If ever.

“You don’t need to use good manners around me.” I lighten my voice, trying to bring her back from wherever she’s gone. “If you haven’t noticed, I don’t have any.”

She gives a half-smile. “I don’t know, you seem to be pretty well mannered around me.”

I raise my eyebrow. “I cuss. A fuck of a lot.”

She laughs. The sound eases through me.

“You do cuss a lot, but I find it refreshing.”

“My cussing is refreshing? There’s a new one. You’ll have to tell my dad because I’m pretty sure he’d disagree. Apparently, cussing in front of guests is a big no-no,” I say with mock-confusion, lifting my shoulders in a shrug.

I don’t know what it is that sets her off, but she throws her head back and starts to laugh. A real honest to god belly laugh. And it’s just such an awesome, beautiful sound that I can’t help but laugh too.

Clutching her stomach with her hand, she attempts to catch her breath. She sweeps her bangs back.

Her blue eyes are glistening.

She looks like poetry. Like the sky on a hot summers day. Like the ace in the hand I need to win.

Okay, I’m guessing you get the picture.

She looks beautiful.

“You’re funny.” She smiles. “You make me laugh.”

Hold up. Clarification needed. I don’t mind being the class clown, but not the village fucking idiot.

“Funny ha-ha, or funny peculiar?”

She leans forward, elbows on table, chin in hands as she purses her lips. I feel like I’m being appraised. I can’t say a woman has ever looked at me this way before. Or left me hanging on a question. I feel a bit rattled, to be honest.

“Funny ha-ha,” she finally says.

Well, thank fuck for that.

“You’re quick, straightforward, and you don’t mess around. It’s refreshing.”

“Now, if I didn’t know better, I think you were calling me common…” I tease.

She drags her lip back with her teeth and her eyes flash me a look. It’s seriously hot.

“You’re anything but common.”

“I’ll take that as another compliment.”

“It was meant as one.” I notice that her voice has dropped a few octaves lower. That her breathing has hitched slightly and that the flush is back, curving the tops of those amazing breasts of hers.

There’s a tangible heat moving between us. It’s taking everything in me right now, to hold back and not make a move on her.

Fuck, I want to make a move, and the way she’s looking at me…

She wants me.

Trust me, I know one thing well, and that’s when a woman wants me. And Mia wants me.

I meet her eyes again, and I’m swiftly reminded of the bruise on her face.

Crash and burn.

She’s too fragile.

She’s been through too much. I’m not the kind of guy she needs.

Shoving the chair back, I get to my feet. Mia’s eyes dart up. I’m pretty sure I see a flash of disappointment in them. It both, buzzes and sours my mood.

Fucked up, right?

“Time for me to pick Dozer up.” I glance at my watch as though to confirm this fact to her.

“Would you mind if I came along? I’d really like to see how he’s doing,” she asks in that sweet ass voice of hers.

It invades my head like a physical presence.

I want to say no because I could do with the time to clear my mind of her, and what I want to do with her … to her.

I even open my mouth to say no. But, of course, I say yes.

One look into those stunning blue eyes of hers and all my sense flies out the window.

Then she smiles, and I’m fucking done for.

I can’t even blame this one on my cock as he hasn’t even shown up for the party.

***

The drive to the vet is quiet. Mainly because I can’t think of a damn thing to say to her. This is a foreign concept to me. I’m never without something to say to a woman, but right now I’m rattling around inside my head trying to understand what is happening here.

Why is Mia affecting me so much?

Maybe it’s because the unknown is eating away at me.

Putting the sex aside—yes, I did just say that, unbelievable, right? See this is what she’s doing to me. The thing is, I actually like talking to her. She’s smart. And fun. I’m hot for her, and I want to spend time with her.

Never. Happened. Before.

And I don’t like it.

This girl is going to slowly drive me crazy, I can feel it.

Maybe I should just have sex with her and get it over with, be damned the consequences. She’s definitely hot for me; I could tell before. Maybe if I just…

“—wasn’t that the turn for the vet?”

“What?” I come to at the sound of Mia’s voice.

“I think you just missed the turn to the vet.” She points over her shoulder.

I cast a quick glance behind me, and see that I have indeed missed my turning because I was thinking about her.

“Shit, yeah,” I mutter.

I check the road is clear and spin the car around, heading back the way I just came. I take the turning and pull up outside the vet.

There’s no one behind the desk when we enter the building, so I ring the bell on the desk.

Penny appears from behind a door. “Hello again.” She smiles brightly. “Dozer’s all ready for you. If you want to take a seat, I’ll bring him right out.”

I sit down beside Mia, but I feel restless. I’m not exactly sure what it is that’s making me restless. Maybe it’s because I’m hyped up on sexual tension.

“Are you okay?” Mia asks.

