This was dangerous ground. But he had no energy to stop himself from going down a path that would end in kissing those damned lips of hers.

“You’re fascinating to watch.”

“Huh?”

She walked to where he stood. He told himself he didn’t move because the hall was narrow and she was between him and the door.

She put a hand on his chest as she took him in. “Every emotion is all over your face. But I won’t poke at you just now. A man can only take so much. Or so I’m told. Go get your dog. I’ll be waiting for you.” She stepped aside, and he sucked in a breath that was heavy with her scent.

He started to argue.

She rolled her eyes. “Really? You know you want to. So go on now. Buck will like the company.”

He huffed a sigh. “Probably. He likes company. Beth, you know this can’t be more than friends.”

She raised a brow. “Oh good Lord. You’re here in my house. Not because we’re friends. You’re going to run and grab your adorable dog to bring him back here, not because he likes company. You want to be with me. You want to get to know me not as William’s sister. You’re a grown-ass man. I don’t play games. Life’s too short.”

He stared at her. She wore a short-sleeved dress with a collar that should have made her look matronly but instead only made her look better. More feminine. Her legs were long and sun-kissed.

Beth Murphy was flat-out beautiful. And she knew him from before.

“You know I’m bad news.”

She snorted, one hand on her hip, an annoyed look on her face. “I know you were bad news. I’m inclined to cut a man some slack for what he was like at nineteen. God knows William had his problems when he was that age, and look at him now.”

“You’re very sure of yourself.”

“I grew up in a household with a mother who threw herself at one man after the next because she has some gaping hole she can’t fill. And no, I don’t mean that to be a pun. I may have flaws, but I know my worth. I’m not desperate for a man who doesn’t want me. If you didn’t want me, you’d have left by now. Hell, you’d have said your goodbye at the restaurant and let Nathan bring me home. I’m too old and too tired to dance around what is totally clear. You’re interested in me. In my lips, which you can’t stop looking at no matter how many times you tell yourself I’m William’s little sister.”

She sighed. “Look, go get your dog and come back here. You want to. I know you want to. You know you want to. You don’t have to marry me, for heaven’s sake.”

“I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Chapter Five

“Buck, we’re in trouble.”

Buck looked up from where he’d been chewing on some rawhide. One of his ears flopped back as he barked.

“It’s Beth. We’re going to her house.”

Buck hopped up, tongue lolling, big goofy grin on his face.

“Yeah, easy for you. But she’s my best friend’s little sister. A guy doesn’t go there.”

Buck sighed before he snorted and walked to the door, waiting, doing that little dance of his.

He would have spoken to Virginia about this in the past. But that wouldn’t be so easy now. First, she lived in Dallas. Second, when they’d gone from friends to lovers the transition back had been rocky and pretty much impossible.

He’d tried to tell her it wouldn’t work before they gave in and had sex. But he thought with his dick and she was an adult and they had some chemistry. But after a few weeks it had sputtered out and they’d never really been the same.

So he couldn’t call her to talk about another woman. Especially when what he felt for Beth was far more than sexual curiosity. He wasn’t that great at dealing with women, but he knew the one you broke up with doesn’t want to hear about how a new one is something you’d never experienced before.

He could talk to his best guy friend. But that happened to be Beth’s older brother. Not a good idea.

Buck barked again, scratching the door.

“Fine. But this is your fault.”

He grabbed a bowl and some food, and they headed back over to Beth’s.

She opened her door with a smile and then grinned to Buck. “Come on in.”

Joe allowed himself to take a good look. Both at her, and her apartment. It was warm. Framed pictures all over the place. This was a woman who loved people and who was loved in return.

“Lots of pictures.” He indicated her walls.

She nodded. “I like being surrounded by people who make me happy.” Her living room had a sliding glass door leading to a small patch of grass. She had a table and a few chairs with a big umbrella out there.

“How long have you lived here?”

“Um, let’s see. Three years now. I used to live in an apartment my landlord owns. I had my eye on this place a while.” She shrugged. “When it opened up I grabbed it. Tate is forever on me about buying my own place.”

“Roots are important.”

She snorted. “Yes. For Tate, they’re everything. Want a beer?”

He nodded.

“My yard is fenced if Buck wants to wander out and sniff stuff.”

He watched as she bent to grab the beer from her fridge. His whole body hardened. Buck wandered over to see what she was up to. She spoke to him absently as she cracked the bottles open.

He held up a bag. “I brought ice cream sandwiches.”