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"Yeah?" This was great news "What did you say?" he asked Toby "Wait Let er Or…created peace on earth No, I know, you asked a girl out"

Toby wrinkled his nose like, E, a girl?

Josh grinned at hiled, the sound music to Josh’s ears

"He wanted to know if I’d be his new mommy," the aide said

Uh-oh That one had Anna written all over it Josh sucked in a breath and slid another glance at Toby "Your aunt teach you that?"

Toby shrugged

Oh, yeah Anna

"He also asked the lunch aide and vice principal And the janitor"

Josh kept his expression calm as he rose and took Toby’s hand Toby used his other to pull up his sagging jeans, and because his Star Wars T-shirt was only half tucked in, there was a strip of pale skin revealed

His son was going commando

Josh had no idea why, and hell if he’d ask in front of Judgmental Teacher Aide, so he filed the question away for later "Ready to go home, Little Man?"

Finally a spark of life "Arf"

Chapter 8

If chocolate is the answer, the question is irrelevant

Grace had been at the grocery store when Josh had called and was checking out when she got stopped by Jeanine Terrance, ned a pottery shop

"I hear you’re an accountant," Jeanine said "And that you’re fixing A syste system"

"Oh," Grace said "Well, I’m not--"

"Amy swears by you," Jeanine said "I’d do it myself but the left side of my brain is resistant to numbers I’d pay you, of course, and not just in pottery either I’ really well this quarter Or so I think I’ll know better when you fix up my books"

"Yes, but I didn’t really plan to start bookkeeping…" Grace broke off at Jeanine’s hopeful expression Hell One suess I could coot"

"Oh, that’s so wonderful!" Jeanine hugged her, then spared a guilty sanized as Amy"

Since Amy’s entire financial portfolio had been shoved into a shoe box, this was cause for soo by later, and drove to Josh’s

Certain parts of her--her naughty parts--were doing the happy dance at getting to see hiain Her other parts--her s Phone Call Incident where he’d heard way too h her conversation with her mom, she’d sort of hoped to keep some healthy distance between her and Josh for a while

Like forever

But he’d dangled this job, and she couldn’t really afford to turn it down She’d told hi well, but she didn’t have an offer yet Next up was the Portland interview And then all she had to do ait

She hated waiting

When she knocked on the front door, wild barking ca pretty damn fine in black pants and an azure blue button-down, the ever-present stethoscope around his neck Grace’swith several le one of the

Why did he affect her breathing?

His gaze tracked right to her lips, and a shot of hot, wet desire went straight through her, heading south

Oh no No, no, no, she told herself sternly Nohe was, or how he lance, he wasn’t for her Not even close He was the kind ofto live up to, driven, focused, workaholic…Ain’t happening Not here, not now, not ever She repeated that to herself a few times, but her body didn’t buy into the hype Her body wanted hi seemed to have increased in decibels "Don’t tell me it multiplied," she said

"Okay, I won’t tell you"

Hmm He was also extreed on her best day And sexy as that was--so damn sexy--she’d discovered thatdoere cool and cal their relationships

She didn’t want cool and cal

Fun

"Arf, arf!" Toby yelled, co hiyback style Now there were two faces looking at Grace, both so sih Toby’s was minus the fine stress lines outside the eyes and the world of knowledge in theood," Josh said

Toby nodded Tank was at their feet, running in circles, chasing his own tail With Toby still on board, Josh bent and scooped up the puppy too "I can’t promise the saave the pug a steely-eyed look that said, Eat my shoes today and die, which didn’t cow hienuine smile for Toby "Hey there"

"Arf!"

"Are you and Tank brothers?" she asked him

Toby smiled and started to speak, but Josh adjusted his hold on Tank and reached back, covering Toby’sto actually use words"

"Yeah, but trust me, you don’t want to hear them"

Toby pulled Josh’s hand away "Are you iggled at the sight

"Okay, Tiger," Josh said "You know I love the sound of your laugh, probably more than any sound in the world, but I will squash you like a grape if you say that to one more wo roo his sister a glance "I’rape too"

Grace was horrified he’d say such a thing to a sweet little boy, rinned

Anna did, too, and without a word, continued rolling through the house, ignoring all of the to do that won’t get you in trouble," he said

When the kid was gone, Josh looked at Grace "I called Mallory"

"You did? For what?"