Sheerly Irresistible

The first of many disasters.

Mitch turned in a slow circle around the gift shop, waiting for something to call out to him. A set of ceramic clowns? A jigsaw puzzle? A book of brain teasers?

“May I help you?”

He looked down to see a tiny silver-haired lady standing in front of him. She wore a salmon-pink frock and a pair of bifocals.

“I’m looking for a gift for a colleague of mine.”

“Male or female?” the woman asked with a toothy smile.

“Female.”

She motioned to the counter behind her. “We have some lovely potpourri.”

“You mean those bags of dead flowers?”

“They’re very fragrant,” she said, handing one to him. “This one is called Spring Blossom.”

He held it up to his nose. “Nice. But what are you supposed to do with it?”

“You can place potpourri in a bowl or other decorative container to give the room a nice, fresh scent.”

He scowled down at the price tag. Twenty bucks for stuff he could rake up in his backyard? “I don’t think this is what I’m looking for.”

“Well, we have some nice jewelry.” She pointed to another shelf. “Perhaps a bracelet?”

His last girlfriend had hated those glow-in-the-dark earrings he’d given her. Then his gaze fell on a small box shoved toward the back of the top shelf and he knew he’d found the perfect gift.

Mitch pointed up to it. “That’s what I want.”

The clerk stood up on her tiptoes, then her forehead crinkled. “Are you sure?”

He grinned, already imagining the expression on Elaine’s face. “Positive.”

Ten minutes later, he stood outside the door to her room, the gift bag in his hand and a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He hated the smell of hospitals. Maybe he should have bought her that potpourri after all. Mitch half turned, ready to head back to the gift shop, but he knew he was just delaying the inevitable. Raising his fist, he rapped on the door.

“Come in.”

He pushed the door open and saw Elaine seated in a chair by the window, wearing bulky gray sweatpants and a Yankees T-shirt. She was ten years his senior, but the freckles on her cheeks made her appear younger. Her ash-blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail and she looked thinner than she had a week ago. He forced his stiff lips into a smile.

Her green eyes lit up when she saw him standing in the doorway. “Hey, stranger!”

“You’re out of bed.”

“As much as possible. I make a lousy invalid.”

“You look good.” Then he awkwardly stuck out the gift bag in his hand. “I brought you something.”

“Please let it be a six-pack of Moosehead,” she implored, taking it from him.

“I didn’t think you were supposed to drink in here.”

She smiled. “Since when do you ever follow the rules, Malone?”

“Okay, I’ll sneak in some beer on my next visit.”

“Promise?” she asked, pushing the tissue paper aside and reaching into the gift bag.

“Promise,” he replied, waiting to see her reaction.

She stared at the box for a long moment. “A beach ball.”

“Inflatable. I thought it would be good exercise for you to bounce it around the room.”

One corner of her mouth twitched. “Gee, Mitch, I…don’t know what to say.”

“Want me to blow it up for you?”

“Sure.” She tossed him the box.

He removed the flattened plastic ball from inside, then flipped open the air valve and began to blow.

“So what’s new on the case?”

He lifted his head. “I’m working undercover as a bouncer at The Jungle.

Her eyes widened. “I thought the captain nixed that idea when we proposed it three weeks ago.”

“That was before you got hurt.”

She nodded, understanding the intense emotions that surfaced when a fellow officer was injured in the line of duty. Their captain was now committed to solving this case, no matter how much manpower or how many resources it took.

So was Mitch. He’d even temporarily sworn off women—his penance for letting himself be distracted by a pretty face. Although his resolve had certainly been tested yesterday with that hot little number coming onto him in the back alley of The Jungle. He could still see that snug white tank top she wore, damp with perspiration, clinging to her chest in a way that left little to the imagination. But he’d passed the test and was determined to pay more attention to his job and less attention to his hormones until they closed this case.

“Earth to Mitch.”

He blinked, then saw Elaine watching him. “Sorry.”

“What’s her name?”

He puffed a few more times into the beach ball. “Who?”

“The current dish on the Malone buffet.”

“I’m not seeing anyone.” He clamped his mouth on the rubber tube and blew until the ball was fully inflated. Then he pushed the cap in to seal it.

“How is that possible?” she teased. “Women have been falling at your feet since you took your first baby step. I’m married to a wonderful guy, so I’m immune to it, but I’ve seen the effect you have on the female population.”