Page 103 of Housebroke

She picked Freddie up, unable to resist pressing a kiss to his long snout before setting him back on the grass. He bounded off with Lilith hot on his heels.

After she took a quick shower, she towel dried her hair and ran through it with a comb, then blow-dried it and put on a quick touch of makeup. It was too humid right now for anything else.

She put on a sundress and her sandals and went downstairs.

Linc was there, wearing shorts and a short-sleeved shirt, his hair still damp.

“I didn’t even know you were here.”

“When I got home I saw you were busy getting ready so I showered in the other bathroom.”

“Oh. Okay.” He could have stepped in the shower with her. Maybe he was preoccupied. She certainly was. She wouldn’t hold it against him.

“Ready to go?”

“Absolutely.”

She brought the pups inside, refilled their water bowls, and gave them all a treat, and they headed toward their respective happy places for their afternoon nap in the cool air-conditioning.

Then Hazel and Linc got into his truck and buckled up.

He looked over at her. “You look pretty. I like that dress.”

For the first time in a couple of hours, she smiled. “Thankyou. I figured if we were meeting with a Realtor, I should look decent. Plus it’s humid and a dress is cooler.”

“Well, you might be cool, but looking at you is making me all kinds of hot.”

She laughed. “I guess you’ll have to suffer through it.”

“I could take you back inside and take that dress off.”

“Not a chance. I’ve been looking forward to seeing these houses.”

He shrugged. “Not as much fun as wild sex.”

“True, but still, you’re all but finished with the house. It’s time to put it up for sale, and find a new place, right?”

“I guess so.”

She hid her smirk at the disappointment on his face by looking out the window.

They arrived at the house. To say it was underwhelming was an understatement. Linc’s Realtor, Jennifer, let them inside and told them to look around, that she’d wait out back.

Hazel stayed quiet during the walk-through of the four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home, making mental notes as she wandered through the kitchen and living area, and down the hall to investigate the bedrooms and bathrooms. When she stepped outside, she was wowed.

A decent pool and a lake view.

Jennifer was seated in one of the chairs out there, going through her phone.

“We’re going to do another tour inside,” Linc said.

Jennifer nodded. “Sure, of course. I’ll be right here.”

They walked inside and he closed the door. Linc leaned against the kitchen counter. “Thoughts?”

“The kitchen is a gut job. You could open up this wall and it wouldn’t feel so closed in, and it would give a more open feel into the living area.” She stepped into the living room. “It’s nice and spacious, but these floors have seen better days. What do you think?”

His lips curved. “Everything you just said, plus more. But you’re good at this. Ever thought about becoming my assistant?”

---