Free Love Bites by Lori Foster

Cate and Doug, stood in the doorway, watching them, smiling, and very satisfied with the outcome.

 
    LORI FOSTER is a Waldenbooks, USA TODAY , Publishers Weekly and New York Times bestselling author with books from a variety of publishers, including Berkley/Jove, Kensington, St. Martin’s, Harlequin and Silhouette. Lori has been a recipient of the prestigious RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award for Series Romantic Fantasy, and for Contemporary Romance. She’s had top-selling books for Amazon, Waldenbooks and the BGI Group. For more about Lori, visit her Web site at www.lorifoster.com. And look for Run the Risk , the first book in her new Love Undercover series, coming in October 2012 from Harlequin HQN!

Smookie and the Bandit
    Brenda Jackson

 
    To everyone who enjoys reading a good romance story where the sexual chemistry is oozing all over the place, this one is for you.

 
    Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
    Proverbs 3:13

Chapter One
    “Yes, may I help you?”
    Raquel Capers swallowed as she gazed into the face of the man who leaned in the doorway. She’d heard that Quest Newman was a hottie, eye candy of the third degree. However, in light of why she was there, she’d shoved the information aside.
    “Miss?”
    She blinked. “Yes?”
    “I asked if I can help you? However, if you’re here soliciting, this complex has a policy against it.”
    Raquel stiffened her spine. “I’m Raquel Capers and that’s not why I’m here.”
    “Then how can I help you?” Quest asked. She was a looker, and he could definitely come up with a few good ideas if she couldn’t. But unfortunately, he didn’t have the time. He was best man in his twin brother’s wedding and the rehearsal dinner was tonight, so he was in a hurry. Then, later, it was guys’ night out with a huge party planned. The last one his brother, Quincy, would enjoy as a single man.
    “I’m here because of your dog.”
    The woman’s words, spoken in a deep, sultry voice, reclaimed his attention. “Bandit?”
    “If that’s what you call him.”
    He straightened and placed his hands in the pockets of his jeans. “I do. What about Bandit?”
    “My dog is Smookie.”
    Quest lifted a brow, wondering why she felt that information was somehow vital to the conversation. “And?”
    She crossed her arms over her chest, and his gaze automatically went to the uplifting of her breasts. Pressed against her pretty pink blouse, he could tell they were a nice, full and firm pair.
    “ And it seems your Bandit is about to be a father.”
    He frowned, pretty damn certain he hadn’t heard her correctly. “Excuse me?”
    “Let me spell it out for you, Mr. Newman. Your Bandit has knocked up my Smookie.”
    “He did what!”
    Quest Newman definitely had a good set of lungs, Raquel thought. And the shocked look on his face would have made her laugh outright if the business at hand wasn’t so darn serious. But she didn’t have time for amusement.
    “That’s not possible.”
    Raquel lifted her chin and glared at the man. “Trust me, it is.”
    Quest sighed, getting annoyed. “Look, like I said, that’s not possible. I don’t know you or your Smookie, but I do know that whenever Bandit is out, he’s on a leash with me or my dog sitter.”
    “Well, on this particular day, he wasn’t with your dog sitter.”
    He narrowed his gaze. “And what particular day are you talking about, Ms. Capers?”
    “Friday, May tenth.”
    Quest knew immediately where he’d been that day. He’d gone camping with a couple of his frat brothers from college and had left Bandit, his Yorkie, with his nineteen-year-old cousin Tawny, who would dog sit whenever he traveled. While he was gone, it was customary forTawny to move into one of his guest rooms to take care of all Bandit’s needs, which included walking him on a leash—at least three times a day.
    “What do you mean he wasn’t with my sitter?”
    “Just what I said. I was