Marrying the Playboy Doctor - By Laura Iding Page 0,44
who’d responded to the scene.”
“We’re a small community. The whole town probably knows you by now—at least by name.”
“Maybe, but still it’s nice to know people appreciate the help. Very different from Chicago, I must say.”
“I bet.” Many of the citizens of Cedar Bluff came in on a regular basis, when chronic health issues acted up. “I still get Christmas cards every year, delivered to the ED from some of my former patients’ families.”
“Wow. I don’t think that ever happens in Chicago. Or if it does, not very often.”
He reached over to take her hand. “Like I said, I’m very glad you chose to move here.”
“Me, too.” She didn’t pull her hand from his grasp, so he gently rubbed his thumb along the back of her hand.
Her skin was like silk. It made his mouth go dry to imagine her skin was just as soft everywhere else. All evening her subtle citrus scent had wreaked havoc with his concentration.
And now she was coming home with him, at least for a drink, maybe for a stolen kiss or two. He was glad he’d had the foresight to clean up his condo and buy wine. He didn’t have to be embarrassed to bring Kylie into his home.
He parked in the underground garage and followed behind her as they climbed the steps to his condo. Strange, but as he led her inside and looked at the place through Kylie’s eyes he didn’t see a home.
Not like the home she shared with Ben.
Not like the home he and his siblings had grown up in.
For a moment he found himself wondering if he could be a surrogate father to Ben, the same way Gregory Taylor had been to him.
“Do you have pictures of your family?” she asked, moving through the modern open kitchen into the living room.
“Yes, on the end table there’s a picture of my parents, and another one of me, Caleb and Tess on the day I graduated from medical school.” He pulled two wineglasses out of the cupboard and opened the bottle of wine he’d bought earlier that day. After filling the glasses halfway, he carried them into the living room.
She was sitting on the sofa, looking at the picture of his parents. “Your mother was beautiful. It’s easy to see the family resemblance between you three kids and your mom.”
“Yeah.” He handed her a wineglass and took the seat right next to her. “In hindsight, I guess we should have realized there wasn’t much resemblance to our father, though.”
“Maybe not physically, but I think there’s more to being a father than passing along your genes.”
As much as he loved his family, he didn’t really want to talk about them now. He watched as she took a sip of her wine, before placing the glass on the coffee table.
He set his glass beside hers, realizing he wanted to change the subject to something more important. Like the two of them. “Kylie, you were right. I did overhear the conversation you had with Greenley that day in Ben’s hospital room.”
She nodded, tilting her head to look at him thoughtfully. “I figured as much.”
He pierced her with his gaze. “I didn’t like it when you told him you weren’t seeing anyone.”
She raised a brow. “But we aren’t seeing each other.”
“What do you call this?” he asked, lightly stroking her shoulder.
“Ah—friends?” She tore her gaze from his, picked up her wineglass and then put it down without taking a sip.
Her nervousness made him think he was on the right track. “Are you telling me you don’t feel a thing when I touch you like this?” He slid his hand along the side of her neck, cupping the back of her head and tugging her toward him.
She shivered, but didn’t resist. His gaze focused on her moist lips, parting with anticipation as he leaned closer. With his mouth lingering a hair’s breadth above hers, he murmured, “Make no mistake, we are definitely seeing each other, Kylie.”
He wanted to hear her admit it. Wanted her to meet him halfway, confirming that he wasn’t the only one who burned with unfulfilled need.
It seemed like time froze, suspended indefinitely.
“Yes,” she whispered, finally closing the gap between them and pressing her mouth against his.
Her tentative caress was like a match being tossed into a pool of gasoline.
He slanted his mouth on hers, deepening the kiss even as he pulled her closer. They were sitting on the edge of the sofa, half facing each other, but it wasn’t close enough for