to something sultrier. “I was hoping you’d changed your mind.”
Tensing when she took another shaky step, he lowered his arms to his sides. “The only reason I came out here was to save you the trouble of getting out of your car.” He glanced pointedly at her feet.
“Yeah, I never should have worn these heels out here. But I have an appointment right after this, so...” She gave a slight shrug, the pull of the sweater drawing his attention to the swell of her breasts.
He couldn’t let that distract him. “Then you might as well be on your way,” he said and watched her smile slip. It came right back, though.
She didn’t just look different; she sounded different. Her sigh was soft, not filled with impatience and frustration like it had been when he’d first turned down her request to film on his land. And if she’d worn makeup before, she’d applied it with a much lighter touch. While she hadn’t gone overboard, her high cheekbones appeared more prominent, and there was a slight sheen to her lips.
Looking past him, her smile widened suddenly. “Hi, Dusty,” she called out with a wave, still clutching the car door.
When she took an unexpected step forward, Spencer automatically offered his hand.
She blinked at it and then was about to accept his help but said, “Wait.” She turned around and reached for something inside the car.
The way she bent across the seat made Spencer think she wasn’t used to wearing skirts. He told himself not to look, but he did. Only for a second before he turned his head. He hoped Dusty hadn’t seen his brief moment of indiscretion. Spencer didn’t care for the fact that the kid considered him a mentor, but how he felt about it didn’t change anything.
Erin backed up and stood with a folder in her hand.
Probably a contract. Wouldn’t happen.
He shook his head, tempted to let her fend for herself if she insisted on being stubborn. But good manners ingrained from the minute he learned to talk wouldn’t allow it.
Again, he offered his hand, and she didn’t hesitate to take it. Her palm was smooth and soft but not as silky as most of the women he knew back in Boise.
“You couldn’t have picked a worse place to park,” he said, trying to ignore the sweet scent of her skin.
“I see that.” She took another step, her fingers curling around his knuckles. Her hand was small, but she had a strong grip.
Spencer took a shallow breath. “Look, why don’t you get back in the car and—”
Erin gasped.
She pitched forward, digging her nails into his wrist.
He looked down and saw that her left heel had sunk deep into the rain-soaked dirt. She tried pulling it free but only managed to step out of the shoe.
“Oh, God.” Mud oozed from between her toes. “Tell me this isn’t happening.”
Spencer could see she was beginning to lose her balance. “I’ve got you,” he said, keeping hold of her hand and putting an arm around her waist. “If you can just move a few inches to your right—”
The folder slipped out of her hand. She tried to make a grab for it, and he tightened his arm around her just in time to save her from a face-plant. But then she unexpectedly scrambled for the paperwork again, and all control was lost.
In the next second she was sitting in the mud and gravel, muttering curses under her breath and glaring at him as if everything was his fault.
“WHAT HAPPENED TO ‘I’ve got you’?” Erin asked, then realized her snappy tone wouldn’t get her anywhere. Neither would glaring. She glanced down at the folder that she’d luckily salvaged, and pulled herself together before she looked up with as much concern as she could muster. “I hope I didn’t get you dirty.”
Spencer extended his hand, a wry expression on his face. “You can clean up inside,” he said, sounding as though he’d rather have his arm broken than invite her into his home.
Dusty skidded to a stop inches short of the puddle. “Are you okay, Erin?” he asked as he bent to pull her shoe out of the mud.
It looked like she felt, but after a quick swipe over the bottom of her foot, she was able to slip it back on.
“Just mortified. I’ll get over it.” Again, she accepted Spencer’s hand, and as he helped her to her feet, she realized her skirt had ridden up. She jerked her hand free to tug down the hem and fell flush against his hard chest.
She froze, making sure her feet were solidly planted before she made any more sudden moves. His arm immediately came around her. Her second mistake was to look up into his eyes. Spencer’s expression remained detached, but something had turned his eyes a dark green.
“Sorry,” she muttered. “And thanks.” She lowered the hand she couldn’t recall pressing to his chest and tentatively straightened. “I think it’s safe to let me go.”
He hesitated before releasing her. “Dusty, you mind moving Erin’s car?”
“Sure thing. Are the keys in the ignition?”
Neither of them looked at Dusty. They were still gazing at each other. But it took her a few seconds to realize it.
She cleared her throat and watched the ground as she moved away from Spencer and turned to smile at the young man. “I’m already muddy. I might as well do it.”
“It’s no trouble. Anyway, you don’t want to get your seats mucked up.”
Spencer picked up a piece of paper that had fallen from her folder. When he straightened and handed it to her, she saw what she’d done to his flannel shirt. The dark blue-and-gray plaid couldn’t hide the streaks of mud her fingers had left behind.
Erin cringed. “Sorry,” she said, waving at his chest. “Of course I’ll pay to have it cleaned.”
His mouth twitched at the corner. It wasn’t a smile exactly, but the closest thing to one that she’d seen on his face yet. “I have a washing machine and dryer if you want to use them before your next appointment.”
“What?” She glanced down at herself and then over her shoulder to check the back. Of course she didn’t have an appointment. She’d just said that as an excuse. “Dammit, this is a new skirt.” And it belonged to Lila.
“It’s only mud,” Spencer said, eyeing the front of her legs. “It’ll wash out.”
“I hope so.”
His gaze shifted briefly to Dusty, then back to Erin. “Are you coming?” Impatience flared in his face and extended to his voice. “I haven’t got all day.”
“Yes, thanks.”
Dusty hadn’t moved. He was staring at his boss with a puzzled frown. But one warning look from Spencer and Dusty opened the car
