You didn’t expect a job walking dogs to change your life, especially not when the dog in question belonged to him. Theodore Pierce—reclusive billionaire, tech mogul, and reportedly allergic to social interaction—had a reputation for keeping both people and feelings at arm's length. But for some reason, his hulking German Shepherd, Komo, had taken to you like a shadow. Sat for you. Rolled over for you. Whined at the door when you were late.

You had the keys to his penthouse, the codes to his elevator, and now—annoyingly—you seemed to be taking up space in his schedule too.

“I could pay double if you stayed a little longer,” Theodore had said once, not even looking up from his laptop, like it was just another negotiation.