Coming Feb 2, 2016
Valentine, Pets & Kisses Box Set
14 All-New Sweet Romance Novellas
EXCERPT – Valentine Hound Dog by Rachelle Ayala
(Exclusive to the Valentine, Pets & Kisses Box Set)
Unfortunately, now that Connor was promoted to chief, he
didn’t hang out as much anymore, which meant Larry was facing a Friday night
with a TV dinner in front of a basketball game.
A piercing wind blew as he lifted the dumpster lid,
threatening to blow it down. Larry held the lid with one hand and hefted the
trash bag into it. Letting the lid slam, he turned toward the warmth of the
building.
Something moved near the dumpster, darting behind it.
Probably a rat. He should set traps, but not tonight. The wind whined and
howled as he opened the door.
Another whine and something furry touched the back of his
leg. It was a puppy, likely a basset hound, with a brown and black patchwork
face and white paws.
“What’cha doing here, boy?” Larry bent down and held his
hand out for the puppy to sniff. There was no collar, but the puppy appeared
well groomed and plump. “Did you get lost?”
The puppy licked his hand, and Larry scooped him up. “I bet
you’re hungry. Tomorrow I’ll put up a poster. See if anyone lost you.”
He rubbed the puppy’s head and long ears while the puppy
licked his jowls and yawned. How could he resist such cuteness?
# # #
“I can’t believe I lost him,” Jenna cried on the phone to
her sister, Melisa. “One minute, he was following me to your apartment building,
and the next minute he disappeared.”
“Following you?” Melisa glanced at Rob who was driving her
home from work. “Didn’t you have him on a leash?”
“The leash and collar were in the shopping bag. I don’t have
five hands. I was carrying him and then when I got to the security door, I had
to put him down to punch in the code.”
“Couldn’t you have set the bags down?”
“No, that little rascal would have stuck his nose in and
stolen a chicken strip.”
“Rob and I are on our way. You stay put and we’ll help you
look.”
“Okay, hurry. It’s getting dark, and he’s only a tiny little
puppy. I’ve already run all around your building but no one’s seen him.”
“Maybe he went back home. Where did you get him?”
“The rescue center down near where you work. But there’s no
way he could have made it back. He’s so tiny and there’s so much traffic.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll find him,” her sister said. “We’re
almost home.”
“Good. I don’t know how much more stress I can take. What
with the show, the firemen not cooperating, and now my model gone.”
“Model? Which one?”
“Little Treat, the puppy.” Jenna couldn’t help pulling at
her hair. “He’s my signature piece.”
“Signature piece? Wait? What about the gowns and the
outfits?”
“Those are a mess. I need to get back home and sew, sew,
sew.”
“Then what are you doing with a puppy?” Her sister’s voice
took on a motherly, or was it a teacherly, tone. How was it that Melisa was
younger than her and so calm?
“He’s supposed to be Connor’s bribe so the firemen can
undress for my show!” Jenna wailed. “Now, the show will be a flop, all because
I lost Little Treat.”
***
Rachelle Ayala From
romantic suspense to sweet contemporaries, I write from my heart and love to
include children and pets in my stories.
Website:
http://rachelleayala.me
Newsletter:
http://bit.ly/RachAyala
Facebook
Street Team: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ClubRachelleAyala/
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