Paws off the Boss - Casey Griffin (best books under 200 pages .TXT) 📗

the ultraclean room, wandering farther inside. Reaching into her holsters, Piper pulled the guns out and laid them on the entrance table. That’s when she noticed the small box of imported chocolates. The little tag on them said “Piper.”

She gasped and did a little happy dance in the foyer. Best tip ever! She wondered if he’d ever left anything like that for his attractive assistant, Tamara.

Piper scowled. She wasn’t sure where that jealous thought had come from, but she shoved it away. The tag said “Piper.” The fact that Aiden had been thinking about her when she wasn’t around made her grin wickedly—in a totally professional, non-interested manner. She slid the box into her bag. Her day was looking up.

“Sophie!” she called out.

A light padding of paws on the hardwood announced her approach down the hall. Colin and Sophie exchanged their usual hello kisses. When they finished, they turned to Piper expectantly. Okay, we’re ready to be entertained now. Dance, monkey! Dance!

“I need to change first. Then we’ll go to the park.”

She turned to head for the bathroom and immediately got a faceful of silk tie. She yelped in surprise and jumped back, nearly knocking over a vase.

“Aiden,” she breathed. Leaning against the wall, she laid a hand over her pounding chest, which was covered with nothing more than a camo sports bra.

“Sorry,” Aiden said. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

She heaved a sigh. “I’ll forgive you since you live here and all. I just didn’t know you’d be home.”

“I had some extra time between meetings this afternoon and thought I’d run home for a late lunch.”

He seemed edgy, like he was afraid of being caught. Again, Tamara popped into Piper’s head, and she wondered about their relationship.

“But now that we’re both here, maybe I’ll join you for your walk. If you don’t mind.”

“You’re the boss,” she said.

“But I should have made it clear before. There’s a strict no guns policy in my house.” He pointed at the fluorescent pink water pistols.

She laughed. “I just finished a telegram job. I was about to change.”

“Please don’t change on my account. In fact, I would feel much safer being escorted by a soldier.”

“I don’t think you need protection from all the poodles.”

His cheek dimpled. “No, but there’s something about a girl in uniform.”

Aiden’s edge had smoothed right out. A little too smooth, she thought as his eyes roamed over her tight midriff.

She could feel her face turning the same shade as her water pistols. “If it’s all the same to you, I think I’ll go change.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He saluted her. “We can take my vehicle.”

She gasped in offense. “You don’t want to ride in my classic?”

“Classic?” He laughed. “I’ll show you a classic.”

“All right. All right. We’ll take yours then.”

Piper ducked into the bathroom to change out of her fatigues and into her civvies. She was glad she’d brought something more flattering to wear that day. The breezy bohemian tunic and tight yoga shorts would keep her cool in the hot sun, but they were also cute enough to show off her assets. Not that she cared what Aiden thought or anything. Nope, not at all. But, as Zoe would say, it would show the boy what he was missing out on.

When she stepped back into the hall, she noticed Aiden had also made a wardrobe change. He’d swapped his usual business attire for a plaid shirt, cargo shorts, and sneakers. The ensemble was clearly new.

“I see you took my advice about the uniform,” she said.

He gave a self-conscious tug on his shirt. “I haven’t had a chance to put the wrinkles in yet.”

“Looks good.” She tried not to notice his toned arms peeking out from beneath his short sleeves as she headed for the foyer.

“Actually, we’ll head out through the garage.” He nodded toward a door in the hall.

When he opened it and flicked on the light, she thought “garage” was a bit of an understatement. It was more like an airplane hangar.

Her eyes widened. She took in the line of cars that could have been in a museum for the evolution of the automobile. “You know, some people collect stamps or postcards.”

“I prefer e-mail,” he said. “And I’ve been too busy to travel much, except for business, so no postcards.”

“So, cars, then.” She nodded. “Naturally.”

Piper suddenly recalled the last time her mom tricked her into talking to her brother. He’d boasted about the classic car he’d been eyeing, and she imagined he dreamed of having a garage just like Aiden’s one day. The collection before her became a little less impressive.

“I only own these five. Well, eight if you count the ones I keep at the cabin.”

