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

Piper half-ran, half-limped all the way back to her taxi, where Colin greeted her. Letting him comfort her with kisses, she leaned back in the seat to find her breath. And her dignity.

She rubbed her throbbing knee and stared out of the windshield, where sporadic raindrops spattered. That had been one of the worst singing telegram experiences yet. Maybe not as bad as the time some frat boy mistook her for a stripper, but this time left her feeling more humiliated than usual. And that was really saying something.

The cab’s back door opened. The vehicle rocked as a customer slid in.

Piper cradled Colin close to hide him from sight. “I’m not in service right now,” she said over her shoulder. “Sorry.”

“You’re a taxi driver too?”

She checked the rearview mirror to find a pair of dark, minty green eyes smiling in the reflection.

“You’re a woman of many talents.”

She spun around. “Mr. Caldwell.”

“Aiden’s just fine.”

He looked strange in her cab. Someone that successful and poised didn’t fit in her awkward world. People like him didn’t stare at her as if … well, as if they were seeing her, Piper, and not giving directions to a cabbie, paying a pizza delivery girl, or eyeing up a telegram singer.

He appeared professional and collected in his designer suit and stylish narrow tie—even with the coffee stain—but in a way that they might look even better coming off. Like when you’re tempted to step on grass with a sign that says “Keep off” or to scream in a library. Actually, Aiden’s composure reminded her of an orderly, self-possessed librarian. A hot one that you wanted to dishevel behind the stacks.

Her eyes unconsciously drifted down to his lap, where she’d had her hand not fifteen minutes earlier. The memory jarred her like a bucket of cold ice over her crotch.

“I’m sorry,” she said. “You’ll have to find another taxi.”

“I wanted to apologize, Amber. I didn’t exactly make that easy on you.”

“The name’s Piper. And don’t worry about it. I’m used to it.”

“No, really. That took a lot of courage. Especially after how things started.”

Piper winced. She laid her forehead against the steering wheel, wishing an out-of-control streetcar would derail and plow into her in the next three seconds.

Three … two … one …

But he continued. “I thought the whole thing was great. But I have to remain professional in the workplace. I don’t like mixing business with pleasure. You understand.”

“Then you should probably tell that to Nicole.”

“Who?”

Piper snorted. Just your typical privileged playboy. Probably had so many conquests every week that he couldn’t remember their names by Monday morning. She knew his type. And he wasn’t hers.

Sure, he was rich, but in Piper’s opinion that was more of a con than a pro. Money created a different sort of man, and she wanted no part of it; otherwise, she’d be living in Seattle with her family rather than living paycheck to paycheck on her own in San Francisco.

Aiden sniffed in the backseat. “Does it smell like pizza in here?”

“Sorry about your shirt, by the way,” she said to change the subject.

As if he’d forgotten about it, he ran a hand over the dried stain. “No problem. I have two dozen of them that look exactly the same at home. I won’t miss it.” A teasing smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “But I thought you’d be more sorry about falling into my lap.”

“I wasn’t sorry about that.” Which was a complete lie. “But I forgot to tell you that I charge extra for lap dances.”

He was being friendly enough, even flirting a little. Okay, so was she. Shamelessly. But Colin was struggling in her arms to greet the newcomer, she wanted to put some clothes on, and as cute as Aiden was, she planned on blocking the whole experience from her memory. It’s not like he’d be interested in her anyway. Or, if he was, she would just be another girl whose name he couldn’t remember.

“Look,” she said. “I have to go. I’m on the clock.”

“If that’s the case, I’ll take a ride.” Laying his briefcase down next to him, he loosened his tie and relaxed into the seat. She could see a cocky grin spread across his lips in the rearview mirror, daring her to refuse a customer.

The clock on the dash informed her she was already late. Her volunteer shift at the dachshund rescue center started soon, and she still had to get the taxi back to the depot.

“I’m sorry. I don’t have time.”

“Please? You can’t say no to this face.” He batted his eyelashes. “I’ve been told that my eyes glimmer.”

Piper couldn’t help but laugh. “I thought you were in the middle of a big meeting.”

“It got kind of boring once you left.”

“I do know how to liven things up, don’t I?” she replied coolly, but she felt her cheeks flush at the memory. Glancing in the rearview, she saw his eyes crinkle, as though he was remembering it too, but not in the same negative way. Her skin burned hotter.

Annoyed at being left out of the conversation, Colin barked.

“Is that a dog?”

Piper sighed and let the creature wiggle free from her arms. Colin leapt onto the center console to investigate this new man in his cab. He was protective of Piper. Her little hero. In fact, she often imagined he looked like Batman. His short black fur and touch of light brown around his snout formed the same shape as the Caped Crusader’s mask.

Aiden reached out to let the dog smell him. “Hello, boy. What’s your name?”

“Colin,” Piper said.

“Unusual name for a dog.”

“Colin is an unusual dog.”

As though in agreement, Colin barked.

Aiden laughed and scratched him behind the ears. “Actually, I just applied to adopt a dachshund.”

“You made an excellent choice. It’s a great breed.”

She watched him make friends with her dog, which gave Aiden major bonus points—not that he needed them with that smile and those eyes, and, damn, he looked really good in that suit.

“Maybe I’m headed your way,” she conceded. “Where did you want to go?”

“Inner Mission area,” he said. “Please.”

She checked the clock again, not sure how she always managed to take on too much. It will be fine, she told herself. Just fine. Besides, that was near the rescue center. She could drop Colin off before heading for the taxi depot. That way, she wouldn’t need to smuggle him out of the taxi in her backpack before someone saw. Plus, having a pleasant view in her mirror for the trip wouldn’t hurt.

“I think I can manage that. Colin, down boy.” She pointed to the passenger-side mat.