Boss On A Leash: A Single Dad Billionaire Romance by Kara Hart (good books to read for beginners txt) 📗

My dog turns into a bulbous jerk again.

Barking, his pull turns into a full-on run. I let go of the leash to protect myself. Fate has other plans for me, however. The leash whips round my ankle, twisting into a knot.

“Be a good boy,” I scream.

When a dog feels the primal impulse to pounce, nothing can stop them. In this case, the urge is strong, and his heavy heels bring up mud and bits of dirt onto my dress. His barks make him look like he’s a natural born killer. It feels as though I’m being spat on, and though I’m locked in shock, I can feel my anger rising inside my chest.

The expression on Marc’s face is priceless. I’m sure mine is even worse. Rowdy is pulling me toward him, and it doesn’t look like I can stop him now. I’m getting closer and closer, until it’s too late.

Oh, shit.

I smack right into him, laying him flat on the ground like a linebacker at the Super Bowl. Thick earthy chunks of mud slide down Marc’s suit. Rowdy’s licking his face, but I’m on top of him. Not just on top of him. My legs are twisted around his torso, my arms are clamped around his neck, and my groin is crushing his dick.

This is not where I thought I’d be this Wednesday morning.

Ragamuffin barks and circles around, bouncing near Rowdy’s sniffing nose. She gives him a kiss and bends her butt up to him.

“Your dog might be developing a crush on mine,” he groans.

“I, uh...”

Cat got my tongue.

His eyes are deep and wondrous, honest, with a dark streak. And when the light hits the surface, I can count every ridge that makes up the iris. Something tells me he’s felt pain because his eyes are filled with a deep longing for someone to see the real him.

He’s nothing like me. I’m normal and boring. He’s rich, handsome, and everything else great. In any case, normal comes with a caveat. In the end, we’re all varying degrees of crazy.

With my hand flat against his beating heart, I feel a little out-of-my element. It’s in this moment I wonder why I’ve been running from him for so long. Why I’ve sworn off men for so long. What is in my head that won’t allow me to trust?

My heart is racing with excitement and fear, panic at embarrassing myself around someone who feels so put together. I’m a teacher, but I feel like a schoolgirl around him. I think I want him to touch me, to coil his fingers around my waist.

Then again, I’ve felt these feelings for other people before him. Just last month, I was still receiving texts from another guy. I’m a woman who used to get wrapped up in people, especially if that man acted like the one. You never know what you’re going to get with a person, and taking that next step can be the scariest thing you can do.

Worrying I might fall into his persuasive eyes forever, I try to spring up quickly. Except, it’s not as easy to untangle myself than I thought. Tightly wound around him, I fall back against him for a second time.

“Rowdy,” I groan. “He’s got us all tangled up.”

I look away, but I feel his eyes staring at me, drinking in every part of me.

Choking on my breath, I give an awkward smile. When he doesn’t return it, everything feels heavy. It also feels good. Really good.

Can he see the worry in my eyes?

“Here,” he says, reaching for Rowdy’s collar. “I’ll help you.”

“Wait,” I say.

I didn’t expect to stop him, but I push my hand around his wrist and tangle my fingers through his. My heart is still pounding as he pulls me closer. I can’t believe this is happening, in front of so many people.

Our lips touch, and my eyes close. I feel my knees getting weak.

There’s no use hiding it, though, not when it’s easy for me to take my other hand and place it on his chest.

No men until Valentine’s Day. That was my rule.

“Guess we both lost the bet,” he says.

Oops.

Amanda walks up and clears her throat loudly. “Guys, I hate to interrupt your little mud wrestling competition, but class starts in less than twenty minutes. You might want to get changed.”

Sammy points at her dad, laughing harder than ever before, which is saying something. “Daddy made a mess with Ms. Greenwald.”

Sammy, no…

Marc undoes the leash, but there’s no undoing what just happened. I broke an oath to myself by kissing Marc’s sweet lips.

I’m covered in mud, and I’m mortified. Not only did I not bring a change of clothes, but everyone is staring at us like we’re indecent. I recognize some of the gawking faces from the school drop-off zone. This sucks.

Backing away from the situation, I look for an exit. I take Rowdy’s leash from Marc, who lets go of my hand and braces himself against a nearby tree. Motioning for Amanda to follow, I head to the changing station near the entrance.

Marc wipes a glob of mud from his cheek and gives a shallow wave. “See you after school?”

I stop and turn, heart resuming it’s excited rhythm. “Only if you’re waiting for me.”

The more I try to run from this, the more entangled I’ll get. There’s no stopping this now.

All bets are off.

“Deal,” he says.

Ali

Only if you’re waiting for me?

What on Earth was I thinking?

The kiss, that was nice. The rest of it, horrendous.

With my day starting out with a splash, I grab a spare dress from Amanda, wipe off my face, and barely make it to class. Despite going through the motions with relative ease, I can’t stop thinking about that kiss. It wasn’t a simple kiss. It was intense, and it unlocked a deeper part of me. It also broke my free-fall.

Everything adds up into this package of obviousness, and now I can’t stop beating myself up for acting so childish.

After a