of the city, I could appreciate Fawn Hill for its charm.
“I haven’t yet, but now I’m going to wrangle my grandma into buying me a slice of apple.” I nod at her.
Chance excites when another owner walks through the door with a small, tan dog. I have to brace myself as he almost pulls my arm out of its socket and barking ensues.
Behind me, a door clicks shut, and Dierdra is talking to someone as I try to rein in Chance.
“Presley, Dr. Nash will see Chance now.”
A lock of my hair is caught in my mouth as I finally turn, breathing hard with the leash looped seven times around my wrist so I can keep my grandmother’s mongrel from friendly attacking the other patients.
“Come on in.”
Holy crap. Why didn’t anyone warn me that Fawn Hill also had the hottest veterinarian I’ve ever seen? Talk about a hidden gem.
A tall drink of water with dirty blond hair, eyes the color of my favorite dark chocolate swirled with caramel, muscled thighs that couldn’t possibly belong to a doctor and a smile that could charm the pants off of Simon Cowell.
Okay, I’d been watching too much America’s Got Talent.
“You’re Dr. Nash?” My voice held a tone of skeptical rudeness, and I cringed at myself. “You just … look so … young.”
What I’d meant to say was hot … you’re way too hot to be a vet. This guy had sex hair, the kind you grabbed onto while he slowly stoked your fire. He looked straitlaced, a little too good-boy for my taste, but with those chiseled cheekbones and cleft chin, a girl would be blind not to feel that familiar tingle south of the border when he turned those mocha eyes on her.
But instead of the word sexy, I’d said the word young instead, and now he was giving me an amused raised eyebrow.
And then I remembered why I was here.
Oh my God. This gorgeous specimen is going to be responsible for pulling my hot pink lace underwear out of this damn dog’s butt.
2
Keaton
She was clearly uncomfortable.
“Chance, my man, we have to stop meeting like this.” I pat the dog’s head as he sits on my exam room floor, his tongue lolling as I scratch behind his ear.
“This dog is a menace.” The woman sneers.
I look up at her and can’t stop myself from staring for the hundredth time since we came into this room. It’s just … she’s stunning.
Red hair the color of crushed cherries, a lithe frame with long, toned legs encased in black yoga pants, and cleavage that keeps peeking out from her white tank top. With hair like that, you’d expect freckles, but I have a feeling nothing about this woman is usual. No, her skin is a rose-petal blush melted with vanilla ice cream, smooth and completely blemish free.
And those eyes. Emerald green and hypnotic, even when they’re rolling at the menace panting in my face.
“He’s just a little overexcited. Nothing a little training wouldn’t fix up, or so I keep telling Hattie. I’m Keaton, by the way.” I extend my hand, hoping she’ll give me her name.
“I thought it was Dr. Nash.” She gives me an unreadable expression, cautiously extending her hand but not giving me her name.
I chuckle. “I’m a vet in small-town Pennsylvania. If I walked around here asking everyone to call me Dr. Nash, they’d think I was a stuck-up prick.”
This wins me a laugh, and when she smiles, something inside of my chest pulls. Like a muscle that hasn’t been used in a while, the soreness hurts but is also satisfying.
“Down-to-earth doctor … I don’t hate it. I’ve met many who wouldn’t allow anyone in a town like this to even shine their shoes.” Nameless minx smiles.
“Fawn Hill may be small, but its people have heart. It’s a loyal, wonderful town.” I defend the place I’ve lived my entire life.
She holds up her hands. “Oh no, please don’t mistake that for criticism on your town. On the contrary, it’s a slight at doctors. I used to work in a restaurant close to a hospital. Those assholes don’t tip nearly as well as they’re getting paid to cut into people.”
I tilt my head, wondering where this restaurant was. But I settle with my earlier question. “Well, I know you’re Hattie’s granddaughter. But I still don’t know your name.”
She finally relents, sighing as if she’s lost a battle. “I’m Presley, thanks for fitting us in on such short notice.”
My attention focuses back on Chance, who