long enough for Reed to come in. As soon as he crossed the threshold, Max bumped his head against his hand for some more pettingand scratching.
Sophie sighed and closed the door. “As you can see, he has no shame.”
Reed grinned and looked content to give Max all the scratching a dog could want. He talked to him as he ran his fingers through his tawny fur. “So you're the man in Sophie's life. I don't think I can compete with a guy this handsome.” Max, canine harlot that he was, closed his eyes in ecstasy and rolled overon his back for some more petting.
* * * *
Reed glanced up from where he was crouched and asked, “What kind of dog is he?”
Sophie looked at her dog affectionately. “Max is what I call a wonder mutt because I wonder how many dog breeds are in him. He was a rescue dog. I decided to get a pet to keep me company when Tracy moved out. Luckily, I adopted him in time before, well, you know.”
Sheshook her head as if to dispel the thought of her dog almost being put to sleep. Reed admired Sophie for having such a big heart. He'd wanted a dog since he was a kid, but his Mom was allergic to them.
Sophie invited him to have a seat on her overstuffed burgundy sofa. “Would you like a drink or do you want to get right to it?”
He raised his eyebrows and she blushed as pink as her T-shirt. “WhatI mean is would you care for a drink before we review the papers?”
Reed decided to let her off the hook for the time being so he took a seat and placed his clipboard on the coffee table. Max plopped down and rested his head on Reed's boots as if claiming ownership.
“ A drink would be great.” He paused. “Then we can get right to it." He didn't think her blush could get any deeper, but he was wrong.
Rolling her eyes to hide her embarrassment, she asked, “Is iced tea okay?”
Reed leaned back and rested his arm along the back of the couch. “Iced tea is wonderful.” When Sophie took off for the kitchen, Max gazed up at Reed with big brown puppy dog eyes.
“ Don't give me the sad eyes," Reed whispered, "You're the lucky dog that gets to sleep next to Sophie every night.”
Max plopped his furryhead back on Reed's feet, apparently not in the mood to rub it in. He knew how good he had it.
Sophie returned with two ice-cold glasses, stepped over Max, and set them down on the table. Her soft blonde hair brushed his arm as she leaned forward to nudge his glass closer to him. She smelled like cookies again. He shifted to get comfortable.
“ I hope you like it sweet.”
“ I love it sweet." Hestared at her when he said it, not taking a sip yet. The look Reed gave her said he wasn't talking about tea. She took a big gulp from her glass before setting it to the side. She glanced at the clipboard and said, “So…”
Reed repeated, “So?”
Sophie inclined her head toward the estimate papers. “What's the damage? Is it going to cost me an arm and a leg?” He had a fleeting image of Sophie's nakedarms and legs wrapped around his body in a hot, sweaty, carnal embrace. He was so tempted to tell her yes.
“ Actually, it's not as high as you would think.” He handed the papers to her so she could skim the columns of figures. She scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. “I don't see the cost of labor on here.” She flipped through the pages. “You've only listed the cost of materials.”
Reed leanedforward to look at the paper. “No charge. It's a pretty simple job so labor won't be an issue.” Sophie looked incredulous. “But I have to pay you something. I wouldn't feel right taking advantage of you like that.”
He gave Max a little pat and sat back. “I like cookies.”
* * * *
“ What? You want me to pay for labor with cookies?”
“ Yes.”
“ What about Ben?”
Reed straightened. “Ben can keep hisdamn hands off your cookies!”
Sophie wasn't sure if cookies meant cookies . “You're serious?”
He nodded. “Absolutely. A few dozen of your chocolate chip would put me in
Sophie sighed and closed the door. “As you can see, he has no shame.”
Reed grinned and looked content to give Max all the scratching a dog could want. He talked to him as he ran his fingers through his tawny fur. “So you're the man in Sophie's life. I don't think I can compete with a guy this handsome.” Max, canine harlot that he was, closed his eyes in ecstasy and rolled overon his back for some more petting.
* * * *
Reed glanced up from where he was crouched and asked, “What kind of dog is he?”
Sophie looked at her dog affectionately. “Max is what I call a wonder mutt because I wonder how many dog breeds are in him. He was a rescue dog. I decided to get a pet to keep me company when Tracy moved out. Luckily, I adopted him in time before, well, you know.”
Sheshook her head as if to dispel the thought of her dog almost being put to sleep. Reed admired Sophie for having such a big heart. He'd wanted a dog since he was a kid, but his Mom was allergic to them.
Sophie invited him to have a seat on her overstuffed burgundy sofa. “Would you like a drink or do you want to get right to it?”
He raised his eyebrows and she blushed as pink as her T-shirt. “WhatI mean is would you care for a drink before we review the papers?”
Reed decided to let her off the hook for the time being so he took a seat and placed his clipboard on the coffee table. Max plopped down and rested his head on Reed's boots as if claiming ownership.
“ A drink would be great.” He paused. “Then we can get right to it." He didn't think her blush could get any deeper, but he was wrong.
Rolling her eyes to hide her embarrassment, she asked, “Is iced tea okay?”
Reed leaned back and rested his arm along the back of the couch. “Iced tea is wonderful.” When Sophie took off for the kitchen, Max gazed up at Reed with big brown puppy dog eyes.
“ Don't give me the sad eyes," Reed whispered, "You're the lucky dog that gets to sleep next to Sophie every night.”
Max plopped his furryhead back on Reed's feet, apparently not in the mood to rub it in. He knew how good he had it.
Sophie returned with two ice-cold glasses, stepped over Max, and set them down on the table. Her soft blonde hair brushed his arm as she leaned forward to nudge his glass closer to him. She smelled like cookies again. He shifted to get comfortable.
“ I hope you like it sweet.”
“ I love it sweet." Hestared at her when he said it, not taking a sip yet. The look Reed gave her said he wasn't talking about tea. She took a big gulp from her glass before setting it to the side. She glanced at the clipboard and said, “So…”
Reed repeated, “So?”
Sophie inclined her head toward the estimate papers. “What's the damage? Is it going to cost me an arm and a leg?” He had a fleeting image of Sophie's nakedarms and legs wrapped around his body in a hot, sweaty, carnal embrace. He was so tempted to tell her yes.
“ Actually, it's not as high as you would think.” He handed the papers to her so she could skim the columns of figures. She scrunched her eyebrows in confusion. “I don't see the cost of labor on here.” She flipped through the pages. “You've only listed the cost of materials.”
Reed leanedforward to look at the paper. “No charge. It's a pretty simple job so labor won't be an issue.” Sophie looked incredulous. “But I have to pay you something. I wouldn't feel right taking advantage of you like that.”
He gave Max a little pat and sat back. “I like cookies.”
* * * *
“ What? You want me to pay for labor with cookies?”
“ Yes.”
“ What about Ben?”
Reed straightened. “Ben can keep hisdamn hands off your cookies!”
Sophie wasn't sure if cookies meant cookies . “You're serious?”
He nodded. “Absolutely. A few dozen of your chocolate chip would put me in
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