Doc piped up. “Hate to break up whatever this is, but I’d like to close the clinic for the night. Boxer’s waiting, and I’ve earned a beer or two.”
I blushed, having completely forgotten that she was there. I wasn’t usually such a brat, but Slash dictating orders made me prickly.
“Thanks again, Doc. I still don’t feel like this was a fair trade. Do you like baked goods?”
She grinned. “Who doesn’t?”
“Come to Pie in the Sky anytime, and I’ll give you a slice of anything you want. On the house.”
“I love that place!” Doc said. “You don’t have to twist my arm. You have yourself a deal.”
I slid off the exam table and lost my balance immediately. Slash was suddenly there to catch me.
“If you wanted help, all you had to do was ask,” Slash murmured.
I looked up, wanting to glare at him, but his hazel eyes were lit with heat.
Oh, boy.
I wasn’t sure if it was the bump to my head or my crap situation in life, but my reaction to him wasn’t normal. He put me off kilter, and I wasn’t sure I liked that.
Doc walked us out of the exam room, her phone to her ear. A moment later, she said, “Yeah, I’m ready to lock up. Do one of you mind—okay, thanks.” She ended the call just as we reached the elevators. “James is coming up. He’ll stay and walk with me to my car.”
“See ya, Doc,” Slash said as the elevator opened.
We stepped inside, and when I turned, I caught her wink before the doors closed.
Once we reached the bottom floor, Slash gave the guy guarding the clinic a chin nod and ushered me toward my car. He even went as far as opening the passenger door for me.
It was a thoughtful and chivalrous action.
Who was this man?
He climbed into the driver’s seat and stuck the key into the ignition. I plugged my address into the GPS so it would guide Slash to my apartment.
“What’s Pie in the Sky? A café?” Slash asked once we were on our way.
“Bakery,” I corrected.
“You work at a bakery?”
“I own the bakery,” I stated.
We were quiet as he drove me home. I stared out the window. My head was full of thoughts I couldn’t shut down. That had been the entire point of going to the Blue Angels party. To do something different. To stop thinking. To stop worrying for once in my life.
When it was quiet, I had time to think. Time to ruminate. Time to fret about my future.
Slash pulled into the alleyway behind the bakery and parked.
“I thought I was taking you home.” He frowned in confusion.
“I live in the studio apartment above the bakery,” I explained.
Neither one of us seemed inclined to move.
The idea of going upstairs to my empty apartment…
This man was bossy, stoic, and I wasn’t sure I even liked him. But my body hummed with desire when he looked at me, and I knew he’d be able to get me out of my head and stop thinking.