My Funny Valentine (Pajaro Bay Series Book 4) Read Free Page B

illustrate.
    "Uh uh. You're worried about her."
    "I am not." He was obviously lying. He wouldn't even look at her.
    "Why did you say you hated dogs?"
    He examined the posters on the wall to avoid looking at her. "I didn't want you to think I wasn't a real man."
    "Real men don't like dogs? That's news to me."
    "I don't hate them."
    "What then? You eat them for dinner? That's a Vietnamese thing, isn't it?"
    That got him to look at her. "That's not funny! My family's been in the U.S. for three generations."
    "Sorry. It's a stereotype, I know. But I spent a week after our date trying to figure you out, and that's all I could come up with."
    "You couldn't come up with 'I'm so macho I don't like fluffy little animals?'"
    "Nope," she said. "But I was upset. I know your family's been American longer than mine has."
    "I know. We learned a lot about each other on our first date, Ms. First In Her Family To Go To College."
    "Right, Mr. Mom Wanted Me To Be A Doctor But I Hate The Sight Of Blood. So what is it about dogs? Why did you say you hated dogs and then rescue Strudel like this?"
    "I thought you'd think I was a wimp."
    "For being nice to a dog?"
    "For being scared of them."
    "You're scared of dogs?"
    He turned his head away again, and she again noticed his scar, an ugly, jagged old one that ran across his forehead. Suddenly, it all made sense. "You were attacked by a dog."
    He glanced back at her. "It wasn't a football injury."
    "I figured you were joking about that. It's obvious the injury is from a long time ago—probably early childhood."
    "How is that obvious?"
    "I'm a doctor. An animal doctor, sure, but I know how scar tissue forms and changes over time. How old were you?"
    "Three. I accidentally stepped on a neighbor dog's tail and it picked me up by the head and shook me."
    She put her hand over his. "Oh, Clint! You could have been killed."
    "I was in intensive care for a long time. After that, I never went near a dog again."
    "Well, of course not. I'm sorry I misjudged you." She bumped him with her shoulder. "So you were trying to impress me with your machismo? That's stupid, you know."
    "Is it?"
    "Of course it is. I don't want some dumb guy who thinks with his fists."
    He froze. "So you didn't run into a door."
    Now it was her turn to look away, embarrassed. "Nope."
    "Why did you say you did?"
    "I didn't want you to think I was a wimp."
    "Who did it? I'll kill him."
    "Trip, of course."
    "What? He said he dumped you because you were needy."
    " Needy ? What I needed was a restraining order against him to make sure he never touched me again. And so he got one against me, just to be spiteful, keeping me from seeing him or his aunt. Just 'cause he's a jerk."
    "I'm glad you didn't let him get away with it." He took a deep breath. "So you really refused to go on a second date with me because I said I didn't like dogs? I thought you just didn't find me attractive."
    She laughed. "Well, I admit you have a certain rakish charm, but someone who doesn't like animals didn't seem my type."
    "Rakish? I'm not sure if I like being rakish."
    "Count your blessings, Clint. You're wearing sweat socks with sandals."
    He looked down at his feet. "Two different colored sweat socks." He looked up at her. "In my defense, I've had the flu."
    She leaned in closer across the exam table. "I'll take that under consideration." She felt his forehead. "Hmm. I don't think you have a fever."
    He leaned toward her. "So you spent a week thinking about me after our date?"
    She could feel her face turning red. "Um, well, I guess I did."
    "That's interesting," he said softly. "So, are you sure I don't have a fever?" He kissed her gently on the lips. When he finished, he grinned. "That's what I thought about for a week after our date."
    She came around the exam table to stand in front of him. "You still might have a fever. I'm not sure I got an accurate temperature reading. Let's check again."
----
    I t was a good fifteen minutes later, after their second kiss had