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“I know a few guys. I might be able to fix that.” He smiled at her. “Just let me know.”

She was breathless, hovering between laughter and shock. “Right now,” she let out a soft laugh, “I’d be happy if you could convince Ebi not to try and fillet me once a day.”

She put the carrier down on the floor. “Do you have a paper plate I can use?”

“We’re a house of bachelors,” he replied almost immediately. “I’m sorry to say that we have hundreds.”

She opened up the front of the carrier and was surprised when Ebi didn’t come barreling out.

Instead, the cat leaned out, her body low to the ground, her ears nearly flat against her head.

“Here.”

She stood up and almost fell against Heath. She hadn’t expected him to be so close. “Oh! Sorry.”

She reached for the plate so she could put Ebi’s food down, but the cat had other ideas.

Mainly, proving a point.

Mari felt the cat’s claws right through the leg of her slacks. Her first thought wasn’t about pain, it was about the loss of another pair of good pants.

At this point, her mind piped up, we’re going to need a second job to replace my clothes.

“Here,” Heath bent down at her feet and lifted the cuff of her slacks. “Ouch.”

When he looked up at her she had to fight not to stare at him as if she was seeing stars. If not from the pain, it could have been because of the beauty of the man crouched at her feet.

Yes, Heath was ruggedly gorgeous, but his eyes and the warmth and empathy she saw in his gaze could only be described in her thoughts as beautiful.

“Is it... is it bad?”

She saw the muscles along his jaw tighten and knew that it wasn’t good. “Let me put out her food and maybe she won’t try to make me match on both sides.”

She stepped away from him and reached for her bag. She slipped her hand into the side pocket and pulled out a packet of Ebi’s favorite squeeze treat.

Opening the top, she handed it to Heath.

“Can you give it to her while I get her actual food?”

He took the packet in one hand but looked unsure of what to do with the plate.

“Set it down and I’ll put the food there. Thanks.”

He put that plate down almost an arm’s length away, but Ebi didn’t care about the empty plate. Her eyes and nose were focused on the treat he was holding.

Mari saw the way he put his hand out for balance, and she remembered that his lower leg had been injured.

“You don’t have to kneel down. I’m sorry. I should have explained.”

He looked up at her, and she saw his dark grey eyes looking at her.

She nearly forgot to breathe.

She knew her leg was likely bleeding, but she really couldn’t care about that at all.

She’d always been a romantic at heart, even as a little girl, and while the Disney princes she’d crushed on hadn’t ever gotten down on bended knee to her, she found Heath’s more rough and tumble look even more appealing.

Shaking herself from her dreamy musing she turned her head toward the couch. “If you sit down, she’ll come right up to you.”