by Multiple
“I’m Jacob Daniels. Nice to meet you.” He held out a hand and I took it, marveling at the electric shock that traveled my body at his touch. Did he have this effect on everyone or was it just me? I risked a glance at the receptionist who watched me with open amusement. Great. So I was being a dork. As usual.
Heat flooded my cheeks and I dropped my gaze to the floor, hiding.
“Everything all right?”
I nodded.
“You look a bit flushed. Do you want some water?”
I shook my head. “No, thank you. I’m just...” I risked a peek up at him and the next word came out totally wrong, sounding like I was talking about him. “Hot.” I couldn’t help myself. He had an animal magnetism that made my brain roll over and go to sleep. Also, I had never been known for my ability to flirt or otherwise be cool in front of the opposite sex. My friend Laurie once called me hopeless and here I was proving her right. Again.
His gaze held mine for a second and I saw a brief flash of mirth before he broke contact. “Let’s go to my office. We can discuss what I require there.” He turned on his heel and began to walk toward the door leading to the inner sanctum of LTD Enterprises.
It took me about five seconds to get moving and I had to scramble to keep up with him. His office left me speechless. First, there was the door placard with CEO under his name. I’d had no idea my client was the freaking CEO of the company. The discovery made my stomach drop.
Second, the room he ushered me into was pure luxury. A leather chair sat behind a desk made of dark wood. The chairs in front of the desk and the couch against the far wall were also leather. The abstract artwork on the walls appeared to be signed originals and the carpeting was plush enough to make me feel like I walked on a cushion of air. Then there was the view. A bank of windows ran along one wall and showcased the city skyline with the ocean shimmering beyond it. Definitely prime real estate for Boston.
“Please have a seat.” Daniels indicated a chair as he settled behind his desk and pulled some papers out of a file. “I have your resume here.”
“Where did you get that?” I asked, puzzled. He’d called me based on a word-of-mouth referral. I hadn’t submitted a resume.
He raised an eyebrow at me as if surprised at my reaction. “Monster dot com.”
“Oh.” I had forgotten about that. I uploaded my resume all over the internet back when I still thought I could get a regular job with benefits. Before I’d resigned myself to freelancing as an animal trainer. “You googled me.”
“I run background checks on all employees and contractors,” he said. Reading off the paper in front of him, he continued, “Jessica Kingston.” My name rolled off his lips in a deep baritone. “You have a degree in zoology with a minor in animal behavior, correct?”
“Yes.”
“And you work as an animal trainer here in Boston.”
I nodded. “Right. I also offer pet sitting services.” My dream was to work at a zoo, but the jobs evaporated the second the economy went south. I had to make ends meet somehow, even if it meant I was the most over-qualified pet sitter on the planet.
“Great.” He gave a decisive nod. “How are you with puppies, Miss Kingston?”
I smiled at the thought of a sweet, fluffy pup. “Who doesn’t love a puppy?”
“I don’t,” he said, his expression serious. He handed me some pictures. “Look at these and you’ll see why.”
I went through the pictures and suppressed a smile. Someone had an out-of-control puppy who had systematically chewed their way through several pieces of what looked to be very expensive furniture. I set the photos on his desk. “How old is your puppy?”
“She’s four months.”
“Just a baby then.”
“And the baby’s all mine even though I’m a confirmed bachelor.” Humor danced in his eyes again.
“But how did you end up with a puppy you clearly can’t provide for?” I frowned at him.
He straightened his tie, his posture stiff and eyes narrowed. “I can provide for her just fine, Miss Kingston. Perhaps you were unaware, but my net worth has a lot of zeroes.”
I waved a dismissive hand, unimpressed. “Money doesn’t mean anything to a dog, Mr. Daniels.” Or me, I added silently. Material things didn’t dazzle me. The way to my heart was paved with animal hair. “She wouldn’t be eating your house if her needs were being met.”
That earned me a curt nod. “All right. You have a point.”
“So how did you end up with a dog you can’t manage anyway?”
