By Saturday night, Paige hadn't heard anything from Luke, and she was beginning to believe she wasn't ever going to. Which was both good, and incredibly disappointing, which made it even more good. More better. Better.

God. She couldn’t even think anymore. She'd been so discombobulated after her meeting with him that she'd had law firm nightmares the rest of the week, and when she wasn't dreaming about law firm hell, she'd been dreaming about abs, nakedness, and kisses.

Which meant she was very glad to finally have a distraction, even if it was a double date with her mom.

Paige elbowed her mom while Walter and Walt Jr. were discussing which wine to order. "Thanks for bringing me."

Louise raised her eyebrow. "You like him?"

Paige nodded, sneaking a glance at the slightly nerdy man with heavy glasses and a bead of sweat on his brow. "He seems nice." Not exactly sexy, challenging, or irritating, but he was nice enough.

"He doesn't seem very bright," Louise whispered. "I'm thinking he's not enough man for you."

"He seems approachable. I can work with that." Paige flashed Walt Jr. a warm smile. He blushed, then smiled back. Walt Jr. was the kind of man who wasn't obsessed with his greatness, didn't appear to work very hard, and didn't care about lawyers. So what if he wasn't handsome or could be bossed around by a three-year-old. He was as far from her dad as she could get, so it was perfect.

"That's our boat," Walt Jr. said, pointing out the window at a snappy red number sitting in a slip near the restaurant. They were dining at a nice restaurant on a much bigger lake than the one Paige and her mom lived on. Walt apparently had a very nice home on it, which meant his pre-retirement years had been lucrative. "Want to go on a ride after dinner?"

"Sure." Paige ignored her mom's sigh. "So, how often do you come up here from Boston?"

"About once a month," Walt Jr. said. He grinned. "But I might start coming more often. What do you think?"

"That'd be cool," she said. When her mom kicked her under the table, she'd had enough. Giving her mom the look, she stood up. "I'm going to the ladies' room. Mom? Care to join me?"

"No. I'm all set. Have a nice time." Louise picked up a roll. "Hurry back. We'll miss you."

Shoving her hair out of her face, Paige stalked across the room. Her mom was impossible. After talking Paige into dinner tonight, it had taken her about five minutes to decide that Walt Jr. couldn’t measure up to Luke, who she'd never even met.

Was it her goal to have Paige end up in a miserable marriage like she'd been in? Married to a man who didn't care one bit about his wife or kids, except how they might help his career? Like Luke. Who hadn't called. The man didn't even care enough to train his dog. And her mom wanted her to choose him over Walt Jr.?

"That's your heavily-muscled lumberjack?"

The deep rumble of masculine amusement drew her up short, a tingle shooting through her. She caught her breath, then turned to her right. There he was. The Muffin Man. Grinning like a dog who'd just stolen a roast beef.

Her heart leapt and started thundering in her chest. He looked devastatingly handsome, and her body reacted the same way as it had before, pretty much prostrating itself for a chance to bask in the raw masculinity emanating from him.

He grinned. "You can't buy that guy's muscles in a gym. You were absolutely right about him."

She took a deep breath. "What are you doing here?"

"Trawling for clients, of course. What else would I be doing? Eating dinner?"

Paige inclined her head slightly. "Point taken. How's Muffin?"

His cheek twitched. "He's fine."

She grinned. "Still having trouble, I see."

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't have to. I've met the dog, and I've met you. Plus, your cheek is doing this weird twitchy thing when I say his name. Muffin. Muffin. Muffin. Does his name give you convulsions?"

He pressed a hand to his twitchy cheek. "Well, aren't you the all-seeing soothsayer."

She grinned. "It's my job to know dogs."

"Have you given my card to your lawyer friend yet?"

Ah…he was tenacious when it came to recruiting talent. Somehow, that didn't surprise her. "She's not interested."

"That's not what I asked."

Paige rolled her eyes. "She has your card, but the thought of being affiliated with a Boston law firm doesn't send chills of delight down her spine."

"Why don't you let me speak to her? I bet I can change her mind. Then she doesn't have to blame you for taking away the best opportunity of her life."

Paige gritted her teeth. The man was domineering and impossible. So what if he looked positively delectable in his blue jeans and hiking boots, with a day's worth of stubble on his face. He didn't look at all like a lawyer right now. She had to get away from him before she committed her "lawyer friend" to a dinner with the man. "I'll see you around."

She pushed by him and stalked to the bathroom, resisting the urge to look over her shoulder.

