“Didn’t think of it, to be honest.” He stepped back from the boat to study his work. Seeming satisfied, he put the can of varnish on the bench and hammered the cover on. “You going camping or something?”

She realized he meant the backpack that still sat on her shoulders. “Oh, well, I seem to be homeless at the moment. I was wondering if you might be willing to take in a stray.”

“Lucky for you, we only accept the finest of pedigrees at this shelter.”

Sydney smiled at the compliment.

“Big fight with the folks?”

“Not so big.”

“Then how’d you end up homeless?”

Cornered, Sydney winced. “At least I stood up to them this time. That’s progress.”

“What’d they have to say?”

“Something about wanting me to go forward, not backward.”

Leaning against the bench with his arms folded across his chest, he looked powerful and sexy and so perfectly perfect. A man in his prime, from the top of his silky dark head to the bottom of his size thirteen feet. “Do you feel like you’ve taken a step backward being with me again?”

“No! If anything, I feel like I’m moving forward again. Finally.”

“I don’t want to come between you and your parents, Syd.”

“We’ll work it out. Eventually. Don’t worry about it.”

He tilted his head, beckoning. “Come here.”

She dropped the backpack to the floor and walked around the boat to stand in front of him.

Even though he kept his arms crossed, she could tell by the hungry look in his eyes that he was making an effort to keep his hands to himself. “Are you okay?” he asked.

“Strangely enough, I’m quite well, thank you.”

His lips quirked with amusement. “And Buddy? How is he?”

“They want to keep him one more night and then maybe let him come home tomorrow. The substitute vet said Janey did an amazing job. He was really impressed.”

“I’m glad he’s doing so well.”

“He was happy to see me but still kind of loopy. They said I could visit him again later, but they wanted him to rest, and having me there got him all excited.”

“I know how he feels.”

“Luke,” she said, her face heating under his intense scrutiny. “Does this mean you’re going to take me in?”

Sighing dramatically, he said, “I suppose if I have to.” He turned to reach for a can of turpentine and dumped some in a bucket to soak his brushes.

Sydney stepped back from the overwhelming odor of the turpentine but stayed close enough to watch him clean up his bench. “Could I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

She hesitated, but curiosity won out over her better judgment. “How come you didn’t go to college after your mother died?”