Page 85 of The Moment They Can't Forget

“Right, then. I should go.”

His black eyes locked on hers. “Want a tour?”

“I—”

“Come on, Zoe. This will help return things between us to normal, if that’s possible with you in those shorts.”

“What’s wrong with my shorts?” She looked down at her legs.

“Not a damn thing, but they could be longer,” he muttered. “Let’s go and try to make this friendship thing without benefits work between us.”

Zoe had a bad feeling it would never work because there would always be tension between them, but she was game if he was.

“This is the storeroom,” he said, his tone dry.

“Right, I got that.”

“Come on. I’ll introduce you to the animals.” He waved her outside before him, and she was aware of him at her back. When he put a hand on her spine and nudged her in the direction he wanted her to go, she fought the pull of attraction.

Nope, just friends.

Chapter24

Zoe Duke was here. He’d now have visions of her in those worn jean shorts and faded Lyntacky Leaders sweatshirt that was at least three sizes too big for her and likely belonged to one of her brothers every time he walked in here.

“So this is where Potato lives, and she hates me,” he said, reaching the first stall. You could just see the tips of two ears as they approached. “She’s hell on four legs. She came to me about a year ago on the back of a pickup. Klaus Becker and his wife were returning from a visit with friends and found her wandering the roads. She was dirty, thin, and malnourished. They didn’t look for her owners, considering the state she was in, and brought her to me.”

Zoe walked up to the half door and opened it.

“I wouldn’t go in there. She bites,” he said, not wanting to be responsible for any marks on this woman. Her brothers would kill him.

“She won’t bite me, will you, baby?” Zoe said in that voice people used on small children and animals. He’d never perfected it.

“Here, take some of these.”

“What are these?” she said, holding out her hand as he placed the treats in her palm.

“Dried turnips.”

“You’re kidding me.”

“They’re healthy.” He shrugged. “What?” JD asked when she kept looking at him.

“Nothing. I’m just trying to get my head around the fact you’ve read up on donkey maintenance.”

Uncomfortable with her seeing this side to him, he said, “Vi read up about it. I just do what she tells me.”

Her small smile told him she knew he was lying but didn’t call him out on it. Instead, she held out the treat and stayed where she was. JD stood a safe distance back, as Potato had bared her big teeth at him.

“I think it’s just me she hates, actually.”

“No, she doesn’t,” Zoe said. “We always treat the people we love the worst.”

He liked the thought that maybe Potato loved him, even if he didn’t believe it.

“Hello, Potato, aren’t you a pretty girl?” Zoe crooned, holding out the treat. “Now, you need to be nicer to your foster daddy, or he won’t keep dehydrating your treats for you.”

“I get them sent in.”

---