Page 62 of Men or Paws

I clinked his glass. “Cheers.”

Taking a sip of my wine, I couldn’t help but notice how relaxed I felt, like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Instead of wanting to get rid of Rocco or kill him, I was eager to spend time with him, eager to learn as much as I could about him, things that weren’t public knowledge.

Everything I knew so far had me wondering how he could even be single.

And as crazy as it sounded, I also wondered if there could ever be a chance that someone like him, the biggest movie star in the world, could ever be with someone who was just an average girl.

Could he ever be with someone like me?

Yes, I was still working for him, but maybe the thought popped into my head because it almost felt as if something shifted between us, like there was the possibility of something more since we cleared the air.

It also could have been my wild imagination.

We were obviously attracted to each other, no doubt, but the chemistry went deeper than just something at the physical level. It was almost as if the universe had been pushing us together while we were doing everything in our power to cling onto something that would pull us apart.

Sometimes you just have to let the chips fall where they may.

Would I be able to get out of my head and actually do that?

Rocco and I ate in silence, occasionally looking up at each other and smiling, both probably wondering the same thing.

What was going to happen next?

ChapterTwelve

Beth

The knock on the guesthouse door early the next morning startled me out of my deep sleep. I propped myself up on my elbows in bed, listening, wondering if I imagined the knocking or if maybe I had overslept.

I glanced over at the clock.

6:00 a.m.

Rocco wasn’t expected to show up with Houdini for another two hours, so I definitely imagined the noise unless there just happened to be a woodpecker outside the door.

The interruption was bad timing.

I was in the middle of a dream where I was just about to fall on top of Rocco again, but this time I was doing it on purpose.

Dropping my head back down on the pillow, I yawned, then closed my eyes. Hopefully, I would be able to resume the dream right where I had left off.

“Beth?” a sexy voice said from outside.

There was another knock on the door.

I opened my eyes again.

The woodpecker was named Rocco.

Still half-asleep, I slid out of bed and stumbled toward the door, wiping my eyes and yawning before opening it.

Rocco wore a black tank top, black Nike shorts that showed off his muscular legs, along with black tennis shoes and black crew socks. His hair was tousled, his face red and glistening, like he had just worked out.

Houdini was next to him, a smile on his face, his tail wagging.

“Good morning,” Rocco said. “Sorry, but I need to drop off Houdini earlier than usual today. Stay.” He tossed a couple of dog toys inside the guesthouse, then gestured to me. “Not you—Houdini.”

The dog obeyed like a good boy, not moving an inch, his eyes on the toys inside.