Fetch
Fetch
AJ Alexander
Copyright © 2018 by AJ Alexander. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher, except where permitted by law.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, locales, or events is entirely coincidental.
Cover Design: Talia Book Designs
Editing and Proofreading: Jenny Dillion with Prologue and Prose
Contents
Newsletter
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Exclusive Content
Also by AJ Alexander
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Newsletter
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To My Husband
Thank you for always believing in me when no one else would, even myself.
To My Heather
Thank you for being my light at the end of the tunnel. I would have been lost with out you. None of this would have been possible without you!
Chapter 1
COLE
Bright and early Monday morning here I am, running down Pacific Beach. This is the life, nothing better than this. Who would’ve thought that I originally wanted to spend my life in an office every day?
As I near the end of my run, I see what I hope to be my latest conquest coming my way. Long legs, strawberry blonde hair, jogging slowly with her chocolate lab. Poor dog, they look miserable. She must have noticed me as well because she sticks her chest out and there is a little more pep in her step. Slowing my pace, I go in for the kill.
“I couldn’t help but notice you running with your dog. Hi, my name is Cole, the owner of Promener Le Chien. If you are ever in need of a dog walker, give me a call. I would be glad to help.”
I pull a business card out of my iPod holder attached to my arm. With a smile, I take a step to begin running again when I feel a soft touch. Never fails.
“This must be fate! I just moved to the area and have no time to walk Brownie the way she should be with my schedule. I would love to discuss your business with you further. My apartment is just a block or two away.”
Just like that, my early morning run is cut short. I found another form of exercise.
After my detailed “discussion” with Paige and a deposit to start walking Brownie tomorrow, I head toward my condo to take a shower and start my day. Standing a little over six feet tall, washboard abs, and dark brown hair most people mistake me for a model. Nothing against models, I fuck them. They make a great lay, but I have a brain between my ears. I could never be one long term.
I tried veterinary school for a while, but all the rules were too much. Before I wasted any more of mine or my parent's money I dropped out. Instead, I took my love of animals and started my own business, no need for rules or bowing down to the masses. I was my own master, no pun intended.
That’s where the idea of Promener Le Chien came from, which is just the French way to say dog walker. These yuppies eat the name up. I put up a few fliers, and now I make roughly two grand a week walking someone else’s dogs, I’m a genius. I’m glad everyone else is finally getting on board.
Getting closer to my door, I notice trash waiting to be taken out. “Do I need to call the police? This is getting out of hand.”
“Cole, we were good together. Fabulous even, we just need to give it another shot. I can do better, I promise.”
Just hearing Vickie speak at this point makes my blood boil. I would count her as my one and only mistake in life; I tried to have a relationship. Everything was amazing, that is until I caught her bent over the side of our couch with her boss’s balls deep in her pussy. It’s been almost six months now, but she still sporadically comes back around begging to get back together.
“I need you to go crawl back into whatever hole you crawled out of. We are through, end of story.”
I shove past her to unlock my door. “Cole, you’ll never be done with me. You always come back for more. Even if it’s just a little taste.”
She’s right, I always used to come sulking back to her when she was free or wanting a relationship again, but looking at her now there’s nothing.
“Things change, Vic. Right now, all I want is to take a shower and head out to the bar to blow off some steam. None of that includes you.” With my door finally unlocked, I slide inside and promptly slam the door in her face.
Chapter 2
ADDISON
I squint as the sun shines through the big windows near my bed. Damn, I need to get used to all this sunlight if I am going to be staying here in San Diego for the long haul. I roll over and notice my cell phone flashing, seven missed calls. I don’t even need to open my phone to know who the calls are from, my Father.
The prominent director of Massachusetts General Hospital had expectations of his daughter, being a teacher at Francis Parker School was not on the list. I think his exact words were ‘No daughter of mine will be just a school teacher.’ Apparently educating the next generation of doctors and lawyers isn’t prestigious enough for him.
My parents have always had money, old money is how they put it nowadays. I have always had the best school, best tutors, best everything. What I lacked were parents. We never went camping or had family game night. I think I spent more time with my nanny than I did my parents. Being rich isn’t all it is cracked up to be, some expectations and rules must be followed at all time. Go to the right school, meeting the right people, making the right connections, it’s exhausting. Having graduated from Cornell with my Bachelor’s in English, I thought I was out of the game, but my parents have other plans. So right after graduation, I ran to my Aunt’s house, she is probably one of the only sane people in my entire family, in hopes that my Father would forget I exist. Judging by the missed calls, that hope has been dashed.
