She’d also set about finding the man who’d stolen her parents’ money, and just last week they’d gotten their first real lead, due to the private investigator Jagger hired for her.
The scars from that night with Miranda began to dull, though she knew they’d never fade. They’d each learned to talk through it and move past the horror.
Now, one year and a couple of weeks later, she was madly in love and studying to be a vet tech so she could really help Jagger with the animals in more than just a compassionate capacity. Their catch-and-release program was in full swing, and they were in a great place relationship-speaking.
“Quit complaining, Hathaway. It’s not like you even brushed your hair today, what’s a little puke?” he joked.
Her laughter tinkled in her ears. “Mind your manners or there’ll be no footie pajamas for you on sexy-sexy night.”
Jagger chuckled and gripped her shoulders after helping her out of the van, and directed her to face forward. “You ready?”
“I’m almost afraid to say yes, but yes.”
His fingers untied the blindfold from the back of her head and let it fall away.
Viv gasped as Scar nuzzled her hand and Jagger wrapped his arms around her waist.
The house they’d passed that night Miranda had taken her—she’d know the surrounding area anywhere. But it wasn’t the dilapidated house she’d seen a year ago.
No. Today it was magnificent. The shingles were now replaced with crisp white siding, the shutters a burgundy red. The front door, shiny and in a matching burgundy, had a stained-glass window with the design of a cat and a bear in shimmering rusts and blues.
There was a stone path dusted with the latest Cedar Glen snowfall, lit with small lanterns leading to the front steps of the covered porch. Christmas lights hung from the railing along that porch, sweeping in graceful arcs across the front of the house.
And a big post wrapped with a strand of Christmas greens and a sign that blew in the wind, creaking with the coming of another storm.
It read: Dubrovs’ Veterinary Care and Sanctuary, est. 12/24/2016
She couldn’t speak as Jagger pulled her up the steps, where there was a table, two chairs, and a bottle of her favorite red wine.
As the table came into focus, she looked at the white tablecloth and then she saw the words written upon it.
In ketchup.
They read: Will you marry me, Crazy Cat Lady? Love, Jagger The Bear and Scar
She burst out laughing as she launched herself at him, wrapping her legs around his waist. “Is this to make up for never paying me my Skipper heads? Because wow—you sure know how to apologize.”
“So whaddya say? Wanna make this an official team effort?”
She was blown away. “You did all this for me? Me?” she squeaked.
He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, and do you know how hard it was to keep your nosy nose out of this? I’ve been on more secret phone calls these last six months than a secret agent. You’re not a cat shifter for nothing. The other night when you snuck up on me, I was just finalizing the last of the paint color on the front door when you caught me. Good God, woman, this was harder to pull together than getting into Scotland Yard.”
“This house is amazing…”
He brushed her hair from her face, his eyes warm. “This house is enormous, perfect to combine a practice and living space, and the acreage is more than enough for you to create that sanctuary for abandoned animals you talked about. I know how important that is for you. You think you might be all in for helping me make that happen?”
Her heart squeezed inside her chest as she fought tears. “Yes!”
“Ya hear that, Scar? She said yes.”
Scar yawned as he flopped down on the porch floor with a groan, as always, typically unaffected by his surroundings.
They both laughed as she tucked her head into Jagger’s neck and he sat in the chair, setting her on his lap to snuggle her close.
“I love you, almost Mrs. Dubrov,” he whispered against the top of her head. “Merry Christmas.”
“I love you, too, Dr. Dubrov—so, so much. Merry Christmas.”
And so they sat, right there on their newly remodeled front porch in the silence with Scar, watching the snow fall in fat flakes and the lights of the season twinkle above them on a Christmas eve she’d never forget.
And they were content.
Blissfully content.
The End
Thank you for reading Moves Like Jagger! I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it, and I hope you’ll come back for more to find out what happens when Viv and Max’s sister search for the man who stole her family’s money!
From my heart to yours, to you, your friends, and family, I wish you blessings of the season. May you always have peace and love in your lives, this holiday, and all year long!
Author’s Note
I do hope you enjoyed Moves Like Jagger! I’d so appreciate it if you’d help others enjoy this book, too.
Recommend it. Please help other readers find this book by recommending it.
Review it. Please tell other readers why you liked this book by reviewing it at online retailers or your blog. Reader reviews help my books continue to be valued by distributors/resellers. I adore each and every reader who takes the time to write one!
About Dakota Cassidy
Dakota Cassidy is a USA Today bestselling author with over thirty books. She writes laugh-out-loud romantic comedy, grab-some-ice erotic romance, hot and sexy alpha males, paranormal shifters, contemporary kick-ass women, and more.
Invited by Bravo TV, Dakota was the Bravoholic for a week, wherein she snarked the hell out of all the Bravo shows. She received a starred review from Publisher Weekly for Talk Dirty to Me, won an RT Reviewers Choice Award for Kiss and Hell, along with many review site recommended reads and reviewer top pick awards.
Dakota lives in the gorgeous state of Oregon with her real life hero and her dogs, and she loves hearing from readers!
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Other Titles by Dakota Cassidy
Wolf Mates Series
An American Werewolf In Hoboken
What’s New, Pussycat?
Gotta Have Faith
A Paris, Texas Romance Series
Witched At Birth
Whose Bride Is She Anyway?
Polanski Brothers: Home of Eternal Rest
Accidentally Paranormal Series
The Accidental Werewolf
Accidentally Dead
The Accidental Human
Accidentally Demonic
Accidentally Catty
Accidentally Dead, Again
The Accidental Genie
The Accidental Werewolf 2: Something About Harry
The Accidental Dragon
Interview With an Accidental
Accidentally Aphrodite
The Hell Series
Kiss and Hell
My Way to Hell
The Plum Orchard/Call Girls Series
Talk This Way
Talk Dirty to Me
Something to Talk About
Talking After Midnight
The Ex-Trophy Wife Series
You Dropped A Blonde On Me
Burning Down The Spouse
Waltz This Way
Urban Fantasy from Dakota Cassidy writing as Nina Blackman
Fangs of Anarchy Series
Forbidden Alpha
Outlaw Alpha
Table of Contents
(Untitled)
(Untitled)
Blurb
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
&nbs
p; Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Epilogue
About Dakota Cassidy