Strange Medicine (Dr. Maxwell Thornton Murder Mysteries #1)(19)

“Oh, well…” Had he read my mind? “Dinner?”

“I’d have to drop the dog off at home first.” He looked down at the exhausted puppy he held. The dog had lost steam halfway back, and it had been easier to carry him.

“Or…” I hesitated as a solution to my soup problem came to me. “Wh… why don’t we just order a pizza and eat here?” I frowned. “You do have pizza in this town, don’t you?”

He grinned. “Yep. Guido’s Pizzeria even delivers.”

“Okay, good. Would you want to do that?” I held my breath, waiting for his response.

“You’re sure this isn’t too much trouble?”

I laughed gruffly. “All I have to do is make a phone call.”

“Then… yeah,” he said softly. “I’d love that.”

“Perfect.” My stomach growled as if on cue. “What do you like on your pizza?”

“Literally anything. And I’m not exaggerating.” He laughed, but then his expression became more serious. “Grumpy is barely potty-trained. Are you sure you’re willing to risk your floor?”

I grimaced. “Hmmm. I hadn’t thought of that.”

“Yeah. I thought you probably hadn’t.” He sounded disappointed. “Well, maybe another time--”

“The only carpet is upstairs in my bedroom, and of course, we wouldn’t be up there.” I gave a stiff laugh.

He didn’t say anything; he simply held my gaze, looking uncertain.

“We can eat on the back patio.” It surprised me how much I didn’t want him to go. But I didn’t. I was willing to risk my hardwood floors even just to have him stay. “Then the puppy won’t be a problem.”

His face lit with pleasure. “Are you sure? I don’t want to impose.”

“I haven’t shared a meal with another human since I arrived. It might be nice to do that at least once while I still sort of remember how to do it.”

He smiled and his gaze dropped to my mouth. But then he looked away, and his voice was impersonal. “Sure. Let’s have dinner together, Maxwell.”

Little flutters of excitement attacked my gut, but I made sure I didn’t show any emotion. We were sharing a pizza, nothing more. “Great.” I hesitated. “Um… come inside.”

Now that he’d agreed, as I strode toward the front door, my obsessive insecurities descended. I immediately began to second-guess my wisdom about having him to dinner. Did he think this was a date? Did he think I was hinting I wanted sex? Had I accidentally led him on? Did I want sex? Was that why I’d invited him to my house? I glanced over at him, but I didn’t know him well enough to know his expressions yet.

I let us into my house, and he set the puppy down. Grumpy yawned and immediately squatted to pee on the floor. “No!” Royce yelled, scooping the puppy up and running back out onto the front porch with him.

“Oh, dear.” I went into the kitchen and grabbed some paper towels and bleach. I wiped at the spot of urine on the wood floor, while outside Royce chastised the dog firmly.

“Naughty boy. You know better than that.” His voice wobbled, and he hesitated. “I mean, well, you probably don’t, but you should.” He sounded gentle but stern.

“It’s no big deal,” I called out to him. “He’s just a puppy.”

He poked his head in the door, a line between his brows. “Are you sure about this? I feel bad. We weren’t in the house ten seconds and he already defiled the place.”

Rubbing the floor, I said, “It was a teaspoon of liquid. It’s fine.”

“I don’t know.”

“I’m serious. You should stay.” I stood and went into the kitchen to throw away the soiled paper towels and wash my hands. When I came back, he was in the doorway, still looking embarrassed.

“I should have just dropped the dog off and this wouldn’t have happened.”

I felt less tense about dinner now that something had interrupted my obsessive thought process from earlier. It was obvious Royce expected to have pizza with me and that was all. He wasn’t here to seduce me. “I want you to stay.”

He grimaced. “Well… I’m paying for the pizza, then. It’s the least I can do.”

“There’s no need for that. You’re acting like Grumpy chewed up my couch. He piddled. From what I understand, that’s what puppies do.”

“I’m paying for the pizza, or I’m not staying.”

I shook my head with exasperation. “Fine.”

He glanced toward Grumpy, who was staring up at him. “You promise to behave yourself?”

“Yes,” I answered as a joke but then realized it came off as me flirting.

He turned to look at me, a funny expression hovering on his face. “Not you, Maxwell. You don’t have to behave yourself.”

“Ha.” I backed away and picked up the bottle of bleach. “I’ll go call in the pizza.”

“Okay,” he said softly. “I’ll meet you out back.”

I nodded and headed for the kitchen, my pulse racing at the idea of spending more time with Royce.





Chapter Six


Royce