Page 32 of Puppy Christmas

He should put a stop to this, he knew. There were too many phrases in the English language for her to throw out in that sultry voice of hers, too many ways for her to ruin inanimate objects for him forever.

“The hairy knuckle,” she whispered, allowing a soft sound to escape her throat. “A lipstick smear.Tater tots.”

“No, Lila,” he said with a groan. Was it his imagination, or was the room starting to grow blurry around the edges? “Not tater tots.”

“Ta-ter. Tots.” She was careful to enunciate each syllable, her lips exaggerating the shape of the word. “Hot, salty wedges of potato.”

Okay, he took it back. He took it all back. Where this woman and that voice were concerned, anything could be a euphemism for sex. In fact, if he didn’t do something about it, everythingwouldbe a euphemism for sex.

“Well?” she asked, still arch. Her hand remained on his chest, her lips parted as they reached up toward his. “What about it?”

“What about what?” he asked. At least, he thought he asked it. His mouth was so dry, all his blood coursing southward, that he wasn’t entirely sure he was still breathing.

“You and me, of course. Kissing. Cuddling.F-u-c-k-i-n-g.”

Her mouth was so close that he could almost taste her. He knew exactly what he’d find if he gave in to the urge. The light mint of her toothpaste, the soft pink gloss that gave her lips a delicate sheen, the warmth of her mouth giving way underneath his… It was almost more than a man could be expected to bear.

But bear it he did. He was already so far out of his depth with this woman, so much at a loss every time she walked in the door. He’d prove to her that he was more than just the neighborhood flirt—that he could, when it mattered, control himself.

Hecould.

“What’s the matter, Ford?” she asked archly. “Having a change of heart?”

Nope. Not even a little bit.If it weren’t for his daughter in the next room, if he wasn’t so determined to show Lila that he was capable of restraint, this woman would see firsthand how he intended to repay her for defiling tater tots forever.

Her scent drew him even closer, swirling his head and making him forget that he was standing in his living room in his pajamas. There were just two people, standing face-to-face, attraction pulsating between them.

Fortunately—or not—a blast of cold air from a poorly sealed doorframe jerked him back to a realization of his surroundings. It also stopped him before he made the mistake of cupping the back of her neck and pulling her in for a slow, deep kiss.

Lila misinterpreted his move, a wry smile twisting her lips.

“See?” she said, looking much more in command of herself than he felt. “You don’t really want me. You just can’t help yourself. I’m female, I have a functioning nervous system, and I’m not as old as either Emily’s grandmother or her principal. I don’t think you knowhowto act any other way. Can we move on now?”

“That’s not it—” he began, his arm shooting out to catch her about the waist. He might have managed it, too, but she stepped out of his reach, her professional mien back in place.

“It should take me about half an hour to get the tea party set up, which will give you time to shower and dress. The first guest will be arriving around ten, so we want to make sure Jeeves is ready before that.”

“Jeeves?” The blood hadn’t returned fully to Ford’s brain yet, his pulse still thumping madly to keep up, which made it difficult for him to follow along. “What about Jeeves?”

She waved a hand around the living room, not stopping until she reached the pile of her bags. “Puppy training? Doorbells? The whole reason I’m here?”

“Oh. Right. That.” Understanding finally took hold, and with it, any chance Ford had of making it out of this thing with his heart intact. He stared at her. “Wait. Isthatwhy you’re setting up this whole thing? The dress, the cookies, the secret guests—it’s to practice having people at the door without upsetting Emily?”

“I thought it might be fun.” The blush crept back over her face. “I’m not experienced with kids, I know, and I’m not a particularly…warmwoman, but the one advantage I do have in this world is my sisters. They’ll make up for anything I’m lacking, I promise. Just give me a chance.”

This last part was offered in a whoosh of entreaty, as if Lila was making a deep, dark confession about a crime she’d once committed. Or, at the very least, an admission about what she proposed to do with those tater tots.

“Are you kidding?” he asked, blinking down at her. “You’re fantastic with Emily.”

Her cheeks were still suffused with color, her discomfort clear, but he couldn’t understand why. True, she treated Emily more like an adult than a child, but that was part of what made her—what made all of this—so incredible. Lila didn’t pander to his daughter, didn’t belittle her by assuming she wasn’t capable of doing anything she set her mind to.

“That’s nice of you to say, but—”

“But nothing.” He spoke more forcefully than he intended. Lila’s eyes widened, and her hand halted in midair, but she didn’t move. He didn’t want to draw close again—there was still too much energy thrumming between them to makethata wise choice—but he did soften his voice as he added, “Your sisters are always welcome here, of course, but Emily and I don’t need them. Not when we have you.”

Lila opened her mouth and closed it again, teetering on the edge of response. Ford held himself perfectly still in hope that she’d decide to share whatever was on her mind, but to no avail.

“You’re only saying that because you haven’t seen them at work before,” she said with an airiness that didn’t match her eyes. “Believe me when I say that a tea party with my sisters is something neither you nor Emily will soon forget.”