Doggy on her Doorstep (Darling, VT #4.5)

A new short story in the Darling, VT series!

When Emily arrives home to discover a dog on her doorstep, she figures there must be a mistake. How can she possibly look after the adorable pup while putting in long hours at her job? Not to mention repaying her next-door neighbor for the damage Rex has done to his garden... Her very sexy, very reclusive next-door neighbor.

Ben thought working remotely after being shot at a political rally would solve all his problems. But he's still working through his trauma, and being a hermit isn't all it's cracked up to be. While Emily's new dog does rip out his tulips, there's something about the big, goofy pup that calls to Ben, and before he knows it, he's offering to watch Rex during the day while Emily is at work.

The arrangement puts them constantly in each other's orbit, and it doesn't take long for attraction to come knocking. But is a cute dog and a shared affinity for good coffee enough for Ben to take the step into a real relationship?