In all the time she’d known her boss, Elena had never once suggested they do anything together in their downtime. That old curl of jealousy swirled up that Maddie had somehow broken through Elena’s walls, but she forced it down again. No. Elena could choose whoever she wanted for friends. Even annoying Australians whom she repeatedly fired.

With a growl, Felicity turned on her TV and tried to watch Jeremy’s World. The man was attempting to tame a hissing Bombay cat. She rather admired the animal. Nothing like a bit of attitude.

* * *

Hours later, after tossing and turning and getting precisely no sleep, Felicity sat up in bed.

It took her a moment to focus her thoughts and realize what her brain had been picking over all night.

And don’t get me started on that gorgeous vet. Wow.

Felicity had been vaguely aware that Maddie was into women. Something about a French designer’s daughter kissing her months ago came to mind. But tonight Maddie had more or less confirmed it. Felicity wondered if Elena knew about Maddie’s sexuality. Would it matter to her either way? Probably not. Elena’s best friend, Style International’s art director, Perry Marks, was gayer than a Xena convention.

Besides, maybe it hadn’t even come up. Why would Maddie ever discuss her interest in women with Elena Bartell, media god? Those two probably spent their time together analyzing geopolitics and how it influenced the news or some such thing. In between, apparently, watching Netflix together.

Suddenly Felicity wondered what movies Elena liked. Maybe something classic, like Roman Holiday. Thrilling romances with zippy Vespas and beautiful fashion and Italy.

Then she wondered what movies Sandy Cooper enjoyed. Probably something involving truckers or lumberjacks, given her clothing choices. Felicity’s mind tumbled into a fabulous abyss. Oh yes, sweaty women lumberjacks in tight tank tops chopping down trees. Her breath caught, and suddenly it was Cooper holding an ax, sweat running down her biceps, a smear of dirt on her brow. Tank-Top Cooper turned to Felicity and asked her to wipe it off, her voice a sultry tease.

Felicity swallowed. With a strained, needy sigh, she slipped her hands into her pajama pants. Her last extremely guilty thought was that she absolutely shouldn’t be doing this.

Not that that stopped her.

CHAPTER 5

Separation Anxiety

Felicity was not in at eight the next day, although she was dressed, ready, and staring out of her apartment window with more than enough time. She’d already had breakfast, cleaned up a new mess she’d discovered under her lilly pillies—thank you, evil Loki—and informed her driver to stand by. Then stand by some more.

Felicity usually wasn’t one for procrastination. She looked down on it in others. But honestly, she wasn’t quite ready to be in a confined space with a woman whose image had given her two shattering orgasms the night before. Even now, just thinking about Cooper all sweaty and dirty and swinging an ax with ease as her powerful arms rippled… And oh God. It was humiliating and galling before you even got to how guilty she felt. Worst of all, even the reminder of her fantasies made her arousal spark again.

Over her third cup of coffee—yes, yes, Felicity was breaking all her vows—she decided enough was enough. From this moment on, she would be nothing but the height of professional with Dr. Cooper. There’d be no teasing and nonsense, no unprofessional carrying on. Felicity would see to it that Cooper was nothing more than a vet she needed to engage with in order to carry out her boss’s assignment. Nothing more. And she would absolutely not picture Cooper in any compromising way that could lead her thoughts to stray into dangerous realms. She could damn well control her distracting hormones. Starting right this minute.

At nine thirty, Felicity was in the Living Ruff office, mentally prepared with a poker face that she was quite sure would win her any tournament in Vegas. She nodded briefly at Mrs. Brooks, who waved her closer.

“So you came back for more, Ms. Simmons,” Mrs. Brooks said, eyebrow lifting.

“Ms. Bartell wants a thorough assessment.” Felicity flicked her fingers down her pale-green blouse’s sleeve, divesting it of any lint that dared cling to it. “When she wants thorough, that means more than one day.”

“I see,” Mrs. Brooks said. “Well, it’ll be a dull day for you since Dr. Cooper usually doesn’t allow visitors with her when she’s dealing with clients in the clinic room. She likes to keep things as peaceful and quiet during treatments as possible. So I’m afraid you’ll not be seeing much—unless you’re going to be doing rounds with Dr. Mendoza?”

