1 Dog Collar Crime Read Free Page B

paisley collar still in her hand. “It’s unbelievable how much these rich people will pay for dog accessories. I sold that pink triple rhinestone deal for a hundred and fifty dollars.”
    Frankie whistled. “Who needs investment banking when you’ve got Coco Barknell?”
    “Coco Barknell?”
    “That’s the name I thought of for your company.”
    Oh, no. She wasn’t starting a company. She was an investment banker. Four years at Notre Dame and an MBA said so. Unfortunately, the banking industry didn’t agree and when her company merged with a larger one, she’d been rightsized . And here she was, back in her old room. Gone was the Chicago loft with the corner window that gave her a six-inch view of the lake. That view might not have been much, but to her, it was the wide-open space of freedom. But freedom had a cost, and the lack of income forced her to rely on unemployment benefits and her savings, which wouldn’t go far. Being a fiscally responsible girl, Lucie chose to move home and regroup.
    She stared at herself in the bedroom mirror and imagined herself shrinking, her body closing in from the pressure of the miniscule room. Miss Rise-Above-Being-A-Mob-Princess was busted back to her old life.
    “Coco Barknell,” she said. “That’s got a ring to it. Banking is where I belong, though.”
    Frankie shrugged. “You’re good at this crafty stuff.”
    Lucie glanced at the princess desk that had been a mainstay since her twelfth birthday. She’d set up a card table next to the already cluttered area, and it held stacks of plastic storage bins stuffed with dog collars, shiny colored beads, rhinestones and rolls of fabric. It didn’t leave much room to maneuver, but she needed a workspace.
    Coco Barknell. Maybe she’d fiddle with a business plan in her down time.
    “I was quite the Bedazzler in high school.”
    “You still are.”
    Frankie grinned, but it wasn’t about dog accessories. This was the grin of lust and long nights, when Lucie thought her body would never get enough of whatever he offered.
    Oh, boy. She blew out a breath and sat on the bed only to have him drop beside her. The sag of the mattress rolled her in his direction and their shoulders bumped. She scooted away. No sense in torturing herself.
    “I did make good money at the trunk show today.”
    “I’m telling ya, Luce, Coco Barknell.”
    “I got lucky, Frankie. Mrs. Lutz recommended me to a few of her wealthy friends and it started this whole thing.”
    “And here you are with a regular gig. That’s what I love about you. You never let anything hold you down.”
    A burst of pride swelled in her chest. He loved her. She knew it, but hearing his approval gave her a boost. This was the gift of Frankie. And the reason women always got caught in his gravitational pull. They wanted to sleep with him, sure, but at his core, Frankie cared about people. He was also a guy’s guy who loved any form of sports. Yep, Frankie appealed to the masses.
    She glanced around the cramped room. How did I get back here?
    He nudged her with his elbow. “Where’d you go, Squish?”
    Her childhood nickname capped it. Tears threatened and she blinked to clear the haze. Such a long day. “I guess I’m officially back if you’re calling me Squish.”
    He rolled his lips together and popped them open again. “It slipped.”
    “It’s okay. This time.” She bumped him with her shoulder and the familiar heat that came with touching him made her want more. For that reason, she didn’t object when he slid his arm around her and pulled her close.
    “Luce, moving home is a setback. It’s not permanent.”
    “I keep telling myself that.”
    “I said you could move in with me.”
    She curled her lip. “That might be a tad awkward, being that we’re broken up.”
    “That was your doing. And we can fix it lickety-split. All I asked was for you to give me a break about moving away from my family. It’s not a lot to ask.”
    “We want different