Page 23 of Rogue Wave

My new plan to kill him with kindness began now. And that included me helping him out, whether he wanted it or not.

“No can do, Grumpy McHeadstrong. Now tell me where your first aid kit is so I can help,” I said as I dropped my purse onto the floor so my hands were free to help.

“I don’t need your help, Hazel,” he rumbled as he walked into his kitchen-dining room combo space.

I’d never been inside his house before, but it looked very nice. He also had a craftsman-style home, but with more of a rustic feel to it. His living room, dining room, and kitchen area were all one big open space. It was also clean. As in spotless, not a single thing out of order. He’d either been in the military and had never lost that incessant compulsion to keep everything tidy, or he had an amazing housekeeper.

Despite being well-organized and shipshape, it also felt cozy and inviting. He still decorated like a man, though, with mismatched furniture and nothing on the walls except a giant TV.

I watched as he looked at himself in the mirror, taking in the blood on his clothes and face.

“I dare say the other guy punched better than you?” I asked, trying to lighten the mood.

“Nary a scratch on that asshole’s face,” he grumbled in complaint.

I paused, my body freezing for a moment while I tried to hold back my laughter. “Did you just say nary?”

He ignored my question and chose to ask his own. “Do you really wanna help? If so, grab the antibacterial cream and bandages. Top cabinet above the stove.”

He pointed in the direction of where they were—not that I couldn’t have figured it out on my own—and made his way over to the dining table.

I just nodded and kept my entertained smirk to myself. The top cabinet was a bit of a reach for me, but I had just managed to grab everything—on my tippy-toes with my arms stretched to their limit—when he spoke behind me.

“Good girl.”

I froze with the items in my hand.

What did he just say?

Did he just call me a good girl?

I turned around quickly and realized he was sitting at his table, leaning over and talking to Shadow as he was petting her.

“You were a good girl today. Thanks for having my back,” he cooed while scratching the top of her head.

Good girl…for the dog… Ooooooooh.

I would have done a facepalm, but that would have just brought attention to my stupid mistake, so instead I chose to internally cringe.

Get your mind out of the gutter, Hazel.

More than a little embarrassed that I’d thought he was talking dirty to me, not the dog, I tried to go back to my task, but he must have noticed my abrupt mood change.

“What’s wrong?”

“Umm…nothing.”

Smooth, Hazel. Real smooth.

“Why’d you whip around so fast?”

“Um…I thought you said something. Never mind.” I waved it off as no big deal, hoping he’d drop it. “How did…umm…Shadow…uh…help you?”

I moved toward him with the items he requested plus the first aid box I’d also found.

“Got called to a domestic scene, and when my deputies tried to arrest him, he took off,” he explained while I riffled through the first aid kit to find the items I needed. “Shadow and I had just pulled up and parked when he decided to take off. I opened her back door but hadn’t gotten her out when my deputy yelled at me. I grabbed him as he ran by, but he swung his arm and punched me across the jaw.”

I inhaled, and my gaze moved to his face and saw the swelling on his right cheek and the new bruise that was starting to darken.