“A key doesn’t give you the right to impose on paying tenants, Landry Reed, especially when you walk in unannounced,” I retort. “Neither does being my landlord’s brother.”
“No one told me you were staying here. And I’ve already made a deal with Blake,” he repeats, his eyes moving up to my face again.
I sigh. “Yeah. I heard you the first time. But it doesn’t change the fact that I already moved in. Also, do you mind looking anywhere else but at me for now?”
“Sorry,” he says, ducking his head. “When did this happen?”
“About a week ago.” I grunt as I struggle to untangle the stubborn strand of hair twisted around that button again.
“Howdid this happen?”
“Loren mentioned to Rowan that she still needed someone to take her place while she was on maternity leave, and he recommended me. Then she helped me get set up at Camellia High.”
“Yeah, I’d heard about that part from your brother, too. I meant how did you end up livinghere.”
“She offered to rent her house out to me since she’s apparently going to be staying with Blake for the indefinite future,” I explain. But I still can’t untangle my hair. “Fudge sticks up a fudge tree!” I growl, and Landry snorts.
“What kind of curse is that?”
“The LaFleur kind,” I grumble before letting out a defeated sigh. “I think you’d be used to them by now. I hate to ask, but since you’re here, think you could help me out?”
He swallows hard, his eyes still locked on his feet. “With what?”
“I spilled on my dress, and when I went to take it off to clean it, the buttons got caught in my hair. Then your surprise intrusion caused me to panic and make things worse, I’m afraid.”
He coughs uncomfortably. “I can’t help you without looking at you.”
“Well, you’ve already witnessed me in all my glory.” I glance down at my bra and panties. Thankfully, they’re decent looking, even if they don’t match. “And you’re a doctor. I’m sure you’ve seen plenty of humans in their underwear before today.”
“It’s not quite the same, since the majority of my patients wear diapers or Bluey undies, but I can be a mature adult, despite what Rowan might say about me,” he replies with a smirk before his head pops up. He casually strides through the small living area to meet me in the kitchen. “Besides, I’m pretty sure I’ve seen most of the LaFleurs in their drawers at some point,” he adds with a light laugh. “You guys might be modest, but you aren’t exactly shy.”
I frown as he comes to stand in front of me. “I’d like to think I’ve been keeping myself fully clothed in front of visitors since the age of twelve or thirteen.”
“Were you even that old when I first started coming around the homestead?” he asks, slipping his large hands into the fabric and digging around.
“Mm-hmm,” I say quietly. Then I hook my pinky around his finger and guide him to the hair-covered button, and his brow furrows as he tries unsuccessfully to free it. He growls in frustration, his eyes never venturing away from my face. And it’s not that I’d believe Dr. Landry Reed might ever be interested in me, but I can’t help but feel a little disappointed when he doesn’t even bother to check me out. I may not be unusually curvy, but I am a mostly naked, fully grown woman standing right in front of him, after all, and Landry’s certainly a red-blooded male. There’s no questioning his masculinity, not with that sharply chiseled and five-o’clock-shadow-covered jawline hovering mere inches away from me.
I sigh, then I force myself to hold my breath once I accidentally catch a whiff of him. He’s wearing a dark green button down and slacks in addition to that delicious cologne, and his thick, black hair falls into his face as he works. I lower my eyes after a while, trying not to seem so obvious in my ogling of him.
I don’t get out much, okay?
“I, um, I’m sorry about the house thing. If I’d have known you were planning to move in, I wouldn’t have taken Loren up on the offer,” I say softly. I also have a habit of filling awkward silences with awkward words.
He shrugs again, but he still looks angry. “I guess it’s not your fault. I should have known better than to trust Blake. And Loren should have said something, especially when I mentioned I was moving in this morning. In fact, she was so quick to get off the phone with me earlier that she didn’t even listen to my advice about not having a big baby shower in the first place. She just cut me off and told me—” He stops abruptly and shakes his head. “Never mind.”
I bite my lip at the way his face falls. “I’m sure she’s just tense with everything on her plate right now,” I offer quietly. But he doesn’t take it as a consolation, if his broody expression is any indication.
After a while, he removes his hands and takes a step back. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can get it without ruining either the dress or your hair.”
I stick out my bottom lip in a pout. “That grease stain has probably set by now, anyway.”
He nods and reaches in, this time grasping the bodice of the dress in both hands and yanking roughly. I flinch when I hear the delicate linen ripping as the dress splits into two, but my arms are finally free. He continues tearing until only a small square of material hangs from my hair. Then he places the remnants on the counter before he averts his eyes again.
“Thanks,” I tell him, his manly scent still hanging in the air between us.
“No worries. Sorry again about barging in. I’ve never been good at sensing when I’m not wanted,” he returns sarcastically.
I cringe. “So, where are you going to stay?”