Just as I finally muster the energy to get out of bed, my phone begins to ring again. As I debate whether to answer it or not, my cousin Heather comes strolling into the room. I love my cousin, but her model like body and perfect long fiery red hair is everything. According to my parents, Heather is everything I should be in the looks department. Now if she wasn’t carefree and said exactly what she was thinking, they would probably adopt her.
What is with the heavy this morning, I can’t deal with all this before coffee.
I use the term cousin loosely, Heather is more like my sister. When I am in trouble there is no one else that I would turn to. Heather is my rock, my safety net, but she also wants to die right now. She comes strolling into my room like she owns the place, without coffee. Big Mistake Cousin of Mine
“You better answer that, it has been ringing non-stop for the last few hours.”
“Do I have too,” I whine rolling over and covering my head with a pillow and my phone stops
ringing.
“Yes, because I want to get some sleep. Besides, Cole will be here soon. I want you to meet him. You never know what might happen.”
She has been telling me about Cole since they met Freshman year at San Diego Mesa. They both started in the Veterinary program, but Cole has an issue with authority. After bonding over dog parks, apparently Heather used part of her trust fund to invest in his business, and they have been friends ever since. There must be another reason, besides their mutual love of dogs, for why she thinks we would make the perfect couple, but right now, I don’t care. The only thing I can honestly remember about him is his need to stick his dick in any attractive woman that walks past him.
My phone begins to ring again, before I have a chance to mute it Heather answers.
“Hello, Uncle Tom! She is right here, let me get her for you,” she chirps into my cell before handing it over. Of course, she had to call him Tom. He just loves it when people shorten his name.
“Hello Father, what do I owe this phone call so early in the morning?”
“Early? It is after ten in the morning here.” I can hear his judgmental tone through the phone.
“Father, I am in California. There is a three-hour time difference, it is only seven here.” I stifle a yawn as I answer.
“All the important people are awake by seven in the morning Addison. What am I going to do with you?”
“How about love me and respect my decisions?” I snipe back at him, that was the wrong answer obviously because he immediately responds.
“I would if you were making the correct ones. A school teacher is no place for a prominent Cornell graduate. When will you come home and discuss your future?”
I can see this conversation is going nowhere. “I have a job at a prominent private school here in San Diego starting in the fall. I will not be returning home until you and Mother can learn that I am an adult with my own life and have the ability to make my own decisions.”
“I’m sorry to hear you feel that way. Hopefully, you come to your sense with no money or access to your trust fund,” my Father says as he abruptly hangs up the phone.
As per usual, the threat of the trust fund. I don’t want or need money, luckily, I saved my “allowance” while in school, so I have more than enough to take care of myself until I begin receiving my salary from the school.
I throw my phone onto the bed, pulling a pillow onto my face and scream.
“That went well,” Heather says from her position next to me.
“As well as can be expected. Come home now. I am cutting you off. You know the usual,” I respond as I pull the pillow off my face and climb out of bed. “I’m awake, I might as well start my day, right?”
“Oh, goodie! There are clothes laid out in the bathroom! Cole should be here in the next thirty minutes. Make sure to blow dry your hair so I can do something with it before he comes.”
“What is this Addy Barbie day or something?”
“No, this is I want you and Cole to live happily ever after day. You can’t do that looking like Medusa.”
“I’m glad to know you want me to be with a womanizing manwhore. I can feel the love sister friend,” I say as I head toward the bathroom.
“Addy, I know I’ve told you stories about Cole but there is a reason for everything. Just give him a chance, for me, please?” Heather turns on the puppy dog eyes that I can’t resist.
“Fine, I’ll try to keep the bitch to a minimum, but I make no promises.”
I chuckle to myself as I shut the bathroom door and turn on the shower. As the bathroom begins to fill with steam, I can’t help but think back on my conversation with my Father. Most parents love their children unconditionally, mine probably had me so they could marry me off to a Vanderbilt and have lunch with the Kennedy’s. My lack of bleach blonde hair and size two body are just another thing on the long list of disappointments my parents have had to endure, and my graduating from Cornell with an English degree was the last straw. Spending the summer in sunny San Diego isn’t going to be all bad. Once the school year starts, I won’t need my parents anymore. They can take all their aspirations and shove it, I plan to live my own life. Not the one that’s been mapped out for me.
