Rachel red at Tyler, giving him a look like she had just been yanked from a heartfelt moment straight into wanting to punch someone.


    She propped herself up and tilted her head toward him.


    “Tyler, do me a favor and exin what exactly you meant by not messing with someone’s dog unless they’re ready to deal with the owner.”


    Tyler gave a sheepish grin and reached over to pat her on the head again. “Oh,e on. Don’t be so petty, Rachel. It was just a metaphor. I wasn’t actually saying you’re a dog.”


    Rachel was silent, then swatted his hand away.


    “You might as well not have exined.”


    Trying to exin just made it worse.


    Once they got back to the apartment, Tyler opened the door, tossed his keys on the table, shrugged off his


    jacket, and casually called out to Wanda.


    “Wanda, just whip up something simple. Keep the spice down. Light and in.”


    Wanda poked her head out from the kitchen, clearly aware why they hadn’t stayed to eat at the family


    estate.


    “But sir, don’t you usually prefer spicy food? What’s with the change today?”


    Tyler gestured subtly in Rachel’s direction with a nod. Wanda instantly understood and smiled warmly.


    “You really are thoughtful, sir. I almost forgot she’s not used to the spice. I’ll get right on it.” 1


    Rachel was now sitting cross–legged on the floor, gently petting Ray’s head. Ray hadpletely taken to her. In fact, Ray now seemed to stick to Rachel more than to Tyler.


    The real master of the house was definitely noticing this.


    Tyler nced sideways at the two of them, his face full of mock disdain.


    “Traitor. After all those years I fed you and raised you, and now a pretty girl shows up and you’re ready to


    move out. I bet you’d even follow her to the dog butchers if she asked.”


    Rachel burst intoughter and cradled Ray’s fluffy head, tilting her head with a grin.


    “Is that true? Are you this loyal to me? Would you really go to the dog butchers with me if I asked?”


    Whether Ray understood or not, he just kept staring at Rachel with those big puppy eyes, full of emotion and innocence.


    Rachel chuckled and muttered, “You know, sometimes I think dogs are way more devoted than men.


    Look at those eyes. Nothing but love.”


    She leaned in to nuzzle Ray, and the dog clearly loved every second of it.


    Tyler, meanwhile, froze mid–sip of water and gave her a side–eye.


    “Oh, that’s how it is now? Repaying kindness with shade? Look at you, picking up metaphors and


    throwing them right back. Fast learner.”


    He had just teased her earlier with the whole ‘dog and owner‘ thing, and now here she was, casually


    throwing shade that men weren’t as loyal as dogs.


    That one hit a little too hard.


    Rachel put on her most innocent expression. “I was just making an observation. If you took that


    personally, that’s on you.”


    Tyler didn’t push it. He dusted imaginary lint off his cks. “Lucky for you, I’m mature enough not to argue with a brat. I’m going upstairs to change. Call me when dinner’s ready.”


    Just as he stepped onto the stairs, he paused and looked back.


    The image of a girl with a dog looked oddly peaceful.


    It wasn’t bad at all.


    Later, as Wanda brought out the dishes to the dining table, she nced at Rachel, who was still ying with Ray, andmented, “Ray really knows how to pick people. We’ve had quite a few women show up beforedies Mr. Thomas tried to introduce to Mr. Hunt–but he was never interested. There wasn’t


    anything Mr. Thomas could do about it, either.”