Free Just a Kiss by Denise Hunter Page A

than to save those animals, giving of herself for him. He wanted to do something for her.
    “I know someone who’s perfect for the job,” he said. “At least temporarily.”
    Her eyes brightened. “Really? Who?”
    He planted his elbows on the table and clasped his hands. “Me.”
    Her mouth twisted as she gave him a long look. “You.”
    He bristled at the look on her face. Nice. Did she think he was incapable of answering the phones and running a credit card machine?
    “What, you think I can’t do the job? I’m missing a leg, not a brain.”
    She gave him a glum look. “Will you stop that? I know you’re perfectly capable, I just don’t want you to overdo it and set yourself back.”
    “Overdo? I’m bored to death. You’d be doing me a favor. Just for a while. Until you find someone permanent.”
    She scratched her head. Fiddled with her necklace some more. He could see the indecision all over her face.
    Really? “Come on, Paige. I want to help. I owe you big for letting me crash here.”
    She narrowed her eyes. “Stop it. You don’t owe me anything.”
    “Okay, then. I just want to help out. The way you’re helping me. You’re always saying ‘that’s what friends do.’ Well . . . it’s my turn.”
    She looked him over skeptically.
    “What, it only applies to you?”
    “Of course not. I just—” She sighed hard. “I don’t want anything getting in the way of your recovery. Or our friendship.”
    Something was already in the way of their friendship, but she didn’t need to know that.
    “It’ll be good for me. I need something to do, something to keep my mind busy. It’s mostly sitting, right? Nothing I can’t manage physically.”
    “That’s true.”
    “As for our friendship, hey, we’ve weathered a lot worse. I don’t think working together for a couple months is going to shake that foundation.”
    She pulled her lower lip in, working it with her teeth. She really did have nice lips. They were full, especially the lower one. And the prettiest shade of pink. He knew for a fact they were soft and pliant and capable of the most exquisite give-and-take.
    He dragged his eyes away as heat pooled in his cheeks. He focused on the napkin in his hand, trying to steady his heart rate.
    “You’re right,” she said.
    He looked up at her.
    “I don’t know why I’m being so cagey about this. The job’s yours if you want it, until I find a permanent replacement. But I want you to start part time—and you have to promise you’ll tell me if it gets to be too much.”
    Riley scanned Paige’s beautiful face. The clouds had lifted from her blue eyes, leaving them clear as a June day. Her lip had escaped her teeth, the pink color deepening. His eyes traced the chin he’d always thought so cute.
    He forced a smile as he extended his hand. “Deal.” Her hand was small and delicate in his grip, and he wondered what the heck he’d just signed up for.

Chapter 11
    R iley drew the plastic wand out of the bubble bottle, held it up, and blew. The two dogs in the yard with him bit at the iridescent bubbles, their jaws snapping like mad. They went for the same bubble and collided, but it didn’t even faze them.
    It was his second week at the shelter, and he’d slowly bumped up his hours. He had the hang of the office stuff, but when he was caught up he enjoyed entertaining the dogs. Poor mutts shouldn’t be stuck inside on a nice summer day.
    He blew another round of bubbles, watching the dogs bound around, snapping, tails wagging. Somehow happy despite the fact that they were lost or abandoned. Didn’t they know things weren’t all that great? That they lived in a kennel, and their future was completely up in the air? If not for Paige, it would be even worse.
    Paige.
    She was part of the reason he preferred the outdoors and the company of the animals. He’d overestimated his ability to be around her all day. He’d somehow imagined her shut away in her office with a stack of paperwork, but it