . .She glanced at the neighbor's house, but he must have finished with the car washing, because he was nowhere to be found.
"Bootsie! Where are you?" Mia pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head, searching for the puppy. She spied him in the corner of the yard, happily chewing on one of his toys. He must have noticed she was awake, because he bounded over, his toy clutched in his teeth.
Mia couldn't help but smile. He was so cheerful, and filled with enthusiasm, and . . .
"Hey! That's my shoe! Put that down."
She made a grab for it but Bootsie turned and raced away. She pushed on the armrests, trying to get up without tipping the flimsy aluminum contraption over.
"Get back here! Do you know how much that cost?"
She loved those sandals, one of the last splurges she'd be making for a while, but she wouldn't be able to wear them again if one looked like it had been mauled by a cranky circus lion.
Mia tiptoed across the grass, praying she would not be too late to rescue her innocent shoe. Bootsie zipped past her before she was even halfway across the yard.
"We need a diversion," she muttered, hands on her hips.
She glanced around. Nothing. No wonder he was entertaining himself with her footwear.
Bootsie finally plopped down next to the lawn chair so he could pant for several minutes. Running and being chased and harassing an innocent shoe was hard work for the little guy.
Not that she had much sympathy.
"Come on, Bootsie," Mia said, clapping her hands. "Let's see if we can find something more puppy-appropriate. Or maybe you need a drink of water."
To her surprise, the puppy loped along beside her, the shoe long-forgotten. Mia darted back to get it, sighing with relief. She reached down—
Bootsie swooped in and snatched the shoe, nearly biting her fingers.
"Ow! Now I know how the Wicked Witch felt about Toto!"
Mia stalked towards the back door. It didn't look like Bootsie was doing much damage—yet. At least puppy teeth were small and not able to bite her shoe to death without a lot of tries.
There was going to be a lot of puppy drool though.
To keep from gagging, she put a hand to her throat and swallowed.
Mia raced inside the house. Didn't Bootsie have something he played with? She wracked her brain trying to remember all the instructions she'd been given before her friends had left for their honeymoon.
Her eyes darted around. "Yes!" She picked up a ball from a crate near the back door. It was kind of heavy, more like a softball, but at least it would give Bootsie the leathery chewing experience he
If he didn't know better, he'd swear her white tank top had been designed with his libido in mind. It sure wasn't difficult to imagine his lips on her sun-kissed skin, or brushing the honey-colored hair aside so he could nibble on her neck.
Luke shook his head to clear his brain. He had to quit thinking about her like that. She was just dog sitting for a couple weeks. He knew the neighbors were on their honeymoon, so there was no point in thinking about. . .
Wait .
It was the perfect setup. Like a fling, only better. And like a one-night stand, only not so seedy. Kind of like a summer staycation. He had thought being off work for two weeks was going to drive him nuts, but now the workaholic in him was willing to step aside for some short-term fun.
The puppy sat back on its haunches and grinned, as if he'd read Luke's mind and approved of his plan.
Luke couldn't help himself. He had to grin, too.
***
Mia sat up so fast her head started to spin. She had dozed off, never a good idea, but even worse since it was her first time out in the sun that summer. If she wasn't careful, she'd end up tougher than beef jerky before this new adventure even got started.
And speaking of adventures. . .She glanced at the neighbor's house, but he must have finished with the car washing, because he was nowhere to be found.
"Bootsie! Where are you?" Mia pushed her sunglasses to the top of her head, searching for the puppy. She spied him in the corner of the yard, happily chewing on one of his toys. He must have noticed she was awake, because he bounded over, his toy clutched in his teeth.
Mia couldn't help but smile. He was so cheerful, and filled with enthusiasm, and . . .
"Hey! That's my shoe! Put that down."
She made a grab for it but Bootsie turned and raced away. She pushed on the armrests, trying to get up without tipping the flimsy aluminum contraption over.
"Get back here! Do you know how much that cost?"
She loved those sandals, one of the last splurges she'd be making for a while, but she wouldn't be able to wear them again if one looked like it had been mauled by a cranky circus lion.
Mia tiptoed across the grass, praying she would not be too late to rescue her innocent shoe. Bootsie zipped past her before she was even halfway across the yard.
"We need a diversion," she muttered, hands on her hips.
She glanced around. Nothing. No wonder he was entertaining himself with her footwear.
Bootsie finally plopped down next to the lawn chair so he could pant for several minutes. Running and being chased and harassing an innocent shoe was hard work for the little guy.
Not that she had much sympathy.
"Come on, Bootsie," Mia said, clapping her hands. "Let's see if we can find something more puppy-appropriate. Or maybe you need a drink of water."
To her surprise, the puppy loped along beside her, the shoe long-forgotten. Mia darted back to get it, sighing with relief. She reached down—
Bootsie swooped in and snatched the shoe, nearly biting her fingers.
"Ow! Now I know how the Wicked Witch felt about Toto!"
Mia stalked towards the back door. It didn't look like Bootsie was doing much damage—yet. At least puppy teeth were small and not able to bite her shoe to death without a lot of tries.
There was going to be a lot of puppy drool though.
To keep from gagging, she put a hand to her throat and swallowed.
Mia raced inside the house. Didn't Bootsie have something he played with? She wracked her brain trying to remember all the instructions she'd been given before her friends had left for their honeymoon.
Her eyes darted around. "Yes!" She picked up a ball from a crate near the back door. It was kind of heavy, more like a softball, but at least it would give Bootsie the leathery chewing experience he
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