His eyes lock with mine, potent with the memories we share. “As I recall, you pursued me.”

I crinkle my nose. “You would remember it that way.”

He laughs and stands up. “I’ll be right back and then we can go inside and finish where we left off last night.”

The look he gives me makes every muscle below my waist clench in slow, delicious anticipation.

I watch him disappear into an indoor kennel and a few moments later he returns with a girl. They are laughing and talking in a way that tells me they’re good friends. My eyes widen.

Feeling territorial, I size her up in a single, fast glance. Where did she come from and who is she? Petite. Blond. Pretty. Your basic worst nightmare. I rally a smile, realizing he is bringing her close to introduce me.

Bobby takes my hand. “Caroline, this is Kaley. My girlfriend.”

OK, girlfriend. A definite improvement over how Bobby introduced me to the dog last night. I take her outstretched hand.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I say.

Caroline’s smile is beaming. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Bobby has told me so much about you.”

“Caroline lives in the guest cottage,” Bobby explains. “She’s a second-year veterinary student. She helps with the medical rehabilitation and care of the dogs. I could never run this place without her.”

Caroline laughs. “Bobby is the true hero here. He saves the dogs, brings them back to their potential, and finds them homes.”

Bobby steps back to the dog and eases down to lift one end of the stretcher. Caroline follows at the other end.

They disappear into the kennel with the dog. I wander over to a cage and crouch down to be at eye level with the dog. I wouldn’t call myself a dog lover, but there is definitely something in the eyes of these powerful animals that gets to me.

I ease over to another cage and watch the dog stare at me. It’s fear and longing I see in its eyes, almost the same look I saw in Fiona’s eyes while filming on Stockton Boulevard.

I go back to my car and grab my digital camera. I start snapping pictures of the dogs. Bobby is right. There is a documentary here. And working on a film about his dog rescuing activities will definitely give us more time together.

I smile. That is a wonderful way to pull all the pieces of my life together. And right now, I can’t think of anything that would be better than spending as much time as I can with Bobby.

A few minutes later Bobby returns, thankfully alone.

I stare up at him, round eyed. “Caroline, huh?”

Bobby places an arm around my shoulder. “Since when are you jealous?”

“Since I just found out you have a pretty blonde living in your guest cottage.”

He laughs and kisses my nose. “Would it make you feel better about the whole thing if I told you that Caroline has agreed to take care of the dogs the next few days so we can have some exclusive us time together?”

I bite my lower lip. I can tell by how they feel that my eyes are sparkling. “She’s starting to grow on me.”

And without warning, I pull out of Bobby’s arms and run into the house.

I curl into Bobby, holding him close to my heart as I stare out the windows at the faint wash of morning blue. We pretty much haven’t left the bed since yesterday evening. Hours of lovemaking, talking, laughing. We even ate a light supper between the sheets. He is again my best friend and lover in a way so much richer than I have ever known.

“Caroline can cover for me for three days,” he says softly into my hair. “How long can you take off?”

“As long as you want me to.”

“Good. I’ve got plans for you.”

“You do? Better than what we just did?”

His smile is a hint excited and definitely secretive.

I sit up in bed. “OK, Bobby Rowan, what are you up to?”

He shrugs. “Maybe nothing. Maybe everything. What do you want?”

I laugh. “I want to call work and tell them I’ll be out three days and then I want to have my way with you.”

I grab my cell phone and climb from the sheets. “I’m going to get a bottle of water. Do you want anything?”

He turns to lie on his hip and the sight of him whispers through my flesh like a heady caress: gorgeous green eyes; kind features; golden tanned skin; and messy, long chestnut hair.

“Just you,” he says.

“You’ve got me, for as long as you want.”

I hit the number for the office, then the speaker button, and go down the hallway toward the kitchen. As I pass Tiki, I toss her a smile. I think she’s getting used to me. Those soulful dog eyes definitely look less worried and standoffish.

I go to the fridge and take out a chilled bottle of water.

“KKK Productions,” Veronica announces.

“Hey, Veronica, I’m going to be taking a few days off. How did everything go with the pitch yesterday?”

“Justin e-mailed you. Didn’t you get it?”

I laugh. “Sorry. Wasn’t checking work e-mail yesterday.”

“Everything went well. Very well.”

“Good. Tell Justin I really appreciate all he’s doing and I’ll be back on Monday. Bye.”

I click off the phone and go back to the refrigerator for a yogurt. Ding. I stare at my phone to find it lit up. I swipe it to unlock and find that my web-hosting icon has a notification. I tap it open.

Love-struck Trainer: Come back to bed.

All at once, everything inside me is running hot, cold, furious and delirious. It can’t be. It can’t be…

I race down the hall into the bedroom. Bobby is sitting against the pillows, phone in hand, looking wickedly amused by me.

“You…you…” is all I can sputter.

He starts to laugh, and I grab a pillow and hit him with it. He only laughs harder.

Frustrated, overjoyed, exhausted and suspicious, I sink down on the bed beside him.

“How did you know that was my blog?”

He rakes a hand through his shoulder-length hair. “The web-hosting company is linked to my credit card. You billed it to me.”

Oh dear. I don’t know whether to be angry or to laugh.

“Why did you start chatting with me as some sort of anonymous cyber fan?”

He touches my cheek with a fingertip. “I missed you. I wanted to know if I still had a chance with you.”

OK, forgiven. Still, I hold back my smile.

“I love you, Kaley.”

The smile fills my face. “I love you, too.”

He reaches into a drawer and removes a velvet box. He opens it. Nestled inside is an engagement ring.

“Kaley Stanton, will you marry me?”

Laughing and crying, I fling myself into his arms and kiss him fiercely. “Yes, Bobby. I will marry you. I would marry you this second if you wanted me to.”

He slips the ring onto my finger. He places a light kiss there that runs all the way to my heart. “How do you feel about today? In Vegas?”

My eyes widen. “You mean just us? No family? No friends?”

“Just us, Kaley. The way it has always been.”

The accidental encounter that led to our lunch together. Caroline covering his chores with the dogs. The ring. He planned this, each part, and I followed trustingly and it worked out brilliantly.

“You planned every part of the last two days and you were pretty sure you were going to get your way.”

His smile is roguish and sweetly charming at once. “Not sure. Hopeful.”

I try not to smile back at his self-satisfied grin. “I bet you think you’ve got me all trained and ready to do exactly what you want me to, Bobby Rowan.”

“You don’t train your Fembot, Kaley. You let her go, if that’s what she needs, and hope she comes back to you.”

I start to say, “I’m not a Fembot,” but Bobby turns me beneath him on the mattress, his kiss traps the words inside me, and I realize it’s better his way.

Part Three

“Kaley”