by Mandy Morgan
Falling For Him
A Sweet Insta-Love Thanksgiving Romance
Mandy Morgan
Copyright © 2019 by Mandy Morgan
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of quotations in a book review.
First e-book edition October 2019.
www.facebook.com/mandymorganromance
Table of Contents
Summary
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Epilogue
More Books
About the Author
Summary
Cora has never been big on celebrating holidays.
In fact, she’s never been big on people in general, which is why she became a pet sitter in the first place.
But the last-minute needs of a new client with a big dog (and even bigger muscles) might change her mind.
Daniel is handsome, charming, and wealthy. And he seems determined to make Cora his from the very first moment he lays eyes on her (and her killer curves)…
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Chapter One
Cora
“Cora’s Critter Sitting, how can I help you?”
I hadn’t meant to sound so frazzled when I picked up, but I was running late to my next gig, and there was a Beagle puppy counting on me for a potty break.
“I know this is short notice, but is there any way you could watch my Doberman for me? A friend of mine recommended your services.”
In a rush or not, the deep voice that came over the line was enough to grab my attention. Most of my pet sitting clients were women. Or men that sounded a lot less sexy.
“Sure, no problem,” I said as I jumped into my SUV and headed downtown. “When did you want me?”
I cringed a little at how that might come across, but the caller didn’t seem to even notice. “Is there any chance you have an opening now? I’ve decided to go home for Thanksgiving at the last minute.”
Keeping my eyes on the road, I mentally consulted my appointment calendar, even though I already knew I would make room for a referral client. My business depended on word-of-mouth advertising, after all.
“I can handle that,” I replied, concentrating on using a more professional tone. “I’m on my way to a home visit, but I can come by and do a meet and greet in about an hour, if that works for you.”
“It’s a date,” my new client rumbled. “I’ll text you my info. Looking forward to seeing you in person.”
With that, he ended the call, and I took a deep breath. My hands were trembling a bit on the steering wheel, and I shook my head to clear it. I had enough to do without getting all hot and bothered over a voice.
“He’s probably not even good looking,” I muttered to myself at a stoplight. “Real life isn’t a rom-com.”
That made me laugh and roll my eyes, and by the time I got to Baxter the Beagle’s house to let him out and play with him while his mom was at work, I was back to my normal self.
But when my phone dinged twenty minutes later, I looked down to see the name and address of the man I’d practically been drooling over on the phone.
“Says his name is Daniel Anderson,” I told Baxter, who gave me a big puppy grin and then took off running for the other side of his backyard.
“Not impressed, huh?” I asked when Baxter came racing back with his favorite toy. “I should take a page out of your book, buddy, and play it cool.”
Once I made sure my long-eared friend was cooled down and settled comfortably into his crate, I headed out to my RAV4, fired up the GPS, and got rolling toward Daniel Anderson’s house.
I didn’t want to admit that I was nervous and excited about seeing if my new client looked as good as he sounded, so I distracted myself by looking at all of the Thanksgiving decorations on display downtown.
Most of the businesses on the main drag of my small town’s shopping district had turkeys and pilgrims on the window. There was also a big banner announcing details of the Thanksgiving Day Parade.
I’d never been big into holiday celebrations. My parents had always down-played them, and declared they were all about “religious mumbo jumbo,” which hadn’t exactly made for a traditional childhood.
That might be why I wasn’t very close with my parents, and why I never bothered going home to visit. I didn’t dislike my parents, but as an only child of two driven college professors, I’d practically raised myself.
So, I’d flown the coop at eighteen, and moved out of the big city to forge my own path. My parents couldn’t understand why I’d skipped college and started a pet sitting business.
But I’d always loved animals and enjoyed my independence, so here I was—single and self-sufficient at the age of twenty-three.
Most parents would be proud of that, but mine chose to ignore me in general. Which I was totally fine with, since I honestly preferred the company of pets.
I was so busy convincing myself that families were too much work, and that I wasn’t missing anything by spending my holiday alone that I almost went right past my destination.
My GPS announced that I’d arrived. But it was the smoking hot guy tossing a ball to a big red Doberman on the front lawn that let me know I was in the right place.
Chapter Two
Daniel
I’d tried to get out of going home for Thanksgiving this year. I had a ton of work to do, and I was thirty-six years old, for God’s sake.
To be honest, I’d almost forgotten about the whole thing. I was right in the middle of getting a big new account off the ground. Who had time for a holiday?
But then my mother had called and let me know in no uncertain terms that she expected to see me at her dinner table on Thanksgiving. She in no way agreed with me on there being any sort of age limit on family obligations.
“And don’t bring that dog with you, Daniel. You know how I feel about animals in my home.”
