Chapter 29

Olivia flinched at first when Ethan guided her hand towards the puppy's fur. But as her fingers made contact with the impossibly soft coat, she felt herself relaxing slightly. The puppy seemed to sense her fear and ceased its barking, letting out a small whimper sound instead.

"See, he likes you," Ethan murmured reassuringly close to her ear. His warm breath tickled her neck, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine.

Slowly, Olivia lifted her head from the safety of Ethan's neck to get a better look at the puppy. It looked up at her with soulful brown eyes, its tiny pink tongue lolling out happily as she stroked it. A reluctant smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"I guess he's not so bad... But I don't like dogs," she admitted, running her fingers through the soft fur.

Ethan chuckled at that. "Who said he's a dog? Meet Mango, my new furry friend. And Mango, meet Olivia, my new old friend." He took Olivia's hand, which he was still holding, and guided it to shake the puppy's p