Cooper: A Clean Billionaire Romance (The Billionaire Boyfriend Series Book 2)

by Christina Benjamin

  He tilts his head back, howling. His blue eyes are wide with panic, his chest heaving with exertion and terror. I tie Lola and Sadie’s leashes to a nearby lamp post, crouching down and extending my arms toward Rosco slowly.

  “Hey, Rosco, I know that was scary . . . but you’re okay.”

  Gentle, with as soothing a tone as I can manage, I speak to him and try to coax him to me. He refuses to acknowledge me, barking and howling for Cooper to come rescue him from the woman he doesn’t know and the car that honked at him.

  My heart is torn in two, uncertain what the best choice might be. If I wait too long, he might figure out a way by me and escape again, but I also don’t want to corner him and make him even more scared.

  With every second I hesitate, I can feel my grasp on the situation slipping. I have to get Rosco’s leash. I can’t let him break free again and run into traffic. The thought makes me wince and clench my teeth hard. It wouldn’t even matter how that would impact my business, all that would matter is that I let it happen and I would have to be the one to tell Cooper.

  Cooper trusted Rosco to me, and I’m going to keep this fearful dog in one piece until I can hand him back over to his master.

  “Rosco, come here, buddy. Come here.”

  He panics and flattens himself against the fence, beginning to dig at the earth. Sand and soil go flying under his powerful body. If I don’t act quickly, he’s going to manage to dig a hole and get away. There would be no quick method for me to get Sadie and Lola over the fence after him, and I don’t know the streets here well enough to be sure where this alley leads.

  If Rosco leaves my sight, it may very well be for the last time.

  Though it goes against my intuition, I creep closer to Rosco, reaching for the edge of his leash. Swallowing hard, my fingers just barely brush the fabric when Rosco yelps and snarls, startled by my approach after being consumed in his digging. The moment he snarls, Sadie turns into a total bulldozer. She rips free of her own leash and collar and charges forward at Rosco, wedging herself between us. Rosco, even more terrified now, snaps at her leg, his jaws closing around her paw. The second his jaws hit her fur, she gives a doggish scream, collapsing to her side. Rosco instantly jerks backwards, cowering in a corner of the fence and whining in fear.

  I grab Sadie against me, hurriedly inspecting her paw. Though it’s covered in slobber, there isn’t a mark on her. Despite his panic, Rosco hasn't broken the skin. Relieved, but furious, I set Sadie down. My fury isn’t directed at Rosco, however, but at myself and at Cooper.

  How had I let myself be talked into this arrangement?

  This is exactly why I don’t take in dogs that I don’t know. You never know what they might do, what triggers may set them off. This could have gone so very wrong, and I didn’t prevent it.

  Sadie eases her paw onto the ground, testing it. When she realizes it doesn’t hurt, she sticks close to my side. I hold up a hand, quietly telling her to stay behind me. This time when I inch toward Rosco, he allows me to pick up his leash.

  He turns from me, trying to hide, and I inch over and carefully pet his head. When he realizes I’m not angry, he presses against me, his whole body trembling. Lola, who’s been straining against her own leash this whole time, whines with worry. Sadie, having already forgotten the bite, sniffs Rosco before bounding back to Lola.

  “I’m sorry, pal,” I sigh to Rosco with a heavy heart, “but I need to get you back to Cooper. This just isn’t going to work.”

  Chapter 5

  Cooper

  “As you can see, gentleman, your company would benefit immensely by partnering with my tech firm. If you still need convincing, I’d be happy to pull up some estimates that my accountants have been working nonstop to formulate just for you.”

  The board of investors before me exchange glances as they look over the portfolios I spent all night putting together for them after my accountants finished their part of the task. I of course had people that could’ve done it for me, but I liked being thorough. This way I knew exactly what each investor would be looking at.

  I’ll admit I had a hard time focusing on the preparations for this meeting. All night my mind constantly wandering back to Rosco and the beautiful woman I’d left him with.

  I’ve never met anyone like Summer before. Anyone except for me, I suppose. She has such fire in her eyes. I like that she treats her job like I treat mine—with passion.