“His name is Slash,” I’d replied, feeling my anger level increasing. “Not ‘that dog,’ Mom. And I can’t leave him home alone. He’s not used to that.”
“Then I suggest you get a pet sitter. Don’t forget to bring something for dessert, dear.”
“There’s no way I can find someone to watch him in just one day!”
But I’d been talking to myself. Mom had already ended the call, leaving me wishing I’d moved much further than an hour from the city, and given myself a bigger buffer zone from my parents.
Thankfully, a friend was able to recommend a pet sitter. At least I’d be able to rest easy knowing that Slash would be happy, even though I had a bad feeling I was heading for misery this Thanksgiving.
I’d heard wonderful things about Cora’s Critter Sitting. What I hadn’t heard was the fact that the owner of the business was a knockout.
Slash and I were out front playing catch when a small SUV pulled into the driveway. My boy didn’t care for strangers, so he instantly ran to my side and began growling deep in his throat.
The door of the RAV4 swung open, and a beautiful blonde stepped out. She had curves that damn near made my mouth water, and a smile so
sweet it almost knocked me off my feet.
But what really impressed me about this pet sitter was how Slash reacted to her. Instead of barking his head off, the way he did with most people, the big Doberman ran right up to her and began licking her hand, his whole body wriggling with excitement.
“Well, hello there,” the curvy cutie said. “Aren’t you just the most handsome boy ever?”
I watched as she loved on Slash and he soaked it up eagerly. Most of my interest was in how my dog took to her immediately. But that was far from the only reason I couldn’t keep my eyes off the gorgeous woman in my front yard.
I had to get closer to her. I moved over to Slash’s side and cleared my throat. “You must be Cora?”
She jumped as if she’d forgotten anyone else was there but the Doberman. “Oh, yes! Sorry, I can’t get enough of this guy.”
Cora tossed her head back and laughed, and I found myself wishing that I could reach out and caress the soft skin of her neck. “Well then, he’s one very lucky dog…”
Chapter Three
Cora
I’d always been what you’d call a lone wolf, even when I was in high school, so I’d never had a long-term relationship of any kind. Platonic or otherwise.
Sure, I’d had some steamy nights with a couple of guys along the way, but I’d never found one that made me as happy as spending time with my four-legged friends.
That’s probably why my focus had been drawn to the Doberman playing catch, and not to the sexy guy throwing the ball for him. But that changed when he approached me, and I heard that deliciously deep voice of his again.
“Thanks for coming on such short notice, Cora. I’m Daniel, and this is Slash. We’re both very pleased to meet you.”
I’d read enough romances to know that some women saw fireworks the first moment they met the man they were meant to be with. I’d always secretly thought that was BS, even though I’d loved indulging in the fantasy of love at first sight.
But when I stood up from petting Slash and looked into Daniel’s deep blue eyes, it felt as if sparks went off inside of me, and I started to understand what all the fuss was about.
He was well over six feet tall and had the kind of rugged good looks you only saw on the silver screen. I couldn’t keep from gasping a bit when I took the hand he offered me and shook it—there was a jolt of heat I couldn’t deny between us.
Just when I was starting to worry that I would begin drooling over my sexy new client at any second, I was saved by a nudge from Slash’s nose. I laughed and scratched behind his ears, grateful for the distraction.
“I take it you’re a Guns N’ Roses fan?” I asked, being careful to keep my gaze on Slash, so I wouldn’t get sucked back into the electricity I’d felt when I looked into Daniel’s eyes.
“Exactly right,” Daniel said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. “I’m impressed. Most people think I just wanted to give him a tough name, and they don’t understand the reference to the musician.”
“You should have named him after the lead singer.”
Daniel laughed. “Maybe you’re right, but Slash was always my favorite, and he went on to have a career all of his own, didn’t he?”
“That’s true,” I admitted. “Is this big guy always so friendly?”
“Not at all. I’ve worked on socializing him since he was a puppy, but he’s usually wary of strangers. He must save the good stuff for special people.”
My cheeks flushed with pleasure at that, and I finally risked turning to look at Daniel, so I could give him a smile. “I’m glad I made the cut. It will make our time together much more fun. Speaking of that, we should probably talk about what you want from me.”
Daniel gave me a grin, and I realized I’d said something that could be taken out of context yet again. It was like my filter was totally off around him, and I made a mental note to be more professional.
You’re here to watch his dog, I cautioned myself. Get down to business, and leave the flirting out, Cora!
But apparently, Daniel wasn’t quite ready for us to talk shop. With that panty-melting grin of his still firmly in place, he reached out and brushed a leaf off my shoulder, which I hadn’t even realized had been there from my time playing with Baxter.
“Well, I was thinking of a few days of pet sitting services, but I’m more than open to suggestions.”
