than merely being K-9 officers. They were also brother and sister. If Elissa was correct, Maisie, with short, blond hair and an air of being in charge, was the older sibling. Her dog, Griffin, was a golden retriever who appeared older and larger than Elissa’s Peace, whom she’d left at home.
“Hi, Elissa,” Maisie said when Amber had completed the introductions. “So you’re a therapy dog trainer. I’d like to learn more about that. I think Griffin would be a wonderful therapy dog along with his great K-9 skills—which are mostly scenting out drugs and bad guys.”
Hearing his name, the dog looked up at his handler and wagged his fluffy tail. Elissa couldn’t help smiling. “I’d be glad to show you,” she told the cop.
She turned her smile toward the other officer, Doug. He didn’t smile back as he looked at Elissa. Why not? She felt an inappropriate twinge of hurt—no, it had to be irritation—that she immediately sloughed off.
Too bad his sister seemed nicer, though, since even with a neutral expression on his face, he appeared to be one hot, handsome cop. His hair was light brown, darker and much shorter than his sister’s. His chiseled features were dominated by the way his hazel eyes, beneath thick brows, seemed to focus on Elissa, which made her insides churn with something she hadn’t felt—hadn’t allowed herself to feel—for a very long time: lust.
Though he hadn’t spoken after saying hello to her, she determined to break the silence between them. After all, it wouldn’t hurt for her to have additional allies in this area who clearly cared about dogs. “I’d be glad to give you a therapy dog demonstration, too,” she said. “And if it’s possible, I’d also love to watch a K-9 training session sometime.” One that included his German shepherd.
“Then Amber has hired you already?” Doug’s tone sounded somewhat skeptical—and Elissa figured he knew enough to recognize that she had just met her potential new boss.
“Not yet,” Amber said. “That’ll depend on how Elissa’s demonstration at the ranch goes. Does tomorrow work for you, Elissa?”
She’d fortunately anticipated the possibility and scheduled the next day as another day off from the hospital—though she’d been prepared to change that if necessary. “That works great for me,” she said. She turned back to Maisie, though she also would be interested in a response from her brother. “Will you come and watch the demo?”
“Unlikely.” Maisie’s tone sounded regretful. “We’ll be on duty and there’s an investigation pending that we’ll probably be involved in.”
“Well, maybe another time,” Elissa said, hazarding a brief glance toward Doug. He was still watching her with those intense hazel eyes.
“Maybe,” he said, then looked down and patted the top of his shepherd’s head. “As long as Hooper doesn’t mind. He provides all the therapy I need.”
Doug Murran ran into a lot of women both in his capacity as a police officer and in everyday life, even in a town as small as Chance. Some were nice looking, even pretty.
But few were as attractive as Elissa Yorian.
Maybe it wasn’t only her sexy, appealing appearance in her attractive professional outfit, though. Or her slightly unkempt blond hair framing a lovely, mostly smiling face.
Maybe it was because she clearly loved dogs. After all, she was a therapy dog handler and trainer. She was additionally a nurse, another indication that she cared about helping people.
He cared about helping people, too, though from a different perspective.
He was a cop.
“Do you two have time to join us for coffee?” Amber asked.
“Sure.” He moved his gaze to the K-9 Ranch owner. He’d just been about to suggest the same thing—even though he figured his dear sis, Maisie, would balk at the idea. They’d intended just to come in and leave with take-out coffee. But their next meeting at the Chance Police Department headquarters wasn’t for another half hour.
“Oh, but—” Maisie began from beside him.
“But we can’t stay long,” he added. He didn’t look at Maisie, knowing her gaze would be shrewd and critical.
She knew him well, for multiple reasons—as both his sibling and coworker. But he stayed out of her way—mostly—when she began flirting with a new guy. She needed to learn to do the same with him.
For now, to placate her, he said, “Do you want the usual, Officer Murran? My treat.”
“Yes, thanks, Officer Murran,” she responded, a droll look in her eyes. But telling Griffin to sit, she walked off to pick up a couple more chairs.
While he, Hooper at his side, went to order their regular black coffees and mixed-fruit muffins.
Doug was glad to see that the chair remaining empty after he picked up their drinks and food was next to Elissa’s. He first set Maisie’s stuff on the table in front of her, then took his seat. “Sit, Hooper,” he said, and of course his well-behaved, obedient—and smart—shepherd listened.
“He’s lovely,” Elissa said. “Is it okay to pet him?”
“Sure, in this kind of situation, when we’re not on duty.” He couldn’t help grinning when he saw Hooper ease his head up to meet the gentle scratching that Elissa leveled on him behind his tall ears. Too bad he wasn’t getting the same kind of treatment.
But good thing they were in a social setting here. If Elissa happened to be a civilian involved in some manner in one of their cases, no way could he even consider being attracted to her.
That was how it should be. It had additionally been drummed into both Maisie and him by their wonderful uncle Cy, who was also a cop.
“Like Doug said, we can’t stay long,” Maisie said before Doug had decided how to start a conversation. “But I’ve always had an interest in the possibility of having Griffin trained as a therapy dog for when he’s too old to work as a K-9. He’s a wonderful K-9, and he’s been known to bring down a lot of bad guys, but he loves people, too.”
“Well, if things work out and Elissa becomes our new therapy dog trainer,” Amber said, “you’re more than welcome to participate in one of her classes. No charge, either. You and your dogs have come through for me plenty in the past.”
Doug shot a glance toward Elissa. Would she balk at the possibility of some students who didn’t pay? He’d heard that therapy dog handlers were mostly just volunteers anyway, but Elissa was here interviewing for a job. Of course, she’d probably still get paid by Amber, who had often demonstrated what a good citizen and training supervisor she was during her fairly short career in that position here.
“Really?” Elissa said. “How?”
“I’ll tell you all about it if things work out between us,” Amber said.
“That gives me an even better reason to do a really good job at tomorrow’s demonstration.” Elissa’s smile, first at Maisie and then at him, caused a slow sizzle to build inside him. That was emphasized even more when Elissa said to Amber, “Will the demo be just to you, or will others be present?” She shot a quick glance toward Doug that then landed on Maisie. To his surprise, he had a real