Chapter 3
COLE
“Good morning Natalie. I’m here to pick up Sampson.” I watch her eyes travel down my body, lingering on my package.
She licks her lips. “He’s ready and waiting for you Cole. You’re so good with him.”
Oh, I’m good with everything.
“He’s a good boy, no trouble at all.” I punctuate my statement with a wink, just for good measure.
“If you come to the back when you're finished, I’ll have a special treat for you.”
I’ll take your special treat, it was delicious yesterday.
With a wink, Sampson and I turn and head down the driveway. “Where to? Are we going to get Felicity or Delilah first?” Sampson nods toward the right once we reach the end of the driveway.
“Delilah it is.” Sampson and I head down the street toward the Middleton’s house. I admire the large houses that line the street as we walk. My condo could probably fit in any one of them a few times, but this is where I belong. Not some small town in a corner rotting away, I’ve always deserved more.
Sampson stops suddenly squatting down to take a dump. “Dude, you couldn’t wait till the park for that.” This is the worst part of my job; thank heavens he went behind a bush.
We finally make it to the Middleton’s place, and I ring the doorbell, waiting for Heather to answer the door. Heather helped me come up with the idea of Promener Le Chien, so it is only fitting that her mother is one of my best clients.
When the door opens, it isn’t Heather. I’m surprised to find a girl with some curves, shoulder-length brown hair and moss green eyes. She stands just below my chin; her body makes my mouth water. Finally finding my ability to speak, I decided to turn on the charm,
“Hey gorgeous, haven’t seen you around here before.”
“Obviously, because I don’t live here. You must be the infamous Cole.”
I am not sure if the fact that she already knows who I am is a good thing or a bad thing, but I guess I’ll take my chances.
“I see my reputation proceeds me. Are you the new maid?”
The beauty raises one eyebrow as she looks me up and down before she answers, “I’ll go and get Delilah for you.”
She turns back into the house leaving me standing at the front door. Did she just blow me off, that shit never happens? She’s probably just into chicks, that’s the only explanation.
“Here she is, I don’t think my aunt has any special instructions. Just do what you usually do I guess.”
So, she isn’t the help… this just got very interesting.
Before she can shut the door, I ask, “Where is your Aunt? Can I have your name to verify that you’re allowed to be here? She never mentioned that anyone would be here. Protocol and all.” I throw in a wink for good measure. Her cheeks turn bright red as she looks over her shoulder, I am assuming for Heather. I’m going to have to give my friend a call and find out a little more information about her cousin.
“I wouldn’t be here if I weren’t allowed, but to answer your question she is at the spa for the week, call if you must. Heather is around here somewhere.”
She tries desperately not to look me up and down again, taking in my exquisite form. Hard-to-get is how this one wants to play it, with a little effort I’m sure I can get her into my bed before the end of the week. I don’t mind working for it, sometimes the chase makes the reward much sweeter.
“Your name?”
“Addison. Is that all or are you going to do your job?’
That sass will be fun to fuck out of this one, but just like everyone else, she’ll be screaming my name in no time. I grab Delilah’s leash and turn to head back down the driveway, but before she has time to shut the door I say, “See you around Addison.”
“N
o, you won’t, Cole.”
Challenge Accepted.
Chapter 4
ADDISON
Leaning against the now closed door, I slide to the floor. Cole is an arrogant, narcissistic asshole, but damn if I didn’t want to jump him for everyone to see. Once I opened the door, meeting his crystal blue eyes, I was a goner. I could have dialed down the bitch, but between the phone call with my dad and lack of coffee, everything about him just irritated me. You would think it was the chocolate brown hair or his killer body, not that it didn’t help, but it was the mental sparring match we had at the door. I can’t remember the last time I met a guy that could keep up with me intellectually.
“Get it together, Addy. He’s just some guy, nothing more.” Giving myself a mental shake, I finally get up off the floor and head toward the kitchen. Before I can make it more than a few steps, Heather comes barreling into me.
“Shit, I missed him didn’t I.” She looks more than disappointed. I can’t stifle the giggle that escapes at the disappointed look on her face.
“You look like someone killed your puppy! Cole just left, but he will probably be back with Delilah in a few hours.” I continue my trek toward the kitchen with Heather hot on my heels.