Chapter Four
Daniel
I’d never been one for serious relationships. Truth be told, I’d always been more interested in my career than in finding the right woman. But something about Cora made me want to make her mine, right then and there.
Of course, there wasn’t time for much more than flirting right now. I had to get Slash’s needs handled, pack my bags, and be on the road first thing in the morning to make sure Mom didn’t flip out.
“I’d planned to work over the holiday,” I told Cora with a sigh. “But my mother is insisting that I come to dinner, and chances are pretty good she’ll want me to stay for the weekend.”
“Families are fun, aren’t they?” Cora replied, and the bitter edge to her voice left no doubt that she was being sarcastic.
I found myself even more intrigued by her. “That they are. Is there any chance you can stay here with Slash, instead of just visiting with him? He doesn’t like to be alone, and he’s really taken to you.”
“Sure, I can do overnights. As long as you’re alright with me leaving him just long enough to take care of my other furry customers.”
“I’m totally fine with that,” I said, feeling relieved that I wouldn’t have to worry about Slash. “Come on in, so my buddy and I can give you a tour, and I can get you a key.”
Slash bounded ahead of us into the house. He was excited that his new friend was coming with him. And I had to admit to myself that I was pleased to see Cora wandering around our home, as well.
When we passed my home office, Cora asked what I did for a living. “I’m a financial advisor and wealth planner. Sounds pretty boring, I know, but it pays the bills and lets me work on my terms.”
“Actually, it sounds very impressive,” Cora replied with the same sweet smile that had drawn me to her when she’d first arrived. “And I can totally understand wanting to be your own boss.”
We made our way back to the front door, and I grabbed the spare key I kept on a hook. “Thanks again for taking us on such short notice,” I said as I handed it to her. “I’ll text you when I leave tomorrow, so you know when to head over. Please make yourself at home while you’re here with my buddy.”
Cora smiled and jumped a bit when our fingers connected, which made me wonder if she felt the same thrill I had at our touch. “You’re very welcome, and I’m sure Slash and I will have a great time together.”
She gave my dog a pat goodbye and left. I watched those juicy curves of hers intently as she climbed into her car, and waved when she pulled away.
Slash whined when I closed the door, and I scratched him behind the ears. “I know, buddy. I miss her already, too.”
Chapter Five
Cora
Meeting Daniel had put a serious kink in the rest of my workday. My mind kept returning to him at the worst possible times. Like when I was trying to medicate a cranky cat at my next appointment.
I couldn’t seem to stop thinking about the way his muscles flexed underneath his shirt. Or how his eyes drew me in like they were deep blue magnets. Or how he somehow just smelled perfect.
I was hoping that a good night’s rest would help, but I’d found myself tossing and turning last night. All I could see when I closed my eyes was Daniel taking me into his strong arms and crushing me against his chiseled chest.
I’d finally managed to drift off much later than usual, and when my alarm sounded, I groaned and wished I could go back to the steamy dreams that had invaded my sleep.
The last thing I needed was to fall for a client, hot and alluring or not, so I gave myself a pep talk about remaining professional as I prepped for t
he day ahead.
After all, it wasn’t like I had a college education to fall back on—if I lost my business due to gaining a rep for sleeping with clients, I would be in serious trouble.
But then my cell phone dinged as I was making my first cup of coffee. When I saw who the message was from, my heart leaped in my chest, pep talk or not.
Just left the house. Slash is eagerly awaiting you. I hope you have an amazing holiday. See you when I get back in a few days. Thanks again, sweetness.
As if Daniel using a pet name for me wasn’t bad enough, he’d ended his text with two emojis—a turkey and a winking kissy face.
I took a couple of deep breaths to slow my pounding heart, and then I sent off a quick “Thanks, you too!” reply before I could put any more thought into things.
My focus needed to be on Slash and my other furry customers, not the heat I felt coursing through my body. I was probably reading too much into Daniel’s words. And even if I wasn’t…well, just say no, right?
In my experience, men like Daniel Anderson could be just as dangerous of a drug as any other. They got you hooked and then left you to deal with the fallout all on your own.
Feeling better now that I’d mentally centered myself, I grabbed my things and headed for my SUV. I had plenty of work to do that day, and there was a big lovable dog waiting for me at my temporary home.
Daniel is just a client, I reminded myself as I headed across town for my first appointment. Sexy or not, that’s it, and that’s all…
Chapter Six
Cora
A couple of hours later, I was letting myself into Daniel’s place, and congratulating myself on keeping my feelings for him at bay. I’d managed not to stumble or lose focus a single time over thoughts of him.
See, you’ve got this under control, after all. And you get to spend some time in a gorgeous home with an awesome dog, to boot…
As if my thoughts had summoned him, Slash came bounding around a corner to greet me. He was wearing a big doggy grin and wriggling with excitement.