He sighed and leaned back in his chair. “PR gone bad. The puppy is a thank you for LTD Enterprises’ support of the local no-kill shelter. I made the mistake of saying I liked the pup.”
“So they just gave it to you?” Usually shelters required extensive screening before they’d let a dog go home with someone. The goal was a forever family, not Mr. Daniels’ current situation, which wasn’t good for the dog or the owner.
He nodded, his expression somber.
“So take the dog back. They’ll understand.”
He shook his head. “It’s more complicated than that.”
“No, it’s not.”
“Yes, it is,” he said, his voice firm. “They’re counting on me to be in their Owner of the Month calendar next year. The dog and I are slotted for January.”
I burst out laughing. “You’re serious?”
He gave a solemn nod. “Dead serious and I feel obligated to see it through. The calendar is their biggest fundraiser for the year. “
Not wanting to be rude, I cleared my throat in an effort to cover my laughter. “You can’t back out?”
“Whether I like it or not, I’ve become their primary benefactor. It’s a responsibility I didn’t ask for, but I can’t say no without repercussions.”
I blinked at him wondering who had backed this powerful man into such a tight corner. “While I admire your desire not to let anyone down, if you aren’t ready to own a dog, it’s really for the best to return the puppy and give it a chance to find a real home.”
“I am her real home,” he said softly. “Just help me teach her the rules. That’s all I’m asking. Unless...” He steepled his fingers and looked me up and down. “You’re not up to the task.”
My spine stiffened at the challenge. “You’ll find me more than capable, sir.” I wanted to bite my tongue after saying ‘sir.’ It sounded deferential, which was nothing like me. Mr. Daniels seemed to like it though, and flashed me a dazzling smile.
“Good. You’ll start today.”
I rummaged through my bag and took out two copies of my contract. “You’ll need to sign this first.”
Daniels read the contract, lips pursed thoughtfully. “This looks pretty standard. I just have one addition.” He pulled out a pen and scribbled something on the last page of each copy before signing with a flourish. “Now you sign.”
Wary, I took the contract and flipped to where he’d added ‘and anything else I require’ to the list of agreed tasks and duties. I arched an eyebrow at him. “Anything else you require is pretty open ended.”
He smiled at me. “Exactly so, Miss Kingston. Do you accept?” He seemed to hold his breath as the question hung in the air between us.
I signed his copy and handed it back to him, retaining the second for my records. “I suppose so, but just so you know, I won’t hesitate to terminate our agreement if it becomes necessary.”
“I will keep that in mind.” He leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head. There was a speculative gleam in his eye I didn’t understand and it made me feel strangely flustered.
***
I went directly to Mr. Daniels’ house from LTD Enterprises. Both because it fit my schedule and because he’d requested I start immediately. Driving my rust bucket of a car to the north end of Boston, I located the gated compound that matched the address I’d been given. Behind the gates sat a brooding mansion, bigger than any house I’d ever been in. Daniels had a security d
etail too, which looked me over with a suspicious eye before finally letting me in and handing over the dog. They’d tied her to a desk, only giving her a scant four feet or so of walking room.
“Her name is Lucy,” said the guard, his voice gruff. He seemed relieved to be rid of the dog, which was sad since she was an adorable black lab.
I squatted down and held out my hand. “Hey, Lucy.” She ran to me with an effusive full body wiggle, tail whipping the air with excitement. I ran my hands over her and took a look at her. She was a bright-eyed girl, her floppy ears soft as velvet, her nose cold and tongue warm. Lucy didn’t seem to know her name though. No matter how often I said it, she didn’t make eye contact or show any other indication that she knew who she was. This told me she wasn’t getting a lot of one-on-one time.
Standing up, I said. “Can you show me where she sleeps?”
“There’s a bed for her in the library.” The guard led me through an ostentatious marble entrance to a room comprised of books stacked from floor to ceiling across all walls. The result was oppressive, a room over-stuffed with too much reading material. One small window on the far wall cast a dim light that barely broke through the gloom.
