He didn’t allow himself to think about the risk that he might fall for her.
He wondered if she was going to suggest keeping the puppy, but instead she smiled at Harriet.
“Thank you for coming, and for taking him.”
“Thank you for all the business you’ve put our way. We’ve had our best year ever. We’ve had to take on more dog-walkers. We’re covering the entire East Side now.”
“Paige told me.”
Lucas noticed that Eva was shivering. “You’re cold, Eva. You need a hot shower.”
Harriet looked concerned. “You do look cold. Go. I’ll finish up here.”
Lucas settled the bill and bundled Eva into a cab.
She put up a feeble resistance. “I might still be angry with you.”
He almost smiled at the “might.” “You’re not sure?” Luckily for him, she wasn’t a woman who could be angry with anyone, or anything, for long.
“You came after me, instead of locking yourself in your study. You prioritized a wet, wriggling puppy over expensive cashmere. That won you points. As did building a snowman.”
“While you’re working out whether you’re still mad or not, I’ll warm you up.” He pulled her against him. “You’re shivering as badly as that puppy.”
“We could have walked. Your apartment is only steps away.”
“Enough steps for you to get hypothermia.”
“Can I ask you something? If going to bed with me had nothing to do with the book, why did you do it?”
It was a question he’d asked himself. “Because my self-control isn’t as impressive as I thought it was.”
“Your self-control has been just fine since.”
“I’ve been working on it, for both our sakes. Your teeth are chattering.” He rubbed his hands over her arms. “Tell me how you met Harriet.”
“You’re changing the subject?”
“Yes. I don’t care what we talk about as long as it’s not sex.”
“Because you do, in fact, want to have sex with me again.” She peeped up at him. “That’s interesting.”
“Eva—”
“Harry and Fliss are twins, and their brother is a friend of Matt’s. When Daniel found out that we’d lost our jobs and were setting up on our own, he thought we might want to offer dog-walking as part of our concierge services. To begin with we had no business, but it has grown, and they’ve grown with us. You’d be surprised how many people in Manhattan own dogs. Fliss is the business brain, but Harry has a special gift with animals. Thank you for offering to sign a book. It was good of you to do that for her.”
“I didn’t do it for her. I did it for you. I’m trying to get back into your good books, remember? So far it’s cost me near-frostbite and a cashmere coat.”
“Why do you want to be in my good books?”
“Because if you walk out on me I can’t write, and I don’t get to eat delicious food.” He wasn’t ready to consider that it might be more than that. He felt the softness of her hair brush against his chin. She smelled of sunshine and summer fruits. “I thought you were going to ask if you could keep that puppy.”
“I almost did, but my practical side took over. There are days when I hate my practical side.” She sounded despondent and he eased her away from him so that he could see her expression.
“Did you want him that much?”
“A dog loves you unconditionally. And now you’re going to tell me that’s my fairy-tale view and that the puppy would probably savage me when it grows up.”
He leaned forw