The Doctor Wears A Stetson (Contemporary Western Romance) by Anne Marie Novark Read Free Book Online Page B

wanting
her now.
    "Relax, Jess. I'm not going to do anything
you're not comfortable with. But I won't lie to you, either.
There's something between you and me. It was there the night of the
prom. It's here between us now."
    "I know," she said. "But you're moving too
fast for me. Let's take it slow and easy." She tried to smile.
    "I'll do my best, sweetheart. That's all I
can promise." Not for a moment did he think it would be slow and
easy when they came together. It would be hard and fast. He
adjusted his position on the vinyl seat of the booth, hoping like
hell he could keep his promise.
    Sarah Sue waltzed up to the table, carrying
a loaded tray. She placed the plates in front of them. "Careful,
they're hot. Anything else you need?"
    "I don't think so," Cameron said.
"Thanks."
    Sarah Sue tucked the tray under her arm.
"I'm glad you're back, Cameron McCade. And I'm so glad you brought
Jessie to dinner. The poor darlin' doesn't get out near enough.
Y'all enjoy."
    Jessie groaned and Cameron smiled at the
murderous look she shot at Sarah Sue's retreating back.
    "Maybe you have the right idea about not
living in a small town," she said. "I'd give anything to be in a
large, impersonal restaurant right now."
    "Oh, I don't know. I'm kind of enjoying the
fellowship." He grinned, then took a bite of his steak.
    Jessie smiled back. "Do I detect a change of
heart?"
    Cameron shrugged. "I can think of a couple
of things I like about small towns. This town in
particular."
    "Such as?"
    "Sarah Sue's chicken-fried steak," he said.
"And a certain female mechanic, who took apart my brand new car
when nothing was wrong with it."
    Cameron watched the chin lift and the green
eyes sparkle with mischief. His body instantly responded. It took
an enormous effort not to lean over and kiss those moist lips.
    Then Jessie smiled at him again--a secret
smile, an intimate smile--before turning her attention to her
dinner. Cameron's gut clenched with desire. He hadn't been this hot
for a woman in years. Seventeen years, to be exact.
    ****
    Jessie watched Cameron sigh with pleasure
and push away his empty dessert plate. When he wiped his mouth with
his napkin, her heart did a little skip. She wanted to feel that
mouth on hers.
    All during dinner, she'd been hyper-aware of
the man sitting across from her. Their legs had brushed several
times beneath the table, each encounter shooting sensual shock
waves through her body. She felt on edge with expectancy. Like
something important was about to happen.
    Unlike Cameron, Jessie didn't believe in
plans. In her experience, life was a crapshoot and the luck of the
draw; life dealt you a hand of cards, and you made the best of it.
Or not. No use planning anything, because something would
invariably come along to upset all your careful arrangements.
    Sarah Sue walked up to the table holding a
steaming coffee pot. "Y'all want more coffee?"
    Cameron nodded. "That would be great. How
about you, Jess?"
    "Yes, please."
    After Sarah Sue filled their cups, Cameron
settled back against the cushioned booth. "So, tell me about this
clinic of yours."
    "It's not my clinic," Jessie
said.
    "Well, that's what Mom calls it. She always
refers to it as Jessie's clinic ."
    Jessie smiled. "That sounds like something
Ruth would say."
    "Yeah, Mom gets an idea in her head and it's
hard to budge her from it. So, how'd you get on the bandwagon? Why
is a medical clinic so important to you? No one's ever wanted to
build one in Salt Fork that I've known about. Everyone's been
content with the hospitals in Abilene and Lubbock."
    "Seemingly content," Jessie said. "When Dad
was diagnosed with cancer, it would have been so much easier if
we'd had a resident physician in town."
    "A country doctor couldn't treat cancer,
Jess."
    "I know that, but he or she could have
treated him for pain and some of the other side effects. Instead,
we were always having to pack up and go to Abilene for every little
thing."
    "I see your point. Eighty miles is a long
way