7. Mabel

Mabel

“ Y ou’re bleeding too.”

I followed the doctor’s eyes to see that there was a long, jagged cut running down the inside of my forearm, blood seeping from the edges. I knew I had scratches, but didn’t realize it was that bad.

“It must have happened when I was digging around in the bushes rescuing Esmerelda,” I said. “Those branches were sharp.”

Now that I realized the cut was there, it hurt like a bitch. It was long and deep, but I didn’t think it needed stitches. I examined the rest of my arm, and then the other one, finding multiple cuts and scratches, some bleeding some not. Fortunately none of them were as bad as the one Hot Vet noticed.

Yes, I knew his name was Dr. Martin but in my mind I was calling him Hot Vet because… well, for obvious reasons. He was a few inches taller than me, maybe six one to my five seven, with broad shoulders and well-defined biceps straining against the sleeves of his navy blue scrubs.

Studying his face, I’d guess he was late forties or early fifties. He kind of reminded me of a middle aged Robert Redford. He had threads of silver showing through some of the strands of his thick, dark blonde hair, and fine lines around his eye and mouth. Those lines only made him look hotter of course. It was so unfair that men could look better as they aged.

Hot Vet had large, almond shaped brown eyes, sensuous lips, and a sharp jawline that I wouldn’t mind running my tongue along. He was the kind of guy that if I saw his picture on a dating app I’d definitely swipe right. Or whatever direction you swiped for “hell yeah, that guy is hot!”. I’d never actually used a dating app, although a couple of my friends had suggested it since my divorce.

They didn’t seem to believe me when I told them that I was perfectly happy being single and planning to remain that way. I wouldn’t be swiping on anyone, not for a long time. Maybe ever.

It was Mabel time. I was focused on rebuilding my life and taking care of my pup, although I hadn’t done too great a job of that today.

“Erica could you please get started with Esmerelda?” Hot Vet asked his assistant. “I’ll be there in a few minutes to assist.”

“Of course, Doctor.”

The vet tech picked up my dog and left the room, sending her boss a curious look. I hoped he wasn’t about to give me bad news.

“Sit,” Hot Vet ordered.

Dr. Martin, I mentally corrected myself before I did something stupid like call him that to his face.

“I’m not a dog,” I reminded him, resisting the urge to follow his order.

He spared me a quick look.

“Sorry, please sit down. I want to take a look at those arms for you.”

I sat on the plastic chair next to the wall. Hot--, uh Dr. Martin grabbed several items from the cabinet, then walked over to my side of the exam table where we’d had Esmerelda, crouching in front of me. This close I could smell his, well I didn’t know if it was shampoo or aftershave or what, but it smelled kind of earthy, like sandalwood or something.

He grabbed my hand, and I couldn’t help the small gasp that escaped my mouth.

Holy cannoli, that little contact of his fingers against mine sent a little zing right up my arm. What was that?

“I’m just going to clean your wounds,” he said, dropping my hand and pulling on some light blue latex gloves.

His voice sounded kind of husky compared to before, making me wonder if he was as affected by our nearness as I was.

As I watched, I couldn’t help but notice how long and thick his fingers were. After he’d gloved up, Dr. Martin poured some saline solution on a gauze pad. I hissed as he touched the pad to my wound, moving my gaze to the cartoon animals painted on the wall in front of me.

Damn, that scratch really hurt.

“I thought you were a vet,” I said, “Not a people doctor. But then again I guess we’re all animals really, aren’t we? I mean, I guess a cut on my skin is the same as Esmerelda getting cut so however you treat it on a dog is probably the same as you do for a human.”

I had a tendency to babble when I was nervous.

Dr. Martin’s eyes crinkled as he looked up at me, but his face remained blank. I had the feeling he didn’t really know what to make of me. I got that a lot, especially now that I’d stopped trying to make myself fit in.

Then he got to work cleaning my wounds. His touch was light and sure, mesmerizing me. As I sat there watching him clean up my scratches I couldn’t help but fantasize about his using that light touch elsewhere on my body. I didn’t usually go for older guys, but maybe just this once…

Holy smokes, get a hold of yourself Mabel, I told myself sternly. The man is being nice, he’s not coming onto you.

I didn’t think I’d mind him coming onto me, I thought, totally forgetting my ‘no men for the rest of my life pledge’. I had a sudden fantasy of him fucking me while I was bent over the exam table, but then he ruined it by speaking again.

“This scratch here is really deep,” he said sternly as he applied antibiotic cream to the long scratch that had initially caught his attention. “You need to be more careful. Chasing after a strange dog, digging through bushes, you could have been seriously hurt. And your dog does not need to be walking around in public wearing a princess dress. You’re lucky the fabric didn’t get caught around her neck and choke her to death.”

My spine snapped straight at his chiding tone and every warm and fuzzy thought I’d had about Dr. Joshua Martin flew right out of my mind. I was done being bossed around by men. Done being told I was too weird, too impulsive, too much . I wasn’t going to be lectured by a damned vet, no matter how hot he was.

“Thanks for cleaning me up,” I said, pulling my arm out of his grasp. “I think I’m good.”

“If it starts looking infected…” he began.

“Then I’ll talk to my doctor,” I said firmly.

Of course I didn’t have a doctor here in Starlight Bay yet, but he didn’t need to know that. I’m sure there was an urgent care clinic around here somewhere if I had an issue.

A little furrow appeared between his brows as he studied me, seemingly not understanding the change in my tone. Then he stood up, gathering the supplies and tossing them into the sink next to the exam table.

As he walked away, I couldn’t help but notice that he had a nice butt. I loved guys with nice butts.

“I’ll be back in a bit with a report on Esmerelda. You can wait here or in the lobby, whichever you prefer. It’ll probably be about half an hour. I want to make sure she gets a full dose of medicine.”

“I’ll wait in the lobby,” I said, popping out of my chair, then grabbing the exam table for balance as I felt a wave of dizziness hit me.

“What is it? Are you okay?” he asked. “Are you feeling light-headed?”

I nodded. “Yeah I’m fine. I think my blood sugar is just low. I haven’t eaten anything today.”

He looked at the clock on the wall and his frown deepened. “It’s two o’clock.”

I didn’t like his judgmental tone. I’d spent ten years married to a man with a judgmental tone.

“Thanks, but I’ve been able to tell time ever since kindergarten,” I snapped. “I’m fine. I think I’m just going to pop up the street to the market and grab a snack real quick while you work on Esmerelda.”

“We probably have some cheese here somewhere,” he said. “Maybe some chicken. I know we have peanut butter.”

“Yeah, but you’ll make me sit on the ground and lick it out of a Kong, won’t you?” I joked.

He frowned, clearly not finding my joke about eating snacks out of dog toys amusing. Hot Vet clearly did not have a sense of humor. I sighed. It was such a shame.

“Don’t worry, I just need a Snickers and a can of Coke and I’ll be right as rain,” I said brightly.

His expression turned to one of horror. “Or you’ll go into a diabetic coma.”

I didn’t even try to hide the way I rolled my eyes.

“Either way, I’ll be back in a little bit. Take good care of my sweet baby.”