Page 24 of Puppy Christmas

“I know.” He hunched his shoulders in an apology, but she wasn’t buying it. Not when the gesture was accompanied by a sneaky glance at her from under his lashes. “But would it be the worst thing in the world to play it out a little? You’ll be here until New Year’s anyway, so it’s not like you’d have to go out of your way to spend time with me. Plus, I can pretend you dumped me over the holidays, which means I can hide behind a broken heart for at least six months. I could eke it out a year if you really demolish it. Would you be willing to cheat on me, do you think?”

She just stared at him.

“It’s too bad I don’t have any brothers, because then you could have an affair with one of them. Or sisters, come to think of it. I suppose I could always kill you off, but…”

“Ford, you wouldn’t!” Lila was unable to tell if it was laughter or anger that caused the waver in her voice, but she was balancing precariously between the two. “What about Emily?”

He blinked. “What about her?”

“Um…you don’t think it might affect her?”

“Not really, no. She’s a smart kid. She’ll understand—especially if it means we can have a few free days in the meantime. Helen’s a nice woman, and she does her best to try to understand Emily, but she always ends up making her feel small.” He feigned a thoughtful look. “The poor child might object to murdering you, though, so that endgame is out.”

“I’mnothaving an affair.”

“You’re an old-fashioned woman, I see. Loyal to the core. That must be what I love about you.”

There were so many things wrong with this conversation, not the least of which was the fact that they were holding it inside a child’s pink, fluff-filled bedroom—hischild’s pink, fluff-filled bedroom. “I hardly think we’ve known each other long enough for you to start throwing around the l-word,” she said primly.

He laughed. “That shows what you know. All that stuff I told Helen out in the yard was the truth. I was yours the moment I first saw you, ranting about dental hygiene in a giant pink ball gown.”

She wouldn’t fall for it. She wouldn’t fall forhim.

“If you knew anything about me, you wouldn’t call me old-fashioned,” she said. “Monogamous, maybe, but not old-fashioned.”

The appreciative gleam deepened. “I like the sound of that. Elaborate, if you please. Are we talking about your political views or yours-e-x-u-a-lones?”

It was ridiculous that a grown man spelling out the wordsexualshould have so much power over her, but there it was. Had he just thrown the word out there, trying to get under her skin with his teasing flirtation, she’d have immediately stopped him in his tracks. But she doubted he was even aware he did it. Spelling out naughty words, protecting his daughter even when she was on the other side of the house, came as naturally to him as breathing.

“My views are none of your business,” she replied somewhat breathlessly. “Use your imagination.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” he asked. “My imagination can be quite…fertile.”

Taking one step forward, he drew so close they were within kissing distance. All Lila had to do was lift her chin up a few inches, and their lips would be touching.

She didn’t do it, though. Neither did he. It was as good a reminder as any that the game they were playing was just that—agame. His words, not hers.

“I’m not going to lie for you,” Lila said. A game had rules and boundaries—two things she happened to excel at. “Just so you know. I can’t stop you from telling those women anything you want, but if anyone asks me a direct question, I’m going to answer it truthfully.”

He didn’t seem dismayed by this. “Noted,” he said with a nod. “Loyal, monogamous, and honest. I clearly have great taste.”

“And I’d appreciate it if you kept things strictly professional between us. As strange as it may seem to you, I’m here to do a job.”

“A great work ethic, too. My heart can’t take much more.”

She gave in to the urge to laugh and immediately wished she hadn’t. Laughter carried with it a soft chuff of breath, which met his in a warm swirl mere inches from her lips. It wasn’t a very big leap from mingled breath to mingled mouths, to tongues entangled and—

“Ahem.”

Lila blinked, startled to still find herself in Emily’s bedroom—and to be leaning this close to Ford. She didn’t dare move, though. To do so would be to admit that she was aware of him, of how intimate the moment had become. “Um. What?”

She felt rather than heard him chuckle. “I asked if I could make one last request of you. I know I have no right to, not after everything you’re already doing for me and Emily, but it’s not a big one, I promise.”

In that moment, with Ford’s long, lean body not quite touching her, her knee-jerk reaction was to deny him anything and everything. She’d only been here one day, and she was already throwing common sense out the window.

She, Lila Vasquez, famed for her level head and propriety.

She, Lila Vasquez, the fortress no man had yet penetrated. Psychologically speaking, that was.

She, Lila Vasquez—

“Sure,” she said, unwilling to indulge in further remonstrance. What was the point? She could make a fifty-page list of all the reasons she should run screaming from this room, but lists hadn’t been doing her a whole lot of favors lately. Sophie didn’t make lists. Dawn didn’t make lists. And look how much better people liked them. “What do you want?”

“Oh, lots of things,” Ford said, his voice rumbling with laughter. “But for now, I’m only hoping you’ll teach me how to braid Emily’s hair like that.”