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Oliver grinned sheepishly. “That would be none.”
“Hmm, then it seems you could do worse than a friend like me,” she said.
“You think so, huh?” Damn, it would be easier if he didn’t like her. If she really was just some girl he’d met in a bar who was down to fuck and nothing else. But instead, she was beautiful and sweet as well as funny and surprising.
“Where are your trash bags?” she asked, breaking him out of his thoughts.
“Above the fridge.” Oliver’s gaze traveled down over her bottom to the hard calf muscles straining in her legs as she actually stood on tiptoe to reach the box of trash bags.
Unable to resist, he came up behind her and pressed against her back, grabbing the box with ease. He held it in front of her as he placed his mouth next to her ear. “Anytime you need me for those hard-to-reach places, let me know.”
She shivered against him, but he was almost positive she wasn’t cold. The temptation to push his luck was crazy, yet he backed off. She could deny there was something more between them if she wanted, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t prove how wrong she was.
“I’ll grab the broom and dustpan,” he said.
Oliver went down the hall to grab them from the closet and turned around to find Eve bent over, her skirt accentuating her ass as she scooped up handfuls of white fluff and avoided Beast’s affections. Oliver gritted his teeth, cursing the raging hard-on he seemed to sport constantly whenever Eve was around.
“You are definitely going to want a new couch,” she said.
“Yeah, well, I was due for one anyway before Cujo decided to use it as a chew toy,” he said. Oliver concentrated on sweeping up excess fluff from the hardwood floor and ignoring Eve’s round, gorgeous behind. He knew that her dating policy was meant to put him off. Whether she really didn’t want to get involved or she was just afraid, he wasn’t sure. Unfortunately, it hadn’t worked, not with her staying to help clean up a mess she had nothing to do with.
“It sounds like Beast was just trying to help you out. Get you motivated.”
Oliver shot her a glower and he loved that she laughed at him. He was an intimidating guy, it was part of his job, and yet she didn’t even flinch or back down from his temper.
Just one more thing to like about her.
“What are you going to do about Beast?” Eve asked.
Oliver heard the concern in her tone, and his gaze shifted to the dog, who was lying on the floor of the kitchen with his face between his paws. Beast’s eyes met his, and he lifted his head, panting. When Oliver didn’t look away, the dog barked at him. His first instinct was to tell her the dog was going back, that he just didn’t have the patience.
But then again, Eve liked Beast. He had noticed the way her face softened every time the dog nudged her for pets. And the sweet sound of her laughter at Beast’s behavior was something he could listen to forever.
Shit, forever? What is happening to you?
Whatever it was, it had happened the minute Evelyn Reynolds walked into his life and threw him into chaos.
“I guess I’m gonna show him who’s boss,” Oliver said.
Eve’s face lit up, and he knew he’d made the right choice. “Well, good luck with that,” she said, chuckling. “I really don’t think you scare him.”
“Believe me, by the time I get through with him, he’ll be a model dog.”
Chapter Seven
“SON OF A bitch, Best, you are supposed to be helping me, not getting your chuckles on.” Oliver had been working with Best all morning, trying to get Beast to sit and stay, but the minute Oliver dropped the leash, Beast took off.
“Hey, it’s not my fault he doesn’t respect you,” Best said. “Plus, you’re a great example to the kids of what not to do.”
Except for Jorge and Tommy, the group of eight teenaged boys coughed, presumably to cover their laughter. But they would pay. They had been working in one of five fenced-in training yards, and all of the other dogs stood at their trainers’ side, looking like model dogs.
“Hey, Sergeant Best, maybe you should take us back,” Jorge said.
Oh, yes. Oliver would make them pay.
Oliver cursed as the damn dog went to Best, sitting on command.
“Well, how come he respects you?” Oliver grumbled.
