He nodded, and that more than anything made her feel better. He was so strong, so sure of himself. She wanted to ask him how he’d gotten to this point. She wanted to know the path he’d taken, and what he’d done to become so comfortable with who he was, but before she could ask any of that, a small bundle of fur bounded toward them.

“Woof.”

The bark belonged to the sweetest chocolate lab puppy Summer had ever seen. It launched itself at Joe, who caught it in midair.

“I told you to stay,” Joe said sternly, but sighed when the puppy licked his chin. “We’re going to have to work on that,” he muttered.

“She’s yours?” Summer opened her arms and the puppy jumped into them.

“A misbehaving little tyrant is what she is. She’s already eaten two files in the truck, and chewed through a bag of evidence. Not to mention she has no manners and can’t sit or stay to save her life.”

“You sound like a dad.”

“Bite your tongue.”

“Oh, Joe. Not all dads are bad.”

He looked away. “I know that.”

He broke her heart. He always had. But he’d no more welcome her sympathy now than he ever had. She stroked the puppy. “She can’t be more than twelve weeks old. Telling her to sit or stay means nothing to her. And she’s probably teething—Ouch!” She pulled her hand free—now sporting teeth marks—and laughed at the puppy’s startled expression.

“I have matching marks all over me,” Joe said, but reached out to pet the dog’s head.

Summer nuzzled the soft fur. “So what’s an adorable thing like you doing with such a grump?”

“She’s not a grump,” Joe said.

Summer laughed. “And do you really think you’re so adorable?”

He looked down at his coveralls. “Not at the moment.”

But sitting next to her on the dirty floor, surrounded by chaos and soot and grime, his hair scruffy and untamed, his mouth curved in a slight grin, he was. Absolutely adorable. Reaching out, she ran her finger over his dimple. She wanted to run her finger over more of him. All of him.

As if he could read her thoughts, he got to his feet. Kept his distance. “You shouldn’t be in here.”

“Yeah.” She stood, feeling awkward. Unwanted. “I know I’m keeping you from your work.”

“And my sleep, too, but since when has that bothered you?”

Her heart hitched. “I’m keeping you from sleep?”

“I thought that was your new mission in life.”

“Oh, it is.” She backed up a step and forced a smile. “Along with driving you wild.”

“Baby, that’s a given.” He put his hands on his hips. “You done making light of this?”

“Probably not.”

“Because it’s sure as hell easier than talking to me, right?”