“The flowers would have been plenty,” she assured him, wondering how the devil she was going to keep him out of the kitchen if she took them in there to put them in vases.

He grinned. “A little over the top, huh?”

“But sweet,” she assured him.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve gone calling on a lady.”

She could tell. He looked about as at ease as a man making his first trip to a lingerie department. Not even his starched white shirt, expensive black trousers and snakeskin boots could combat the impression made by his anxious expression.

“You seem to forget that this isn’t exactly a date,” she said to reassure him. “You won dinner fair and square on a bet.”

She waved him toward a chair. “Have a seat and I’ll get these in water. What can I bring you to drink when I come back? Wine? A beer? Iced tea?”

“Iced tea sounds good. Why don’t we sit on the porch? It’s a nice night. Or is dinner just about ready?”

“No, dinner will be a while,” she said in what had to be the understatement of the decade. However, sitting on the porch was out of the question. He was bound to spot Jenny returning from DiPasquali’s. She grasped desperately for an alternative.

“Actually, I hate to do this to you, but my bathroom faucet has been leaking.” Even though the tactic grated, she used her most helpless expression on him. “I don’t know the first thing about changing a washer. Could you take a look at it?”

He latched onto the request as if she’d thrown him a lifeline. “Just show me the way.”

She led him down the narrow hallway to the old-fashioned bathroom, which, thankfully, Jenny had straightened up after her shower. “I bought washers and there are some tools there,” she said, pointing.

“I’ll have this fixed in no time,” he promised, already loosening his collar and rolling up his sleeves. “By the way, it’s nice to walk into a house and smell dinner cooking. There’s nothing like the scent of chocolate to make a man’s mouth water.” He glanced at her and winked. “Unless it’s that sexy perfume you’re wearing.”

“I’m not sure it’s perfume you’re smelling,” she said. “It’s probably all these flowers.”

He shook his head. “They were in the car with me all the way into town. That’s not it. I’d say you’re wearing something light with just a hint of spice. It’s the kind of thing that could drive a man wild.”

Janet could feel herself blushing. “Thanks. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll get these into water.”