Claiming Holly (Holiday Cove 1)

“What the…” I spun in a circle, frantically scanning the street for any sign of Princess. I lowered the bag of groceries onto the passenger seat before starting back down the sidewalk, toward the front of the store, when I heard a familiar bark that flooded me with relief.

Princess was sitting on a wooden bench in front of the shop next door.

“Oh boy…” I muttered, noticing her companion.

A six-month-old, chubby, chocolate lab puppy that belonged to a certain mystery woman.

“Hunter!”

I turned at the frantic cry and smiled widely at Holly’s approach. Her eyes were trained on Hunter, but when they slid from her rascal of a pup and met mine, they went wide with alarm before darting back to Hunter and Princess, as though she’d only just realizing her dog had found mine.

“Hey there,” I greeted her. She was panting and windblown again, just like the first time we’d met. My eyes wandered down her body, admiring the way her pink tank top was sticking to her skin that glistened with a thin layer of perspiration after her run.

“Hi,” she replied, her voice clipped. She pushed back her thick, blonde hair and twirled the strands together into a side ponytail, keeping it grasped between her fingertips. “Jack? Right?”

“That’s right, Holly.” Her eyes drifted back to the dogs, who were sitting side by side, like old friends. “I don’t get it. You have some kind of magical spell on him or something. He’s never this calm.”

I laughed and walked over to the dogs. Princess didn’t make a move to come over to me. She was perfectly content to sit with Hunter. “It’s not me. It’s all Princess.”

“Whew,” Holly blew out a puff of air, still catching her breath. She looked up and down the street. It wasn’t busy, but cars were coming and going every few minutes. “God, he could have gotten hurt. You probably think I’m like the worst dog owner ever.”

I tore my eyes away from admiring her toned arms and perky tits and shook my head. “No, not at all.”

She gave me a skeptical look.

I held up my hands, palms facing her and laughed. “I swear. Trust me, Princess wasn’t always this well behaved. In fact, she was supposed to be waiting for me in the car. Not over here. So, believe me, I get it. I’m just glad they’re both all right.”

Holly nodded. “I stopped to look at the window for the jewelry store back there,” she explained, pointing over her shoulder. “He spotted something and tore off like a bat outta hell.”

I laughed. “Probably saw her. He seems to have a little crush.”

Holly smiled at Princess and the way Hunter kept glancing up at her, as though he were posed, waiting for her approval. “I guess so. I kinda hate to break them up.”

“Then don’t.”

She snapped her eyes back to mine.

“Princess and I are free all afternoon. How about you and Hunter come take a drive with us. There’s this cool spot a little way up the 101 from here. They’d love it.”

“I—uh—I don’t…”

“Come on. It’ll be a good time, I promise.”

Holly shook her head but smiled politely. “Thanks for the offer, really, but I should get going.”

She started forward, calling for Hunter’s attention. He wriggled as she reached for his leash, and Princess got down and trotted back to my feet. Holly straightened, holding Hunter’s leash tightly in her hand. “Thanks again. Maybe another time.”

“Holly, can I ask you something?”

She looked away, past my shoulder, before circling her eyes back to mine. “Uhm, sure.”

“Why not??”

She paused for a moment, her eyes wildly searching mine, while she thought up a reply. She planted her hands on her hips. “Why are you asking me to go for a drive? I don’t even know you.”

“My name is Jack McGuire. I’m a Lieutenant in the United States Navy where I serve my country as a fighter pilot. I'm single. I like good beer, football games, and flying. What else do you want to know before you agree to go for a drive with me? Go ahead, ask me anything you want.”

Holly’s expression shifted, more deeply confused than before. She stared at me like she’d just heard Princess start talking. My invitation had clearly thrown her off balance, and I had to bite back a smile, finding the bewildered look on her face to be both amusing and incredibly sexy.

After a long pause, she sighed. “Well, thank you for that thorough introduction, but, like I said—”

“—So, then why not come with me, see what happens?” I dared, not willing to let her off the hook.

Her full lips parted as she readied her response, but after a quick glance at Princess and back up at me, it turned into a sigh. She shrugged. “All right. I’ll go.”

“Okay, Princess, you’re gonna have to sit in the back seat.”