Page 16 of Protecting What's Mine

But he’d slept alone last night and dreamed of the pretty doctor.

He dragged a t-shirt over his head, a heroic feat with one good arm, and headed toward the front door with Sunshine trotting at his heels.

He wondered if his eyes were deceiving him. There on the concrete stoop stood the woman of his dreams and fantasies. She was wearing slim navy pants and a fitted white polo, and she was carrying a bag.

“Doc Dreamy. Couldn’t stop thinking about me, could you?” He leaned against the doorframe. Sunshine poked her face out between his knees.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about the damage you were probably doing to yourself, Hotshot.”

“Damage?” he scoffed. “I’m resting. Doctor’s orders.” Idly, he scratched at his shoulder and wondered where he’d put the shoulder sling. Oh yeah, the kitchen trash can.

She stepped around him and walked right into the front room that served as a living room and man cave with the gigantic flat screen, pool table, and bar made from red metal cabinets.

“You weren’t trying to work out, were you? Turn that tweak into a tear?” she chided, eyeing the neon beer sign on the wall.

Either the woman was psychic, or he’d become predictable.

“If you know so much, smarty-pants, what did I have for breakfast?”

She dumped her bag on the pool table and gave him a contemplative look. The scar under her left eye created the slightest dimple under her lid. “You look like the cold pizza for breakfast kind of guy.”

Linc looked down at his dog. “Did you tattle on me?”

Sunshine’s tail swished happily against the black and white tile floor.

Dreamy’s face softened. “She’s kinda cute. I see you didn’t fix your curtains yet.” They were still in a rumpled pile on the floor where they’d fallen the night before.

“Two-handed job,” he explained.

“How are the burns?” she asked conversationally as she picked up the curtain rod and crumpled draperies.

“Not bad,” he said, glancing down at his bandaged hand.

She nudged a leather ottoman over to the window and hefted the rod and curtains off the floor. Leaning against his Ms. Pac-Man pinball machine for support before clicking the rod back into place.

“Thanks.”

She stepped down onto the floor and pushed the ottoman back into place. “Figured I’d stop by and yell at you for whatever you were doing and swap out your bandages,” she said.

Sunshine wiggled her way over to the doc and plopped her butt on the floor.

“She is politely requesting that you give her all your love immediately,” he told her.

This could make or break their relationship. Any woman who didn’t snuggle his dog and tell her she was the prettiest girl in the world was one he had to walk away from.

“Hello there. It’s very nice to meet you,” she said, patting Sunshine awkwardly on the head. Sunshine looked confused.

“Have you never played with a dog before?”

“Am I doing it wrong?”

“Try squishing her face in your hands and telling her she’s a pretty, pretty girl,” Linc suggested.

“You’re a pretty, pretty girl,” Dreamy said, gently holding Sunshine’s face in her hands. The dog approved the effort and gave her face a welcoming slurp.

“Good job. That means she likes you.”

“Likes me or wants to eat me?” she asked, still stroking the dog’s silky fur.