Chapter 3
Damon didn’t know what it was about this woman, but she kept looking at him as if he’d done something criminal.
“Put the cat down!” She glared at him but didn’t come any closer when he straightened up.
He held the pregnant cat in his arms, pleased she’d finally calmed down. “I’m not hurting her, Marlie.” He smiled, expecting a return grin since he’d remembered her name.
Not like he’d thought about much else since meeting her.
Except she didn’t smile. She snarled. “Bullshit. I saw you choking her.”
His heart raced at her tone. What was it about this woman that made him want so much?
Up close, she looked more cute than sexy. Adorable with that scowl, and he noticed a pale hint of freckles over the bridge of her nose.
Freckles.
She had her dark hair up in a ponytail. A second look at her body showed a slender, athletic frame with a nice set of breasts he noticed when her jacket parted.
How was it that everything about her was just his type?
She eyed his groin. And not in a good way.
He took a step back, seeing the threat there.
“Now hold on. Notice the cat has calmed down. I was holding her by the scruff of her neck to relax her and also had a hand under her legs for support. She’s fine.
And she’s pregnant. There are a few other cats hiding by those pallets against the building. ” He nodded behind him.
Marlie frowned but seemed to ease up. She took a few animal crates out of the back of her vehicle, and he gently deposited the now purring cat into one of them.
Without speaking, they worked together to rescue several others. Mostly younger kittens, but they found a few mature cats as well.
“What are you doing here?” he had to know.
“I could ask you the same,” she said as she shut the back doors of the van. Then she glanced down at his knuckles and saw the blood there.
He flushed, feeling awkward again around pretty Marlie. “Ah, it’s not my fault. I came down here for a drink after dealing with my parents…” Hmm. That sounded anti-family. “I mean, I’m helping my parents recover from an accident, and I just wanted a break.”
She blinked. “At ten a.m. at the bar half the town calls Stabby’s?”
He nodded, knowing it had been aptly named. “I used to work here a long time ago, back when I was in high school. Figured I’d sit on the other side of the bar this time.”
“How’d you work at a bar in high school?”
“Cleaning up. The law didn’t pay much attention to this side of town back then. Anyway, I got into a little dustup with a customer inside. After I tossed his ass out, I noticed the cats by the dumpster.”
Her features smoothed, and she looked him over. “What’s your name again?”
Why did her not remembering him endear her to him even more? Maybe Cade was right. I am a moron.
“Damon,” they said at the same time.
Her slow smile showed off a dimple on her cheek. “I just remembered.”
“I’m flattered.”
“You should be. I’m horrible with names.”
They stared at each other until she turned to leave.
“Wait.” He walked to her, conscious of taking it easy on his knee. His physical therapy had been helping, but unfortunately, rest was key to his recovery. The downtime about killed him. “So, ah, you don’t want to date. I got that loud and clear last night.”
“Yeah.” She frowned up at him.
“But could I just get to know you? Share a coffee or something? I’ve got some time to kill before I head home. And honestly, I need the break from my parents.”
Not a lie. They drove him batty.
She shrugged. “I guess. I need to take these guys back to the vet’s office first.”
“Cool. I’ll follow you. Um, I did call Hope’s Turn Veterinary, didn’t I?” There had been another clinic with Hope’s Turn in the title as well.
“Oh. You called this in?”
He nodded, and she rattled off the address.
He followed her, not surprised she had a heavy foot on the accelerator. The woman had energy to spare. He liked that about her. Hell, he liked everything about her. Her sass, her looks, her strength.
The fact she couldn’t remember his name.
He chuckled. Women had been coming onto him forever. They liked his size or his money or his fame. Perhaps that’s what attracted him to Marlie. She didn’t seem to like him much.
His sister was right. He had a contrary sense of self.
At the vet’s office, he pulled in next to her and helped her carry the cats to the back office.
“Jeff, we found a bunch. One of them is pregnant.”
He followed her voice to a tall, good-looking guy in a white lab coat. His name tag read, “Dr. Jeff Morrison.” He noticed Damon and blinked. Then his jaw dropped.
“Dr. Morrison.” Damon held out a hand.
The vet just stared.
“Don’t be rude, Jeff.” Marlie scowled at him.
Damon grinned. Talk about a woman with a temper.
Jeff turned to Marlie and smacked her on the back of the head. Not hard, but like the kind of smacks his sister used to give him before she’d left home.
