Without having come up with a reasonable excuse, and realizing she didn't have a way of contacting him other than school email, which might be monitored, she ended up at his house with the intention of telling him that she simply was not interested in dog sitting.

She could have emailed him, there probably wouldn't have been an issue, but for some reason she didn't want to risk getting him in trouble. It couldn't be because she liked him, it was simply because he was a good teacher, and she enjoyed his classes, and she was looking forward to the next one.

Charlie had no trouble finding the house. It was close to the school in a neighborhood that was built just after WWII. The craftsman style bungalows were well kept and charming with large yards. Hilliard's house sat across the street from the park.

She parked her car in front of the house bearing the same number that was on the piece of paper.

Not at all easy with entering a strange, single man's domain, she took a deep breath while telling herself that not everyone was out to harm her as she made herself get out of the car and start up the walk.

When she got to the door she paused, her heart was pounding and she felt cold sweat on her brow. She couldn't do it. She didn't know this man, why would she walk into his house alone? She would leave and email him to tell him she had changed her mind. If he got into trouble it was his own fault.

Just as she turned around the door to the house opened and a tall blond man, who was not Hilliard, greeted her.

Charlie's first instinct was to run. She instantly did not like the man. He reminded her too much of someone she would rather forget. Her logical side looked closely at the man and realized that he was not the same, but her instinctual side would have none of it.

"Is that you Charlie?" she heard Hilliard from the back recesses of the house.

The blond man grinned. "Hello pretty lady. Come on in." He stood aside as two roly-poly bulldogs waddled out of the door, snorting like pigs as they followed her scent.

Despite her unease Charlie looked down at the dogs and smiled. She swore they were smiling back as they panted, snorted, and sniffed her shoes. They quickly lost interest in her and wandered back into the house, obviously not interested in the freedom that lay beyond the front porch either.

Charlie looked back up at the man as he opened the door wider.

"No thanks, I'll wait for Dr. Hilliard."

He eyed her then shrugged as he shouted over his shoulder. "Hey Houdini, it's for you."

Charlie stood where she was and waited. She looked past the man to see that the dogs had gone to lay in beds by the fireplace and both were snoring very loudly.

"Hey Charlie, come on in, I'm in the kitchen. Don't let Will scare you off, he's harmless enough."

This time Charlie had no choice but to enter the house and, unless she wanted to admit her fear of the strange man to Hilliard, follow Will as he led the way.

When she entered the kitchen her first thought was that it was a wonderful room. Her next thought was that Hilliard was dressed in a way she had never seen him dressed, and that he was a man in his prime, and in very good shape. He had well defined everything. He was dressed in the same outfit as Will, a black t-shirt, cargo pants, and heavy boots; but where Will's t-shirt fit him with a little room to spare Hilliard's was very tight, and she noticed a tattoo around his bicep just under his shirt sleeve.

He looked up and meet her eyes; his mossy green ones held nothing but polite interest.

She had grown up in a military family so she knew the signs. His beard and shaggy hair had thrown her. She looked back at Will, and was surprised that she had missed the signs with him.

Hilliard motioned for her to join him at the counter.

Charlie did so, but kept her eye on Will. He had a few days growth of beard on a very square jaw which managed to look unkempt, but Charlie was guessing that he took time over it every day. His short blond hair had a slight wave to it and he had chocolate brown eyes.

He was a very handsome man, and Charlie had little doubt that he knew it.

"Now, here are all of the instructions. Feeding times, any medicines they need to take, and here are the numbers you can call in case of an emergency."

Hilliard's closeness was overwhelming her and as soon as he finished showing her everything she stepped back out of his personal space.

He walked over to a pantry and opened it. As soon as he did both dogs came running into the kitchen. "Here is their food. Even though they act like they're starving they aren't."

He pulled out the bin and opened it, frowning as he reached into the pantry and pulled out a forty pound bag of dog food. He held it up with one arm as if it was a pillow reached into his pants pocket pulled out a knife and slashed the bag allowing the contents to empty into the bin.

Both dogs were standing as close to the bin as they could get, hoping he would miss. He didn't.

Charlie watched as his arm flexed while his other hand folded up the knife and put it back into his pocket.

Charlie cleared her throat. This was it, this was the time to tell him that she couldn't help him.

"I appreciate you doing this Charlie. I'm really in a bind I know you're out of your comfort zone so I thank you. I would send them to a kennel but last time I did that they ended up fighting with each other and it wasn't pretty. Neither were the vet bills to sew them up." It was as if he sensed what she had been about to say and had cut her off before she had the chance.

"What are their names?" she asked it so softly she was afraid he hadn't heard her over the dog food emptying into the container.

"Athena and Ares," he finally answered.

The Greek God and Goddess of war. How appropriate. Blanche could not have gotten it more wrong when she said he was a hippy. She shook her head while a small smile played around her lips.

Hilliard looked at her, one very well defined eyebrow rising in question.

"Blanche swore you were an egotistical hippy."

