“No!” I nearly screamed it, and Mike took a step back. “I mean, no thank you, I’m not done yet. I use my running as time to get my thoughts all aligned. My very, very tired thoughts.”
Stop digging a hole, Sydney.
More grinning. “Well, I’ll leave you to sort out your very tired thoughts while running with your sluggish feet. They may need a little caffeine.”
“Oh, yeah. Maybe that’s what’s wrong. I need to get some caramel creamer. I don’t have any at the house right now.”
Aaaaand that was random. I wanted to pretend this conversation never happened.
He shook his head. “I think Salem just got a bit more interesting.”
“Umm… I guess tired thoughts and sluggish feet can make any town more interesting. Who would have known?” I was grinning now, too.
Still facing me, he started to jog backward. “Be careful. Until later, Syd.”
“See ya.” I gave an awkward wave and then sighed when he turned around and jogged the other way. The muscles in his calves contracted. His shoulders were broad and strong. He had perfect form.
Sigh.
For a few minutes, I waited in that spot before taking off at a snail’s pace to avoid running into him again. I needed to get my wits about me before the next time I ran into Mike Murphy, the sexy cop.
No, no, no sexy cop. Just Mike Murphy, town cop. There, that’s much better. Well, not really.
It wasn’t that I wanted to avoid guys. Things with Henry had ended fourteen months ago as cordially as they had begun nearly two years ago. No fizz. No fire. Just safe and blah.
Mike Murphy… he was different.
Mike
I tried to ignore the buzzing feeling that was still bouncing around in my body after touching Sydney. It only got worse the more she spoke.
“Mike?”
My name came out sounding like a question. I had to force myself not to laugh.
“Yes, Syd?”
She stared at me again. Her mind appeared to be racing before she finally spoke. Damn, just her voice made my body come to attention after a very long dry spell.
“I was saying it out loud to commit it to memory. You know they say if you say a person’s name while looking at their face, it helps you remember.”
She pressed her mouth tightly shut, as if willing herself to stop talking. My God, she was the most adorable woman I had ever met. Not to mention gorgeous. From what I’d been able to tell the night before, she was pretty. Seeing her in the daylight now, pretty didn’t even begin to describe how beautiful she was.
Smiling, I said, “I’m glad you want to remember my name. Do you want me to walk you back?”
Sydney yelled, “No!”
I took a step back, thinking maybe I’d somehow scared her.