Luke stared after her, unable to drag his eyes off her shapely rear end. Although he could see less of her than the first time he'd met her, she looked even sexier with her blue jeans and modest tank top than she had in her wet t-shirt. Perhaps that's because he knew what was underneath. The way her bangs fell over her forehead, the blond hair contrasting against her blue eyes... Before he could stop himself, he marched over to the bathroom door and knocked on it.

When no one answered, he pushed open the door and poked his head in. "Paige? Is anyone else in there?"

"Luke?" She sounded strangled, and he grinned. No other women answered his call, so he walked inside. There were two stalls, and he could see feet under one door. Tanned calves with white ankles and feet, indicative of a woman who spent her days running around with dogs, not stretched out on a beach chair tanning. The pink toenail polish was chipped, but it made her feet even sexier. He'd thought he preferred women with a manicure, but apparently not. "I've got a proposition for you, Paige."

"What are you doing in here? This is the women's bathroom."

Luke lounged against the wall, watching her feet. They were bouncing quickly now, as if he were making her nervous. "Are you interested in hearing my proposition?"

"Not at this moment, no. Can you leave?"

"No. I'm in the mood to discuss this now." He chuckled at the muttered oath that floated under the stall door toward him. Damn, he liked her spirit. "You were right about Muffin. I need help, and there are no other decent dog trainers in the area."

"Of course I was right."

He heard a scrabbling sound from inside the stall, and assumed she was trying to peel the toilet paper off the roll. He wondered what she looked like with her pants around her knees, but then decided not to let his mind wander down that path. "I'll let you train us on one condition."

"Oh, blessed me. You'll let me train your dog if I do something for you? Isn't today my lucky day." The toilet flushed, and he watched her feet change shape as she stood up.

Luke grinned. "Aren't you willing to make a deal to ensure one more happy dog in this world?"

Paige yanked open the stall door and glared at him. "I can't believe we're having this conversation in the bathroom."

"Your fly is open."

She glanced down, then yanked on the zipper. It stopped halfway, ground to a halt by the pink fabric of her tank top, caught in the teeth. Muttering under her breath, she tugged at the zipper, her cheeks flushed.

Luke leaned against the wall and watched her struggle. "Anyway, want to hear my proposition?"

"No." She gave a hard tug on the zipper, only to have her fingers slide off the tab and grind into the metal. Squawking in pain, Paige sucked on her thumb.

Luke walked over to Paige and crouched in front of her, trying not to think of what she was doing with her thumb.

"What are you doing?" She sounded appalled.

"Helping you with your zipper. You'll never get back to your hot date if I don't."

He reached for her pants, but she caught his hand. "Um, no. I can get it."

Luke let her push his hand away, but he didn't get up. He merely looked at her. Warily eyeing him as if he were a psychopath, she yanked on the zipper again, grimacing when her fingers slipped off it again. She tugged twice more, with no success.

Finally, she inclined her head slightly. "Fine. Assist me."

This time, when he reached for her pants, she didn't stop him. He grabbed the tab of the zipper and tugged, pulling her hips toward him with each pull.

"So, what is the proposition?" Paige asked. She crossed her arms and fixed her gaze on the painting on the wall, as if she weren't remotely bothered by the intimacy of Luke's position. He would've believed her if he couldn't see her pulse racing in her throat.

"I'd like to change the terms of the contract." Luke slid his right hand inside her jeans so he could ascertain where the fabric was trapped in the back of the zipper.

The back of his hand was resting against the front of her underwear, and he was quite certain she was wearing lace. Had she worn it for her lumberjack? The thought made him grimace, and he tugged harder at the zipper.

"What terms?" Her voice squeaked, and he knew she was as aware as he was that he had his hands down the front of her pants. He didn't believe her when she clasped her hands on top of her head, as if it were no big deal.

"The money back guarantee." Luke gritted his teeth. "Um, I need to look at the back of the zipper where your shirt is caught."

Her blue eyes widened slightly, but she didn't move her hands from the top of her head. "Fine. What about the guarantee?"

Luke stood up and pulled the front of her pants away from her belly. Yep. Lace. He wiped a bead of sweat off his brow. At least he could see the fabric wedged in the metal now. "You can keep the fifteen-hundred-dollar deposit."

Holding the zipper with his left hand, he reached inside her jeans with his right, pulling on the shirt while he tugged on the zipper. First up, then down, then up...

"And what do you want if he's trained at the end?" Paige tried to avert her eyes, but his head was right under her face, and he smelled like the woods. She glanced down. The back of his neck was slightly tanned, with a white line showing that he'd just gotten a haircut. Even in the dim bathroom, his hair was shiny. It looked so soft. What was a lawyer doing smelling like the woods with a tan neck?

