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Lily.”
    “So do I.” She reached out and put her hand on his left forearm as the lead rope trailed out of his palm. “I am their friend, and you are their family. Doesn’t it make sense that we should try to be friends, too?”
    Once she said it she knew it made the most sense of any argument she’d put forth. “Friends” was safe, wasn’t it? The skin beneath her fingers was warm and firm and she looked up. Her gaze caught on his mouth, the finely shaped lips with the perfect dip in the centre.
    He said nothing, and her breaths grew faster, more shallow as the moment held in the hot summer afternoon.
    Pixie got tired of standing around and nudged Noah withher nose, sending him off balance and forward. Lily’s hand gripped his forearm and her other reached for his T-shirt as their bodies bumped together.
    Her breasts were flattened against his rib cage and she felt the quick rise and fall of his breath. His deep-set eyes looked into hers, wide and with an awareness that hadn’t been there before. For a second it almost seemed he leaned closer, but then she blinked and his jaw tightened as he stepped back, steadying her on her feet with his hand and tightening his grip on the lead.
    “Friends,” he stated, though she detected a sliver of skepticism in his tone. “We’ll see, Lily. We’ll see.”
    He walked away, Pixie trailing behind, leaving Lily with nothing to do but watch his retreat.

CHAPTER THREE
    L ILY PICKED UP N OAH in her compact car. When he came out of the house, he had a small bag over his shoulder and sunglasses shaded his eyes. His jeans were neat but well faded and broken in, the way a good pair of jeans was meant to be. Despite the heat, he wore a long-sleeved tee in brown, the right sleeve pinned up to cover the stump sock.
    Lily briefly remembered being breathless, pressed up against his chest. It was just as well they only had the wedding and summer vacation when they’d be seeing each other on a regular basis. After that, she’d be back teaching. And she’d be focused on what she needed to be focused on. Work. Routine. And who knew what was in store for him?
    “Thanks for the lift this morning.” He opened the door and slid in, only to find his knees pressed against the dash.
    Lily laughed at the comical sight of his legs folded up in the small space. “My lord, you’re a giant for this little car. Handle’s in the middle, between your legs.”
    He reached for the lever, heaving a sigh of relief when the seat slid back and he could extend his legs a little bit. He put his bag on the floor between his knees. “It isn’t quite a Humvee, is it.”
    He seemed in better humor this morning, despite the daythey had ahead of them. “It suits my needs,” Lily replied lightly. “It’s practical and economical.”
    He twisted, reaching across with his left arm to grab the door handle and slam it shut. It took him two tries and a low grumble to get it latched so that the little red dash light went out. His good mood seemed to dissipate as he slid his glasses onto the top of his head. “And you are a practical woman, aren’t you.”
    She prided herself on her practical streak, and yet the way he said it felt like a criticism, not a compliment. He reached across himself once more and grabbed his seat belt, crossing it over his middle and fastening it. She put the car in gear and started out the drive, heading toward Main Avenue and from there to the highway to take them north. She felt his eyes on her and returned the look when they stopped at a stop sign. She forced a smile. “I try to be.”
    “It is an unexpected trait,” he mused, shifting and settling into the upholstery. “You’re so…” But he broke off, turning his head to look out the window.
    “I’m so what?” Her heart tripped a little bit. It shouldn’t really matter what Noah thought of her, but somehow it did. Maybe because, even though she’d known him such a short time, she already had a sense of his strength