couldn’t find it in me to do it.
While my brain was practically screaming, all my mouth could manage was another, “Uh…” Was I sweating? God, I was sweating! So not a good look for me.
The earlier glimmer in his eyes faded away, the cocky smirk taking its place. “So what brings you by, neighbor?”
His pecs sure do dance real nice when he moves.
What? “Huh? Oh!” I held Shady up none too gently in front of me. “Are you busy today?”
His hands dropped to his side as he leaned back like he was prepared for Shady to attack at any moment. “What? Why? And what the hell’s wrong with your dog?”
Realizing how I was holding my puppy out in front of me was probably hurting him, I pulled him back and cradled him against my chest. “Sorry. I know it’s strange for me to be asking you a favor, and you have every right to say no, but I’m kind of desperate. Devon isn’t home and I need to get down to the shop. I have a ton of arrangements going out, but Shady had surgery and I’d really rather not take him in with me. I’m worried he won’t be comfortable there. I was just hoping… if you weren’t busy, if you’d mind watching him for me?” I gave him my best doe eyes, hoping it didn’t make me look like a crazy person. “I’ll owe you so big! I’ll…” What could I possibly do to pay him back for watching a dog with a tendency to pee on him at any given moment? “I’ll do your laundry for a month! Oh! And I’ll clean your apartment!”
I chanced a glance over his shoulder only to notice the living room was practically empty, with the exception of several partially unpacked boxes. There wasn’t a single piece of furniture as far as I could see.
Richard’s gaze wandered in the direction I was looking before coming back to me. He smiled sheepishly as he scratched at the back of his neck. “Uh, yeah. I’m still working on setting the place up.”
“I can see that,” I muttered.
He winked at me. “And speaking of laundry…” he started backing away from the door and bent to pick something up just out of my line of sight. “You left something behind the other day.”
My cheeks burned fire red when I saw what he held in front of him. “Oh, God,” I groaned, squeezing my eyes closed so I couldn’t see the laundry basket full of my unmentionables in front of me.
“Gotta say, Delilah, I’m a real fan of your taste in lingerie.”
My eyelids snapped back open as I scowled at him. “I’m going to pretend you never saw those.” He shrugged casually, his lips spreading into a full blown grin. “Pretend all you want. I’ll just be over here imagining what you look like in them.”
My mouth dropped open, a choking, wheezing sound coming out. Richard put the basket on the floor and took Shady from my arms, cradling him against his naked pec. The lucky little punk. I was still standing with my mouth agape when he nudged the basket toward me with his bare foot and used a finger under my chin to close my mouth. “I’d be happy to dog sit for you today, Delilah. But I’ll need your number just in case I need to reach you for anything.”
I don’t know how long I stood there in complete silence… like an idiot… before I finally snapped out of it. I gave my head a quick shake and pulled my phone from my purse. After a hasty number exchange, I stowed my phone away, grabbed the offending panty basket, and took a step back, but not before noticing that Shady looked surprisingly content in Richard’s arms. “Thank you so much for this. I owe you one.”
“You most certainly do.” He winked again and I could have sworn one of my ovaries exploded.
“Uh… just… call or text if you need anything. ‘Kay, bye!” I scurried for my door, unlocking it so I could throw the laundry basket inside the door and headed back to the elevators, giving Richard a little wave, unable to meet his eyes as I passed by again.
“Have a good day, Delilah,” he called out. “See you this evening.”
“Yep, you too. Later!” Luckily, the elevator Gods were looking down on me and the doors opened with a ding as soon as I hit the button.
Once the doors closed and I was safely