quaint town was gone, and she wanted to wallow. Instead, she tucked her thoughts away and smiled reassuringly.
“Yes. I am. Thank you for asking.” He didn’t look as though he believed her.
Jeez, I don’t want Deputy Doug assigning himself the role of gallant knight to my supposed damsel.
She moved past him into the main room, hung up her jacket, and strode to her desk. She tucked her purse into a drawer, pretending not to notice Doug had followed her through the room. He was standing at her side; she couldn’t pretend he wasn’t.
“If someone bothered you, I need to know.” He flushed. “I have to tell the sheriff. He wouldn’t want anything to happen to you. Not that I want anything to happen to you either. ’Cause I don’t. But that’s the job, my job, you know, protecting the citizens of Trappers’ Cove. I mean, that’s the sheriff’s responsibility, too, but with you, it’s personal. For him.”
“It’s not like that. Carter and I are friends. Just friends.”
“I know you were out at his place the other night. I thought—”
“It’s not like that,” she emphasized.
“Yes, it is,” Carter corrected, strolling into the room. “Hey, Doug. Morning, Doc.”
She looked around for an object to throw at him. From the wink Carter threw her way, she guessed he had a good idea of exactly what her intentions were. He wasn’t that charming. She refused to smile.
“No, it’s not,” Henley argued. Doug stood there, his expression miserable. The grin Carter wore implied he found her amusing. She eyeballed the stapler and wondered how much damage it could inflict if propelled.
“You know, Doc, hitting an officer of the law is as much a criminal act here as it is in Cleveland.” Yeah, he had her number.
“Take off that star then.” Turning up her nose, she sat with as much dignity as she could muster. She sorted through the paperwork that accumulated during her days off, the sounds of Doug and Carter discussing the day ahead muted in the background. She smelled the coffee brewing; it took all of her willpower not to salivate.
Get a call, go on patrol
, she chanted internally.
Come on, already. Sure, life is great for the blue-eyed giant. Now go away.
She raised her head to find a steaming cup of coffee had magically appeared within her grasp. She inhaled the aroma, made a happy little noise deep in her throat, and reached for the mug. Her eyes flicked up as she took the first glorious sip. Carter lowered his hip to the corner of the desk. She reluctantly returned his grin; he’d made it the way she liked it.
“You’re not as charming as you think. But thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He drank from his mug. “Have dinner with me tonight.”
“That didn’t sound like an invitation.”
“Henley, would you do me the honor of having dinner with me tonight?”
“Now you’re mocking me.”
“A little bit, yeah.” He smiled and cast his eyes around the room as though getting ready to impart secret information, his gaze glancing over Doug, who was trying, and in Henley’s estimation, failing, to appear as though he wasn’t eavesdropping. “I’m nervous.”
That made her laugh without reservation. The intimidatingly attractive, confident, flirtatious Carter McAlister was nervous asking a woman out on a date?
“Bullshit.”
“Dr. Elliott, I’m shocked. I didn’t think you swore.”
“I’m not a prude.” She peered up at him from under hooded lids, pursed her lips, and blew over the surface of the coffee. Henley was pleased to see his eyes narrow and his nostrils flare.
“Please have dinner with me tonight? We can go to Mario’s right down the street, keep it casual.”
“How casual?” He laid his hand over hers, keeping her from lifting the mug. She felt his need and his curiosity. But it wasn’t overwhelming. She pulled her hand free regardless.
“I’ll wear this; you can wear that. Go to our own homes after, in our own vehicles.”
“Okay. But you’re
“Yes. I am. Thank you for asking.” He didn’t look as though he believed her.
Jeez, I don’t want Deputy Doug assigning himself the role of gallant knight to my supposed damsel.
She moved past him into the main room, hung up her jacket, and strode to her desk. She tucked her purse into a drawer, pretending not to notice Doug had followed her through the room. He was standing at her side; she couldn’t pretend he wasn’t.
“If someone bothered you, I need to know.” He flushed. “I have to tell the sheriff. He wouldn’t want anything to happen to you. Not that I want anything to happen to you either. ’Cause I don’t. But that’s the job, my job, you know, protecting the citizens of Trappers’ Cove. I mean, that’s the sheriff’s responsibility, too, but with you, it’s personal. For him.”
“It’s not like that. Carter and I are friends. Just friends.”
“I know you were out at his place the other night. I thought—”
“It’s not like that,” she emphasized.
“Yes, it is,” Carter corrected, strolling into the room. “Hey, Doug. Morning, Doc.”
She looked around for an object to throw at him. From the wink Carter threw her way, she guessed he had a good idea of exactly what her intentions were. He wasn’t that charming. She refused to smile.
“No, it’s not,” Henley argued. Doug stood there, his expression miserable. The grin Carter wore implied he found her amusing. She eyeballed the stapler and wondered how much damage it could inflict if propelled.
“You know, Doc, hitting an officer of the law is as much a criminal act here as it is in Cleveland.” Yeah, he had her number.
“Take off that star then.” Turning up her nose, she sat with as much dignity as she could muster. She sorted through the paperwork that accumulated during her days off, the sounds of Doug and Carter discussing the day ahead muted in the background. She smelled the coffee brewing; it took all of her willpower not to salivate.
Get a call, go on patrol
, she chanted internally.
Come on, already. Sure, life is great for the blue-eyed giant. Now go away.
She raised her head to find a steaming cup of coffee had magically appeared within her grasp. She inhaled the aroma, made a happy little noise deep in her throat, and reached for the mug. Her eyes flicked up as she took the first glorious sip. Carter lowered his hip to the corner of the desk. She reluctantly returned his grin; he’d made it the way she liked it.
“You’re not as charming as you think. But thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He drank from his mug. “Have dinner with me tonight.”
“That didn’t sound like an invitation.”
“Henley, would you do me the honor of having dinner with me tonight?”
“Now you’re mocking me.”
“A little bit, yeah.” He smiled and cast his eyes around the room as though getting ready to impart secret information, his gaze glancing over Doug, who was trying, and in Henley’s estimation, failing, to appear as though he wasn’t eavesdropping. “I’m nervous.”
That made her laugh without reservation. The intimidatingly attractive, confident, flirtatious Carter McAlister was nervous asking a woman out on a date?
“Bullshit.”
“Dr. Elliott, I’m shocked. I didn’t think you swore.”
“I’m not a prude.” She peered up at him from under hooded lids, pursed her lips, and blew over the surface of the coffee. Henley was pleased to see his eyes narrow and his nostrils flare.
“Please have dinner with me tonight? We can go to Mario’s right down the street, keep it casual.”
“How casual?” He laid his hand over hers, keeping her from lifting the mug. She felt his need and his curiosity. But it wasn’t overwhelming. She pulled her hand free regardless.
“I’ll wear this; you can wear that. Go to our own homes after, in our own vehicles.”
“Okay. But you’re
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