Cindy Kirk - The Doctor's Valentine Dare

“Do you like veal?”

The question seemed to come from far away. He couldn’t take his eyes off Josie. Pretty in pink and sexy as hell in those tight-fitting jeans.

Noah stepped closer, placing a hand on the wall on either side of her, crowding her. She smelled sweet, like lilies. The barest trace of pink gloss shimmered on her full lips.

She made no move to get away, simply stared up at him with those clear green eyes.

He wanted to taste her, to see if that mouth really was as sweet as he remembered. He lowered his head, relieved when she made no move to turn away.

“Josie,” Poppy called out. “Was everything okay with Jack?”

“He was fine.” Josie slipped out from under Noah’s arms just as Poppy strode around the corner.

John William, known as Jack to friends and family, was Ben and Poppy’s very active two-year-old.

Poppy’s speculative gaze took in the scene. She smiled at Noah. “Did you get lost?”

“I ran into Josie,” Noah explained with an easy smile. “She was telling me what’s on the menu for this evening.”

“It’s always incredible when Lexi does the entrée.” Poppy placed a hand on her stomach. “I only wish I could enjoy food the way I used to.”

“You will again.” Noah spoke in the reassuring tone he used with his patients, then excused himself and continued to the back of the house.

“You didn’t tell me he was coming.” Josie kept her tone low, even when she was certain Noah was out of earshot.

Dear God, she’d almost kissed him again. What was it about the man? Whenever he was near, her good sense seemed to go on hiatus.

If Poppy noticed the hint of accusation in Josie’s tone, she gave no indication. She merely lifted one shoulder in an elegant shrug. “We’ve invited him over on many occasions. This is the first time he actually showed up.”

“My lucky night.”

“Is having him here an issue?” Poppy’s expression took on a look of concern. “If it is, I can talk with Ben and—”

“No.” Because Josie had spoken more sharply than she’d intended, she softened the word with a smile. “It’s just, for some crazy reason, when Noah is around the part of my brain that’s capable of rational thought goes haywire.”

They quickly reached the edge of the kitchen, where the other women were congregated. When Josie started to step inside, Poppy took her arm. “Do you like him? I heard you kissed him at the party Saturday night.”

Josie hesitated. She settled for waving a dismissive hand in the air, and forcing a casual tone. “We shared a kiss at midnight on New Year’s Eve. Noah is a nice enough guy, but not my type.”

Poppy cocked her head. “Exactly what kind of man is your type?”

For a second her mind went completely blank. She could hardly diss Noah without also dissing her brother Ben. Josie thought of the men who’d been at the party the other night. No one stood out. Surely there had to be someone she could use to defuse Poppy’s scrutinizing gaze.

“Liam Gallagher,” she blurted out.

While the child psychologist hadn’t made her heart beat the slightest bit faster when they’d danced, he appeared to possess many of the characteristics she admired.

“Liam.” Poppy’s perfectly painted red lips curved upward. “Good to know.”

The gleam in her sister-in-law’s eyes had Josie wondering exactly what she was planning.

Whatever it was, it didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was she’d gotten Poppy off the ridiculous notion that there was something between her and Dr. Noah Anson.

Chapter Four

It didn’t take any time at all for Josie to realize she should have kept her mouth shut. About everything.

The evening’s downhill slide began when the men piled into the kitchen to fill their plates with food from the sumptuous buffet.

Josie had been chatting with Mary Karen, a perky blonde who barely looked old enough to drink much less be the mother of five, when Noah strode into the room.

For a second she wondered if he planned to stay true to form and seek her out, but as he walked past with her brother, she realized they were deep in discussion about some new surgical technique.

Their total focus on the topic reminded Josie of the types of discussion that had occurred most nights around her parents’ dining room table. Her three older brothers, all aspiring doctors, and her father would discuss medicine as if it was the most fascinating subject in the world.

Her mother, God love her, would feign interest. There was a time—back when Josie had been desperate for her father’s love and approval—when she’d also listened attentively.

Occasionally, she’d forget her audience and bring up something she’d learned in yoga class. Although her dad hadn’t rolled his eyes, usually one of her brothers would make a joke. They’d all laugh. Eventually she’d quit sharing.

A heaviness filled her chest at the memories, an unwelcome sensation she hadn’t felt in a long time. Was she crazy for coming back and trying to rebuild a relationship? Perhaps it would have been better if she’d stayed in Portland and returned home only for the occasional Thanksgiving or Christmas holiday.

Though she’d come home to Jackson Hole filled with determination and enthusiasm, she had to admit she still had no clue what made her father and brothers tick. If she couldn’t understand them, how was she ever going to form a connection?

While adding a spoonful of each salad to her plate, Josie listened to Mary Karen chatter about her oldest set of twins, then found a seat at the large oval table.

Cassidy Duggan, owner of the Clippety Do-Dah Salon—and Daffodil’s boss—stopped on her way back to her seat to ask Josie who’d designed the cake she’d brought that evening. Cassidy was absolutely convinced her twin daughters would adore a unique cake for their upcoming birthday.

After giving the hair salon owner Sylvie’s contact information, Josie lifted the glass of iced tea to her lips, feeling as out of place as she’d been at the New Year’s Eve party. Did everyone in this book club have kids?

She let her gaze search the room, mentally cataloging those in attendance, and realized, yes. Tonight, everyone in attendance were parents. Except...

From across the room, her gaze met Noah’s. He smiled.

Blood flowed through her veins like warm honey.

Josie told herself she didn’t want Noah to sit in the empty chair beside her. Of course, it was a free country and if he happened to choose that seat, she could hardly ignore him. In her mind she began to plan all the topics they’d discuss, none of which involved teething, dance classes or children’s birthday parties.

Noah was still filling his plate when Poppy placed a hand on the chair next to Josie’s and announced, “There’s a spot for you over here.”

Josie shifted her gaze to find Liam Gallagher headed in her direction. She amended her earlier assessment. Apparently there were three of them without children here, not two. When she slanted a glance at her sister-in-law, Poppy offered a benign smile.

“You can thank me later.” Her sister-in-law leaned over and whispered in her ear.

Liam pulled out a chair and smiled warmly. “May I sit next to you?”

“Absolutely.”

Josie discovered Liam was an interesting conversationalist, full of humorous stories about all the places he’d lived before returning to set up practice as a child psychologist in Jackson Hole.

She attempted to keep Liam talking, even while casting surreptitious glances in Noah’s direction, but the psychologist refused to monopolize the conversation. To her chagrin, he kept redirecting everything back to her. He listened intently to whatever she said, so intently she felt as if she was in a therapy session and should request a bill at the end of the evening.