“No,” Felicity said. “I’m interested in learning what an on-site clinic does.”

“Exactly the same as what a vet surgery does but without the operations. Any seriously injured animals we send elsewhere. We have an arrangement with a local animal hospital to treat our referrals, and we split their operating costs with them as part of our charity work.”

“That sounds like a good deal. And the hospital doesn’t mind? It must cut into its profits, not charging the full amount.”

“The hospital agrees with us that alleviating animal suffering is everyone’s top goal, and that also alleviates a lot of the owners’ suffering too. You see how attached they are to their pets, right?”

“Yes.” Felicity nodded. “Like anyone else.”

“More than anyone else. Some homeless, their animal is their only friend and only living, breathing being they’ll talk to all day. They’re an enormous comfort when you’re alone and sad.” A yawning noise came from somewhere out of sight. “Speaking of comfort…look who just woke up.”

Felicity shifted and peered past Mrs. Brooks to the floor. Brittany was stretching and standing. Then she spotted Felicity.

Uh-oh.

Brittany gave a joyful bark and raced over to her, leaping up and down just in front of her but not on her.

“We had to train her not to leap on people,” Mrs. Brooks said, “but can’t curb some animals’ enthusiasm for the darndest of things.”

“You mean me?” Felicity asked sweetly. She leaned away from the excited animal.

“Well, you don’t seem particularly appreciative in return.”

Felicity folded her arms, unwilling to explain her complicated relationship with animals with the office gatekeeper. “Where’s Dr. Cooper?”

“She’s in with a client now.” Mrs. Brooks gestured at a closed door on the other side of the room. “If you wait, she shouldn’t be long.” Mrs. Brooks glanced at Brittany. “Down, girl.” Then she added dryly, “She’s just not that into you.”

Felicity rolled her eyes. “I’m sure she’ll get over me three seconds after I’m gone.” She chose a chair close to the clinic room and settled in to wait.

Mrs. Brooks shook her head. “Weird thing about Brittany is, she never does this with anyone else. If she were a cat, I’d understand. They’re contrary and seem to love people who are indifferent to them. But Brittany in the past has only ever gravitated toward those who adore her. She just knows. I suppose you’re the exception.” Mrs. Brooks eyed her in bafflement, then returned to work.

Felicity glared at Brittany, who had now decided the best spot in the universe she could possibly be was sitting on Felicity’s feet. Or to be more specific, Felicity’s Italian handmade Dear Frances forest-green cube boots. “I suppose you think my designer shoes just need a polish,” she murmured to the dog.

Brittany gave a happy sigh and settled her head on her front paws.

“Emotionally blackmail me all you want, but I’m not for the turning,” Felicity whispered. “I’m not a pet person. If I give in to you, what’s next? Kitten calendars on my office wall? A puppy screen saver? My authority with my staff would evaporate. You just don’t understand anything.”

Brittany didn’t seem to mind and settled in for another nap.

Fifteen minutes later, Felicity was multitasking on her phone, investigating a newspaper Elena had flagged as having potential for a buyout.

Harvey Clifford had arrived, politely nodded at her, and left her to it. A few minutes later, the other vet, Gabriel Mendoza, breezed in. He was handsome enough to grace the silver screen and seemed to know it. He offered a dazzling smile as he introduced himself, informed Felicity she was brightening the office with her “ravishing beauty,” engaged in a brief chat, then collected some reports and breezed out again.

After he’d gone, Felicity caught Mrs. Brooks’s eye. “Does he do that with everyone?”

“I don’t think he even realizes he’s in charming mode half the time. He likes you, sure, but he’s harmless.”

“Ah.” Felicity went back to her phone. “Well, not interested.”

“Oh, I think he realized that when you asked him if he had to do any impacted anal glands today.”

“Yes. That was quite the expression he pulled.”

“Indeed. Remind me not to mess with you, dear.”

Felicity smirked and returned to researching the buyout contender for Elena.