From Doctor...to Daddy Read Online Free PDF Page B

the other direction if he knew her history. He was so polished, so confident, so sure of his place in life. In so many ways he reminded her of Scott. Yet when she was alone with him…
    Her gaze collided with his. Everything seemed to go quiet except for the beating of her heart.
    Suddenly Emilia tired of pushing magazines on the coffee table. She ran for Erika but at the last minute detoured and headed for Dillon instead. She ran into his leg and he caught her so she wouldn’t fall.
    The toddler looked up at him and giggled as if what she’d done was great fun.
    Erika stooped and caught Emilia again, lifting her high in the air. Emilia raised her arms and waved them. “Mommee, Mommee. Fwy!”
    Erika explained, “She likes when I lift her up high so she can pretend she’s flying.” Instead of giving her daughter her way, Erika shook her head. “Not here. We’ll fly at home.”
    The phone on Dillon’s belt chimed. “Excuse me,” he said, watching Erika with Emilia. He glanced at the caller ID. “I have to take this.” He spoke into the phone. “Just a minute, Grant.” Turning to Erika’s mother, he smiled. “It was good to meet you, Mrs. Rodriguez.”
    â€œIt was good to meet you, too, Dr. Traub.”
    Then Dillon came very close to Erika and gently ran his hand over Emilia’s hair. “It was a pleasure meeting you, too, little one.” His gaze was so tender yet filled with a deep emotion Erika couldn’t read.
    â€œI’ll see you in the morning,” he said to Erika. “Go ahead and leave. You were here early and put in a long day. Ruthann can handle any calls coming in now.”
    With a last wave for Emilia, he disappeared down the hall and into his office.
    â€œYou like him,” her mother whispered to her. “That’s dangerous.”
    â€œDon’t worry, Mom. I learned my lesson the last time.”
    â€œI hope so.” Her mother still looked worried.
    Erika knew liking Dillon Traub was not going anywhere. She had even more to lose now than she had three years ago. She would not let a man ruin her life again.
    Â 
    At D.J.’s Rib Shack that evening, Stacy tilted her head and asked Dillon, “How often can you get away from the lodge?”
    They’d been catching up over a dinner of ribs and corn bread. “I’m not chained here,” he joked. “But I was hired to treat the guests so I don’t like to go too far. If I do want to go out for an evening, I can give Dr. Babchek a call. He’s retired and can back me up if Ruthann needs him.”
    The restaurant wasn’t far from the main lodge. TheRib Shack was nestled in among boutiques that stretched from the lodge through the resort.
    Dillon glanced at the mural on the wall of the restaurant, the one D.J.’s wife, Allaire, had painted. For some reason, thinking about D.J. and Allaire and their two-year-old turned Dillon’s thoughts to Erika and Emilia. The little girl was a miniature replica of her mother, glossy wavy hair, big dark eyes. She was a beautiful child—and Erika was a beautiful woman. Dillon sensed there was a lot more to his receptionist than met the eye. She seemed mature beyond her years, unless he was just trying to fool himself.
    â€œDillon?” he heard Stacy say.
    â€œYes.”
    â€œI asked if you’ve seen D.J. and Allaire since you’ve been back this time.”
    â€œNot yet. But soon, I hope.”
    â€œWhat were you thinking about?” the perceptive social director asked. “You seemed miles away.”
    â€œNot so many miles.” Studying Stacy, he said, “I was thinking about my receptionist, Erika Rodriguez. Before I left the office tonight, her mother came in with her little girl. I didn’t know she had a child and I wondered why she kept her a secret.”
    â€œEmilia’s not a secret,” Stacy muttered.
    It was the way Stacy said