“You’d be better off taking her to a dog park for extra training,” he said. “Or treating Wheezy to a fancy grooming session somewhere. The only thing she wants is for that animal to win the West Coast Canine Classic.”

Caleb’s laugh was both loud and long enough to bring the heat rushing to Spencer’s ears. “And this is why you’re still lonely and single at the ripe old age of thirty,” he said with a shake of his head. “Women don’t want to be taken to the dog park, Spencer. They crave romance and passion. They want excitement.”

The dog park was exciting. One look at Caesar’s face anytime they pulled up was all the proof Spencer needed of that.

“You’re single, too,” he pointed out. “And why are you so sure she’s going to say yes, anyway? Maybe she prefers men who are more…serious-minded.”

It was a dangerous thing to do—to show his hand like this, to admit that Caleb wasn’t the only one attracted to Ruby—but it was too late to back down now. He held his breath as he waited for his brother’s inevitable reaction—the laughter and mockery, the assurance that of the two of them, Spencer was the less likely to win her regard.

Caleb didn’t disappoint. “Well, I’ll be,” he said, grinning like the Cheshire cat. “You like her.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You think she’s hot.”

“This isn’t about appearances.”

“You want to kiss her.”

“I didn’t say that either.”

“With tongue.”

“Now you’re just being juvenile.”

Caleb threw himself onto the couch, his hands behind his head as he settled in and got comfortable. Not by even a fraction of an inch did his smile recede. “Out with it. When did these feelings develop, and what have you done so far to woo her?” He nodded at the book in Spencer’s hand. “I’m assuming your newfound love of romance novels has something to do with it? Trust you to go about reading instead of doing something.”

Spencer could only blink across the room.

“I can probably convince her that another few training sessions every week are necessary, but we’ll need to make sure she can schedule for a time when you’re home.” Caleb tapped his front teeth with his forefinger. “And as soon as I get this stupid monitor off my ankle, I can come up with some kind of excuse to leave you alone together. Fuck, I’ll be glad to see the last of this thing.”

“Wait… Are you serious? You want to help me?”

“God knows you need it,” Caleb said. “No offense, but from the way you treat that poor woman, you’d think she was single-handedly trying to run your dog show into the ground.”

“She is single-handedly trying to run my dog show into the ground.”