Stacy Connelly - Not Just The Girl Next Door

Can she ever be more than this man’s best friend?

His best buddy’s sister . Someone in need of protection . That’s how Zeke Harper has always seen animal trainer Mollie McFadden. He can’t cross the line, no matter how irresistible he finds the girl next door. Until a surprise kiss takes them beyond the bounds of friendship. Now Zeke wonders if this woman who opens her life to pets in need can find a place for him—in her heart!

STACY CONNELLYhas dreamed of publishing books since writing stories about a girl and her horse. Eventually, boys made it onto the page as she discovered a love of romance novels. She is thrilled that her novel Once Upon a Wedding was recently turned into a movie titled Christmas Wedding Planner .

Stacy lives in Arizona with her two spoiled dogs. She loves to hear from readers at stacyconnelly@cox.net, at stacyconnelly.comor on Facebook.

Also by Stacy Connelly Contents Cover Back Cover Text About the Author Booklist Title Page Copyright Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Epilogue Extract About the Publisher

Hillcrest House

The Best Man Takes a Bride

How to Be a Blissful Bride

The Pirelli Brothers

His Secret Son

Romancing the Rancher

Small-Town Cinderella

Daddy Says, “I Do!”

Darcy and the Single Dad

Her Fill-In Fiancé

Temporary Boss…Forever Husband

The Wedding She Always Wanted

Once Upon a Wedding

All She Wants for Christmas

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Not Just the Girl Next Door

Stacy Connelly

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09086-5

NOT JUST THE GIRL NEXT DOOR

© 2019 Harlequin Books S.A.

Published in Great Britain 2019

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To the real-life shelter workers dedicated to

finding forever homes for the animals in their care…

Thank you!

To Susan Litman and Gail Chasan

for thinking of me!

And to my Shadow… I miss you, baby girl.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text Can she ever be more than this man’s best friend? His best buddy’s sister . Someone in need of protection . That’s how Zeke Harper has always seen animal trainer Mollie McFadden. He can’t cross the line, no matter how irresistible he finds the girl next door. Until a surprise kiss takes them beyond the bounds of friendship. Now Zeke wonders if this woman who opens her life to pets in need can find a place for him—in her heart!

About the Author STACY CONNELLY has dreamed of publishing books since writing stories about a girl and her horse. Eventually, boys made it onto the page as she discovered a love of romance novels. She is thrilled that her novel Once Upon a Wedding was recently turned into a movie titled Christmas Wedding Planner . Stacy lives in Arizona with her two spoiled dogs. She loves to hear from readers at stacyconnelly@cox.net , at stacyconnelly.com or on Facebook.

Booklist Also by Stacy Connelly Contents Cover Back Cover Text About the Author Booklist Title Page Copyright Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Epilogue Extract About the Publisher Hillcrest House The Best Man Takes a Bride How to Be a Blissful Bride The Pirelli Brothers His Secret Son Romancing the Rancher Small-Town Cinderella Daddy Says, “I Do!” Darcy and the Single Dad Her Fill-In Fiancé Temporary Boss…Forever Husband The Wedding She Always Wanted Once Upon a Wedding All She Wants for Christmas Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Title Page Not Just the Girl Next Door Stacy Connelly www.millsandboon.co.uk

Copyright ISBN: 978-1-474-09086-5 NOT JUST THE GIRL NEXT DOOR © 2019 Harlequin Books S.A. Published in Great Britain 2019 by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental. By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher. ® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries. www.millsandboon.co.uk

Dedication To the real-life shelter workers dedicated to finding forever homes for the animals in their care… Thank you! To Susan Litman and Gail Chasan for thinking of me! And to my Shadow… I miss you, baby girl.