Pretend You're Mine: A Small Town Love Story Read Online Free PDF Page A

this. A place to belong. They drove past the high school with its wide green lawn and football stadium. She wondered how different things would have been for her had life begun here.
    “You’re quiet.” Luke observed, glancing at her.
    “Just thinking. Did you play football? In high school, I mean.”
    Luke stopped for a red light. “Yeah. And ran track.”
    “Very athletic.” Harper commented.
    “You?”
    “No, I never played football.”
    “Smart ass.” Luke said it mildly, and Harper caught a glimpse of dimple.
    Harper smiled. “No other sports either.”
    “Why, because your school didn’t have boxing?”
    “Funny.” She wrinkled her nose at him. “It was mostly circumstances. I moved around a lot.”
    “Skipping out on arrest warrants?”
    “I’m starting to think you have a slightly skewed perception of me, Lucas.”
    “Can you blame me?”
    “Hey, you’re the one who picked me up at a bar.”
    “I picked you up off the parking lot.”
    “Details, details,” Harper waved her hand.
    Luke turned into a small parking lot next to a barn-red office. Dunnigan & Associates.
    “Damn it, Luke. I told her I would see my doctor when I could.”
    “Suck it up, sweetheart. It’s the price of a ride to the city.”
    Harper pouted. “I feel fine.”
    “Bullshit. You can barely move. Now be a big girl and get out.”
    She took her sweet time following him up the ramp.
    “If you’re in that much pain I’d be happy to carry you in,” he threatened.
    Harper quickened her pace and slunk in the door behind him.
    “They’re not even open yet,” she hissed at his back.
    “Doc opened early just for your pretty little ribs.”
    Dr. Dunnigan hustled into the empty waiting room clutching a tall coffee. “Right on time, Luke. Ouch,” she said looking at Harper’s face. “How ya feeling today?”
    “Just great,” she said. “In fact, I think we’re wasting your time —”
    Luke reached out and poked her right on the bruised butt cheek. Harper yelped. He either had spectacular bruise radar or had caught a glimpse of her ass when she had escaped bed this morning.
    “Yeah, I think we still need to do an exam. Come on back. Luke, you might as well come, too. While Harper changes I’ll show you where I’m thinking of doing the addition. Bra off, underwear on,” she called over her shoulder to Harper.
    Harper glumly pulled on the paper gown and tucked it under her for as much modesty as possible. She was not the biggest fan of doctor’s offices. Time was what provided the best healing. She was just a little banged up. This didn’t even make it into her top five injuries list. As far as she was concerned, everyone was overreacting.
    A knock at the door was followed by Dr. Dunnigan’s frizzy curls. “Decent? Are you okay if Luke comes in?”
    Harper shrugged. “Sure, why not?”
    She stared at her bare feet while they entered. Luke sat in the visitor’s chair while Dr. Dunnigan wielded her penlight in Harper’s eyes.
    “I still don’t have a concussion,” Harper sighed.
    “Speaking from experience?” the doctor asked, switching eyes.
    “One or two. You don’t forget what they feel like.”
    “So no nausea, vomiting?”
    “Nope. And no blurred vision either.”
    Dunnigan laughed. “Well, in this case I’m going to agree with your self-diagnosis. I think you’re concussion clear. Which makes you very lucky or very skilled at taking a punch. Glenn has fists of concrete.”
    Harper remained silent and avoided Luke’s gaze.
    “Okay, let’s take a peek at those ribs.” She tugged the paper gown open to check Harper’s side. “Wow, that’s a mess. We’re definitely going to do an X-ray.”
    Harper winced at the gentle probing around the bruising. Dr. Dunnigan pulled the gown open a little wider and Harper saw Luke’s jaw clench. Wordlessly, he shoved out of his chair to pace.
    Ignoring him, Dr. Dunnigan moved on to Harper’s arm.
    “Okay, Contusion Queen, let’s get a couple of