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 d
irt 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
Cooper: A Clean Billionaire Romance (The Billionaire Boyfriend Series Book 2) Page 6