Page 71 of Wag More Bark Less

Such an odd way to think about the chronically grumpy man who held the door code hostage my first day in town. But here we were taking pictures together on hikes, sharing trail mix and trauma, and—against all odds—about to enjoy dinner and a movie in my living room by choice. Had someone told me a week ago this would be my reality, I’d have laughed and told them it’d take handcuffs to keep us in the same room for more than five minutes.

“Go on,” Luke said, waggling the shirt at me again. “Get changed and I’ll get everything set up.”

I slipped into the bedroom, unsurprised that Ellie had no interest in following me. Despite her slamming the door in Luke’s face only last night, she’d apparently wholeheartedly forgiven him. Either that treat was laced with doggie magic, or she had a full-on crush on my neighbor.

Odd, considering she never warmed up to Jason, even after three months of living with him. She wasn’t outright cruel, but she always seemed to stay out of his way. And on several occasions, I swore I caught her glaring at him.

Obviously, Ellie knew that relationship was doomed before I did. Too bad I didn’t pick up on that as easily as she did.

Too little too late now.

I pushed away the thoughts of the past I left behind as I closed the bedroom door behind me.

One thing I could do was take a page from Ellie’s book and live in the present moment. At least for tonight.

I gripped the shirt Luke gave me in both hands and allowed myself one deep, indecent inhale. It smelled of pine, spice, and delicious man. The same intoxicating scent that surrounded me the night he pushed me up against the side of the bookstore and kissed me senseless. My nipples pebbled in response to the memory I’d unsuccessfully managed to lock away.

There’d be no kissing tonight, I decided as I tugged off my top and replaced it with his shirt.

Friends.

We could be friends.

It made the most sense. Luke clearly had some unresolved issues to work through, and although I wasn’t staying, I still had three weeks in Bluebell Springs. One night of throwing caution to the wind could make the rest of my time here awkward should it go sideways.

And given our track record, it was bound to do just that should we cross that line.

“Just friends,” I said to myself in the mirror, my gaze snagging on the shirt. Yoda was pictured, along with the words Yoda best uncle. I smiled, imagining Opal gifting him the shirt for a birthday. Or did he have more nieces and nephews I didn’t know about?

I exited the room, about to ask him, but the words lodged in my throat before I could.

I caught him on the couch, one arm draped over the back of it, the other giving Ellie vigorous chest scritches. My dog was on her back, head pressed into Luke’s thigh, staring up at him like he hung the moon. A sock draped over his opposite leg, and my heart melted.

Not once did my dog ever give Jason a sock.

Maybe Ellie knows something now, too.

Because I hadn’t been spotted yet, I tiptoed back to the bedroom to grab my phone from its charger. I powered it on, and a series of notifications flooded the screen. Two new video messages from Violet—I still owed her the second half of an update, which I could record before bed—too many junk emails to count, a dozen text messages, maybe two.

And another missed call from Jason.

Tomorrow, I promised myself. I’d deal with him and my ex-monster-in-law tomorrow. Tonight, I was going to relax and enjoy a movie. Something I hadn’t done in ages since Luanne hijacked the only TV we had to binge-watch reality dating shows.

I unlocked my phone and snuck back out to the living room, quietly snapping a picture before both Luke and Ellie seemed to register the third wheel in the room.

“Is this blackmail? Because I’m not ashamed to own this.” Luke waved his hand, motioning at his Star Wars ensemble.

“I was taking a picture of Ellie,” I lied. “Because ten thousand pictures of my dog aren’t enough when she keeps being so dang adorable.”

“She is pretty adorable,” Luke agreed, rubbing her chest. Ellie licked his hand, as though agreeing.

When his gaze lifted from my pup, it lingered on my bare legs for several seconds. One corner of his mouth lifted, and dammit if it didn’t make him look irresistibly sexy.

He’s looking at you like he wants to eat you for dessert.

Alyssa’s words whispered in my ear. And this time, I saw exactly what she was talking about in those light blue eyes. Dammit, guess my nipples were going to be permanently hard tonight.

“That shirt looks good on you.”