Feliz Naughty Dog - Roxanne St. Claire Page 0,45
the interruption was on purpose, but she and Mom would talk about it all later in great detail, she had no doubt. “Sure,” she said, stepping away from Lucas to get the phone. “Thanks, Mom. We’ll be back in soon. Did we start the presents?”
“It’ll be a while until we start unwrapping. But you don’t want to miss Gramma Finnie lighting the candle in the living room window and telling us how the Irish invite strangers.”
Pru laughed and glanced at Lucas. “Honestly, you do not want to miss that.”
“I don’t,” he agreed.
When Mom closed the door, Pru lifted her phone and tapped the screen, doing a little double take at the long list of texts. “Whoa. It is blowing…holy cow.”
“What? Is everything okay?”
“Lucas!” She looked up at him, practically dancing. “We won! Bitter Bark High won the RACK IT UP contest!”
“I thought the points were counted already.”
“One of the judges saw the news!” She grabbed his arm and gave a squeeze. “They gave us fifty points for the Tor Tidings and saving the puppy!”
“Really?” He seemed as genuinely excited as she was. “We won? We really won?”
“Because of you!”
“Because of us,” he added, putting his arms around her for a celebratory hug. Maybe a celebratory hug. Maybe just…an embrace. “And Tor.”
“Feliz naughty dog.” Laughter bubbled up as she let him pull her in a little closer and looked up into his eyes.
“You know what this means, don’t you?”
That she might actually melt like those first few snowflakes floating through the air. “What does it mean?”
“We’re having a Winter Formal.”
“I guess we are.”
He added a little pressure, leaving no doubt that this was an embrace, not just a friendly hug. “And I bet your friends are going with their boyfriends again.”
She tried to breathe, but honestly? It wasn’t easy. “Yeah, they will.”
“Then why don’t you go with yours?”
Forget breathing, she couldn’t even think for a second. “Mine.”
“Prudence Bancroft…” He dipped his head a little closer, letting that stray lock of dark hair fall over his brow. “Would you go to the Winter Formal with me?”
She gave in to another shiver, and he had to have felt it. “Yes, Lucas Darling, I would like to do that.”
He smiled, not making any move to let go of her. “Now what were you going to tell me before your mom came out? You’ve never had a boyfriend, and you’ve never been…what?”
“You know.” She closed her eyes with a soft laugh.
“Then look up.” He pointed above them, and she lifted her face to see the green cluster of leaves with a red ribbon hanging from the patio covering. “I saw it on the way in,” he admitted.
“And that’s why you wanted to come outside and see the snowfall?”
He closed a little bit of the space between their faces, holding her gaze. “Yes,” he said quietly right before his lips brushed hers in the softest, sweetest, most perfect first kiss she could have ever imagined.
“Wow. Was that another Random Act of Christmas Kindness?” she asked breathlessly.
“The first of many more, I hope.” He gave a sly smile. “Let’s go tell Tor we won.”
Laughing, they stepped out into the snowflakes, arm in arm.
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The Dogfather Series
Sit…Stay…Beg – book one
New Leash on Life – book two
Leader of the Pack – book three
Santa Paws is Coming to Town – book four (a holiday novella)
Bad to the Bone – book five
Ruff Around the Edges – book six
Double Dog Dare – book seven
Bark! The Herald Angels Sing – book eight (a holiday novella)
Old Dog New Tricks – book nine
The Dogmothers Series
Hot Under the Collar – book one
Three Dog Night – book two
Dachshund Through the Snow – book three (a holiday novella)
Chasing Tail – book four
Hush, Puppy – book five
Man’s Best Friend – book six
Feliz Naughty Dog – book seven (a holiday novella)
And more to come!
For a complete list, buy links, and reading order of all my books, visit www.roxannestclaire.com. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter to find out when the next book is released! And join the private Dogfather Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/roxannestclairereaders/ for inside info on all the books and characters, sneak peeks, and a place to share the love of tails and tales!
A Dogfather/Dogmothers Family Reference Guide
THE KILCANNON FAMILY
Daniel Kilcannon aka The Dogfather
Son of Finola (Gramma Finnie) and Seamus Kilcannon. Married to Annie Harper for 36 years until her death. Veterinarian, father, and grandfather. Widowed at opening of series. Married to Katie Santorini (Old Dog New Tricks) with dogs Rusty and Goldie.
The Kilcannons (from oldest to youngest):
• Liam Kilcannon and Andi Rivers (Leader of the Pack) with Christian and Fiona and dog, Jag
• Shane Kilcannon and Chloe Somerset (New Leash on Life) with daughter Annabelle and dogs, Daisy and Ruby
• Garrett Kilcannon and Jessie Curtis (Sit…Stay…Beg) with son Patrick and dog, Lola
• Molly Kilcannon and Trace Bancroft (Bad to the Bone) with daughter Pru and son Danny and dog, Meatball
• Aidan Kilcannon and Beck Spencer (Ruff Around the Edges) with dog, Ruff
• Darcy Kilcannon and Josh Ranier (Double Dog Dare) with dogs, Kookie and Stella
THE MAHONEY FAMILY
Colleen Mahoney
Daughter of Finola (Gramma Finnie) and Seamus Kilcannon and younger sister of Daniel. Married to the late Joe Mahoney. Co-owner of Bone Appetit (canine treat bakery) and mother of four.
The Mahoneys (from oldest to youngest):
• Declan Mahoney and Evie Hewitt (Man’s Best Friend) with dog Judah
• Connor Mahoney and Sadie Hartman (Chasing Tail) with dog, Frank, and cat, Demi
• Braden Mahoney and Cassie Santorini (Hot Under the Collar) with dogs, Jelly Bean and Jasmine
• Ella Mahoney and…
THE SANTORINI FAMILY
Katie Rogers Santorini
Dated Daniel Kilcannon in college and introduced him to Annie. Married to Nico Santorini for forty years until his death two years after Annie’s. Interior Designer and mother. Recently married to Daniel Kilcannon (Old Dogs New Tricks).
The Santorinis
• Nick Santorini and…
• John Santorini (identical twin to Alex) and Summer Jackson (Hush, Puppy) with dog, Maverick
• Alex Santorini (identical twin to John) and Grace Donovan (Three Dog Night) with dogs, Bitsy, Gertie and Jack
• Theo Santorini and…
• Cassie Santorini and Braden Mahoney (Hot Under the Collar) with dogs, Jelly Bean and Jasmine
Katie’s mother-in-law from her first marriage, Agnes “Yiayia” Santorini, now lives in Bitter Bark with Gramma Finnie and their dachshunds, Pygmalion (Pyggie) and Galatea (Gala). These two women are known as “The Dogmothers.”
About the Author
Published since 2003, Roxanne St. Claire is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than fifty romance and suspense novels. She has written several popular series, including The Dogfather, The Dogmothers, Barefoot Bay, the Guardian Angelinos, and the Bullet Catchers.
In addition to being a ten-time nominee and one-time winner of the prestigious RITA™ Award for the best in romance writing, Roxanne has won the National Reader’s Choice Award for best romantic suspense four times. Her books have been published in dozens of languages and optioned for film.
A mother of two but recent empty-nester, Roxanne lives in Florida with her husband and her two dogs, Ginger and Rosie.