-shirt. Personal stuff fell out of the backpack in the process, including a packet of muesli bars I

apped the packet. I quickly munched on one as I stripped myself naked. I hadn’t ea

e shower. Twisting the handle to the right, a burst of cold water sprayed at me, making me jump. I turned it a

lack tresses and rinsed away the dirt. I wished I could shampoo my hair. As if God had finally for once answered my prayers, I happened to turn and see the bottles o

ne,” I said softly

attention to the body wash. A few minutes later, I was nearly done. But what the heck? I didn’t want to get out. I just wanted to stay in the

een afraid of them, regardless of the size. The encounter with Sammy previously hadn’

ive, followed by a low growl. I wond

ut I was stupid and I didn’t. I quickly turned off the shower, grabbed

I’d always been a curious girl, and against my better j

rks blasted at me, followed by a whirlwind

on my backside—hard—on the marble flo

t followed me until I was cornered between the basin and the toilet. Suddenly, it cock

by giving it your hand. Well, if I wanted to get out of this bizarr

ent, and I thought it was going great. That was until it started barking again an

ly, it turned its attention to my backp

as a stupid thing, of course, since the can

ed at me again. Then it dipped its head into the bag and stuff flew out—my pan

ious mue

ort to spending a tiny portion of my three hundred dollars for buying burgers to survive until I went home. The re

’d fight it to the death for my belongings, it gr

the towel against my chest so it wouldn’t unwrap itself from

I demanded. “Giv

d and then was out of my sight. I forced my legs to go faster, too, and turned before realizing it was c

inking, raced after the little beast. It turned a co

tle beast!” I ordered. “

fore I could catch my breath, I

suddenly warm hands wrapped around my waist, pulling me back. In the process, I automatically let go of my hands about the towel an

me. My heart pumped loudly within my chest as I drifted my eyes from the broad chest up

ago, in fact. I knew if I were to go farther and meet those Prussian-blue eyes, I’d become breathless again

en into me, was here in this house that belonged to Mr. Maxwell in the first place. Or the fact that I was in his arms, naked and dripping wet. I didn’

attered on the floor and the dog’s mouth, evidence of the beast devouring my limited resources for survival. My bac

house fed this starving little beast of a dog? And som

re to think what I’d look like as I rushed over to the dog, naked, bending down

lothes, clutching them in front of me. The mo

never be able to describe. A hot rush of excitement and pure agony and dread whirled through my being,

sexy, made me take a st

st stood there, staring at the broadness o

beautiful chin that suddenly made me want to touch and stroke it.

ied slowly, m

. His next words made me want to stab a knife into his hear

ooding through me. My whole body t

s, “You’ve mess

he dog’s fault. It took my bag and destroy

alized I was treading on thin ice. Any moment

Maxwell, the man I’d dreaded meeting. The man Andy owed two million dollars. The man who would have Andy shot dead in an instant

impering at the man with a cuteness no person coul

the canine. “What have you been eati

a healthy, nutritiou

ion to me, one hands

nse and interested gaze with pieces of ripped clothing wasn’t going to do it. Thus, I looked to the towel near his feet.

he towel around me. When I gave my attention to

nsettled me. I was about to say something when he

or, and I remembered to ask

he said over his shoulder and th