Home Is Where the Bark Is Read Online Free PDF

see.”
    Kylie held the day-care dogs back while Serena opened the gate. Snowball trotted through first, followed closely by a more cautious Bessie. Serena ushered the dogs through and closed the gate behind her.
    In the big room, Bessie looked tiny and vulnerable.
    Fists clenched by his sides, Nick scoped out the animals in the immediate vicinity to the little Yorki-poo.
    An enormous black beast lay resting nearby with its wolflike head on its plate-sized paws. It had lopsided ears: one cocked and the other flopped down. But though its tawny eyes were watchful, it looked peaceful enough. Mellow even.
    Not like that thickset German shepherd with a metallic studded collar. Or that bulldog with its drooling jowls and powerful jaw. Potential troublemakers, both of them.
    Muscles tensed, Nick primed himself to vault over the fence at the slightest sign of aggression. He narrowed his eyes, gauging the time it would take for him to get between Bessie and a possible assailant. To scoop her in his arms to safety.
    But the Yorki-poo didn’t seem bothered by the canine attention she was generating. She stayed still, ears alert and tail wagging as she let the other dogs sniff over her at their leisure.
    Nick was gratified to see that, in fact, tails were wagging all around. Even that bulldog’s stumpy butt was in motion. He ratcheted his alertness level down a notch.
    Then a Doberman bounded toward Bessie with a tad too much enthusiasm. Nick reacted instantly. Went into overdrive. Sprang toward the fence. Prepared to hurdle over.
    “Stay.” Serena snapped the order with the power of a cracking whip.
    Nick froze, one foot in midair.
    Took seconds to realize her order was for the Doberman. Slowly, Nick lowered his foot, as if he were testing the sole of his size-thirteen oxford. The dog skidded to a halt. Sat panting at Serena’s feet.
    Nick shoved his hands deep in his pockets. He rocked back on his heels and looked anywhere but in Serena’s direction. If he could get away with it, he would have whistled to underscore his nonchalance. He sure as hell hoped she hadn’t noticed how he’d jumped to the command of her soft but authoritative voice.
    How long until he sat panting at her feet?
    From nowhere came an image of what she would be like taking charge in bed. Riding him. Her dark hair tumbling around her face, her cheeks flushed—
    He fought his body’s instant arousal, angry with himself.
    This was insanity.
    He could not let this woman guess how she affected him.
    But Serena’s attention was focused entirely on the dogs, her energies on ensuring Bessie was safe. Nick Whalen, Yorki-poo parent, was not even on her radar.
    She was in charge. A boss lady. Controlling the dogs with confidence and authority. If a situation developed, a mere former fed would not be needed to intervene.
    He wasn’t sure he liked that feeling. It was second nature for him to be the one taking charge, acting the role of protector.
    Then, as if at a signal visible only to canines, Bessie shook herself and scampered off after Snowball without a backward glance.
    Serena turned toward Nick. “See? No need to worry.”
    He shrugged. Like he’d been worried?
    “Sure,” he muttered.
    “But we’ll still keep a close eye on her,” she said. She turned back to say something to Kylie.
    Good.
    He didn’t want attention focused on him. Or his attention focused on her. He was here to do a job. And Serena Oakley was proving a distraction he had not counted on.
    But he couldn’t stop his gaze straying to where she stood with the dogs. She was laughing at something Kylie said. He stared, transfixed by the animation of her face, the bell-like peal of her laugh. Strained to hear the sound of her voice above the doggy babel. For one extraordinary moment he felt he knew her from somewhere else. Surely he had to have met her before to feel so strongly, so quickly?
    She leaned down to pat the Doberman, now slobbering slavishly by her side, desperate for the