I follow her eyes to my tapping foot.

“Oh, yeah, fine.”

“Are you worried about Dozer?” She smiles softly and touches my arm with her hand.

My body electrifies from her touch. I can barely think straight from the heat burning my skin.

Seriously, what the fuck is that?

“Who?” I mutter.

She looks confused.

I open my mouth, but close it when Penny comes out with Dozer. “Here he is.”

Dozer limps toward me. His leg is in a cast and he has a pissed off look on his face. He’s wearing one of those huge cones around his head.

I have to bite back a smile. Poor bastard. He’s really been through the wringer.

“Hey, buddy.” I walk over to him and crouch down. “How you doing?”

He grunts and scuffs the cone against my shoulder.

“How long does he have to keep this on for?” I stand up, taking his leash from Penny.

“See how he goes. Dr. Callie only put it on as he was chewing at the cast.”

“See Dozer, leave your leg alone and the cone can come off.”

He gives me a dirty look, then yanks his leash from my hand and limps over to Mia.

I watch them, the way she welcomes him over, no fear. Dozer is a big dog, and people are usually wary of him, but not Mia. Not even when he drops his huge head on her lap, awkwardly shuffling around with the cone, drooling on her jeans. She doesn’t falter, just gives him the attention he wants.

Dozer is never this friendly with people he doesn’t know. Generally, he gives them a wide birth. He’s always been that way, and I’ve put it down to whatever happened to him to make him land on our doorstep.

But Mia did care for him after his accident; she showed him a kindness that most people don’t have in them. It will have pre-warmed him to her, and Mia is hard not to like. I know that all too damn well.

I watch her scratching his ear, cooing over him, and he’s freaking soaking it up. Lucky bastard. What I wouldn’t give to have her hands on me right now. Seriously, I’d take an ear scratching if it meant her touching me.

A broken leg is starting to sound quite appealing at this moment in time.

Mia suddenly lifts her eyes from Dozer to me like she can hear my thoughts, and catches me staring.

Her blue eyes peer curiously into mine. I know I should look away, but I don’t…

I can’t.

A smile slowly lifts her lips. The light coming in through the window, behind her, frames her perfectly. She looks like an angel. The most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

Punch. To. The. Chest.

I feel like I can’t breathe.

“If you can just sign these forms for me, and settle up the bill,” Penny says, pulling my attention from Mia.

“Sure,” I say, rubbing at my sternum.

If this keeps up, I’ll be having a heart attack way before my time.

With a nod, I follow her over to the reception desk. I hand Penny my credit card, trying not to think of how the hell I’m going to pay it off after these vet bills drain it, and sign the two forms she hands to me.

I glance over my shoulder, and catch Mia staring at me. She’s definitely checking me out. My ass to be exact.

She looks away when she realizes I’ve caught her out.

I can’t help the happy fucking glow I feel. I’m grinning like a stripper at a frat party.

After I’ve finished signing forms, and spending money I don’t have, Penny gives me a small bag containing Dozer’s medication.

“These are for his pain. Give him one, three times daily with food, and we’ll need to see him back here in a month’s time to check how that leg’s healing. Only give him a light dinner tonight as his stomach will still be tender from the anesthetic. You can take the collar and leash home with you. Just return it to us when you have time.”

“Thanks, I’ll bring it by tomorrow.”

I make the appointment for four weeks time, and slip the appointment card into my wallet along with my credit card. I shove the medication in my pocket as I make my way back to Mia. Dozer is still making doe eyes at her.

Even my dog is crazy about her.

Not that I’m crazy about her.

No fucking way.

Absolutely not.

Never. Ever.

“Ready?” I reach down for Dozer’s leash.

Turning his head, he knocks my hand away with that huge cone he’s wearing and puts his leash in his mouth, holding it out for Mia to take.

Nice, Dozer. Blowing me off for a chick. I think he forgets who feeds him.

Taking the leash from his mouth, she rubs his head.

She gazes up at me, a smile pushing the corner of her mouth. “Is it okay with you if I walk him out to your car?”

“Doesn’t look like you’ve got much of a choice.” I grin in the direction of Dozer’s wagging tail. “I think you’ve got an admirer.”

She giggles. It’s one of the sexiest sounds I’ve ever heard.

“Well, Dozer wouldn’t be a bad admirer to have, but I think I’m just a new face to get some attention from. Not that I imagine you ever struggle for attention,” she says to Dozer. “Handsome boy that you are … aren’t you … yes, you are.” She smooshes his face in her hands, and I actually find myself jealous of my dog.

I’m jealous of my dog.

I really need to get laid.

“Let’s go.” I shove my hands in my pockets, then head for the door and out to my car.

I help Dozer in the back seat. Turning, I find Mia hovering behind me as he settles himself.