Page 73 of Wag More Bark Less

“I just thought it would have Yoda on it or something.”

“If you want to use the special Star Wars blanket, you’ll have to earn it,” Luke said. “You’ll have to make it to Episode I, at least.”

“What is this?” I nodded at the TV that was frozen on the opening credits. “Episode zero?”

“Episode IV.”

“I don’t follow your logic.”

“This is the first movie that came out, and the only place a true Star Wars fan begins the saga. Anyone who says otherwise can’t be trusted.”

How the hell was this nerdy side of Officer McGrumpy making him even sexier? The laws of the universe were apparently stacked against me tonight. I shifted in my seat, pressing my elbow into the arm opposite the end table, as though an extra inch or two of distance was actually going to do anything to ward off my simmering attraction.

Last night, I swore I’d never speak to the irritating man again. I devised an entire plan in my head on how to avoid running into him until I left town. And less than twenty-four hours later, I was practically drooling over him in my living room. It was the weirdest kind of whiplash I’d ever experienced.

“Ready?” he asked, nodding at the TV.

I glanced at Ellie who was climbing onto the couch, preparing to snuggle in next to Luke. That, I was convinced, had more to do with bacon than anything else. Except, I caught sight of the sock again. One from the pair she’d picked out at the hardware store last week with marshmallows holding roasting sticks. She rarely gave out new socks so quickly. She tended to hoard them, burying them at the bottom of her sock basket.

“Ready?” Luke asked, shaking me out of my thoughts.

“Let’s see if this lives up to the hype.”

Luke held out the remote, pointing it at the TV. “Be prepared for your life to be forever changed.”

The opening credits rolled, and a stream of text appeared on the screen, scrolling upward into the galaxy behind it. “Hey, you didn’t tell me I had to read this movie.”

“Pay attention,” he said, eyes locked on the screen. “And it’s just for the beginning.”

I stared at him a beat longer before returning my attention to the TV. I had no doubt the man could recite the words from memory, but I humored him and read alongside him.

“Galactic Empire is evil. Got it,” I said, proving I was paying attention. Luke nodded, but didn’t look away from the screen, so I kept reading. “So, Princess Leia is a badass right off the bat. Okay, love that.”

Luke glanced at me when the final text faded into the galaxy, flashing me an approving smile. One that caused heat to coil low in my belly. I looked away, biting my bottom lip, and forced myself to keep eyes front as I helped myself to another slice of pizza.

I was enjoying this nerdy, unguarded side of Luke far more than I should. It was as though his confession out at the lake knocked down an entire wall of fortified stone between us, and ever since, I was having trouble keeping my head on straight. As long as I didn’t look at him, I might just get through this evening unscathed.

To my surprise—and relief—I was sucked into the movie almost immediately. Luke explained the parts that confused me, but otherwise, we watched in comfortable silence. I didn’t want to admit I was hooked, but I was.

So, when Luke Skywalker was yelling at the C-3PO to shut down all the garbage smashers in the detention level and the living room lights suddenly winked out, it startled me more than a little.

Luke lifted the remote, pausing the movie. Before he could push off the couch to investigate, I heard the metallic rattle of Ellie’s tag on her collar, as though she was doing a full-body shake in another room.

“Ellie’s bedtime,” I explained, chuckling.

“She knows how to turn off the lights?”

“She knows how to do a lot.”

“Like open gate latches?” Luke guessed.

He settled back, leaning his elbow on the arm of the couch. He was close enough that I couldn’t decipher whether that spicy pine scent was coming from the borrowed shirt or from the man himself.

“I didn’t teach her that,” I said, “but yes.”

“Why didn’t you say something?” Luke asked. “That first morning when you found her in my kitchen?”

“You’re really asking me that?” I laughed, snagging a miniature chocolate chip cookie from the platter on the coffee table to keep myself from looking at him. I swore we started with a couple dozen cookies, but unless the dim light of the TV was playing tricks on my eyes, we were down to single digits.