Will who had been watching them closely since she had entered the kitchen laughed, "The egotistical part was right at least."

Hilliard didn't even crack a smile nor did he make a comment.

There was silence as he finished with the dog food.

Charlie crossed her arms over her chest, still uncomfortable with the situation. She should not have told him what Blanche had said.

Will grew bored at the silence and left, saying something about loading up the truck.

"Don't worry, I won't hold it against her," he said, reading her mind once again. "I get the distinct impression that you don't like my friend?" He turned to look at her watching her reaction.

Charlie shrugged. "I don't know him."

Changing tactics again he moved on to the next subject. "There is plenty of food in the fridge so help yourself." He reached into a bowl by the back door and pulled out a key. "Here is the key."

Charlie waited, and when he didn't lay it down on the counter she was forced to reach out and take it. Her fingers brushed against his and the feeling was totally disconcerting. That made three times in one day.

"Is it me you object to touching or is it everyone?"

"I don't know what you mean?" She nervously licked her lips, staring at the key in her hand. It still held the heat from his.

"Well, that's something I never thought I would see. You giving a girl the key to your house." She jumped at the voice, and looked at Hilliard for his reaction but his face, what she could see of it through the thick beard, was a mask.

"Lee meet Charlie, Charlie meet Lee."

Charlie turned to see a very tall man hovering in the doorway. He was taller than Hilliard who was an easy 6'2" and he had reddish brown hair and serious eyes.

This time Charlie managed to stand still. Lee must have overheard Hilliard's comment because he didn't offer his hand.

"Are you ready Kellan?"

Kellan? Was that his first name? Will had called him Houdini which she guessed was a nickname.

Hilliard turned to look at Charlie.

"Any questions?"

She shook her head.

He nodded then walked down a hallway that was off of the kitchen.

"I should be back next Sunday," he said as he emerged carrying a duffle bag over his shoulder. The dogs sat at his feet looking up at him with expressions of longing.

He gave them each a scratch behind the ear then nodded at her before leaving out a side door in the kitchen. Charlie guessed that the door led directly to the driveway on the side of the house.

After he had left both dogs laid down in the middle of the kitchen with groans of despair.

"He didn't give me much of a choice did he?" she said looking at the dogs. In fact he had played it well, not even giving her the chance to agree or disagree, just giving her the key and leaving, and now she was stuck with a decision to make. Did she want to stay here in a strange man's house or did she want to go back to student housing?

It had been so long since she had stayed in a real home. She looked around the kitchen. What fun it would be to cook and bake, watch T.V., and do laundry. She would love to be able to walk around in her night clothes.

He had made the offer for her to stay. The dogs did look a little forlorn.

First, she would check out the accommodations.

She slowly walked down the hall, peeking in the doors, all of which were wide open; making viewing them easy.

The first door on the left was a home office, the door on the right was a large bedroom with French doors that opened into the backyard, there was another door on the left which was a room full of exercise equipment, and the last door on the right was a bathroom.

There was only one bedroom. If she stayed then she would be sleeping in his bed. She bit her lip as she tried to decide. It seemed very intimate for her to sleep in his bed.

She walked back to the kitchen, and the dogs were still staring at the side door.

Charlie stepped over them and opened the backdoor. It opened onto a large porch that ran the length of the house. There was a set of side steps that lead to a side gate. The yard had a beautiful lawn and the landscaping was basic but well kept. After noting that the yard was fenced and the gate closed she opened the door wide for the dogs, who slowly rose and lumbered out onto the porch and eventually into the yard.

They promptly laid back down in the sun with groans.

Suddenly, a cat appeared on top of the fence and she watched closely hoping the cat was not dumb enough to jump into the yard. After a moment of eyeing her it did just that. Neither dog moved or showed any interest in the cat as it joined them in their sun bathing.

Just then she heard a woman's voice calling for Darling. Eventually, a head popped over the fence scanning the yard.

When her eyes landed on Charlie she looked shocked. "Who are you?"

"Charlie. Who are you?"

Her eyes narrowed as she looked her up and down. "I'm Gwen. The cat's mine."

"Darling, I take it?"

"Yes."

"Do you want me to bring him to you?"

"No, that's all right. I was just checking to see where he was."

Charlie was guessing that she knew exactly where he was.

Watching the dogs and the cat, who seemed to be quite content in their lazy nap, Charlie felt no need to make conversation, and Gwen gave up and disappeared back behind the fence.

She sat at the small table and enjoyed the silence of the evening. There was the sound of a lawnmower and the smell of fresh cut grass. The sun was slowly setting, casting long shadows on the grass. It was all so relaxing that she lost track of the time. Eventually, just before the sun finished setting, she called to the dogs who slowly got up and moved back towards the house.

"Well you two don't hurry about anything do you?" They looked up at her smiling, and she couldn't help but smile at their wrinkly mushed in faces.

She read the directions Hillard had left her, poked around the fridge and pantry, and decided to stay.

It would make a nice change.