  The men around my boardroom table lean closer, quietly talking. I just smile, arms folding across my chest. I can already tell that they’re going to agree to the merger. I can always tell, sometimes even before the meeting starts, whether I’ll be successful or not. Nine times out of ten, I am. That tenth time, I just have to butter them up a little more. I take them out golfing or to the most expensive restaurant in town. Get a little Scotch in them, and they sign the papers over in no time.

  Failure is not an option.

  Despite me telling Suzette that she didn’t need to come in this morning and to enjoy her weekend at home, my personal assistant insisted on coming in for the meeting. She swore up and down that having someone else greet the businessmen instead of me waiting around for them would give a better air of my superiority and importance. By the time they arrived, I was glad she’d suggested it. Most of the other staff was gone and the building was empty, but as far as the investors knew, we were all hard at work here even on a beautiful Saturday morning.

  “We just have a few more questions for you, Cooper,” the head of the board announces, closing his portfolio. “What kind of returns are we to expect in the first quarter, and what guarantee will you give us if that’s not met?”

  “Excellent question, sir.”

  I start to answer, trailing off when I hear a faint noise from beyond the closed office door. It’s a rustle, a door slamming, then someone raising their voice. Shaking my head, I block out the noise and focus on the people before me, trusting Suzette to handle whatever intrusion is transpiring. “I assure you that all expectations . . . ” again I trail off as the noise becomes louder.

  Suzette’s voice, muffled by the door, shrieks something.

  “Cooper?” the head of the board asks, arching an incredulous eyebrow, “What’s going on?”

  I clear my throat. “If you’ll just excuse me—”

  Before I can even take one step toward the door, it suddenly flies open. Summer stands there, chest heaving, eyes churning with fury. Beside her, Rosco is on his leash looking equally disturbed. His eyes widen when he spots me but he doesn’t move.

  “I asked you to wait a moment!” Suzette cries angrily at the blonde dog walker. “Cooper is in a very important meeting.”

  Forgetting the board members, I rush over to Rosco and bend down. He thrusts himself against me, barking and whining and wagging his tail, slobbering all over my face. I can tell by his throaty cries that he’s upset.

  “It’s all right, boy, you’re all right. What the hell happened?” I hiss up at Summer.

  She scowls, dropping Rosco’s leash so that it falls beside me. “He bit my dog!”

  My blood suddenly goes cold, my arms tightening around Rosco. It’s my worst nightmare to hear such a thing. Instantly, every single news story I’ve ever heard about dogs attacking other dogs and what happens to them afterward rushes up in the back of my mind. I scramble for the leash, holding it so hard in my fist that the fabric digs into my palm.

  “Is she okay?” I choke out.

  Summer seems to only just notice the crowd of people looking on, glancing nervously at them and clearing her throat. “Yes, she’s fine, but obviously I don’t think Rosco is a good fit for my services.”

  “Maybe you two would like to take this to a private room,” Suzette offers loudly. “It’s a good time for a brunch break anyway. Gentlemen, can I order something for you? We have a direct line to Chez Flores downtown. They’re usually booked up for a month . . .”

  As Suzette speaks, she ushers both me and Summer out of the
office, closing the door behind us.

  “What happened?” I ask again, leading Rosco and the pretty blonde to a nearby meeting room and gesturing her in.

  She paces slightly, reminding me of Rosco when he’s ready to go for a walk. Her expression is like a storm cloud, her brow creased heavily over her small nose.

  “He got scared and lashed out. You didn’t tell me that he’s afraid of cars. All it took was one honk and he took off down the road.”

  “You didn’t hold on to him?” I snap back, checking Rosco over for any injuries though there are none.

  “Of course I did! But it took me by surprise and Rosco is stronger than I am. I chased after him and that’s when he bit Sadie.”

  Defensive arguments bubble up my throat but I swallow them back down. I can tell by the way Summer is acting that she’s not mad at my dog, and thankfully she doesn’t seem to blame him. There’s been no threats of calling the police and she’s not rushing to take her dog to the vet, so hopefully this will all blow over. The last thing I want is for harm to come to any of the dogs, and Rosco has never once bitten another person or animal.

