Teresa Hill Read Online Free PDF Page B

of jeans and well-worn boots.
    She smiled, unable to help herself for a second.
    She wasn’t even looking for a man. The last thing she wanted or needed was a man. And the absolute last thing she’d allow herself to want or need was a man with kids.
    “Samantha?” The voice came from the intercom system on the phone, startling Samantha as it always did when she suddenly found someone speaking to her when she was absolutely alone in the room.
    “Yes, Jess,” she said.
    “Sorry to bother you, but there’s a man on the line who said he needs to see you tonight after your last appointment. No emergency. Nothing to do with teeth. And I thought I’d better check with you first before giving him a time. Your last appointment should be over by six.”
    “Okay.” Puzzled, Samantha asked, “Who’s the man?”
    “Joe Morgan,” Jess said innocently. “The would-be dentist’s dad.”
    Samantha couldn’t stop a long, slow sigh from escaping her mouth.
    Obviously Jess heard it, too, because she laughed. “I thought that was him. Which means I win! If he called anytime before two-thirty today, I win!”
    “Jess—” she protested.
    “I’ll put him right through.”
    The phone buzzed at her, which meant the intercom had been turned off. A light under the button labeled Line 3 started blinking, which meant Joe was there, right at her fingertips.
    Samantha closed her eyes and told herself to make up some socially acceptable little lie. She had plans, errands, some reason to get home tonight. But there was nothing. She couldn’t lie to herself. She was intrigued. The cute cowboy wanted to see her again. He’d seemed so reluctant to be here yesterday, although it may have been nothing but embarrassment over what his son had done.
    If only he knew, Samantha thought. Kids did the silliest things. Luke certainly wasn’t the first or the last to give his father fits.
    Samantha took a breath and reached for the receiver. Play it cool, she told herself. He’s just a man. Okay, a boyishly handsome man, but one with an adorable kid—definitely off-limits.
    She punched the button and said, “Hello? This is Dr. Carter.”
    “Hi. This is Joe Morgan,” he said. “From yesterday? My son—”
    “I remember you,” she jumped in. As if any woman forgot him. He hesitated then, and she wondered just how eager she’d sounded when she told him she remembered him. Trying to be the professional woman she was supposed to be, Samantha said, “Luke didn’t pull another tooth, did he?”
    “No. At least, not that anyone’s told me about. But the day’s still young.” Joe might have been smiling then. She couldn’t be sure. “I was wondering if Luke and I could come by your office this evening. He has something of yours that he needs to return.”
    “Oh?”
    “I’m afraid he swiped one of your ceramic tooth fairies, Doc.”
    “He did?” Samantha was surprised and more than a little disappointed now that she knew why he’d called. Despite what she’d told herself about becoming involved with a man like Joe Morgan, a part of her had still wanted him to call her today. Which was silly, she knew, but that was how she felt.
    “I can’t believe Luke did that,” Joe rushed on. “As far as I know, he’s never done anything like that before. I told him he has to return it to you himself so he can explain what he did and tell you how sorry he is. If you could make time for us, of course.”
    “Of course,” she said. “Six o’clock?”
    “That’s fine. Thanks.”
    “It’s no problem at all. Luke is a delightful child.” She couldn’t help but add, “I hope you won’t be too…”
    “Harsh?”
    “Yes.” Samantha closed her eyes and winced. It was absolutely none of her business. But Luke was special. She remembered the sad puppy-dog eyes when he’d asked her quite seriously how many teeth she thought it took to get a grand wish granted by the tooth fairy. Not an ordinary wish and certainly not money, he’d