Free Finding the Perfect Man by Marie Higgins

couldn’t tear his eyes away from the caring look in her amazing eyes.
    “Lanie chose this herself. It had nothing to do with you. There is nothing wrong with you.”
    “I disagree, Doctor Reed. Apparently I wasn’t man enough to confront her, which means, I’m not a man. I’m a wimp…a coward.”
    “And if you had truly strangled her, you’d be a murderer. Now tell me Brock, which is worse? Personally, I’d rather have a wimpy man than one who has killing instincts in him.”
    As she studied his face, his heartbeat picked up rhythm. He hoped she couldn’t see the resemblance between him and the man she’d met in the bar. Not seeing the light of recognition in her eyes, he sighed in relief. Her smile warmed him, comforted, and made him want her that much more.
    Good grief! What was wrong with him? Why couldn’t he stop thinking about kissing her—and hoping to get another chance? This time, it had nothing to do with getting her license revoked.
    “Brock, come here. I want you to see something.”
    She sparked his curiosity, and he followed her across the room to a full-length mirror on a closet door. “Do you see that handsome man in there?”
    Handsome? Who was she looking at? He was dressed—and acted—like a pathetic man. “No.”
    “Well, I do. I see a man who has been hurt, but who will recover.”
    Her gaze roamed over his face, wandered down his baggy shirt, and to his over-sized jeans. Her cheeks flushed red as she quickly looked back in his eyes. He liked seeing her flustered this way, and he fought the smile trying to sneak across his face.
    “I see a man who needs to look at himself in the mirror a lot more.” She paused. “Brock? Tell me what you see.”
    “A loser.” Although he meant it to be serious, an unexpected laugh sprang from his throat, widening his smile.
    She chuckled with him. “Brock, I’m serious.”
    She’s so pretty when she smiles. He shook away the thought.
    “Okay, I see…” He paused, not really knowing what to say. “I don’t know what I see. I see a man who needs…a makeover.” Once again, he couldn’t stop the laugh from escaping his chest. Shoot! His character was slipping.
    Jordan folded her arms across her chest. Tilting her head, she gave him a quizzical look with arched eyebrows. “For a man who is down on himself, you’re not showing it very well.”
    He sucked in his breath. Did that mean she was onto him? He turned and faced her. “When you stand there and laugh at me, what else am I supposed to do?”
    “I wasn’t laughing at you. I was laughing with you.”
    He softened his smile as he gazed into her lovely blue eyes. They twinkled like gems. How he wanted to take her in his arms…just to touch her again. Going with his instincts, he reached up and stroked her cheek. Suddenly, her face lost its humor and her eyes widened. Her body stiffened, but she didn’t pull away.
    “Brock you mustn’t touch me like that. I’m your doctor.”
    “No, you’re not. You’ve referred me to another doctor, remember?”
    She shook her head. “But still…”
    He interrupted her before she could change the subject. “Doctor Reed, I really appreciate your kind words, but I’m not ready to look at myself in the mirror. I’m not ready to evaluate why I feel the way I do, or why I look the way I do.”
    She grabbed his fingers, but he clasped onto her hand, unwilling to let go. She opened her mouth to stop him, so he said, “I know you don’t really think I’m handsome, but thanks for the compliment.”
    “Brock, you’re wrong. You are a very handsome man, inside and out.”
    She struggled to pull her hand away, but he kept it in his grasp. “No, I’m a beast. Why else would I have thoughts about choking Lanie?”
    “Those type of urges are normal when you’ve had your heart stomped on, but what makes you a good person is that you didn’t act on them. You controlled yourself before letting your anger guide you into doing something awful.” She