Page 3 of Puppy Love

“Small dogs require a lot of care, which means you’ll be forced to slow down a little when you’re working. That’s a good thing, right? To be reminded to take more breaks, to put your needs first?”

“No, that’s a terrible thing.”

“Plus, Pomeranians are much better suited for this type of job than you’d think. They have exceptional noses.”

“No.”

That was all he offered this time—just that one syllable, that one deeply rumbling sound, a death knell meant to end any and all discussion on a project that she’d thrown her whole self into prepping for. She wasn’t sure which part of it caused her to crack, but she suspected it was that last one.

Well, either that or the fact that he looked so unfairly good while he did it. From the top of his disheveled brown locks to the tips of his heavy work boots, Harrison Parks was exactly what she’d imagined when she’d heard about his case. The man was a wildland firefighter, a hero. Every year, when flames swept across the dry lands of the Pacific Northwest’s interior, he headed out with his hose and his determination until every last spark was gone. He was tall and muscular, his expression weary with the devastation he’d seen.

A bit on the crusty side, Oscar had described him,but totally harmless.

What he hadn’t said was that Harrison was also a half-buttoned flannel shirt away from being the quintessential lumbersexual—rugged and outdoorsy and built like a tank.

In other words, he was a Great Dane. A bulldog.

And he wasn’t giving either Bubbles or her a fair shot.

“Listen, Mr. Parks.” The sharp rap of her voice startled even herself. “I appreciate that Bubbles isn’t what you had in mind, but you need to at least consider what she has to offer.”

His gaze—that hard, disappointed one—snapped in her direction, and Sophie instinctively froze. Now that she’d uttered her reproach, she wasn’t sure what came next. Her sister Lila would probably segue into an articulate and professional speech about the Pomeranian’s finer points. Her other sister, Dawn, would try a coy smile and a low purr to get her way.

Sophie didn’t have any such methods for handling recalcitrant clients. No one had let herhavea recalcitrant client before.

“She’s not nearly as bad as you think,” she said, soldiering on. “In fact, I think you’ll like her. You just have to take a deep breath and give her a try.”

He held her stare, his eyes a stony gray that made her think of battlements and cavernous quarries, but at least he complied. Even breathing, he seemed to be exercising every muscle in his body, the swell of his massive chest like an ocean rising.

It worked though. Already, he looked much less like he wanted to storm out the door and report her to the authorities—or, worse, to her sisters.

“Okay,” he said. “I’m breathing. What’s next?”

Sophie blinked. Breathing had seemed like the most logical first step, but she had no idea what came after that.

Yes, she did.Cuddles.No one could resist puppy cuddles—it was almost as universally acknowledged as the fact that Harrison had chosen the Great Dane as his first pick. Maybe she wouldn’t be so bad at this after all.

“That all depends on you,” she said. “Would you rather climb into the kennel with Bubbles for your introductory session or take her outside?”

For the second time in as many minutes, his gaze sharpened as though he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He didn’t blink or move, just stood there staring at her as though he were looking through a ghost. People did that quite a lot actually—looked through her as though she were nothing—but not like this.

He didn’t seem dismissive of her or more interested in the greener pastures that lay beyond. He seemed, well, scared.

“You wantme”—he pointed at himself—“to climb inthere? Do you have any idea how far the human body can feasibly bend?”

Sophie had to tamp down a laugh. Now that he’d pointed it out, the idea of that six-foot bear of a man climbing into a pen and snuggling with a baby Pomeranian did seem a little preposterous.

“Outside it is, then,” she said. “Just scoop her on up. Don’t worry—she won’t be afraid of you. She likes to be carried.”

He didn’t, as she’d hoped, follow her orders. Instead, he glanced down at the little puppy, his brow growing heavier the longer he stood there. It was the same glower that had made him seem so fierce when he’d first walked in.

It didn’t seem nearly as intimidating when he shook his head and said, “No, thank you.”

She laughed again, unable to stop it from fully releasing this time. All of her tension seemed to be seeping out the more she realized this man was nowhere near as hard as his gruff expression indicated.All bark and no bite.“Well, at least you’re being more polite about it. I promise she won’t bite, and she won’t pee all over you. She’s a very good girl. Aren’t you, Bubbles? Aren’t you the most precious little ball o’ fluff?”

Harrison took a wide step back from the pen and clasped his hands behind his back. If Sophie didn’t know better, she’d think he was afraid of touching the puppy for fear she would infect him with her adorableness.

“No way. I’m not calling her that.”