“Oh no, it won’t do you any good to give it to me, because I’ll lose it. So I’ll just get your number from Noah. Toodles!” She picked up Blueberry and made her way to the front door. I heard the door close and sat on the couch in silence. I was tempted to get up and explore but figured that would be rude and probably the worst way to start out our professional relationship.

I did look around, and from where I was sitting, I could see part of the kitchen with its orange cabinets and mustard-yellow appliances. It hurt my eyes to look at it.

I heard a sliding glass door opening and a dog barking and a man grunting. Something large hit a wall. It sounded like he needed help. I followed the noise and found them in a massive library that was filled with hundreds of books.

My breath caught when I saw him. Noah had on a black T-shirt and jeans and was covered in as much dirt as Magnus was, like they’d been wrestling around outside. He was every bit as overwhelming as the last time I’d seen him and somehow sexier as he held his very large and heavy dog in his strong arms with ease.

Every single bit of my resolve to be strong fled.

I was in trouble.

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER FIVE

“You made it!” he said, his deep voice tinged with exhaustion and amusement.

“I did. Hi. Um, Lily Ramsey let me in and we talked and she introduced me to Blueberry and then she explained about Magnus and then I heard you come in and it sounded like you needed some assistance, so I came in here . . .” I let my voice trail off. I sounded like I was having a stroke. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Yes. Can you shut the door and lock it?”

“Sure.” I had to step around him and found myself struggling to breathe as I got close to him, feeling all of the warmth he was emanating. I cleared my throat and slid the door back into place, finding the lock in the handle and flipping it up. I backed up quickly. “There you go. All clear.”

Noah’s biceps flexed as he gently set his dog down, and Magnus came over to inspect me. I crouched down to his level and held out my hands for him. “You are one dirty boy,” I told him.

“I am,” Noah agreed as he brushed some soil off his pants.

My cheeks flushed and I said, “I was talking to your dog.”

“I know.” Then he winked at me and all the blood drained from my brain.

Magnus wagged his tail at me, bringing me back to reality, and I petted him. “He’s beautiful. Is he part rottweiler?” He had the telltale black-and-tan color markings.