She had the answer ready—and even more importantly, she meant it.

“Because you haven’t seen the magic inside that animal,” she said. She waited until he looked back at her, his expression sharp, before adding, “But don’t worry, I have. Other people might not think he’s worth the effort, but I know better.”

From the way he swallowed, it was obvious he knew exactly what she meant: that the dog’s potential was nothing compared to his own. Spencer was just as recalcitrant as Wheezy and twice as frustrating, but as her initial instincts had proven, there was a lot more lurking underneath that pair of dark, brooding eyes.

Her instincts also warned her that now was a good time to make her exit. With any luck, Spencer would be so busy digesting this new information that he’d fail to realize that although he’d readily answered her question about his single state, she hadn’t dared to touch his.

“Tell your brother I decided to finish the session at home, will you?” she said. “Now that I have access to your voice anytime I want, nothing can stop me.”

Since Spencer was still standing there looking as though he’d been hit with a lightning bolt, she braved a step forward. Crossing the line, she lifted a hand to his cheek. His skin was surprisingly soft, and she was startled enough by the feel of it—and of him—that she allowed her thumb to stray to his lips. The scent of her desire still clung to her fingertips, but that didn’t stop him from touching his tongue to her skin. Instead, it seemed to encourage him, and he only stopped himself from taking her thumb all the way into his mouth by forcing a deep, shuddering breath.

“Thank you for the recording, Spencer,” she said. “And for one of the best orgasms of my life.”

“But I didn’t even touch you,” he managed to say.

“I know,” she agreed. “It makes me wonder what will happen once you finally do.”

Chapter 10

“Oh, Spencer! Spency-boy! I saw your truck, so I know you’re home. You can’t hide in your room forever.”

Spencer glanced up from the romance novel he was reading—something called To Hook a Star. In all the bustle of getting Wheezy hooked up to his leash and dragging him away, Ruby had left her book behind. Since it had been well ensconced on Caleb’s side of the living room, Spencer had been forced to break his own rule to go grab it, but that hadn’t bothered him as much as it might have a few weeks ago.

While he still believed in the theory of symbolic rules as a way of keeping order, there was no denying that it had felt good to step over that line.

Really good.