“Sounds like the breakfast of champions to me.”
The door chimed again, halting my quest for a plate. A puppy came running in.
“Well, aren’t you adorable.” I crouched down as the cute little boxer puppy ran to me. “Yes, you are. What are you doing here? Are you here for your shots?”
I looked at Marie, who shrugged. “I don’t have a boxer puppy on the books today.”
“I found her on the side of the road.”
That voice. Smooth as sex yet rough. Don’t look up. I couldn’t look at the floor the entire time. I had to look up. Stay strong. No mental meltdowns.
My eyes drifted up as the theme to Jaws played in my head. Shit. He had on ripped jeans. Those thighs held the fabric perfectly. Please don’t let him have a tight T-shirt on. My eyes roamed a little higher. Double shit. He had on a tight gray Salem PD shirt.
A man of the law. Sigh. I knew this, but the reality of seeing him dressed as a causal lawman sizzled my bacon. Sizzled my bacon? Oh hell, my IQ dropped and my brain turned to mush around this man.
“Sydney?”
Have I been slowly checking him out? Oh no, no, no! I’d spaced out not once, not twice, but three times around this man. My eyes jerked to meet his baby blues. The dimples were out in full force. Something short-circuited in my brain, and I lost my balance, face-planting on the hard tile. The boxer puppy barely escaped being squished. Pain shot through my face before a rush of warm liquid filled my nose.
“Ouch!” I rolled to my back and held my hands over my face.
Voices and noises overlapped each other. Footsteps ran to me. I was quickly hoisted into his strong arms. It took everything in me not to nuzzle into his chest.
“Take her to exam room one. I’ll get some towels,” Marie called.
I tried to mumble that I was okay, but the angle only made me sound like a strangled cat. My back gently met the cold metal of the exam table. Mike looked at me, concern evident on his face.
“Let me take a look.” Warm pressure brought my hands away from my face. “It doesn’t look like your nose is broken.”
That was a plus. Having a purple, swollen nose sounded miserable.
Marie walked in. “My word, Sydney. What happened?”
Oh, just Mr. Sexy Pants sizzling my bacon.
Again with the bacon?
I had lost my damn mind. “My arms were tired?” Remembering I had already used such winning reasons as “a tired mind” and then “tired feet,” my eyes grew wide. “I mean, I lost my balance?” Why am I asking questions? “I lost my balance.”
I chanced a glance at Marie, and her mouth tur
ned up in a devilish grin. Oh hell. Mike took the towels from Marie. “It’s not bleeding too bad. Hold your head back and put some pressure on your nose.” I followed his instructions. “How are you feeling?”
“Like a klutz. You catch me at very inopportune moments.”
His face broke out in a full grin. “Or maybe they’re the perfect moments.”
“Maybe.”