Only eight. Meanwhile, she could barely keep the one running. Was he deliberately showing off with his nonchalance, or did he really not notice? And something told her the word “cabin” didn’t quite cut it, either.

Sophie and Colin hopped down the wooden steps. Toenails clicking on the treated concrete floor, they disappeared between the cars to explore. Piper followed them to take a closer look.

She paused by the first one. “Jaguar Roadster. Nineteen fifty …” She turned to him with a questioning look.

“Five. E-Type,” he supplied. “Good guess.”

“Good car. And it wasn’t a guess. I know a bit about cars.” She pointed to the next one, painted a sparkling copper. “Nineteen seventies Porsche.”

His eyebrows shot up, clearly impressed. “Nineteen seventy-six, nine-eleven Turbo. You’re not bad at this.”

“I told you I like classics. I just can’t afford a real one. My dad used to own a nineteen sixty-eight Shelby. He preferred domestic.”

“He has good taste. I prefer imports myself.”

“I noticed.” Three more cars sparkled at the other end, one of which was a Ferrari from the seventies. The next space held his BMW, which she assumed he drove as an everyday car. If every day you were stinking, filthy rich and didn’t mind if people knew it. What was wrong with a good ol’ reliable Ford Escort? Or maybe a Hyundai Accent, if he liked imports?

“Which one are we taking?” she asked.

Aiden nodded to the last in line: a silver convertible with a red leather interior. “The Aston Martin DB5. Nineteen sixty-three.” He grinned at her like a ten-year-old showing off his shiny new bicycle. “Left-hand drive. They only ever made nineteen of these.”

“Oh, if we must.” She feigned indifference for a whole two seconds before her expression cracked and her grin matched his. Okay, so it was a bit better than an Accent.

Aiden whistled for Sophie, who click-clacked her way across the concrete floor to him. He folded an old blanket and laid it across the backseat. Plucking her up, he set her on top of it, followed by Colin.

Piper cringed at the sight of their tiny feet padding all over the blanket, their nails digging in. “Will the blanket be enough to protect the leather?”

“Sure. Besides, I’m only thinking about their paws burning once the sun hits. Things are meant to be used. They’re more fun to play with than to put behind glass and stare at. Or why bother owning them?” He slipped around to her side of the car and popped the door open for her. “My lady,” he said in a mock-serious tone.

She slid into the passenger seat and tucked her legs in while he shut the door. Crawling behind the wheel, he turned the key. The engine purred to life. His foot nudged the accelerator, pumping it a few times. The garage swelled with the rich growl, and his smile widened.

Piper watched him, sitting in his casual clothes, relaxed and enjoying his man toy. She couldn’t imagine herself fitting into a life like his, into the same world. A guy like Aiden knew nothing about hardships—besides the loss of his father, she amended. He’d had everything handed to him: his money, his house, his company.

How could he relate to her, appreciate the things she’d accomplished? No matter how small they might seem to him, they were big to her. Monstrous, even. He’d said he owned eight cars like he was referring to pairs of socks.

Someone like Tamara seemed better suited for him. She was polite, well mannered, sophisticated, and clearly comfortable when surrounded by all that luxury. But as Aiden slipped on his sunglasses and flashed her a grin, Piper thought she could at least sit back and enjoy the view for a while.

He tapped the button to raise the garage door and backed the car out. They wound down the sloping streets of Sea Cliff toward the Presidio, the wind whipping past them. Piper released her hair from its messy bun and shook out her locks.

Tilting her face to the sun, she put on her sunglasses and soaked up the view. It felt good to have the wind blow through her hair. No air-conditioning necessary. Sophie and Colin seemed to enjoy it as well. They sat on the bench seat, their noses stuck over the sides of the car, sniffing the air.

Piper closed her eyes. “So, this is a classic, huh?”

Aiden seemed pleased by her reaction. “Told you.”

“I would have thought a big shot like you would be too busy to come home for lunch.”

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “I managed to sneak away. But don’t tell on me. My boss is a real taskmaster.” He rolled his eyes.

“Tell me about it. Mine is exactly the same. He actually makes me show up