“You don’t owe me a thing, and I would help you regardless. But if it makes it feel fair to you, we can do a work hard/play hard theme. This will be a worthy endeavor but a hell of a lot of work. I’ll make sure you intersperse it with some spontaneous joy.”

It was much too late to attempt a strategy of avoidance now. Because I’d underestimated my opponent, had let her sneak past my best defenses with charm and humor and a beauty that made my chest ache. I didn’t even need to anticipate the blow.

It had already happened.

She held out her hand. “Whaddya say, neighbor? We got a deal?”

I foolishly shook it.

“Deal,” I said.

11. Tabitha

Eleven

Tabitha

The very next night, I was rushing out the front door with my phone in one hand and a photo album in the other. I was late, as usual, for dinner with my sister and Eric at dad’s diner. But I also had an email in my inbox, from that hotel in Austin, with the subject line: Contract Proposal Follow-Up.

“Now that’s interesting,” I murmured, eyes on my screen as I scrolled. I flew down the front steps and hit a brick wall that smelled amazing. Strong hands gripped both of my elbows, keeping me steady. They were a fighter’s hands, turned gentle. I looked up at Dean Knox-Morelli, and my knees were grateful for the extra stability.

“Hiya, neighbor,” I said, breathlessly.

His brow furrowed, dark eyes lingering for a beat too long on my lips. “Are you okay?”

He released me and took a step back, putting a decent amount of space between us.

“Ah, so the brick wall I hit was your chest,” I said. “You should keep an eye on those shoulders of yours. They’re a real danger to the common person.”

His answering smile was a little crooked and a lot adorable.

It was official. I had a crush.

My instant attraction to this handsome boxer had me dreamy-eyed and dazed. Dean the Machine was 100% summer-fling material. And if that swooping feeling in the pit of my stomach felt a little different from all the other times, I sure didn’t dwell on it. At some point yesterday, Dean had started openly laughing and smiling at my jokes. Although this glimpse of openness was only muddling my many, many sexy thoughts about him.

Luckily for me, one of the only things I did own was a high-end vibrator. That thing worked orgasmic wonders on a regular day, but with Dean as erotic inspiration, I’d broken some kind of personal record in orgasms last night.

“Tabitha?”

I blinked, refocused. “I’m a little spacey today. And still a little dazed from being attacked by your chest.”

His lips twitched. “Or you could watch where you’re going.”