“Remember,” she muttered as she strode toward the dog park, Warrant happily trundling along at her side now that he was finally, finally getting his way, “that way leads to death or prison.”

“What?”

She turned her head to see that John had tagged along. His scowl had softened, and a corner of his mouth was even threatening to twitch upward again. “I was talking to Warrant.”

“About death and prison?”

“He’s a good listener.”

“I’m sure he is.” John matched his pace to hers, as if they were a couple taking their dog for a walk. Molly tried to speed up, but his long legs easily kept pace, and before long she was the one getting sweaty and breathless.

Slowing down again, she gave him an exasperated look. Since she had four younger sisters—and a mom who acted more like a kid than any of her offspring ever had—Molly knew her glare was on point. “Why are you still here?”

For some strange reason, that question banished the last of his scowl, and he grinned sunnily at her. There was no sign he’d ever been annoyed or concerned. “It’s a beautiful day. Why wouldn’t I want to spend it in the park?”

“This place is pretty big.” She didn’t believe for a second that he was following her around for the fun of it. John Carmondy wanted something from her. “Can’t you spend this beautiful day in another part of it? One that’s away?” She gestured in a broad circle, encompassing the entire park.

He chuckled. It was like he was incapable of being offended. “But it’s nicest right here.”

“It smells like dog poop right here.” They reached the gate again, and she paused, wanting to chase John off before they entered the run. It was one thing for him to follow her around the park, but standing together, watching Warrant play, laughing over the dogs’ antics… It all felt too dangerously intimate for her comfort. John wasn’t her boyfriend. He wasn’t even a friend. He was a rival and a skip-stealer, and Molly knew it was ill-advised to let him into the dog park with her. There was no way to watch some big hulk of a guy play with puppies and not turn to mush inside.

“All I smell is flowers.” His grin widened, and Molly let her head fall back as she mentally swore at the sky.

“Fine.” She opened the gate and followed Warrant through it. “But there will be no laughing. And no playing with puppies. Understand?” Unclipping Warrant’s leash, she let him into the main part of the park. He immediately galumphed over to make friends with an overweight black Lab.

“Not really?” He sounded like he was about to disobey the first rule already.

She glanced at his bemused face and quickly turned away. She could already tell that this wasn’t going to end well. There was going to be cuteness, and she was going to get mushy, and it was all going to end with someone’s death.