Sandy Sullivan by Doctor Me Up Read Free Book Online Page A

the sky above. They seemed so clear, she could see herself reflected back. Long sooty
lashes framed those perfect orbs, any woman would kill for. The fullness of his
lips reminded her of the kiss they'd shared so many months ago. She shivered,
almost wanting to feel the pressure of his mouth against hers again.
    A quick
clearing of her throat brought her attention back to the crowd around them and
the inappropriateness of her thoughts. "What types of animals do you
treat, Marcus?" she asked as the waiter led them to their table.
    "All
kinds. If they are pets, I treat them if they're sick."
    "Wow.
I thought treating the different types, size and diseases of humans seemed
tough. I can't imagine keeping all the different animals’ heart rates straight,
much less all the other stuff." She nodded to the waiter and took the seat
Marcus held out for her with a soft “thank you.”
    "Medicine
in general can be a bit overwhelming. It's a good thing there are lots of
reference books. If I don't know something, I look it up same as you I
assume."
    She
opened the menu handed to her by the waiter, glancing over the selections. Lots
of restaurants in Los Angeles boasted of great steaks, but nothing beat the
beef in her home state. Medium rare meat had saliva pooling in her mouth as her
taste buds tingled. It had been forever since she'd had a good steak.
    "What
would you like to eat?"
    "I'm
going to have a nice piece of red meat. I missed those in Los Angeles." He
looked startled as she laughed. "Don't look so surprised, Marcus. I did grow
up on a cattle ranch."
    "Yes,
but I assumed they had really good restaurants in L.A. and knowing you were
dating a very wealthy man, you'd probably eaten at some of the best of
them."
    Indignation
zipped along her nerves. How dare he think her a snob. "The man I was dating owned an international shipping firm, so yes, we did
wine and dine at some of the best restaurants in L.A., but I'm not a snob,
Marcus. I like hometown diners and small restaurants. They seem to have the
best staff and the best foods. In no way have I ever considered myself above
eating at places like that."
    "I'm
sorry. I've insulted you." He took her hand in his running his callused
thumb over her knuckles. "I never intended for you to take exception to my
words. I didn't mean them how you perceived them at all."
    The
scrape of his thumb on her hand sent shivers up her arm. She had to press her
thighs together hoping for a little relief from the throbbing starting low in
her belly. "I'm sorry I snapped. It's just one of the reasons my ex told
me he didn't want anything long term with me was because I didn't have the
social skills he wanted."
    "I've
already told you my opinion of him. I hope you know I would never think any
less of you for being born and raised on a ranch in Montana. It happens to be
some of the prettiest country I've ever seen. I'm glad I live here."
    She
reluctantly pulled her hand from his grasp as the waiter returned to take their
order. The moment the waiter disappeared again, they continued their
conversation. "You said your family is in Boston?"
    "Yes.
I was born and raised there."
    "Where
did you go to school?"
    "University
of Kentucky."
    "Wow.
That's a long way from Boston."
    The
waiter returned with the bottle of wine they'd agreed upon, pouring a small
amount in the glass for Marcus to taste. "Delicious. Thank you." After
the waiter departed the table, he said, "We didn't have much while I was
growing up. A fairly large family didn't make for easy times."
    "Where
were you in the pecking order?"
    "Middle
boy. I have an older brother, a younger brother, younger sister."
    She
swallowed a sip of wine, relishing the bite on her tongue. "I bet it made
you feel, um, lost in the shuffle a bit."
    "Yes.
How did you know?"
    "I'm
the oldest of the girls in our family, but still a middle child so I know what
you went through. We had a big family too." She pressed her lips together before
she smiled. "I love my family.