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He kept talking to the dog in gentle tones, hoping the dog would trust him enough to poke its head out. He wished that he had some food on him. If worse came to worst, he could run home and grab some food—
The leaves moved again. A little head poked out.
Trey didn’t waste any time. He cautiously moved his fisted hand toward the dog, hoping it wouldn’t bite him. Instead it sniffed him.
“Good boy.” Trey made sure to keep his voice low and steady. “I’m going to pick you up, but you don’t have to worry. I won’t hurt you. Promise.”
And then he swiftly reached into the bush and wrapped his hand around the dog’s midsection. A clipped bark signaled the dog’s surprise. Before the dog could move, Trey was lifting it to him.
The dog weighed practically nothing. In fact, he could feel the dog’s ribs. Its fur was matted and dirty. Sympathy welled up in Trey.
“What in the world has happened to you?”
The dog shook with nerves. Ignoring the filth, Trey pulled the dog against his chest, trying to comfort it. The dog didn’t fight him. Trey wondered if it was because the dog at last knew it was safe or if it just didn’t have the strength to fight.
“Come on, buddy. Let’s get you home and fed.”
Trey felt awful that he’d almost kept going. The little dog was desperate for someone to care for it. He didn’t know that he was the ideal person for the job, but he would do his best.
CHAPTER FOUR
THE NEXT MORNING, Sage kept checking Trey’s outer office. Usually he arrived early, but not today. She checked the time. He still had another fifteen minutes. Why did he have to pick today of all days to sleep late? She had big news to share with him.
After speaking with Louise, she decided that between the exhaustion and the stress, she’d blown that hand-touching episode out of proportion. After all, he arrived at work every day and was never late. He got his work done. What more did she want?
She knew what else was bothering her. This attraction that was arcing just beneath the surface could be a problem when it was just the two of them on the very romantic French Riviera. And this upcoming business trip couldn’t be canceled. The future of QTR Magazine was riding on it.
She’d just learned that her request for passes to the Cannes Film Festival had been approved. The committee had honored the magazine’s long-standing attendance and granted them three passes. One for the photographer and two for people to cover it with interviews.
She would need Trey’s help on this trip. The thought of covering the Cannes Film Festival on her own seemed, well, quite overwhelming.
Sage was hoping to make inroads with more stars and perhaps cover more than just their appearance at the festival. She had learned quickly that turning this magazine around was all about making contacts, whether it was a distributor, vendor or A-list actor. It was all about who you knew. And quite frankly, she’d exhausted her very short list of famous acquaintances.
She had just taken a seat at her desk to respond to some emails when she heard a noise. It sounded like Trey. Anxious to finalize the plans, she headed for the door.
“I’ve been waiting for you. I have news.” She stopped in her tracks. A ball of white fur was sticking out from under Trey’s arm. “What is that?”
He turned to her. His hair was scattered. His shirt was unbuttoned at the collar and his tie was stuffed in his pocket. “It’s more like who is this?”
She frowned at him. “I’m not playing games. Is that a dog?”
Trey nodded. “I can explain—”
“You can’t have a dog in here.”
“I didn’t have a choice.”
“You should have left him at home.” She glanced around, hoping no one else was nearby. She didn’t need everyone thinking that it was all right to bring their pet to work. “Come in my office.”
Once they were both...er...all three in the office, she closed the door. This was not the smooth start to the day that she’d been hoping for. And after Louise had soothed her worries about keeping Trey on staff, he pulled this stunt.
“Listen, I know this is awkward.” The dog began to wiggle in his arms. “Do you mind if I put him down?”
Sage shook her head. It probably wasn’t a wise decision. What if it peed on the carpet? Or worse?
Trey set the white dog on the carpet. She was relieved to see that the dog had a collar and leash. He began to sniff around, taking in his new surroundings. Sage kept an eye on it. She told herself that it was to make sure it didn’t make a mess and not because it was the most adorable ball of fluff. When it stopped in front of her and turned those big brown eyes on her, she longed to pick it up and cuddle him. But she just couldn’t give in to that temptation. She was the boss. She had to set an example.
She forced her gaze away from the cute pup and back to her assistant. “I don’t know what you were thinking by bringing him here, but he has to go. Now. And preferably without anyone seeing you.”
