Paws off the Boss by Casey Griffin (best summer reads of all time TXT) 📖

Throwing the car into drive, Piper checked for traffic and stepped on the gas. Leather and gold flashed in front of the hood as someone leapt ahead of the taxi. She slammed on the brakes. Everyone in the cab lurched forward.

She glared out the windshield where Dominic crooked a finger at her. “Oh, no.”

“What is it?” Aiden asked.

“Trouble. I’ll just be a second.”

She tucked the car back next to the curb and out of traffic. Dominic crossed his arms to wait while she crawled out. His pompous expression spiked her annoyance level.

Piper threw the door open, shivering as the rain hit her bare skin. “Do you have a death wish, Dominic? Can’t you see I’m working here?”

He pointed to her outfit. “Aren’t you a little far from your home on the range?”

“Ha ha. You’re hilarious.”

The rear cab door opened, and Aiden stepped out onto the sidewalk. “Is everything okay?”

“None of your business, pal.” Dominic jabbed a finger at Aiden before turning back to Piper. “You should have moved your cab, sweetheart.”

“Keep your pants on, Dom. I have my customer now. We’re leaving.”

“Yeah, see, I don’t think you were here for a customer. You know, I started to think–”

“And I’m sure it hurt,” she quipped.

Her left breast vibrated, startling her. Reaching into her bra, she pulled out her phone. The rain was picking up, so she stepped onto the sidewalk and under the building’s awning before checking the message. It was a text from her boss at Tony’s Pizza.

Got another complaint from a customer. He said you were late, the pizza was cold, and the breadsticks were missing. I warned you, Piper. You’re fired.

“Dammit.”

Bringing up a foot, she banged her heel on the pavement in frustration.

Snap.

Her heel broke. She stumbled back, arms pinwheeling as she tried to regain balance.

Aiden lunged forward, catching her before she could fall. His hands grazed her bare stomach, and she took a moment longer than she needed to step away.

“Thanks.”

He gave her an apologetic look. “Bad day?”

“You have no idea.”

But that expression on his face and the way his hands lingered on her made it a teensy bit better. Like chocolate-covered Brussels sprouts.

Bending down, she picked up the broken heel and pouted at it. The cowgirl would have to take some time off until she could afford new boots. Sam was a tightwad and didn’t like to spend money on decent costumes. The cheap duds he did provide, he made his employees rent at a premium, so Piper liked to buy her own.

Dominic wedged himself between Piper and Aiden. “As I was saying, I think you’ve been moonlighting.”

“So?” Piper threw her hands up. “What are you going to do about it?”

“That’s not illegal,” Aiden said. “The California legislation is clear. She’s perfectly within her rights to work more than one job. What infringes on her rights, however, is harassment in the workplace.” He took a step toward Dominic, but that single step held a lot of power. “So I suggest you leave this young woman alone and let her get back to her job.”

Dominic balked. Piper wished she’d worn her cheerleading costume that day. She wanted to shake her pom-poms and cheer, “Go-o-o, Aiden!”

“Her job?” Dominic turned back to Piper. “And which one is that? Because the boss doesn’t have a problem with you working multiple jobs. He has a problem with you working all of them at the exact same time.”

“The boss? You told Dave?”

Aiden raised his hands and backed off. “Sorry,” he said to her. “I can’t help you there.”

She cringed. “Bad timing. I couldn’t get anyone to cover the shifts.” Well, she supposed she might have if she’d asked for help for once. But she didn’t need help. She would have been fine if it hadn’t been for Dominic. Just fine, fine, fine.

Dominic shrugged. “I may have mentioned to Dave that I saw you here.” He placed a hand over his heart, his expression the epitome of angelic innocence. “I was concerned, is all. After seeing you dressed like this, I worried this was our new uniform.” Laughing, he fiddled with the tassels dangling beneath her breasts.

Piper slapped his hand away. “What did Dave say?”

“Is that a dog?” Dominic asked.

“What?” She followed his stare to the open back door of her cab.

Colin dropped down from the seat and scampered across the sidewalk to join them under the awning. He sat down next to Piper’s cowboy boots and stared up at her. Barrel chest protruding, he wagged his tail like he was such a good boy for behaving. His expression said, Do I get a treat now?

Dominic gaped at her like she’d lost her marbles. “You can’t keep your pet in the taxis.”

“He’s not a pet. He’s a copilot,” she said. When Dom didn’t look convinced, she tried again. “Guide dog?”

Colin gave an angry bark at Dominic, deep and intimidating for such a small thing. Duh-na-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh-nuh, Batman!

“Sic ’em, Colin,” she said, half-hoping he’d understand.

Dominic took a step back. Instead of Colin attacking, his tongue lolled out of his mouth, dripping slobber on his paw. He didn’t make the best guard dog, since he didn’t know any commands beyond your basic “roll over” and “sit.” And it wasn’t like he could roll someone over to death.

Colin’s head swiveled between the two of them, flinging dribble onto Dominic’s shoe.

That will show him, Piper thought.

Aiden’s focus bounced between Piper and Dominic but mostly remained on the latter, mouth in a hard line, cool eyes watching, waiting, maybe for Dominic to step out of line. But Piper was grateful he kept to the sidelines. She didn’t need any guy stepping in on her behalf, much less one she barely knew. She was a big girl and could handle a lowlife like Dominic on her own.

“It doesn’t matter anyway,” Dominic said. “It can’t get any worse for you. Dave said he wants to see you and the cab back at the depot. Now. And if I were you, I’d wear that outfit. You might have a better chance of keeping your job.”

Piper glared at the little weasel. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you?”

He scowled and opened his mouth to speak, but something brought him up short. He chuckled to himself.

“What’s so funny?”

“Oh, nothing. Nothing.” His snickering went on a little longer, drawing out his pleasure in her demise. “By the way, did you need a ride to the depot? I’m on my way there right now. I wouldn’t want to miss the show.”

She placed a hand on her hip. “I think I’ve spent enough quality time with you this afternoon. I’ve got my own cab, thank you very much.”

“You mean that one?” Dominic pointed a meaty finger at the empty taxi lane.

Piper’s cab burned rubber as it whipped into traffic. It took off down Montgomery Street, smoke coming from the tires.

“Hey!” Piper yelled.

She hobbled away from the building and onto the street with her one good boot. Winding her arm up, she threw the broken boot heel at the cab. It clattered into the middle of the street where a delivery truck ran it over.

The taxi squealed around the next corner, the back door swinging closed. With an enthusiastic horn honk, it disappeared from sight.

Slipping off her red cowboy hat, Piper stared after the taxi in disbelief, oblivious to the traffic honking behind her. Rain soaked through her skimpy costume in seconds.

That can’t have just happened, she told herself. Right under their noses, thirty feet away. The thief only took it for a spin around the block, right? He’d bring it back. It would be fine. Just fine, fine, fine. Right?

But it didn’t come back. It was so not fine.

“Did that just happen?” she asked no one in particular.

The weight of the entire day crashed down on her, and she sank to her knees on the wet pavement. Where was that streetcar when she needed it?

“My cab.”

“My briefcase,” Aiden said.

Colin peed on the tire of Dominic’s taxi. My treat?

Dominic crouched down to leer in Piper’s face. “Your job.”