“Ow.” Marlie glared at the vet.
“How do you not know who this is?”
She blushed despite the scowl. “I remembered his name. Damon.”
“This is Demon Sinclair, Marlie.”
She just stared at her friend. “O-kay.”
Jeff shook his head. “Your brothers are hockey players. I’m a hockey fan. But this guy is the real deal.”
Shoot. Damon had hoped to get to know Marlie without her realizing who he was.
She shrugged. “Great. He’s real. I just—”
“He’s a professional hockey player, doofus,” Jeff growled. “Hell, he’s Will’s favorite player.”
“He is?” She looked from Jeff to Damon. “And I should care because…?”
At that, Damon laughed.
Jeff pushed Marlie back by the forehead and held out a hand to Damon. “So glad to meet you, Demon. Or Damon? Mr. Sinclair?”
Damon shook his hand. “Damon is fine. Dr.—”
“Oh, call me Jeff.” Jeff gave him a big grin before pulling away. “Man, Will is going to be so stoked to know you’re in town.”
Marlie looked confused. “What is going on here?”
“Meet the best goalie in the league, a two-time Vezina Trophy winner, and the Portland Ice Raptors’ MVP two years running.”
Damon muttered, “Three, but who’s counting?”
“Not just Most Valuable Player, but Most Favorite Player too.” Jeff nodded.
“Actually, more like most favorite player to hate.” Damon didn’t like to lie if he could help it.
“Well, yeah. But only to people who aren’t fans of the Raptors. You crush everyone who tries to score on your ice.”
“Thanks.” Damon watched Marlie, who didn’t seem impressed. To Jeff, he said, “Ah, we’re going to head out for coffee. Would you like to come?” He figured Marlie might like him better if he was nice to her friend. Plus, the guy seemed like a fan.
“I wish.” Jeff sighed. “Marlie, go have fun. I’ll look over the cats in a bit. Full day today.” His eyes sparkled. “Just promise you’ll let me break the news to Will.”
“Have at it.” She waved him away then turned back to Damon. After eyeing him up and down, she shrugged. “Okay, Demon. Let’s go caffeinate.”
“Sure, but coffee’s on you. Last night, my friend watched you reject me before I fell on my ass. Technically, I got injured twice while returning your jacket to you. Physically and then emotionally. It was horrible.”
Her eyes grew wider. But instead of expressing sympathy, she laughed. “Bet you felt pretty stupid.”
“Marlie!” Jeff chastised.
Damon snorted. “You know, that evil streak of yours is really appealing.”
“So I hear. I’ve been on Santa’s naughty list since I turned eight. Apparently, coal in your stocking is a real thing.”
“Yeah, I found that out the hard way too.”
Grinning at each other, they left Jeff muttering to himself and settled on a nearby tea shop within walking distance.
Damon did his best to appear light-hearted and not too intimidating. Because he had to get this woman to go out with him on a real date.
He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had rejected him.
That perverse part of him that loved a fight needed to charm the pants off Marlie.
And yeah, literally. He had to see her without clothes.
He must have made his intentions clear, because she shook her head at him.
“What?” he asked gruffly, cleared his throat, then added in a lighter voice, “Ah, did you have a question?”
She rolled her eyes. “Is there something wrong with my sweater, Demon?”
“You can call me Damon.” He sipped the best hot cocoa he’d had in a while. Bragg’s Tea Shop made a mean gingerbread as well.
“I heard you the first time.”
More determined than ever to show her how charming the beast of the ice could be, he flashed his teeth at her, proud to still have a full set. “Nah, nothing wrong with your sweater. It’s pretty.”
“Uh-huh.” She drank her cocoa and locked gazes with him.
He’d swear he’d seen weaker challenges from the Kraken’s new power forward.
“So, ah…” He struggled to find something to say when an angry guy with dark hair and huge fists stalked toward their table.
“You.” The guy pointed at Marlie.
She sighed.
Damon had to laugh. “Man, you really do piss off everyone with a penis, don’t you?”
She blinked at him. The guy with the anger paused and stared, as did a few patrons sitting within earshot.
Then Marlie’s lips curled into a smile larger than the Cheshire cat’s. “Well, thank you, Demon. That’s the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”
The man looming over them gaped at Damon.
Then he did the oddest thing. He stole a chair from a nearby table and pulled it up to join them.