  “I can assure you that I would’ve told you if he was aggressive. I’ve never witnessed any behavior like that, and I’ve never seen him run from a car.”

  She shakes her head so hard her ponytail slaps her cheeks. “This is why I don’t take in random dogs. This is why I require all those steps before I offer to dog sit. Don’t you understand how badly this could have turned out?” she whispers, her voice thick. When I look at her, tears are welling in her eyes. “I don’t know what I would have done if he had gotten hurt or if the bite had been worse.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t know about the car horn thing, but he’s always been jumpy. When I told you that he’d been through a lot, I didn’t go into much detail, but he’s from a puppy mill. He was treated horribly for the first year of his life. It’s been over five years now and he’s come so far. He’s always been guarded but gentle.”

  “But he doesn’t know me, and he doesn’t know Sadie or Lola. That’s why he reacted so badly. As well as you think he’s doing, he still has a long way to go. You can’t just drop him off with random people.”

  “I know, but you weren’t random. I trust Mrs. Donnell with Rosco as much as I trust myself, and when she recommended you, I knew that you were my only choice. That’s why I was so desperate to have you take him in . . .”

  Rosco finally stopped trembling in my arms. Despite the heated tone between Summer and myself, he seems to have recognized that he’s not in trouble and that we aren’t going to lash out at him. He snuffles his snout to my cheek once then turns, retreating to Summer. He approaches her much more slowly than he rushed to me, staring at her with those big, imploring eyes as though he’s seeking forgiveness for running away and misbehaving.

  She sighs and strokes under his left ear, his favorite spot, his eyes slowly closing. He keeps his head tilted just slightly toward me so that he’ll know if I make a move to leave, but he is visibly content.

  “I know you were desperate,” Summer says. She bites her lip, blame rising in her eyes. “I should have been more careful, too. I shouldn’t have tried to walk him to the park. I should’ve just kept him close to my apartment. But you said he usually has energy and I just wanted to make sure he got the chance to work some of it out.”

  “Summer, he’s never once acted this way with someone,” I say, gesturing at the way Rosco is leaning against her. “Not even Mrs. Donnell. He likes her but it took him weeks to let her scratch him like that. All it’s taken you is one night. Please, I’m in the middle of a huge meeting. I’ll pay any amount and I’ll do anything if you agree to keep watching him for the weekend. Hell, I’ll triple what I’m paying you now and I know you’re charging me extra.”

  “I’m charging you premium pricing because you broke into my house while I was in the shower!” she shoots back.

  I smirk. “I wasn’t complaining, just saying that I think every penny is worth it.”

  She stares down at Rosco, still petting him. Though she shakes her head, a familiar confidence begins to well up in me, assuring me that I’ve already sealed the deal even though the beautiful woman I’m trying to negotiate with doesn’t think she’s made up her mind yet.

  “This wasn’t your fault, Rosco,” she says to him gently. “I know you were just scared. It’s okay.” She glances at me from the corner of her eye. “Even with the bite he was careful. He didn't hurt Sadie at all.”

  “Like I said, Rosco might be skittish, but he is not violent. Not to anyone.”

  Rosco licks Summer’s nose, pressing his cheek to hers. The small gesture of affection means a lot coming from Rosco, and just the sight of him being so friendly with Summer is enough to warm my whole heart. I know that Rosco deserves to trust and he deserves to love, and every time I see him welcome another person into his gentle dog heart, it makes me so happy—like I’m doing something right.

  I can tell the effect is similar on Summer.

  Great job, pal! I think. Keep working your magic on her and I’ll seal the deal . . .

  “I know that I was wrong to thrust Rosco onto you the way I did, Summer. I know that he has a lot of anxiety. If you just watch him, even for the rest of the day, Rosco and I will be so grateful, and I’ll pay you triple the amount. I’ll even give it to you upfront if you want. You could buy a whole new wardrobe with it.”

