But bear it he did. He was already so far out of his depth with this woman, so much at a loss every time she walked in the door. He’d prove to her that he was more than just the neighborhood flirt—that he could, when it mattered, control himself.

He could.

“What’s the matter, Ford?” she asked archly. “Having a change of heart?”

Nope. Not even a little bit. If it weren’t for his daughter in the next room, if he wasn’t so determined to show Lila that he was capable of restraint, this woman would see firsthand how he intended to repay her for defiling tater tots forever.

Her scent drew him even closer, swirling his head and making him forget that he was standing in his living room in his pajamas. There were just two people, standing face-to-face, attraction pulsating between them.

Fortunately—or not—a blast of cold air from a poorly sealed doorframe jerked him back to a realization of his surroundings. It also stopped him before he made the mistake of cupping the back of her neck and pulling her in for a slow, deep kiss.

Lila misinterpreted his move, a wry smile twisting her lips.

“See?” she said, looking much more in command of herself than he felt. “You don’t really want me. You just can’t help yourself. I’m female, I have a functioning nervous system, and I’m not as old as either Emily’s grandmother or her principal. I don’t think you know how to act any other way. Can we move on now?”

“That’s not it—” he began, his arm shooting out to catch her about the waist. He might have managed it, too, but she stepped out of his reach, her professional mien back in place.

“It should take me about half an hour to get the tea party set up, which will give you time to shower and dress. The first guest will be arriving around ten, so we want to make sure Jeeves is ready before that.”

“Jeeves?” The blood hadn’t returned fully to Ford’s brain yet, his pulse still thumping madly to keep up, which made it difficult for him to follow along. “What about Jeeves?”

She waved a hand around the living room, not stopping until she reached the pile of her bags. “Puppy training? Doorbells? The whole reason I’m here?”

“Oh. Right. That.” Understanding finally took hold, and with it, any chance Ford had of making it out of this thing with his heart intact. He stared at her. “Wait. Is that why you’re setting up this whole thing? The dress, the cookies, the secret guests—it’s to practice having people at the door without upsetting Emily?”

“I thought it might be fun.” The blush crept back over her face. “I’m not experienced with kids, I know, and I’m not a particularly…warm woman, but the one advantage I do have in this world is my sisters. They’ll make up for anything I’m lacking, I promise. Just give me a chance.”