“You guys just leave her in here alone? All night?” I shook my head, feeling bad for poor Lucy. Dogs were social creatures who needed companionship. Otherwise they got into trouble like Lucy had, or worse, became despondent and maladjusted. Jacob Daniels had done Lucy a grave disservice. Irritation flashed through me that he was arrogant enough to believe he could have a dog. “She’s with you all day?”
The guard nodded. “We keep her in the guard shack so she doesn’t destroy anything else.”
“Who feeds her?”
“Whoever is on dayshift.”
My heart sank. Lucy had no constant in her life other than being ignored and treated as an unwanted nuisance. No wonder she was eating the furniture. I would too.
The guard’s radio squawked and he excused himself to take a delivery at the gate. Curious about the house and Daniels, I wandered through the rooms, Lucy trotting after me and eagerly sniffing as we went. The first floor consisted of a maze of rooms that included a large formal dining room, a living room the size of a tennis court and a small office as well as the library. The eat-in kitchen was as big as a three car garage and gleamed with stainless steel. No expense had been spared. Each room was well decorated, but impersonal. It was a showcase, not a home. In the living room, I found some of the furniture Lucy had tried to eat and couldn’t suppress a smile at her antics.
Noting the lack of dog toys, I took her with me out to my car where I kept all my supplies. The whole way to the car, she kept shaking her head and pawing at her ears.
I stopped and knelt down, lifting one floppy ear to see the entire ear canal was an angry red. The parts that weren’t red, oozed brown gunk. “Oh, you poor baby. Don’t worry, I’ll make it better.” She nuzzled my hand with her cold nose, tongue flickering out to kiss my palm.
From the trunk of my car, I selected a bone, a squeaky toy and a ball for Lucy. I never went anywhere without a full bag of tricks. People provided sub-standard environments for their animals all the time and I traveled with everything I needed as a result. Handing her the squeaky toy to keep her entertained, I went through my bags and found the ear cleaner, q-tips and cotton balls. I always kept basic medical supplies on hand, not only to care for the animals I worked with, but to use as teaching aids with their owners.
“Okay, I think we’re all set.” I shut the trunk, and hands full, made my way back into the house. Lucy scurried after me, her ears perked and tail high with curiosity.
I sat on the floor in the entrance and coaxed Lucy to come lay between my legs. Plying her with treats, I cleaned out her ears as best I could. As I did so, it became clear she needed to go to the vet. Her ears weren’t going to improve without medication.
With a sigh, I pulled out my cell phone and dialed the number for LTD Enterprises. Daniels wasn’t in so I left him a voicemail asking him to call me back. While I waited, I took Lucy back outside where I taught her the finer points of fetch. Being a lab, she was a natural.
An hour passed with no return call. After a second hour with no phone call, I asked the guard if he knew how to reach Daniels or when he would be home, but he was of no help. My impression was they were under strict orders not to bother the boss unless something was on fire.
Fuming, I paced the house with Lucy trailing after me. It was getting late. Normally I would be on my way home by now, but I wouldn’t leave Lucy until I could talk to Daniels. She needed a vet and she needed someone who cared about her, and for the moment, I was it. When he still hadn’t called, I made an executive decision and contacted Laurie--who was not only my friend, but also a vet-- to set up an appointment for Lucy. Then I called LTD Enterprises again and informed Daniels by voicemail that he would be accompanying me to the vet the next morning. Or else.
That settled, I raided his refrigerator. It was past dinnertime and I hesitated to order a pizza, thinking the guards would give me a hard time about it. Despite the five-star kitchen, Daniels didn’t have much food in the house so I made do with some yogurt and toast. After I ate, I located the dog food in a closet off the kitchen and fed Lucy. Once her belly was full, we retired on the couch in the living room and watched TV.
I don’t know when I fell asleep, but a late night infomercial was on when someone woke me with a quick shake of my shoulder. Startled I sat up and rubbed my eyes. Lucy left her spot at my feet and leaped at whoever had woken me with excited yips.