  “Wardrobe? Please! I work with dogs all day. I obviously don’t give a crap about my wardrobe.” She sighs, ruffling Rosco’s ears. He gives a content huff. “Wait,” her eyes flash back to mine, “are you saying you don’t like my clothes?”

  There’s fire in her eyes, but I still can’t help looking her over, taking in the fitted tank top and tight jeans she’s wearing. Casual and flirty, the clothes hug her every curve to perfection.

  “I’m definitely not saying that,” I reply quickly.

  Her cheeks flush just slightly, eyes blinking in surprise. “Oh. Well, good. Clothes aren’t important to me. If anything, I’d donate the extra money to the local shelter. They just emailed me the other day saying how badly they needed donations for food and toys for the dogs . . .”

  “Exactly. You could make such a difference for them and all you have to do is keep Rosco for the rest of the day. He’s not a danger, Summer, he’s just nervous, and you’re the only one besides me in this city who he trusts. Think about him in my apartment, all alone and sad.”

  “Ugh! Fine,” she groans, closing her eyes tight and shaking her head. “I’ll take Rosco back to my house. But you better be there by seven o’clock tonight, on the dot. Got it? And bring your checkbook.”

  I grin. “Done.” I reach over, shaking her hand and then give Rosco a healthy pat. “You be good for Summer, okay?” I say to him, smiling when he licks my palm.

  She takes the leash from me, lingering for just a moment before stiffly saying goodbye. As she walks away, I again take in her perfect choice of clothing. Her jeans hug her hips tight, emphasizing every inch of her toned body. Rosco sways along beside her, sparing her a warm glance that makes my soul feel like it’s soaring.

  He follows Summer as she leads him back toward the elevator, his tail wagging. Both of them pause after she presses the button. Rosco finally looks back and gives a woof as though saying goodbye. The doors glide open and Summer carefully moves Rosco inside, turning to face me. As the doors begin to slow, she points a threatening finger my way. “Don’t make me regret this!” she calls back. “I know where you work!”

  I just laugh and wave, watching the elevator descend toward the lobby. Even after they’re gone, the smile on my face remains. There’s a light in Rosco’s eyes when he looks at Summer, one that I’ve only ever seen directed at me.

  Summer must be a special woman indeed.

  Chapter 6

  Summer

  “What is it about that guy, Rosco?” I sigh, guiding the large Husky down the road. “The second he starts as
king me to do something, I lose all my resolve. I never would’ve taken in another dog in the same situation as you.”

  When Rosco seems to give me an indignant look, I quickly shake my head.

  “No offense or anything.”

  This time, I keep to side streets, holding the leash in a death grip. There’s no way I’m letting this dog take off on me again. The last thing I want is a repeat of earlier.

  Rosco trots merrily along, his head and tail both held high. Instead of panicking about his separation from Cooper as he had on that first night, Rosco seems much more relaxed and content. This time, I think he knows that his master will return and there is nothing to fear. I don’t know if he trusts me yet, but he certainly isn’t scared of me. I suppose I’m no longer a stranger in his eyes.

  “You’re a good boy, Rosco,” I say aloud.

  I’m sure Cooper tells him that all the time, but I’ve found that when it comes to people and animals, the more positive affirmations the better. We all need a little praise every now and then.

  Rosco swivels his head when he hears his name, his tongue lolling in such a silly way out of his mouth that I burst into laughter. “You goof! No wonder Cooper loves you so much.”

  Big, shy, fluffy Rosco has so much personality hidden under the timid guard of his heart. It makes my whole soul ache to think of what the dog might’ve gone through in his early days. Puppy mills are the bane of my existence. When I volunteered at the local animal shelter, I saw countless weak and abandoned dogs who’d gone through hell just for being born in the wrong place.

  I’ve done a lot of work rescuing dogs from the mills, but there’s always more to be done. It doesn’t help that in many states, despite the cruel way the dogs are housed in kennels no bigger than shoe boxes, puppy mills are still perfectly legal as long as they follow the most barebones of guidelines that do little to improve the canines’ lives. Dogs like Rosco suffer every day because of it and it breaks my heart.