"I want you to arrange dinner with me and your lawyer friend." He gave a final tug, and the zipper slid peacefully down, her pants falling open. "Got it."

Paige glanced down, flushing when she realized that he had full view of her undies. "Thanks."

"Your shirt tore a little bit." He flexed his fingers.

"No problem." Paige quickly fastened the top button. When she went to grab the zipper, Luke grinned.

"Zip that carefully. As fun as that was, I don't think I could do it again."

She carefully pushed her shirt out of the way before she pulled the zipper up. Why couldn't he do it again? Not because he'd been turned on the way she had been, that was for sure. Her mind was in the gutter, and she needed to get it out, and in a hurry.

Once her pants were safely secure, she met Luke's gaze. His eyes were dark, unreadable, except for the intense heat burning her up and making her feel like ripping off her shirt and throwing herself into his arms. So, yeah, unreadable, except for that.

"So, is it a deal?" he asked. "A trained dog for dinner with the attorney?"

Paige chewed her lower lip, trying to focus her mind on business. Luke wouldn't have the patience to make it through the entire training program with Muffin. It was a safe deal for her. "Sure. Dinner with my lawyer friend if Muffin passes all the tests."

"And you won't make up tests just to keep him from passing?"

She grinned and patted his cheek patronizingly. The stubble on his cheek pricked her fingers. God, that was hot. Why had he not shaved? Her old firm had had a "no facial hair" rule, so Luke's whiskers were a complete distraction, and completely sexy. "You're so skeptical of women, Luke. You need to have more faith."

He clasped her hand just as she was pulling it away from his face and held it for just a second too long, if one intended "too long" to mean "too long to be proper." Because in terms of "oh wow, that felt great," it was just long enough to make her want more.

"I'm a lawyer. Lawyers don't have faith in human nature. They have faith in the written word, with a signature on the bottom."

Paige sighed. She didn't need a skeptical, bitter lawyer in her personal life. The zipper experience would have to fuel her fantasies, because nothing more was going to happen with the Muffin Man. "Okay, so bring a revised contract to our first training session."

"No, have your lawyer friend redraft yours. I like her style. Tomorrow's Sunday. I'll be at your house at ten?"

Paige groaned inwardly. That meant she'd have to do the contract tonight after she got home, or early tomorrow instead of her morning swim. "Can't we do it later? Like noon?"

"No, I've got to go to the office later."

"Figures," she muttered. The door swung open suddenly, causing her to jump.

"Paige? Are you sick?" Louise walked in, her tanned face wrinkled with concern. She stopped. "Oh. Hello."

Paige realized that she was still standing intimately close to Luke. She stepped away from him and turned on the faucet to wash her hands "Hey, Mom. Just having a conversation."

Louise, wearing a modest tank top that showed off her sculpted arms, looked from her daughter to Luke. Watching Luke in the mirror, Paige was annoyed to discover that Luke looked amused, rather than embarrassed.

He nodded to Louise. "I'm Luke Donovan. Your daughter and I were negotiating terms for her to train my dog."

Paige saw the look of recognition on her mother's face and prayed her mom wouldn't make the Muffin Man reference to Luke's face.

"Ah, yes. Paige told me about you. You're just as handsome as she said you were."

The Muffin Man reference would have been better. She moaned to herself and splashed water on her face. "I also said he was an arrogant pill, if you recall," she said. "No offense, Luke, but you are a lawyer."

Luke looked at her mom, looking even more amused. "She said I was an arrogant pill?"

"She might have said something to that effect. But I'm sure she was talking about the dog."

Luke grinned. "I doubt it. She's a bit of a pain herself."

Paige grabbed a paper towel and wiped her dripping chin. "You don't like me because you can't control me, like you control everyone else in your life."

"That's what you think?"

"Yep." She tossed the towel into the trash.

"Did it ever occur to you that your independence is one of the things I like most about you?"

"What?"

"Nothing."

Paige didn't want to stay around to figure that one out. She needed reminders of why Luke was wrong for her, before she got involved and let him break her heart and ruin her life.

"Guess we oughta head back out there, huh, Mom?"

Louise shook her head. "Oh, no. The men are fine. Watching you two spar is much more interesting."

"I have to go anyway," Luke said. "I'll see you tomorrow at ten."

"With Muffin," she said quickly, irritated by the knowing look on her mom's face.

"With Muffin," he agreed. He pulled open the door to the bathroom, then paused. "By the way, I love your black lace panties."

"Luke!" But he was gone, leaving Paige alone to fend off her mom's questions.

"When did he see your underwear?"