The Secret Lives of Housewives by Joan Elizabeth Lloyd

what the hell, she thought. Let’s do this and get it over with. “Is letting them get together safe?” The golden was giving the guy a difficult time, despite the rippling muscles in his shoulders and arms. “Your dog looks like quite a handful.”
    â€œIt shouldn’t be a problem. Sadie’s fixed.”
    â€œWell, that’s good. So’s Sam.” Monica allowed her Dalmatian to get close enough to give Sadie a thorough sniff. Once they’d become comfortable with each other, the dogs went back to investigating the nearby shrubbery.
    â€œSam and Sadie. Sounds like a comedy act,” the guy said with a smile. “I’m Dan. Dan Crosby. We met at the yoga class.”
    â€œOh, yeah.” Like he doesn’t expect everyone to notice him. “Nice to meet you, but I’ve really got to be going,” Monica said with a bit of impatience, deliberately not giving him her name.
    â€œI’m sorry if I disturbed you. I just wanted to say hi.”
    Realizing she was being intensely rude, she softened. “I’m sorry. I guess my mind was elsewhere. Do you live up here?”
    â€œNo. This is my sister’s dog. She and her family are out of town this week so I volunteered to take care of Sadie. You?”
    â€œYeah. I’m on the next block.”
    â€œI’ll be around quite a bit this week so maybe we’ll see each other again.”
    Torn between enjoying looking at the guy and wanting to keep her distance, she said, “Sure. Maybe we will.” Would it hurt to see him “around?” She liked the KISS system—keep it simple, stupid—and personal relations were always complicated. In her relationships with her clients, hot and sexy though they might be, everyone knew the rules. You rattled each other’s chain, warmed the sheets when you wanted to, and each partner tried to give as little and get as much as he or she could. Keep the clients and potential clients happy—no more and no less. She didn’t have the time or energy for extra-curricular activities. Monica pulled at Sam’s leash and they started back toward her driveway.
    Tuesday evening she actually made it home while it was still light. Dressed in her city duds, as she thought of them, a white linen business suit with a bright kelly green sleeveless blouse beneath, she took Sam out for his evening constitutional. Again, she encountered Dan, walking his sister’s golden retriever. “Hi there,” he called from across the street. “I thought we’d probably run into each other again.”
    The two dogs pulled toward each other so she had no choice but to approach. God, the man was beautiful, this evening wearing light tan slacks, a black polo shirt, and the same well-worn loafers he’d been wearing when she last saw him. His long hair was loose, ruffling in the warm summer evening breeze, and although she felt like a fool even thinking about it, she longed to learn whether it was as soft at it appeared. With a body like that he’s probably got an ego to match and the brains of a snail. She used this as a mantra to keep herself from responding to him.
    â€œHi.” She was trying to think of something to say when she realized that she was tongue-tied. This never happened to her. “It was really hot today.” Great line, Monica.
    â€œYeah, it really was. I never did get your name?” He extended his hand.
    She took his hand, which was warm and dry, with a good firm grip. “Monica. Monica Beaumont.”
    â€œYou’re right about the heat, so I’m going to wander over to the pool for a dip. Would you like to join me?”
    â€œI’m afraid I have work to do.”
    â€œWork? It’s after seven. Surely you’re off duty, whatever you do.”
    â€œI work for an ad agency and I’m afraid I’m not often off duty.” Actually her dinner had been rescheduled so she’d taken advantage