“Miss Kingston,” came the deep masculine voice I recognized as Jacob Daniels.
I covered a yawn. “Did you get my voicemails?”
He reached over me to turn on the lamp next to the couch. “I did, but you didn’t answer when I called you back.”
“I had my phone on me the whole time.” I pulled it out of my pocket and flipped it open, my stomach sinking when I saw there were two missed calls. Looking closer, I noticed they had both been made after midnight and it was now three am. I’d slept through them. “You called kind of late.”
“It seemed urgent and I called as soon as I got out of the meeting.”
I looked at him and took in the fatigue around his eyes. He’d undone the top buttons on his shirt and loosened his tie. “You were in a meeting? Isn’t it kind of late for a business meeting?”
He nodded. “Yes and yes, but I don’t make the rules. I thought you would be gone.”
I ran a hand through my hair, hoping it wasn’t too messy from sleeping on the couch. “I didn’t want to leave Lucy alone.”
“You said she’s sick?”
“Her ears are infected.” I pulled Lucy onto my lap and lifted her ear for him to see.
He peered into her ear, frowning. “What am I looking at?”
“The ear canal should be a light pink, not red. Red means infection.” I released Lucy’s ear and patted her on the head. She responded by licking my chin. “Labs are prone to ear infections. You’ll need to check her ears at least once a week.”
“Duly noted. You’re taking her to the vet tomorrow?”
I shook my head. “No, we are taking her to the vet tomorrow.”
He sighed, exasperated. “Miss Kingston, my schedule is full. I don’t have the time.”
“Make time,” I said flatly. “You said you would provide a home for her, and medical care is part of that. You can’t outsource her entire life, that’s not going to work.”
His lips compressed into a thin line. “I can’t be there for every second either. I would be grateful if you could take her to the vet for me.”
I stood, stabbing the air with an angry finger. “No. If you don’t come to the vet with me, I’ll call the shelter and inform them of your negligence. Let’s see how what kind of PR that gets you.”
He went still and his voice deepened. “Are you threatening me?”
I snorted and crossed my arms. “I’m protecting Lucy. So
meone has to care about her if you won’t.”
With a curt nod, he capitulated. “Fine. You’ve made your point. I’ll be there.” He looked at his watch. “We’ve only got a few hours before morning. Why don’t you stay the night?”
My eyes went wide at the invitation. It sounded odd coming from a man as handsome as Daniels. Almost like a come-on. Me? Sleep in a kajillionaire’s house when I barely knew the guy? The way he looked at me, with that searing intensity in his eyes, didn’t make the proposal any more innocent. Something dark lurked inside this guy. I sensed it instinctively, just like I could tell when an animal was about to snap.
He lips quirked up in a lopsided smile at my reaction. “You’ve already spent half the night here, Miss Kingston. What’s a few more hours? Besides, it saves time and every second counts for me right now.”
I cleared my throat. “Okay. I guess. On one condition.”
“You are just full of demands, aren’t you?” He motioned for me to talk. “I can’t wait to hear this one.”
“Lucy sleeps with you.”
He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand, a worn expression on his face. “Why?”
“Because she needs to bond with you.”
“I won’t be able to keep her out of my bed, you know. That’s why I put her in the library.”
Crossing my arms, I glared at him. “As a result, she’s eating your house.”
“So my alternative is a bed full of dog hair?” He rolled his eyes. “As a single man, I have to wonder what woman would find that attractive?”
“I would,” I said and then wished I could stuff the words back in my mouth. Now who was guilty of weird come-ons?
“You would?” He stepped closer to me and tucked a stray hair behind my ear, his hand lingering “Is that a proposition?”
“I-I-I meant that you’ll find someone. Lots of people love animals,” I said, acutely aware of his touch. The smell of his aftershave rushed my senses, making me lightheaded.
He raised an eyebrow. “But you love them more than most don’t you, Miss Kingston?”
I nodded, and then stretched my hands overhead, yawning. “Well, I’m exhausted. Thanks for letting me stay the night.”
