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"We could uy yelled

"Not helpful" But Pia was s as she spoke

"What’s heads in beds?" Josh asked Charity

"People spending the night in town or nearby An overnight event Like a weekend festival The race is just part of a day"

"Aah Thanks"

Pia went through her list Charity found herself agreeing to work on the advertising co, too," Josh told her when the et a few businesses to sponsor"

"Don’t you own several businesses in town?" she asked

"Uh huh, and I proenerous"

"Lucky me"

"I’d say so" He walked out with her "You started looking for your own place yet?" he asked

"I’et a feel for the real estatefor"

"More of a ‘I’ll knohen I find it’ shopper?"

"So like that I’ve never actually owned e, I was focused on paying off ht at the peak of the real estate bubble, so I couldn’t afford anything I wanted Then the market started to flatten and I wanted to wait until it was closer to the bottom By then…"

Why had she started this detailed discussion of real estate?

Josh stood, waiting, looking at her She could feel the intensity of his gaze and while she was sure he didn’t , it felt hot to her

"By then I was involved with so foolish

"You wanted to wait and see if the two of you would be buying a place together," he finished "Makes sense I’ll guess that you being here means it wasn’t a slahed "You ood sports metaphor"

"It’s in our blood"

"No, it wasn’t a slao I found out about the job here and made the move So this will be the first house I buy myself"

"You were born to own a home"

"Why do you say that?"

"You’re responsible, you want to be settled and you’d look great on a porch swing" His gaze wandered down her body before returning to her eyes "In shorts"

The warmth in her cheeks deepened "If that was a compliment, then thank you"

"You’re welcoht I like the red"

He put his hand on the small of her back and led her out of the room She tried not to notice the contact, even when it burned through to her skin

"By the way, I know of a house coreat part of town Built around 1910, but fully reht up to code It’s not huge, but I think you’d like it I, ah, know the owner and could get the key Want me to show it to you?"

"Sure"

She told herself she was only interested in the house, but she knew she was lying What she was hoping was that in the quiet of an empty house, Josh would try to have his ith her Not that she would give in, but she was sure looking forward to the discussion

SATURDAY MORNING CHARITY met Josh at the Starbucks on the corner She ordered her nonfat latte, then splurged with a couple of pu to a couple of wo She waited until the other wo him

"That was intense," she said as she followed hi ca to the next level There are a few of theht about what she knew about his past "And?"

"It’s an idea"

"Not one you want to take on?"

"Not today"

They started down the sidewalk

"We’re walking?" she asked

"It’s about ahere will cut down on tire wear and tear"

They passed a couple of wo They waved at the to her friend and point She grih "I totally forgot about the consequences of people seeing us together"

"Do you ossip?"

"Not if no one asks for details"

"They’ll expect you to tell the "Are you?"

He raised his eyebrows "Want references?"

"So you have the it if anyone asks"

"It’s no trouble"

"I’od in bed If anyone couldit would be Josh He was a complete and total temptation, but one she planned to resist He was practically worshipped everywhere he went and she was just a regular person She’d studied y in school She knehat happened to ods

Of course, a couple of days ago, she was hoping he would make a pass at her When it came to Josh, she siood or be bad Although she knehich option would be more fun

They crossed the street and walked into a residential neighborhood filled with beautiful old houses A few had been co their charinal architecture There were big trees that stretched across the street, touching branches and providing shade Intricately carved fences surrounded lush gardens He pointed to a white house with blue-gray trim

"That’s it"

She stared at the two-story structure, the wide front porch and big s Everything about the house welcomed her

"I already love it," she said

"Wait until you see the inside"