Not Just The Girl Next Door
Can she ever be more than this man’s best friend? His best buddy’s sister. Someone in need of protection. That’s how Zeke Harper has always seen animal trainer Mollie McFadden. He can’t cross the line, no matter how irresistible he finds the girl-next-door. Until a surprise kiss takes them beyond the bounds of friendship. Now Zeke wonders if this woman who opens her life to pets in need can find a place for him—in her heart!
Читать Not Just The Girl Next Door онлайн беплатно
Can she ever be more than this man’s best friend?
His best buddy’s sister. Someone in need of protection. That’s how Zeke Harper has always seen animal trainer Mollie McFadden. He can’t cross the line, no matter how irresistible he finds the girl next door. Until a surprise kiss takes them beyond the bounds of friendship. Now Zeke wonders if this woman who opens her life to pets in need can find a place for him—in her heart!
STACY CONNELLY has dreamed of publishing books since writing stories about a girl and her horse. Eventually, boys made it onto the page as she discovered a love of romance novels. She is thrilled that her novel Once Upon a Wedding was recently turned into a movie titled Christmas Wedding Planner.
Stacy lives in Arizona with her two spoiled dogs. She loves to hear from readers at [email protected], at stacyconnelly.com or on Facebook.
Hillcrest House
The Best Man Takes a Bride
How to Be a Blissful Bride
The Pirelli Brothers
His Secret Son
Romancing the Rancher
Small-Town Cinderella
Daddy Says, “I Do!”
Darcy and the Single Dad
Her Fill-In Fiancé
Temporary Boss…Forever Husband
The Wedding She Always Wanted
Once Upon a Wedding
All She Wants for Christmas
Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk
ISBN: 978-1-474-09086-5
NOT JUST THE GIRL NEXT DOOR
© 2019 Harlequin Books S.A.
Published in Great Britain 2019
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF
All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.
By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.
® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.
To the real-life shelter workers dedicated to
finding forever homes for the animals in their care…
Thank you!
To Susan Litman and Gail Chasan
for thinking of me!
And to my Shadow… I miss you, baby girl.
Contents
Mollie McFadden scooted closer to the good-looking guy in the corner. “Hey, handsome. How’d a fellow like you end up in a place like this?”
Soulful brown eyes glanced in her direction, then quickly away, but Mollie didn’t let that deter her. She had a reputation for winning over strong, silent types. “I bet you’ve got a story to tell, don’t you?”
Again a slight flicker of eyelids, this time followed by a big sigh.
“A heartbreaking one, too, huh?” She inched a little closer but kept her hands to herself even though her heart ached to offer the comfort he obviously craved. “Bet you’re feeling lost and abandoned and alone.”
Her pulse skipped a beat as he shifted. He might have simply been looking for a more comfortable position, but she didn’t miss how he settled a little closer to her. “But you have to believe things are going to get better.”
He let out a huff that sounded more than a little doubtful. “I’m telling you, it will. Look at all Spring Forest has been through in the last few months, including a tornado, of all things!”
Maybe she was reading too much into body language, but Mollie swore a slight shudder ran through his solid frame. “The storm was pretty scary, wasn’t it? But in Spring Forest, people really help each other out. You’ll see if you just give us a chance. In fact...” she leaned closer to whisper “...something tells me you might even find your perfect match.”
