Train My Heart: My Heart, #1

By Marian Griffin

High-powered Manhattan financier Matthew "Brand" Brandltey has had it. Ten years, three girlfriends, two fiances and one ulcer is enough. Besides, he has more than enough money to start his dream business. It'll be a dirty, sweaty job but he's determined to open his water sports rental store. Yeah, jet skis, scuba tanks and pleasure boats are in his future, and Mimosa Key's. It'll be tough watching the bikini-clad beauties hop on and ride his equipment.

Dixie Rose Wallace has other plans. She's minding the store for her honorary uncle and the store is her dream come true. The Gulf Coast Dog Kennel sits right off the beach south of Barefoot Bay and the town of Mimosa Key. Peace reigns and she is in charge. No more house full of six squabbling siblings. No more riding the thresher or backhoe on the family farm. Nothing and no one will keep her from eventually owning the Gulf Coast Dog Kennel.

Neither of them has any idea what one untrained dog loose on the beach does to change their lives in ways the couldn't imagine.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Marian Griffin
• Release date: Sep 8, 2018
• ISBN: 9781540198198

Marian Griffin

Marian Hallett Griffin is a native New Yorker imported to Florida in the 1970s. The family moved to California then back to New York after her father passed away. After high school, she and her mother moved to Florida, not that Marian like hot sun, humidity or the beach. The University of Florida granted her a Bachelor of Science in Broadcasting, after extracting a pound or two of flesh, which got her to work in television production. The University of South Florida granted her a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science after seven short years to complete a one year degree (due to a full-time job, a family, taking care of her mother and going to school).    Join her on a journey through contemporary, historical and paranormal romance featuring the men you want to meet and the women you want to be while living the life.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Dixie recognized the sound of an excited dog. The joyous woof was deep and filled with the delirious excitement of now.

It’s not Dagger’s voice, thank God. He’d escaped from everything to the point of earning the nickname Houdini. Not Champagne, not Dervish. Hmm. Who, then?

Curious, she forfeited speed to look over her shoulder. She’d go back and pen up today’s escape artist if she had to but she really wanted one uninterrupted run. Time being what it was, it was hard to find the time to run on the beach, never mind when it was quiet and empty.

The beast approaching at around forty miles an hour—seemingly without any intention of stopping—was huge. He galloped along, tongue lolling out the side of his smiling mouth. Then another bark. The tenor convinced her he was too happy to be vicious. She stopped and turned. Happy or not, he was barreling toward her like a freight train.

Hey, there, big guy. Dixie stood, feet planted shoulder width apart, with her hands in front of her.

The dog kept coming. And barking.

Slow down, now. Slow down. She knew it was hopeless from the laughter lurking in the giant animal’s eyes. Take it easy. He was close enough now for her to see he was an Irish Wolfhound. A big, floppy, young one with enough energy to power a small city.

When he was about five strides from her, she stepped forward. It threw him off. He cut right, circled and came at her again. But slower this time. He approached and bunched to jump when she stepped into him forcing him to stay down and step back. He tipped his head as if to say, huh?

What a good boy! She reached out and let him smell her. At his acceptance she stroked his head then gave his ears a good rub. Good boy. You’re a big one, aren’t you? But still a puppy even at, she guessed, one hundred pounds.

He flopped onto his side and rolled to expose his belly. She laughed and knelt down to oblige the request for a belly-rub.

What the hell did you do to my dog?

The voice, almost as deep as the dog’s, came from behind her.

What was he doing running loose? she asked without looking up. She couldn’t have dogs running loose on the beach, climbing dunes or prancing along the winding, beachside road.

Obviously, he got away from me.

Still not looking at the annoyed man, she rolled her eyes. Obviously.

With a powerful belly-woof, the giant dog leaped to his feet and practically bowled her over to get to the man. Oof, she said. She ended on her butt looking up at the object of the dog’s affection.

The man—and my, my, what a man—had plenty to say as the dog danced around him then leaped up to put his huge paws on his shoulders.

Get down. Down! he yelled as he pushed the dog’s feet to one side.

Incensed, she got to her feet. Careful! You could hurt him by pushing his legs like that.

Nothing could hurt this dog. I’m not convinced he is a dog. He’s a circus clown. He has the appetite of a billy goat, no brains and the-the heart of… The huge dog lay down across the man’s feet and splayed his legs in the air. The heart of man’s best friend.

She bit her tongue and turned the laugh into a throat clearing. Not a mean person, just a frustrated one. She recognized the symptoms. Maybe an obedience class would help.

He was thrown out his first day.

This time she let the laugh out. Maybe you need a better trainer.

I don’t need anything. He needs…something.

Grinning now, she shook her head. What’s his name?

Galli. Gallipoli, actually, but I can’t get my mouth around it when I’m mad at him.

Why’d you name him that then?

I didn’t.

Since he didn’t seem to want to explain that, she snapped her fingers. The dog clambered to his feet. Come, Galli. The dog bunched to launch. Dixie stepped in again. Galli dropped his butt to the sand and lifted his paw to shake.

Dixie laughed and shook his paw. He’s definitely trainable. How did you teach him to shake?

I didn’t.

She gave him a moment to continue. He didn’t. Is this your dog?

No. He’s my cousin’s dog.

Where is your cousin?

Iraq.

Immediately contrite, Dixie sighed. Sorry. He’s a soldier?

No, he’s an idiot with a big dog.

Uh…

In a universal signal of I’ve-had-enough, the man sighed heavily and rubbed his hand over his face. Sorry. I’m not in the best of moods.

I noticed. Moody but intriguing.

You see, my cousin grabbed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work overseas. And… He looked directly at her. And you’re not interested in any of this. Why don’t I just take my dog and go. Sorry about the attack.

Dixie noted the leash in his hand with a half-inch wide collar hanging from it. The set up was more suited to a well-trained miniature poodle than a rambunctious, energetic puppy the size of a small pony.

Thought he wasn’t your dog.

She got the stare. The one men practice that tells you he doesn’t want you messing up his emotional outburst with logic. But she was on the dog’s side and could give the oh-so-attractively-frustrated man a tip that would help.

First, you need a better leash and a different collar. The leash should be at least an inch in width, a strong, webbed material with a hand loop. And try a head collar. It’ll help keep him under control. No response. Gotta go. She turned and jogged off intending to build her speed up again. Unfortunately, Galli thought it was the signal to chase. He chased.

Galli!

Dixie started to turn but didn’t anticipate the sheer ebullience of the dog. He leaped and planted his paws on her back. Losing her balance she fell on her side. Galli followed her down. Almost crushed by his weight, she rolled to push him off, right into the legs of his non-owner. Who shouted and grabbed to no avail. The dog slid between her legs then leaped to his feet. Galli’s human took his place. Right. Between. Her legs.

Long time since I had a man right where I want him.

Pressed into the sand by his weight, she could only marvel he was cradled between her thighs with his head nestled between her breasts. She’d always liked her breasts. Not too big, not too small. But nothing compared with having a head full of wavy brown hair resting between them.

Oof.

His exclamation vibrated against her flesh. She shivered.

Um, could you get up, please? she managed.

Brand lifted his head, turned it left then right. Nipples to the left of me, nipples to the right. He