Page 14 of Guarding My Love

“I’ve got one.”

“So you said,” he said.

Not much of a talker.

She was never so happy that this room was small because he was done very quickly with the trim around the ceiling.

“Thanks,” she said. “Guess I didn’t need the ladder after all.”

“You will if you plan on doing more rooms in the house. If not, I’ll just carry it out for you and put it back.”

“I do want to paint more,” she said. “I don’t like everything being white, but I haven’t decided on the colors. So you can just leave the ladder in the house.”

“You want to try to put some on the walls while I’m here?”

“So you can tell me if I’m doing it wrong?” she asked, lifting an eyebrow.

“Sorry,” he said. “I’m overstepping. Part of the reason I’m better off alone.”

She hated that her joke made him feel bad. “Don’t be sorry. I appreciate everything you’ve done. I’ve never had anyone take the time to show me things. They’ve always done it for me. I’m just trying to do for myself now.”

He nodded his head but didn’t say anything else.

Charlotte picked up the roller and moved it as he had and saw right away how much easier it was with less paint on it.

“Looks good,” he said.

“Thanks,” she said. “Sorry I took up your time.”

“Don’t worry about it,” he said. “Have a good night.”

He was turning to walk out before she could offer him a drink.

Guess he really did want to be alone.

5

HAPPY FACE

Foster slammed on the brakes four days later.

Good thing he wasn’t going that fast down his driveway or the puppy would have been a pancake.

“I’m sorry,” Charlotte yelled as she ran in front of him to retrieve the runaway mutt.

All he noticed was that she was wearing a short pink bathrobe that looked to be silk. It was tied tight, but the wind was lifting it some in the front that she was trying to hold down.

Her hair was wrapped in a towel on her head that was starting to fall to the side and her feet were bare.

“Is he okay?” he asked out of the window.

The dog was shivering in Charlotte’s arms and Foster was terrified that he’d nicked Marco with his tire.

“I think so,” she said. “He’s scared. I don’t think he likes being loose.”

“Why is he then?” he asked.

The towel slipped more off her head, the dog was squirming and the wind picked up to lift the robe some. It was a comical sight that he couldn’t pull his eyes away from.

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